TyronePA.com

A true friend, citizen and loved one has gone from our midst.
Long-time and well-known and respected sports editor and writer Herb Werner passed away this week.
Werner began a long career in the media as the Sports Editor of the Daily Herald from 1947-1958. From then on, Herb worked for the rival Altoona Mirror, but never viewed anybody or anything as an enemy. He was always gracious and courteous to all, no matter who you were or what you needed. Herb knew many of the giants of local and Pennsylvania sports, on a first-name basis, from Joe Paterno who called him the day before Werner passed away, to the less well-known, including equally important colleagues who would meet to exchange ideas and stories. Paterno credited Werner with establishing a grass roots interest in Penn State football, when the program and Paterno were just beginning to get rolling.
“When I started, there were just the two of us in the Mirror sports staff,” explained long-time co-worker and friend Jim Lane, who actually had Werner as his boss when he first started at the Mirror. “We covered the eight high schools in Blair County then. Herb was a big follower of Penn State football and high school wrestling-those were his two babies. He was one of the best bowlers in the area and later also took up golf and was on the board at Sinking Valley.
“Herb was a real good friend for many, many years, and I miss him.”
He pioneered area newspaper coverage of bowling and contributed greatly to the golfing community. Herb was a board member of the Sinking Valley Country Club, along with local sports enthusiast Harry Sickler, who was a fast friend. Sickler, a local businessman, is the owner of the Bull Pen Restaurant and helped launch the Bull Pen Open Golf Tournament and the Tyrone Monogram Club. Both men shared a passion for the Tyrone community.
“If you knew Herb, you always had to admire him, because you knew what he stood for,” Sickler commented. “We played ball against each other, I have known him since he first came to Tyrone in 1948. You always enjoyed Herb because he was such a competitor. We were close friends. I would always take Herb once a year to South Bend for a Notre Dame football game.”
Werner was a member of the Golf Writers Association of America. Herb loved bowling and probably did more than any other person locally to promote the sport.
Werner was also a great wrestling fan, covering local high school wrestling for many years.
“Herb was always very positive in his articles in dealing with sports. Everyone enjoyed to read his work,” said Tony Yaniello, former long-time wrestling coach and Athletic Director at Tyrone. “I got to know Herb better on the golf course, where everyone loved the camaraderie he shared with us. Someone with his character and what he has done for local sports will be greatly missed.”
Werner was a 33-year veteran of the Pennsylvania National Guard, retiring in 1989 as Brigadier General. He had served as Adjutant General for the Pennsylvania National Guard in Philadelphia.
“The thinb I remember most about Herb, was his positive comments about kids,” said former Tyrone teacher and wrestling coach and now a member of the Tyrone Area School Board, and one of the busiest “retired people” anyone knows with community projects and concerns. “He was selfless, would do anything for anybody. Herb was just that kind of a good person.
“I remember, we called him the day of a Monogram Club meeting. The speaker had cancelled on the day of the meeting and Herb came and filled in and did a great job. He was like that-he did for others, no matter how inconvenient it was for himself.”
Werner grew up in Chicago and was a life-long Cubs fan, who came to Tyrone and adopted the community as his own.
Werner worked at the Daily Herald at a time when everybody did everything and knew the newspaper business from the bottom up.
Although I never got to work with Herb, here at the Daily Herald, he was a kindly gentleman who never allowed his position to hamper friendships. He was a loving family man, who was reunited with his beloved Virgie at the end.
“Herb was Tyrone-inside and out. He went out of his way to make sure Tyrone was never missed,” said Sickler.
Herb Werner fought a tough battle with the “Big C,” and will be sadly missed by family and friends and all those who love sports.

Courtland Pannebaker has participated in the Hollidaysburgh Area YMCA Community Wellness Challenge Race Series. Courtland placed first overall male in the 2-mile Ken Brumbaugh Spirit Run with a time of 13:12 and also placed first overall male in the 2-mile Altoona Curve Home run race this past Saturday with a time of 11:28. Courtland is an eighth grader at the Tyrone Area Middle School. (The Daily Herald/Courtesy Photo)

It would be unfair to characterize Tyrone’s baseball coach Dustin Schoening as naïve as he started his first season as the Golden Eagles’ skipper – the first varsity coaching job of his career.
Overly optimistic may be a better way of describing it. Youthfully hopeful may be even better.
But semantics aside, by the final third of Tyrone’s seasons, most of the warm feelings Schoening had for his team in March were spilling down the drain. The Golden Eagles were 2-8 and going nowhere until Schoening delivered a wake-up call to his veterans.
Tyrone had a game cancelled due to rain and Schoening planned to use the extra time for his players to take batting practice in the high school gym. Unfortunately for him, attendance was about as strong as a Florida Marlins double-header, with most of the starters opting, unbeknownst to their head coach, to take the day off.
A day later at Philipsburg-Osceola, Schoening decided to give them one more free day, benching seven starters in what became an ugly 11-1 five-inning loss. It didn’t do much for the old record, but it did infuse some life in the Golden Eagles, who went on to finish the season with wins in five of their last seven games, including a victory over Class AA District 6 king and defending state champion Bald Eagle Area in the season finale.
And while Tyrone’s 7-11 record may not have been what Schoening had in mind for his first season when he took the job, it was a dramatic step up from where they had been in early April.
“I would characterize my first season of coaching as more than what I expected. I don’t think there is any way to prepare mentally for what you are getting into as a varsity coach,” said Schoening. “It was a learning experience for me and my staff. You could say we improved as the season went on. I felt like we went through some ups and downs like you would expect to have with teenagers in a sport like baseball.”
The sudden shifts in fortune for the Eagles were at times dramatic, as one might expect from a team that started three sophomores and six underclassmen. So for every double-header sweep of Bellwood-Antis, there was a 10-2 loss to Central. For every 9-6 win over Mount Union, there was a 10-0 loss to Central Mountain.
But in the end, the good outweighed the bad for Schoening, thanks to the strong finish in May, as well as the promise of what returns next season. In 2009, the Eagles’ line up will be bolstered by four returning starters and six players with starting experience, including two of their biggest leaders in 2008.
No one was stronger in 2008 than first baseman John Shaffer, who led the club in his junior season with a .442 average with seven extra base hits, including a pair of home runs in the season finale. He drove in 17 runs and scored 10 times.
As a pitcher, Shaffer recovered from a slow start with strong outings in his final two starts, when he opened both ends of the double-header against Bellwood-Antis. Shaffer won the first game, pitching all seven innings, and allowed just one run on one hit in the first two innings of game two. He ended with a 1-3 record.
He’ll be joined on the staff by 2008’s biggest surprise, sophomore Eric Desch, who in his first full varsity season showed a fierce competitive nature on the mound and quickly grew into his role as Tyrone’s No. 1 starter.
He won his first start against Penns Valley, striking out 10 while going the distance, and finished the season by defeating BEA.
Desch wound up with a 4-1 record and 1.64 ERA.
“Shaffer was such a leader offensively. He always kept his cool and found a way to get some huge hits for us,” said Schoening. “Desch was a warrior on the mound. His competitiveness is second to none and he always found a way to get the job done when he pitched. They are both blessed with a tremendous amount of talent.”
Also returning will be Doug Rudy, a starter since his freshman season who trails only Shaffer in varsity experience, and Jordan Taylor, who emerged as a regular at the designated hitter spot.
Like many sophomores, Rudy had an inconsistent season, both at the plate and in the field. From his position at shortstop, he led the team in errors with eight, while also demonstrating one of the best arms on the club. At the plate, he batted just .173, but he also reached base enough to score 11 runs. Over one four-game stretch he went 6-for-17 with three runs.
Taylor, another sophomore, grew into the Eagles’ designated hitter role by mid-season and finished the campaign 6-for-29 (.206). What the numbers don’t show is his ability to hit with power and drive in runs. Taylor finished with 5 RBI.
While Tyrone’s young core is what has the team optimistic for the future, it was the seniors who helped pull the team up from the ashes late in the season. Senior Randy Hoover, for example, was a relief pitcher and utility player since his sophomore season, never getting regular at-bats until earning the starting nod at third base this season. He finished batting .307 with 13 runs, good enough to lead the club.
Mike Moore and Aaron Cunningham were in similar situations. Both had been on the varsity roster since 2006, but 2008 was the first time they worked as everyday players. Moore made the most of his time, splitting between the designated hitter and second base, and compiling a .326 average, 9 RBI, two doubles and a home run.
Cunningham was set to assume the starting position at centerfield last season before a hip injury ended those hopes in his first game as a starter. He rebounded in 2008 to finish second on the team in at-bats from his lead-off position, batting .207 with three doubles.
Cunningham also controlled the outfield, using his speed to track down anything within the 814 area code and committing just two errors, second on the team among everyday players.
The player with the fewest flubs was catcher Brock Anders, a three-year starter behind the dish who committed just one error his senior season. Anders also batted .260, including a team-high five doubles, and completed his final campaign by collecting three hits against BEA.
Outfielder Donnie Hunter ended his third straight season as a letter winner by batting .282 with 11 RBI and two doubles.
Matt Brooks, who was forced to switch positions after starting for two years at third base, suffered uncharacteristic struggles at the plate. A career .315 hitter coming into the season, Brooks led the team in at-bats with 55, but hit just .185 and scored 9 runs.
But Brooks found other areas to shine, namely the pitcher’s mound, where he joined the starting rotation for the first time. He quickly became a workhorse, chewing up innings like Dentine, allowing just 7 earned runs in 24 2/3 innings for a 3.52 ERA. He had a complete-game victory over Williamsburg May 1 and threw 7 2/3 for a no decision April 25 against Juniata Valley, finishing with a 1-1 record in five appearances.
“I thought (the seniors) were all very close and tremendous competitors,” Schoening said. “They all contributed in so many ways and we will definitely miss them.”
Brook’s performance on the bump was emblematic of Tyrone’s season: on days when he had his best stuff, winning was still difficult for the Eagles because some other area was lacking. In his extra-inning game against the Hornets, Brooks allowed only three runs, but Tyrone lost 4-3 in 9 innings, going scoreless in five of the last six frames. Brooks shut down Triple-A Indian Valley, allowing just two earned runs, but he had zero runs in support as his teammates mustered only three hits.
That changed as May wore on, but just when the Eagles were ready to turn the page – needing a win in their final home game against Central to enter the District 6 playoffs – some of the old problems resurfaced. Against the Dragons, the Eagles managed only six hits, while the pitching staff was drubbed for 14 hits.
The inconsistency in part can be attributed to Tyrone’s youth, a problem that could remain next season, even when the Eagles’ Fab 4 returns. It also had a lot to do with mental errors leading to physical errors – the Eagles committed 44 errors and had four games where they committed five.
That’s something that will have to improve if the Eagles hope to survive in the Mountain League.
“(Next year we should) be very talented but young,” Schoening said. “We have some experience back and our pitching is going to be our strength and we need to improve hitting the ball and on defense.”

Donald C. McClellan, 82 of Tipton died Thursday morning, June 12, 2008 at Epworth Manor, Tyrone.
He was born in Tipton on February 20, 1926, a son of the late Chester and Edna Mae (Cherry) McClellan.
He married Joyce I. Nearhoof on June 26, 1948 in Winchester, VA. She died October 23, 1994.
Surviving are two sons: Donald A. and wife, Diane and Randy C. both of Tipton; two daughters: Terri J. Dearing and husband, Jeff of Tipton and Karen J. Brantner and husband, Patrick of Mansfield, TX; eight grandchildren: Scott , Gabriel, Chris, Denny Jr., and Ryan McClellan, Lindsay Dearing and Cory and Kyle Brantner; three great-grandchildren: Hayden, Hannah and Ella; brother: Charles D. of Cape Canaveral, FL and sisters: Dorothy Whitesel and Phyllis Burkholder both of Tipton.
He was preceded in death by a son, Dennis L. in 2003 and a brother, Chester R.
Don retired as co-owner of McClellan’s Body Shop, Tipton.
He was a Navy veteran serving during World War II in the Pacific Theater.
Don was a member of Tipton United Methodist Church. He was a member of the Tyrone VFW and American Legion.
Don enjoyed fishing and hunting.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., Sunday, June 15, 2008 at Jon C. Russin Funeral Home, Bellwood.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, June 16, 2008 at the funeral home with Rev. Dr. Robert Ludrowsky officiating.
Interment will be at Blair Memorial Park, Antis Township.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Don’s memory may be made to Epworth Manor Assurance Fund or Tipton United Methodist Church.

Franco receives scholarship Gardner’s Candies President Sam Phillips took the time to greet Johnny Franco and his family in Tyrone for a brief conference and congratulations on receiving this award. Franco was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Gardner’s Candies provided through the College Football Hall of Fame which was just one of 10 scholarships awarded to special athletes who achieved excellence on the football field, in the classroom and around the community. (The Daily Herald/Nick Cushion)

Johnny Franco of Tyrone Area High School, was one of 10 student-athletes from high schools in Central Pennsylvania honored with a $1,000 college scholarship by the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.
Franco, a running back on the Golden Eagle squad coached by his father, John Franco, received his award from Sam Phillips, President of Gardner’s Candies, Tyrone. Gardner’s is one of five groups that fully sponsor a chapter scholarship. The other five scholarships are funded by the chapter.
Franco and his fellow awardees were singled out from 35 senior football players honored for their athletics, academics and community service at the chapter’s 11th Annual Awards Banquet held on March 30 at the Penn Stater Conference Hotel in State College. Scholarship winners are selected by a committee of five who review each nominee to determine the 10 winners based on three criteria: (1) Academics – 40 percent, (2) Football Ability/Performance/Attitude – 40 percent and (3) Leadership/Citizenship – 20 percent. The scholarship money can be used by the student-athlete to help with their education at the college or university of their choice.
Since initiating the awards banquet in 1997-98, the Central Pennsylvania Chapter has given a total of $105,000 to deserving student-athletes from certain high schools located in the following area counties: Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Juniata, Lycoming and Mifflin.
Franco visited Gardner’s Candies in Tyrone Thursday, June 12 to meet with Phillips to talk about his future plans in college. The Franco family posed for several pictures and were even lucky enough to grab some ice cream on their way out.
“I feel honored to receive this award,” Johnny Franco said. “It is nice to be recognized as a top student-athlete of our school and in the area. This scholarship will help out a lot as I attend Army this fall, and I want to thank Sam Phillips and the rest of the Gardner’s Candies Corporation who were able to provide such an award.”
Gardner’s has provided scholarships through the Hall of Fame for the past few years, but this was the first ever received from a Tyrone athlete.
“We were fortunate enough to have a local representative of this award,” Phillips stated. “It is not in Gardner’s hands who chooses these awards, meaning the choice for the best student-athlete was chosen without our input. Franco is a great athlete with great dedication to his school, sports and community, which gives him the honor of receiving the award provided from Gardner’s Candies.”
A few shots with Phillips and Franco will go up in the Gardner’s Candies Museum in Tyrone in the near future to appreciate the student-athlete for achieving this award.
Franco has helped out with the Special Olympics, Youth Football Camps and helped out around the church as much as possible. He has dedicated his life to sports and the people around him, not to mention his hard work in the classroom.
This award is a great going-away present for college, and Gardner’s Candies and the National Football Hall of Fame wish him the best of luck in his development in college.