TyronePA.com

In scoring position Tyrone Legion runner Aaron Cunningham is safe after stealing second base against Juniata VFW on Friday evening at the Harry K. Sickler Athletic Park. Cunningham scored the tying run in the fourth inning after Tyrone Legion began the game up 4-0. Legion won the game 5-4. (The Daily Herald/Bob Miller)

TYRONE–Tom Sims was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth inning to drive in what turned out to be the game-winning run as Tyrone Legion topped Juniata VFW 5-4.
Juniata VFW scored all its runs in the first inning, as the first three batters had base hits. Tyrone starter Randy Hoover allowed only one hit the rest of the game, giving the Legion a chance to stage a comeback.
Mike Romano capped off a three-run first for Tyrone Legion with a RBI single that scored Jamie Levinson. Josh Clark tied the game in the fourth when he drew a walk with the bases loaded.
“Randy did a great job forgetting about the first inning. If we don’t make three errors, he may have only given up a run or two tonight,” Tyrone Legion manager Mike Boytim said. “We left a lot of runners in scoring position, and we’ll have to get better in those situations if we expect to make the playoffs.”
Hoover’s only jam after the first was in the sixth when VFW had runners on second and third with one out, but Hoover got a pop-out, and Aaron Cunningham made a running catch in the gap to preserve the lead.
Tyrone hosts Barkman Oil today at 2:30 p.m.
Tyrone Legion 5 Juniata VFW 4
JUNIATA VFW (4): Wyandt ss 411, McPhee 2b 411, Wineland lf 401, Walters dh 410, Elliott rf-p 000, Black 1b-p 310, Adams p-1b-rf 200, Kuny cf 301, Payne c 100, Moschella 3b 200. TOTALS–27-4-4.
TYRONE LEGION (5): Clark cf 211, Hunter ss-3b 310, Anders c 300, T. Hertzler lf 000, Levinson ss 312, Hoover p 410, Romano 1b 301, Cunningham 2b-lf 211, Rodland rf 200, Sims 3b-2b 201. TOTALS–24-5-6.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Juniata VFW 400 000 0 4-4-1
Tyrone Legion 300 110 0 5-6-5
2B: Wyandt, Wineland.
RBI: McPhee, Wineland, Clark, Levinson, Hoover, Romano, Sims.
SO: R. Hoover 5, Adams 4, Black 1.
BB: Hoover 2, Adams 3, Black 2.
WP: Hoover. LP: Black.
Records: Tyrone Legion (6-8).

Tyrone native Doug Hoover captured his second win in as many starts this year at the New Jersey Summer Biathlon held on Sunday. With an 80% shooting performance and a solid run, Hoover finished 1:53 ahead of Altoona’s Chris Fischer, who finished second. Fischer ran strong and shot 50% to finish 2:06 ahead of third place finisher Christian Peterson of New Jersey.
Up next for Hoover is a two-race series in Saratoga, New York before taking a couple weeks off racing to prepare for the World Championship Trials next month.
SUMMER BIATHLON AT SHONGUM SPORTSMAN’S ASSOCIATION
New Jersey      Sunday, June 15, 2008

MATCH MEN
Place  Athlete         State  Class      P   S   Time
1  Hoover, Douglas  PA      Senior   0   2   0:21:38
2  Fischer, Christopher  PA Junior    2   3   0:23:31
3  Peterson, Christian  NJ   Master   1   2   0:25:37
4  Iwan, Joseph  NJ            Master   2   3   0:25:51
5  Skrabal, Zbysek  NY      Master   0   2   0:26:39
6  Sims, John  PA              Master   1   4   0:29:05
7  Wieghaus, Brian  NJ      Master   1   0   0:30:05
8  Elliot, David  CT           Master   4   5   0:35:04
9  Marsan, Mike  NJ          Master   4   4   0:35:51
10  Gaval, Frank  PA         Master    5   1   0:37:03

Martin Oil completed a tough weekend Sunday with a gutsy effort to comeback to down Sheetz at home and finish on the upside after suffering losses to Locker Room and Barkman Oil/Russell Trucking on the road.
Locker Room used eight Martin Oil errors to vanquish Martin Oil 8-3 on Friday, at Hollidaysburg, then Barkman/Russell held off a spirited attempt to get a win at Martinsburg on Saturday, 12-10.
On Sunday afternoon, it looked like more of the same for Martin Oil, with Sheetz putting up four markers in the top of the first, and added two more in the second to claim a 6-1 lead after two complete innings. With Nate Plummer on the mound for Martin Oil, the defense allowed four unearned runs – Plummer was charged with just one earned run in each inning.
From that point however, Plummer and reliever Nate Gray shut down the Sheetz offense, while the Martin Oil sticks got going, with the help of 10 walks and five Sheetz errors.
Nate Gray doubled to begin the Martin Oil first and scored on a sacrifice fly by Chad Coho.
Martin Oil cut the deficit in half, with a pair of third-inning scores. Trey Mock and Coho walked to begin the frame. Mock scored on an error and Coho on a wild pitch to close the margin to 6-3.
In the fifth, Martin Oil sent 11 batters to the plate to score six runs and take the lead.
With one down, Justin Miller slammed a single over the Sheetz centerfielder’s head. Justin Manning walked and Sheetz changed pitchers. Mike Albright reached on an error. Adam Kovac drove in Miller with a sac fly. Gray was safe when his sky-high popup was dropped, just in front of home plate to load the bases. Jake Manning doubled to right to get both Justin Manning and Albright home. Coho and Alex Miller walked, with Miller forcing in Gray with another run. Jimmy Watters completed the inning with a single that plated both Jake Manning and Coho.
Not done yet, Martin Oil came right back with five more scores in the sixth inning.
Justin Manning and Jesse Davis walked, before Garrett Rabold singled to score Manning. After Kyle DeGennaro struckout, Jake Manning walked. Jared Coho singled to right to score Davis and Rabold. Jake Manning scored on a wild pitch, and Alex Miller drove in Jared Coho with an RBI fielder’s choice.
After the first two frames, Plummer settled down to pitch shutout baseball over the next four innings, scattering four hits, with four Ks and no walks. For the game, Plummer, who picked up the win, allowed six runs, two earned on 10 hits, with six strikeouts and only one walk. Gray tossed the final two scoreless innings, allowing two hits with three strikeouts and one walk, to pick up the save.
On Friday, the game was tied 3-3 until Locker Room converted three walks, a hit batter and two errors to score five seventh-runs in an 8-3 victory over Martin Oil. Martin Oil had led 2-1 after two innings. Singles by Mike Albright and Jesse Davis, a fielder’s choice on which no out was recorded loaded the bases. Derrick Wolfe was hit by a pitch to score Albright, and Nate Gray delivered a sacrifice fly that scored Davis. In the fourth, Adam Kovac walked and scored on a double by Nate Gray.
Saturday’s game with Barkman/Russell was a slugfest that wasn’t over until the final at-bat for Martin Oil. Nate Plummer had three hits, and Gray, Trey Mock, Ian Pankoke, and Justin Miller each had a pair of base hits.
“We started to look like a baseball team on Saturday, despite losing the game. That was the first time this season, we looked like we have heart,” said Martin Oil manager Ed Davis. “Then on Sunday, we got off to our usual bad start, but the difference was, we didn’t quit when we got down at the beginning. We kept fighting and turned it around. Nate Plummer settled down after his defense collapsed in the first two innings and pitched the best game of his season, and Nate Gray came in and shut them down late. Both Nates were throwing strikes and staying ahead in the count. We only walked two batters in the entire game, and the defense, was steady after the first two innings.”
Martin Oil 14  Sheetz 6
Sheetz – Moore, 1b, 5-1-2; Gallardy, rf, 4-2-2; McCloskey, cf, 2-1-1; Sommer, ss, 4-0-1; Kephart, 3b, 3-1-0; Ehredt, 2b-p, 4-1-2; Bettwy, p, 3-0-1; Kowalski, cr, 0-0-0; Champeno, cr-p, 0-0-0; Greiner, 2b, 1-0-0; Walter, lf, 4-0-2; Angle, c, 4-0-1. TOTALS 34-6-12.
Martin Oil – Gray, ss-p, 3-2-1; DeGennaro, ph, 1-0-0; Mock, 3b, 2-1-0; Ja. Manning, c, 1-2-1; J. Coho, 2b, 1-1-1; C. Coho, dh, 0-2-0; Pankoke, cf, 3-0-1; A. Miller, lf, 1-0-0; Watters, lf-cf, 4-0-2; Gorby, ph, 1-0-0; J. Miller, 1b-rf, 4-1-1; Plummer, p, 1-0-0; Ju. Manning, ss, 0-2-0; Albright, c-3b,  3-1-1; Doyle, cr, 0-0-0;  Davis, ph, 0-0-0; Kovac, rf, 2-0-1; Rabold, ph-1b, 1-1-1. TOTALS 29-14-10.
Sheetz     420 000 0    6-12-5.
Martin Oil 102 065 X  12-10-3.
E: Moore, Sommers, Kephart, Bettwy, Angle, Gray 2, Watters.
2B: Ehredt, Gray, Ja. Manning, Kovac.
RBI: Sommer 2, Ehredt, Bettwy, McCloskey, Ja. Manning 2, J. Coho 2, A. Miller 2, Watters 2, C. Coho, Kovac, Rabold.
SO: Bettwy 4, Ehredt 1, Plummer 6, Gray 3.
BB: Bettwy 5, Champeno 2, Ehredt 3, Plummer 1, Gray 1.
WP: Plummer    LP: Champeno   SAVE: Gray

Tyrone Legion evened their record (6-6) this weekend with two victories and moved into fourth placed in the Kelley Federation League.
Tyrone  was awarded a victory by forfeit Saturday when Sheetz couldn’t field 9 players and Sunday they bombed Steele Construction 14 to 4 at Ashville.
Sunday was a hitters day for Tyrone as they pounded out 17 hits and scored 14 runs against Steel construction.
Donnie Hunter, Tyler Golden, Brock Anders and Cody Smith all had three hits apiece for Tyrone.
Their pitching was just as solid as their hitting. Using four different pitchers, Eric Desch, Donnie Hunter, Jordan Taylor and
Matt Brooks, they struck out seven and scattered seven hits and gave up three runs.
In the top of the 1st Hunter started off with a single but was stranded their as Steel Construction got three straight outs. Eric Desch started pitching for Tyrone and held them to a walk in the first for no damage.
In the second Brock Anders lead off with a single. Jordan Taylor was then hit by a pitch. Adam Bonsell then hit into a fielders choice and Taylor was out at second. That put runners on the corners for Tyrone. Bonsell then stole second. Cody Smith hit a single driving in Tyrone 1st run. Cory Barnhart then hit a line drive right back to the pitcher and he doubled up Bonsell to end the inning.
After an inning and a half, the Tyrone Legion lead was 1 to 0.
Steel Construction bounced back and tied it up 1-1 after two innings.
Tyrone came right back with a run in the top of the third. A error by the shortstop let Hunter reach first but was thrown out trying to get to second. Brooks then walked, stole second and went to third when Desch was out on a fielders choice, Golden delivered a single driving Brooks in for the second run and a one-run lead after 2- 1/2 innings.
Hunter came on to pitch the third inning and retired the order in 1 2 3 fashion.
Tyrone batted around in the fourth and scored six runs. Bonsell got on courtesy of an error. Smith singled and Barnhart got on by a error by the first baseman. Hunter then hit a single scoring two runs.  Desch and Golden single and when the dust cleared Tyrone had an 8 to 1 lead.
Hunter pitched a strong bottom of the fourth and not giving up any runs.
Tyrone came right back in the top of the fifth and scored four more runs. Smith led off with a single. Barnhart struck out but the catcher missed the ball and Barnhart beat the throw to first. Hunter then hit a single that scored Smith and Barnhart.  Brooks then hit a single that scored Hunter.
Brooks stole second and third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Golden.
Jordan Taylor then came on to pitch for Tyrone in the bottom of the fifth and got two quick outs but he walked two hitters and gave up two singles that scored two runs.
Brooks came on to pitch for Tyrone in the bottom of the sixth and recorded three strikeouts to set Steel Construction down in order.
Tyrone tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh and  Brooks retired the side in order with another strikeout and  two pop-ups to second to secure the victory.
Tyrone manager Chris Futrick said. “That was a complete effort by the team. Everyone contributed to this victory. Everyone in the line up had a hit and four guys had three apiece. What more could a manager want. It was a dream game for the team.
“These victories come far a few between. Our four pitchers did a great job and the team had a fun time playing the game.  BUT we have a long way to got and this team is beginning to bond together like a good baseball team does. The more we play together and have a good time playing the better we will get. Theses kids are fun to coach and they love the game. It’s my job to make sure they are having fun.”
Tyrone Legion 14 Steel Connections 4
Tyrone Legion – Hunter, 2b-p, 5-2-2; Brooks, 1b, 5-2-1; Desch, p, 5-1-1, Golden, ss, 5-2-2; Anders, c, 5-2-3; Taylor, cf-p, 5-0-0; Bonsell, lf, 5-1-1; Smith, 3b, 4-2-3; Barnhart, rf, 4-2-2. TOTALS 43-14-15.
Steel Connections – Smick, cf, 4-0-0; Marra, ss, 4-0-1; Pettenati, lf, 4-0-0; Nash, c, 4-2-3; Jeffries, p, 3-0-0; Kimberly, 1b, 3-0-2; McCoy, 3b, 3-0-0; Buck, 2b, 3-0-0; McMahon, rf, 2-1-1; Bem, rf, 1-0-0. TOTALS 31-4-6.
Tyrone Legion      011 640 2   14-15-1.
Steel Connections 110 010 1    4- 6- 4.
E: Golden, McCoy 3, Marra. RBI: Hunter, Desch,  Golden 2, Anders 3, Smith, Barnhart, Smick, Nash, Kimberly.
SO: Desch 5, Hunter 2, Taylor 2, Jeffries 5.
BB: Desch 2, Taylor 1, Jeffries 2.
WP: Taylor    LP: Jeffires.

Last hurrah The 24th annual Lezzer Lumber Classic was the final high school football game for seven local athletes, this past weekend. Tyrone’s Josh Bradley, Brandon Gehret and Shayne Tate, and Bellwood-Antis’ Bruno DeGol. Brandon Humphreys, Alan Wertz and Justin Miller played for the South squad in their team’s 44-36 victory at the Bison Sports Complex in Clearfield on Friday night. Pictured above with Tyrone coach Chuck Banas, who was an assistant coach for the South, are first row (left to right) Justin Miller, Coach Banas, and Brandon Gehret. Back row: Brandon Humphreys, Shayne Tate, Bruno DeGol, Josh Bradley and Alan Wertz. (The Daily Herald/File Photo)

The 24th annual Lezzer Lumber Football Classic was played on Friday evening, with seven members of the victorious South Squad from Tyrone and Bellwood-Antis.
Prior to the game, Game Director Jack Bailey was heard to say that he “was hoping for a 35-34 game, with lots of action.”
Bailey and every one who witnessed the offensive display should have been more than satisfied, with the South jumping out to a big lead and the North coming back to make it close in a 44-36 win for the South, coached by Gawen Stoker, who is retiring from teaching and coaching from Indian Valley, and got the “W” in his last coaching assignment.
Brandon Gehret, Josh Bradley and Shayne Tate represented Tyrone in the game, and Brandon Humphreys, Bruno DeGol, Alan Wertz and Justin Miller from Bellwood-Antis all saw considerable action.
The game was played with 15-minute first and third quarters and 12-minute second and fourth quarters and took more than three hours to complete.
“This week and the game was just so much fun,” said Shayne Tate, who was named the South defensive MVP, and several times nearly separated the runners head from his body on terrific hits for tackles. “It was especially to get a win and play my last high school game with these guys, it was a lot of fun.”
Most of the local athletes spent the majority of their time on defense, although Tate had his number called on offense twice in the third quarter for a total of 16 yards.
Records were set for combined points (80) and the South’s total offense of 517 yards broke the old mark of 1990 set by the North with 441 yards.
The South used its advantage in speed to turn a 12-12 tie with just over five minutes to play in the second quarter, into a 31-12 advantage, by scoring four straight times, two at the end of the first half, and the first two scores of the third quarter.
“This was a bunch of great athletes, coming together. We really meshed well, and quite quickly,” said Justin Miller. “The first day of practice really, we were already forming bonds. It was great we won this game – The South will rise again!”
The North, with the passing of Bellefonte quarterback Ryan Poorman, and a Classic game rule that allows a team trailing by at least nine points to get the ball back again after scoring, got back to within eight points, 44-36, with 1:35 to play, but the South recovered an attempted on-sides kick to preserve the win.
Hollidaysburg’s Patrick Smith was a key in the South victory, connecting on two of four passes for 103 yards, connecting with Bishop Guilfoyle’s Logan McDannell on a 60-yard touchdown pass and running for two scores and kicking two extra points.
The South used several big plays for their scoring, but also took advantage of good field position to score four of the touchdowns from midfield, or just beyond.
“This week meant everything. We had a great season for Bellwood-Antis, but it was good to go with all the all-stars and give us a chance to play with and against all these great athletes,” said Brandon Humphreys.
The two teams started slowly, with the South providing the only score of the first quarter, driving from the N-47 in five plays. Jay Hartman got loose for 19 yards on the first play of the second series on offense for the South, and Indian Valley teammate Thad Rosenberry raced 23 yards, two plays later. Brad Nocek of Hollidaysburg bulled the final yard behind his big offensive line for the score with 8:59 left in the opening stanza.
“It was a good week to have fun, final high school game of my career,” said Josh Bradley. “It was good to play with all these great players and one last chance to play with my high school teammates.”
Each team scored a pair in the second quarter to give the South a six-point 18-12 lead at the halftime intermission.
The Philipsburg-Osceola Mountie duo of quarterback Bo Reifer and wide out J. D. Mason hooked up for the first North score, and State College running back Terna Ityokumbal went the final yard to cap six-play drive for the second North tally.
In between the two North scores, the Indian Valley connection of quarterback Jarrett Kratzer and wide receiver Jay Hartman collaborated on a 49-yard TD pass with 7:56 remaining in the half.
“This was a lot of fun, playing with the people we competed against all the time,” explained Bruno DeGol.
With the nature of all-star contests, there were no kickers named, and the job of punting and kicking off and kicking, or rather trying to kick extra points, was handled by committee, until finally the South’s Smith booted a pair of PATs in the third quarter, when the South jumped out to their 38-12 lead.
First, Nocek scampered 25 yards for the big play and Smith carried twice for 16 yards, including the five-yard TD.
Then, Nick Milardo of Hollidaysburg, went seven yards for a score for the South with 10:35 to play in the third quarter after a Kratzer to Harman reception moved the ball 35 yards, just a play after Tate blasted nine yards on the first of his two carries.
“It was an honor to play with the greatest players on the teams in the South area, Altoona, Indian Valley, BG, it is just a real honor,” said Alan Wertz.
The North then scored a TD on a five-yard run by Punxsutawney’s Austin Furman, that was set up by pass completions of 14 yards from Ryan Poorman of Bellefonte to Ityokumbal, and 28 yards from Poorman to Mason.
Then taking advantage of the nine-point mercy rule, the North received the following kick and swiftly drove for another TD. Ityokumbal carried three times for 19 yards and Alex Kerr of Brookville, capped the drive with an 18-yard TD reception from Poorman, who completed 13 of 17 for 181 yards, one score and one interception.
Shane Heschke of Brookville, ran in two two-point conversions for the North and Brookville teammate Joe Galbreath added another in the North’s bid to come back in the second half.
“This is probably the last time I will ever play football,” said Brandon Gehret. “It was fun bonding with everyone from all the different schools, the camaraderie, everyone plays.”
Each team would pit one more score on the board in the last five and a half minutes to set up the on-sides kick that was recovered safely by the South.
Thad Rosenberry of Indian Valley, bolted 44 yards for the key play and Smith covered the final two yards for the South on a quarterback keeper.
Poorman completed four passes to move the ball into scoring position for the North, before Ityokumbal scored from three yards out and Galbreath’s two-point conversion closed the score to 44-36 with 1:35 left.
Along with the four Bellwood-Antis and three Tyrone players in the game for the South, in addition head coach Stoker choose as one of his assistants for the Classic, Chuck Banas, who is on the staff of head Tyrone coach John Franco.
“To be selected to help in this game, means a lot. First of all, to be picked as part of the staff from your peers is great,” said Banas. “And to meet all these kids and see how they come together and to help them get ready to move on to the collegiate level, because that’s what they all are going to be facing.
“They have been playing with the same kids for three years in a row and now they are thrown in with all these everybody. These kids just came together and worked hard, You could tell they just wanted it. I’m glad to be part of it, and glad it’s going to help them make that next leap adjustment-to the college level.”