Tide Talk

It needs to stop

2008-12-15T12:09:00.000-05:00

You pay a lot to attend a professional sports event. A family of four can easily drop more than $200 at a game, with tickets, parking, food and fan gear.
That might be on the low end of the estimate, so what in these tough economic times do our professional sports teams do -- they raise ticket prices and go out and spend money like a "drunken sailor."
The World Champion Phillies have raised some of their ticket prices for the coming season. Why? the Bank (the ball park) is always full.
The Phils just spent $30 plus million to sign 36-year-old outfielder to replace Pat Burrell and a couple of million to sign a 35-year-old pitcher.
Then you have the Yankees and the Mets. They both got new ball parks. Last week, the Yankees signed two pitchers totalling $240 million. They have another $100 plus million invested in Alex Rodriquez. That’s more than $300 million for just three players.
The Mets poured out near $40 million for one of the game’s top relief pitchers.
So who pays?
The fans. Many of whom may not have jobs or the money to afford the tickets.
It’s not just baseball that I am talking about, its other pro sports as well. Read something last week that the NFL is laying off 15 percent or 15 people from the league office. They are the most profitable venture in pro sports.
It has to stop. The czars of the game have the ability to say enough is enough. The fans have only one way to stop the insanity -- stop going to the games and stop paying the outlandish ticket prices.
I can remember when you could go to the Phillies for $5 for a ticket in the 200 level at the vet. Now that same ticket goes for around $45. You can’t get that today.
The only way to beat the pros, is not go to the games, stay home and watch them on the tube or go back to the old days and listen to them on radio. But, then the pros will find a way to beat that too.
It’s a "no win" situation for the "Regular Joe Fan" (no relation to "Joe the Plumber").
Maybe the teams that are loading the Brinks’ truck up to their stadiums or fields every day (and yes, the Phillies) are one of them should think of the fan first and not walk out of their "yard" or "barn," into their limo and have someone take them home.
If conditions don’t improve, no one will have the bucks to attend any pro event.

Another opening

2008-12-11T09:21:00.000-05:00

Looks like there is another L-L Football coaching job open.

Published reports indicate that Jeff Polites is stepping down after 11 years at E-town.

Got to no Jeff whn I briefly worked in E-town. Good guy, solid coach. Wish him well.

Other opening exist at Donegal, Cedar Crest and Conestoga Valley.

For more, check out the website of our sister paper, the Elizabeth Chronicle, through this website and click on Bear Facts, or through Jeff Reinhart's LNP news web page.

CHS sports update

2008-12-11T09:11:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's update on games played so far.
Boys' Basketball: The Tide hosted Reading Central Catholic on Tuesday night and lost to the Cardinals 45-42.
The game was close throughout, as the Tide had a chance to win it at the end. The Tide turned the ball over in the final seconds.
Girls' Basketball: Columbia fell to 0-3 with a 53-32 loss to Octorara.
Bowling: The Tide swept ELCO, 4-0.
Wrestling: Columbia lost a tough non-league match last night to C.D. East 40-34.

For more, watch next week's Columbia Ledger.

Football banquet

2008-12-11T09:03:00.000-05:00

Walt Price, a 1956 graduate of Columbia High School and a recent inductee into the first CHS Athletic Hall of Fame, was the featured speaker at Sunday’s high school football banquet held at the Taste of Styles.
Price, who taught 40 years in the Donegal School District, was proud of his induction into the CHS Hall of Fame.
“I’ve been inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and out of all the ones I’ve been in, nothing is more special than Columbia High School,” Price said.
He spoke of the four people, who were also inducted into the Hall of Fame that put the desire, determination and instilled discipline in him -- Harry Smoker, Elmer Kreiser, Tom Donan and Hubie Peters.
Smoker was the principal at CHS while Price was a student; Kreiser was the junior high football coach, while Donan was the varsity coach and Price met Peters during the summers on the playgrounds in Columbia.
“They made an impression on me and helped shape by future,” Price said.
The former educator and wrestling coach at Donegal and Manheim Central said he taught more than 7,00 kids and they all left an impression on him.
He also spoke to the seniors, underclassmen, parents and coaches. He urged the parents to be supportive on their son’s sport and not try to make their son into something they are not, or relive their high school days through their sons.
“Parents need to help promote the sport and be supportive,” Price said.
He concluded his remarks saying that getting an education at Columbia helped make him successful.
“The opportunities are here. I believe in it and don’t ever make excuses about being from Columbia,” he said.
The varsity coaching staff presented the following awards:
Players of the Game
• Daniel Boone: Marcus Fischer and Dakota Lightfoot.
• Pequea Valley: Yahya McIntyre and Lightfoot.
• Donegal: Kevin McCarty and Lightfoot.
Season Awards
• Offensive Back of the Year: Lightfoot.
“He had a great season offensively. Other coaches in the section told me they weren’t looking forward to facing him,” said head coach Jason Shoff.
• Offensive Lineman of the Year: McCarty.
“He played every position and had the highest blocking grade,” said Adam Aston, assistant coach.
• Wide Receiver of the Year: McIntyre.
• Defensive Back of the Year and Leading Tackler: Lightfoot.
• Defensive Lineman of the Year: McCarty.
• Linebacker of the Year: Joey Charles.
• Special Teams Most Valuable Player: Clark Meshey.
• Scout Team Most Valuable Player: John Markley.
• Rookie of the Year: Marcus Fischer.
• Helmet Awards for participating in the program in grades 9-12: Jason Combs, Matt Kreiser, Lightfoot, McCarty, McIntyre and Bobby Schoelkopf.
The varsity coaching staff made remarks about the season and introduced the freshman team that went undefeated this past season.
Former Columbia quarterback Ray McCarty served as master of ceremonies, while the Rev. Ron Bachman gave the invocation.

Winter season arrives

2008-12-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

The winter sports season opened Friday night and for me it was a rugged opening weekend.
Friday night, I spent the night at home, watching the Columbia girls’ tip-off tournament.
All four teams in the tournament -- the Tide, Hempfield, Central Dauphin East and Lampeter-Strasburg made the District 3 playoffs last year. Three of the four teams, the lone exception being the host Tide, went into the state playoffs.
Hempfield won the L-L League and L-S is favored to win it this year. They were the Tide’s first two games.
Not a great way to start the season for the Tide.
Saturday, I had a game plan all mapped out.
I was planning to get up early and head north to Reading and the outlets to get a Michael Jack Schmidt autograph, then head northwest to Upper Dauphin to watch the Tide wrestle in the Upper Dauphin Duals, and then head off Peters Mountain to Hanover to watch the Tide boys play in the Hanover tournament.
Well, two out of three isn’t bad.
I didn’t get to Reading. I wanted to be out the door by six, but it was more like seven and since they were giving tickets out at eight, I didn’t want to chance it.
So, instead I headed north, up Peters Mountain to Upper Dauphin. Not a bad trip mind you, but UDA is out in the middle of no where.
Made it there in about 90 minutes and took in three of the Tide’s five matches. One thing about the UDA Duals, it was tough competition for the Tide, who will only benefit from it later in the season.
Then the fun started.
It was a little overcast, okay, a lot overcast as I began the trip from UDA to Hanover. As I hit the Harrisburg area, it started snowing. The farther down Route 581 I got and onto 11-15 South, the worse it got.
I basically went from doing 60 down to 10. That’s how bad it was. There were a few accidents along the way and I did slip and slide a little bit, almost three hours after I left UDA, I arrived in Hanover. Map Quest said it was a 90 minute trip!
I wasn’t the only one who struggled to get there. The Tide boys took well over 2.5 hours and I talked to a few fans who said it 1.5 hours just to get to Hellam and they turned around and went home.
Someone asked me Sunday why I just didn’t turn around and come back to Columbia. Well, I have to admit that I thought about it, but I was on very unfamiliar roads and with it snowing, I didn’t want to get off on a road and get lost or stuck.
Driving Saturday, at least eh last 90 minutes or so, was like me driving over certain bridges where I can look over the side and see down. I was gripping the steering wheel that hard, I had nail marks on my palms.
While going from UDA to Hanover was no treat, the trip home wasn’t as stressful as the roads were fine.
I did take it easy going to and coming home from Hanover. But I won’t do it again, because it just wasn’t perhaps the safest thing to do.
And this is just the first week of the season, it could be a long winter!

Columbia All-stars

2008-12-04T14:09:00.000-05:00

Football all-stars were announced last night at the annual L-L League football banquet at the Timber's Lodge.
First team on offense were running back Dakota Lightfoot and wide receiver Yahya McIntyre on offense and Lightfoot as a defensive back on first team defense.

McIntyre was second team as a kick returner.

Honorable mention picks on offense were Joey Charles, tight end; Clark Meshey, place kicker and Kevin McCarty as a lineman.

On defense, McCarty, line; Charles, linebacker and McIntyre, defensive back were honorable mention picks.

Lightfoot tied Lancaster Catholic's Kyle Smith in voting for the Section Three Offfensive Back of the Year.

ELCO's Mark Evans was named Coach of the Year.

Baseball Hall of Fame

2008-12-03T11:04:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe, but its been 13 years since I visited the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Was on the Internet this morning and read a story about Richie/Dick Allen on his Hall of Fame nomination by the Veteran's Committee, which will be announced Monday.

Also saw a list of recently retired players, who are eligible for the Hall. I am more impressed with the "old timers" than the current list.

Not sure what Allen's chances are on the list of 10, but he would be in my top three. Others would be Ron Santo, Maury Wills (hard to believe he's not already in), Joe Torre and possibly Lius Tiant.
Others on the list are Gil Hodges, Tony Olivia, Al Oliver and Vada Pinson.

From the current list, tough sledding here folks.

Jim Rice, Andre Dawson, Mark McGwire, Ricky Henderson, Harold Baines, Bert Blyleven, Tommy John, Don Mattlingly, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Rock Raines, Lee Smith, Alan Trammell, Jay Bell, David Cone, Ron Gant, Mark Grace, Jesse Orosco, Dan Plesac, Greg Vaughn, Mo Vaughn and Matt Williams.

Top 5 would be Rice, Dawson, Smith, Henderson and Blyleven.
From the why are they on the list group: Jay Bell, Gant, Orsoco, Pleasac, the Vaughns, Dave Parker and Matt Williams.

Like I said from the above list, its tough.

From the really dumb list

2008-12-03T10:59:00.000-05:00

Since this week's paper has been put to bed, I've been scanning a few websites. Here are some pieces of cake...

• Guy in Missouri, who went deer hunting, thinks he shot his trophy, approaches the deer, only to find out the deer isn't dead and gets attacked. Needed seven staples to close a wound in his head, plus a concussion and other bruises.
• Guy in Manor Township, who is taken home as a drunk from York County, wonders into a house and falls asleep in a bed. Only problem, it was a house owned by a police officer.
• Finally, from East Lampeter Township, guy is busted after throwing eggs at a state police cruisher. Takes off after throwing his fast ball and crashes his car.

More on Mike

2008-12-03T10:56:00.000-05:00

Went to say good-bye to Mike Wolfgang last night in Middletown

Lots of officials and baseball umpires and former teammates. Also at the viewing was Manheim Central football coach Mike Williams.

Banquet time

2008-12-03T10:54:00.000-05:00

Will Columbia have any all-stars in Section 3 of the L-L League? We'll find out tonight.
The annual L-L Football Banquet is tonight at the Timbers in Mount Gretna.

Winter notebook

2008-12-02T11:35:00.001-05:00

• Columbia will play Warwick in boys’ basketball for the first time in a number of years.
Remember the good old days of the rivalry and there is no truth to the rumor that Dave Althouse is coming out of retirement to sit on the Warwick bench for that one.
• Columbia could play Lancaster Catholic three times this year in boys’ basketball.
• The Day of Basketball between Columbia and Eastern is Saturday, Dec. 13, across the river in Eastern’s new gym, starting at noon.
• One rule change of note this season in boys’ basketball is that players can no longer line up in the first spot under the basket on foul shots. They are pushed back a block.
• With Warwick and Eastern on the basketball schedule, there’s no truth that there will be alumni games between the schools.
• Columbia was going to have it own wrestling tournament, this year, but they couldn’t get enough teams.
Instead, the Tide will travel to Hanover for the Smackdown Duals after Christmas. If anything, it will get the Tide ready for the post-season.
• The L-L wrestling tournament will be held at Conestoga Valley.
• Mark Saturday, Jan. 10 on your calendars. Columbia will host a big tri-meet in Section 3 with Northern Lebanon and Donegal.
• The Tide boys scrimmaged Garden Spot and Warwick to get ready for the season. The girls worked out with Conestoga Valley, E-town and Penn Manor.
• Columbia scrimmaged Northeastern in wrestling.
• Columbia’s junior high basketball teams open their seasons next Friday with L-S and then travel the next day across the river to meet Eastern.
The boys’ team should be pretty good and the girls will be improved, but still young.
• The Tide bowling team in the last four years has two second place finishes and two section titles.
• There is only one three-night week this season on the basketball schedule and that’s not until after the new year.

Columbia opens with Hempfield

2008-12-02T11:33:00.000-05:00

It’s been a while since the Columbia girls’ basketball team has been among the contenders in the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
A combination of things have taken the Tide girls from the penthouse of girls’ basketball in the L-L League to the first floor, looking to move on up again.
One, Columbia’s talent level has dropped off. It’s not that the Tide doesn’t have talent, they do. They just don’t have enough of it. Plus, the rest of the L-L League has gotten better.
For example, the Tide’s schedule includes six teams that played in the state playoffs last year, plus three others that qualified for the district playoffs. That represents 14 of the Tide’s 22 games, that will be against playoff teams from a year. It also includes only one game in the Warwick Tournament, which could increase that number to 15.
Coach Lisa Tomsheck’s team opens the season tomorrow night by hosting its own tournament. All four teams, Columbia, Lampeter-Strasburg, Hempfield and Central Dauphin East made the District 3 playoffs a year ago, but Columbia was the only one not to advance to the state tournament.
“Our opening tournament has extremely good competition. We open the tournament with Hempfield, who is the reigning L-L champs. The other teams are L-S, who I think is the strongest team in the L-L League because they did not have a senior on the squad last season and CD East, who made a good run in the state tournament,” Tomsheck said.

Read more in this week's Columbia Ledger.

Boys open at Hanover

2008-12-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

Last season was magical for the Columbia boys’ basketball team.
After losing their season opener at the Oxford Tournament, the Tide reeled off 20 straight win, dominated Section 4 and won the section title, took eventual L-L champ McCaskey to the wire in the league playoffs, got to play at the Giant Center and then battle a team that played for a state title tough until the final three minutes before falling in South Philadelphia.
Columbia opens its season tomorrow night against Newport in the Hanover Tournament. The other two teams in the tournament are Fairfield and Hanover, who the Tide crushed in the district playoffs last year. It might be the easiest part of the pre-season for the Tide. They have non-league games with Class AAA power Eastern and Class A power Reading Central Catholic, along with two games in the Warwick Tournament against the host Warriors and either Lancaster Catholic or Wilson the next night.
Last year, the Tide went 26-5 overall and 17-1 in league play. They lost five of the top seven players from that team. The two returning players, who need to step up their games are Yahya McInytre and Derrick Smith.

For more, read this week's Columbia Ledger.

Mike Wolfgang

2008-12-02T11:31:00.000-05:00

Last Friday afternoon I was enjoying watching some pretty good college football and thinking about making the trip to Hershey to watch Manheim Central take on West York in the District 3 Class AAA football championship.
I was comfortable on my recliner just before five o’clock, when my phone rang. A name didn’t come up, rather just a number, so I answered it.
It was one of those phone calls you don’t like to receive. It was a phone call telling you someone had died. That person was former Columbia running back of the early 1970s Mike Wolfgang.
Wolfgang’s death was very unexpected and shocking. I had just seen Mike about two weeks earlier when his officiating crew on its way back from a playoff game between York High and Bishop McDevitt stopped at a local watering hole for some food and drinks after the game.
That night Mike was so full of life, talkative and funny. He was holding court with his six other officials, talking about their game, politics, football in general and talking to the “out of towners” about growing up on Fourth Street in Columbia.
We only got to see Mike do one Columbia game this year. He requested being the”white hat” (referee) for the L-S game, which was Hall of Fame Night at Columbia. He wanted to be there because his high school coach Jack Yohe was being inducted, along with some former teammates.
We talked a little bit that night, before the game and during the game.

For more, read this week's Columbia Ledger.

Bowling preview

2008-12-02T11:30:00.001-05:00

The Columbia bowling team opened its season earlier this week with a non-league match against Manheim Central.
The Tide bowlers are looking to get back to the back to the top of Section 3 after finishing a game behind Lancaster Catholic last year. The second place finish ended a two-year run by the Tide bowlers as Section 3 champions.
And the Tide has the arsenal to get back to the top of the standings. Among the returning bowlers are senior Anthony Wishard and junior Allison Michener. Last season, Wishard finished sixth in the league tournament, while Michener qualified for states.
Other members of the bowling team are Casey Barninger, Adrienne Zercher, Mandee Knighton, Adam Kilp and Kevin McCarty (seniors); Jimmy Lee, Keifer Kemmerly and Katelyn Misal (juniors); david Wissler, Keith Knighton and Liz Nissley (sophomores) and Zach Jones and Cory Anderson (freshman).

Matmen go to UDA

2008-12-02T11:29:00.001-05:00

If there’s one thing about the 2008-09 Columbia High School wrestling program fans need to know if that the numbers are good at both the varsity and junior high levels.
At the varsity level, third-year coach Scott Rupp has a full roster of 25. At the junior high level, new coaches Jimmy Jones and Brian Fry have a full roster of 20.
But, “our weakness is inexperience at both levels,” Rupp said.
Columbia, who went 3-3 in Section 3 of the L-L League and 8-13 overall, and qualified for the District 3 Class A team tournament, returns three district qualifiers from last year -- Joey Ronca (21-13), Brandon Felus (5-26) and Anthony Wallick (20-19). Other key returning wrestlers with varsity experience are Jason Combs (12-21), Adam Stoner (13-19), Philip Key (2-22), Marcus Fischer (0-5) and Bobby Schoelkopf and Joey Charles. Another wrestler Johnny Vazquez might miss the season because of a leg injury suffered during football season.
Other wrestlers to watch for the Crimson Tide are freshman Derek Zercher and Jordan Helton; sophomores Cain Warfel, Roger Walton, Derrick Brooks, John Markley, Casey Rapp and Byron Germer, juniors Jacob Sentz, Brandon Aukamp and Brian Mentzer and Cody McAllister, senior.
“I feel with the amount of experience coming back we are in the top three of the section, but you never know what happens in our section,” Rupp said.
Teams to watch in Section 3 are Annville-Cleona and Lancaster Catholic. Grapplers to watch are Dylan Killian, Anthony Lentinie and Chris Shifflet, Annville-Cleona; Mike Blaczyzyk and Mark Lobeck, Lancaster Catholic and Neal Sweigart, Donegal.
The Tide will open its season Saturday with the Upper Dauphin Duals and then have its first home meet Wednesday against Central Dauphin East.

For more, see this week's Columbia Ledger

Columbia schedules

2008-12-02T11:27:00.000-05:00

Boys’ Basketball
Friday, Dec. 5, vs. Newport at Hanover Tip-Off Tournament (6 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6, at Hanover Tip-Off Tournament (TBA)
Tuesday, Dec. 9, Reading Central Catholic (6 p.m.)
Friday, Dec. 12, at Lampeter-Strasburg
Saturday, Dec. 13, at Eastern (J.V. at 4:30, Varsity at 7:30)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, Donegal
Friday, Dec. 19, at ELCO
Tuesday, Dec. 23, at Lebanon Catholic
Monday, Dec. 29, vs. Warwick at Warwick Tournament (8 p.m)
Tuesday, Dec. 30, at Warwick Tournament (TBA)
Friday, Jan. 2, Lancaster Mennonite
Monday, Jan. 5, Annville-Cleona
Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Lancaster Catholic
Friday, Jan. 9, Pequea Valley
Tuesday, Jan. 13, Manheim Central
Friday, Jan. 16, at Northern Lebanon
Tuesday, Jan. 20, Cocalico
Friday, Jan. 23 , Lebanon Catholic
Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Lancaster Mennonite
Friday, Jan. 30, at Annville-Cleona
Monday, Feb. 2, Lancaster Catholic
Wednesday, Feb. 4, Pequea Valley
All games at 6:30 p.m., unless noted.
Girls’ Basketball
Friday, Dec. 5, vs. Hempfield at Columbia Tournament (8 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6, Columbia Tournament (TBA)
Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Octorara (5:30 p.m.)
Friday, Dec. 12, Lampeter-Strasburg
Saturday, Dec. 13, at Eastern (J.V. at 3, Varsity at 6)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Donegal
Friday, Dec. 19, ELCO
Tuesday, Dec. 23, Lebanon Catholic
Friday, Dec. 26, at Warwick Tournament (TBA)
Saturday, Dec. 27, at Warwick Tournament (TBA)
Friday, Jan. 2, at Lancaster Mennonite
Monday, Jan. 5, at Annville-Cleona
Wednesday, Jan. 7, Lancaster Catholic
Friday, Jan. 9, at Pequea Valley
Tuesday, Jan. 13, at Manheim Central
Friday, Jan. 16, Northern Lebanon
Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Cocalico
Friday, Jan. 23 , at Lebanon Catholic
Tuesday, Jan. 27, Lancaster Mennonite
Friday, Jan. 30, Annville-Cleona
Monday, Feb. 2, at Lancaster Catholic
Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Pequea Valley
All games at 6:30 p.m., unless noted.
Boys’ J.H. Basketball
Friday, Dec. 12, at Lampeter-Strasburg
Saturday, Dec. 13, at Eastern (1:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, Donegal
Friday, Dec. 19, at ELCO
Tuesday, Dec. 23, at Lebanon Catholic
Friday, Dec. 26, at Cumberland Valley Tournament (TBA)
Saturday, Dec. 27, at Cumberland Valley Tournament (TBA)
Friday, Jan. 2, Lancaster Mennonite
Monday, Jan. 5, Annville-Cleona
Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Lancaster Catholic
Friday, Jan. 9, Pequea Valley
Tuesday, Jan. 13, Manheim Central
Friday, Jan. 16, at Northern Lebanon
Tuesday, Jan. 20, Cocalico
Friday, Jan. 23 , Lebanon Catholic
Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Lancaster Mennonite
Friday, Jan. 30, at Annville-Cleona
Monday, Feb. 2, Lancaster Catholic
Wednesday, Feb. 4, Pequea Valley
All games at 4 p.m.,unless noted
Girls’ J.H. Basketball
Friday, Dec. 12, Lampeter-Strasburg
Saturday, Dec. 13, at Eastern (noon)
Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Donegal
Friday, Dec. 19, ELCO
Friday, Jan. 2, at Lancaster Mennonite
Monday, Jan. 5, at Annville-Cleona
Wednesday, Jan. 7, Lancaster Catholic
Friday, Jan. 9, at Pequea Valley
Tuesday, Jan. 13, at Manheim Central
Friday, Jan. 16, Northern Lebanon
Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Cocalico
Tuesday, Jan. 27, Lancaster Mennonite
Friday, Jan. 30, Annville-Cleona
Monday, Feb. 2, at Lancaster Catholic
Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Pequea Valley
All games at 4 p.m.,unless noted.
Wrestling
Saturday, Dec. 6, at Upper Dauphin Duals (TBA)
Wednesday, Dec. 8, Central Dauphin East (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 13, at York Suburban Tournament (TBA)
Thursday, Dec. 18, at Annville-Cleona (7:30 p.m.)
Monday, Dec. 22, Eastern (7:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Dec. 30, at Smackdown Duals at Hanover (TBA)
Thursday, Jan. 8, at Pequea Valley (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 10, Northern Lebanon and Donegal (Noon)
Wednesday, Jan. 14, at Cedar Crest (7:30 p.m.)
Friday, Jan. 16, L-L League Tournament at CV (TBA)
Saturday, Jan. 17, L-L League Tournament at CV (TBA)
Thursday, Jan. 22, Lancaster Catholic (7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 24, ELCO (1:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Jan. 29, at York High (7 p.m.)
Tuesday, Feb. 3, Penn Manor (7:30 p.m.)
J.H.Wrestling
Saturday, Dec. 6, at Cocalico Tournament (TBA)
Wednesday, Dec. 8, Central Dauphin East (6 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 13, McCaskey (10 a.m.)
Thursday, Dec. 18, at Annville-Cleona (6 p.m.)
Monday, Dec. 22, Eastern (6 p.m.)
Thursday, Jan. 8, at Pequea Valley (6 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 10, Northern Lebanon and Donegal (10 a.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 17, at Harrisburg Tournament (TBA)
Thursday, Jan. 22, Lancaster Catholic (6 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 24, ELCO (noon.)
Tuesday, Feb. 3, Red Land (4 p.m.)
Friday, Feb. 6, at Optimist Tournament (TBA)
Saturday, Feb. 7, at Optimist Tournament (TBA).
Bowling
Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Manheim Central
Tuesday, Dec. 9, ELCO
Thursday, Dec. 11, at Northern Lebanon
Wednesday, Dec. 17, York Tech
Thursday, Dec. 18, Lancaster Catholic
Saturday, Dec. 20, at Snow Roller Tournament (Noon)
Monday, Dec. 22, at Annville-Cleona
Tuesday, Dec. 30, Conestoga Valley
Friday, Jan. 2, at Garden Spot
Wednesday, Jan. 7, Manheim Central
Thursday, Jan. 8, Lebanon Catholic
Thursday, Jan. 15, Northern Lebanon
Thursday, Jan. 22, at ELCO
Thursday, Jan. 29, Annville-Cleona
Thursday, Feb. 5, at Lebanon Catholic
Friday, Feb. 6, at York Tech
Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Lancaster Catholic
All home matches at 3:30 p.m. at Columbia Bowling Center.

Morning fire

2008-11-26T11:52:00.000-05:00

There was a morning two-alarm fire in the 400 block of Manor Street.

Smoke detectors alerted the family, who got out safely, to the fire, which started to the rear of the structure.

More details in next week's Columbia Ledger.

Let's Go PhilS!

2008-11-24T11:56:00.000-05:00

Something told me about a month ago, us Philly fans had better enjoy it, because the football season wasn’t going to be too good.
I didn’t want to believe that my Eagles were going to be one of the worst teams in the NFL. Call it pride or not realizing the playoff run that saw the Green and White win five division titles, play in about three NFC championship games and a Super Bowl, is over.
I wrote off a couple of tough losses to the Cowboys, the G-Men and ‘Da Bears. But last week, the wheels started coming off the ship and then Sunday, the season was demolished.
A tie to the lowly Cincinnati Bengals and having a quarterback not knowing the NFL rules was bad enough. Then, it was the complete meltdown on Sunday against Baltimore.
The Eagles season is over. Time to play the young kids to find out what they can or cannot do.
Time to tell Donovan McNabb, we’re trading you to perhaps the Canadien Football League or even worse, the Central Penn Piranha.
Time to draft a quarterback like the Ravens and Falcons did and let him play. Kevin Kolb is not the answer. Make some trades and get a Colt McCoy or the QB from Texas Tech.
Go out and get a big running back, so you can make those third or fourth and ones.
The list can go on and on. It’s no longer just tweaking as Andy Reid always says, it is a major rebuilding job. And although I like “Big Red” a lot, it might also be time for him to go, or, change his offensive staff.
Although I will watch the Eagles through the end of December, because it is the only thing on, I may find other things to do on Sundays as well.
Thank God for the success of the Phillies. At least the winter won’t be that cold!

Odds and ends...

• From the I must be nuts department -- went to see the Steel High-Camp Hill football game on Friday.
Not a bad game until about midway through the third quarter when the Rollers took over.
It’s been a while since I watched a game in the snow and cold. Not much fun!
• Not sure, with the start of winter sports on how much more football I’ll see, but one can’t miss game might be Steel High vs. Riverside in the state finals in about two weeks, or this Saturday’s Class AAAA final between Wilson and Cumberland Valley.
• The best part of the bowl season might be next weekend’s conference championships. Right now, I think Oklahoma and Florida are the two best teams in college football.
• Here’s one vote for a Rose Bowl match-up between Penn State and USC.
I think it would be a much better game that the Nits against Oregon State and would pack the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena.

Help the school

2008-11-12T14:50:00.000-05:00

The Columbia High School is working with Chapman Ford of Columbia for an unique fund raiser.
On Saturday Nov. 22 from noon-4 p.m., Chapman Ford will donate $20 to the school district for everyone who registers, takes an approximately 10 minute test drive, and then completes and turns in a survey form before leaving Chapman.
“This is a national promotion by Ford and they will donate up to $ 6,000,” Athletic Director Jim Rhoads said.
The following is some general information on the day:
• Drivers must be 18 years old or older.
• Limit one test drive per household.
• The driver does not need to be from Columbia, so invite friends.
• There will be no sales pitch. Interested parties will have to approach a salesman after completing the survey if they wish specific purchase information.
• There will be no follow up mailings or phone calls.
• There be a variety of models to test drive, but no Mustangs.
There will a number of test cars so they don't expect much wait time.
For more information, call the high school at 684-7500.

Big off-season is needed

2008-11-12T14:49:00.000-05:00

Monday at Columbia High School, the basketballs and wrestling mats will be rolled out for the first time.
Winter sports practice starts across the state.
Friday, the fall season came to an official end when the Tide lost to Steel-High in the first round of the District Three Class A playoffs.
I will tell you that the Rollers will be playing into December because they are the best team the Tide has seen in the last few years.
Columbia was 3-8 this season. Its the school worst record since the 1977 season when the Tide went 2-8. It was also the first time Columbia has had a losing record since 1986.
I really didn’t see this coming. I’m sure I am not the only one.
Because of my summer illness, I only got to see the Tide twice in the off-season. One early in the summer and one just before practice started. I saw improvement.
I think losing that first game to Eastern by a touchdown took a lot out of the Tide. Win that, the season might have been different.
There was also the schedule factor. Half of the teams Columbia played made the playoffs.
Early in the season, Columbia couldn’t tackle anyone. But since there were few fans in the stands watching most of the last five or six games, those those attending the games saw the improvement.
Columbia also got no breaks. The ball just didn’t bounce their way this season.
So now that the off-season is here, its time for those players, even the ones out for a winter sports, to rededicate themselves to football. They need to get in the weight room, participate in off-season drills and get to those sessions.
Too often during the season I was hearing horror stories about players not coming to practice, yet showing up on Fridays. That’s not a good situation. One, with a small squad, you can’t really get a good practice, and two, why show up on Friday, expecting to play when you didn’t practice all week.
Sure, there were a lot of fans who jumped off the bandwagon and I can get a bunch of parents of players, who stopped attending games. That’s not right.
How do I know that about parents? Well, Columbia sold 41 tickets for Friday’s game. There are just 25-28 kids on the team, that should have been maybe 60 tickets. Also, when the team celebrated Parent’s Night against Pequea Valley, as I was walking up to the press box, I saw one set of parents walking out of the lower gate with their flower, well before the game started. That’s not good.
Oh yeah, there were also a couple of players that didn’t have parents to be escorted onto the field with. Real sad!
I can remember being in school and asking my parents not to come to something, but they still came anyway. I think its a parents’ responsibility to be involved in their son or daughter’s activities. Attending games is one way.
The Columbia football program can be turned around fast, but its going to take a lot of dedication on all parts to do it. If they aren’t willing to work hard, the season could be long again next year.
The next move is up to the players!

Charlie is second

2008-11-12T14:46:00.000-05:00

Beginning to thing the Phils will be shut out of the post-season awards.
Charlie Manuel finished second to Lou Pinella in the voting for the National League Manager of the Year.
Didn't think Charlie would get it, but...

Yesterday, Brad "Lights Out" Lidge finished a distant fourth in the Cy Young voting.

MVP Award will be announced next week.

Breaking News

2008-11-09T15:53:00.000-05:00

Most of downtown Columbia was shutdown late this morning into the early afternoon as police from Columbia, Wesst Hempfield Township and Lancastercity serched for a suspect in a house in the first block of North Fifth Street.

The Lancaster County Special Emergency Response team was called to the scene.

The wanted person was not in the house.

Downtown Columbia was shutdown for more than three hours.

We will have more on this story in this week's Columbia Ledger.

Tide falls

2008-11-08T12:30:00.000-05:00

Columbia’s 2008 football season came to an end Friday night in a 39-6 loss to one of, if not the best team in the state, the Steel-High Rollers.
The 11-0 Rollers are not only the defending District 3 Class A champion, but the defending state champion as well.
They have a number of Division I prospects on the team and are a good bet to repeat their success in the state tournament.
One of those Division I prospects for the Rollers is running back Jeremiah Young. He’s closing in on the state’s career rushing record. He needed more than 400 yards going into the game. Friday night, he ran the ball 15 times for 159 yards. He also caught a pass for a score.
Young caught that pass on the Rollers’ first possession of the game, on a 20-yard aerial from quarterback Andre Campbell.
He scored the first of three rushing touchdowns on a 40-yard sprint on the Rollers’ second possession. Steel-High led the game 14-0, seven minutes into the game on a nine-play and a two-play drive.
After forcing the Tide to its second straight, three and out series, the Rollers took over late in the first quarter at their own 26 and 34 seconds into the second quarter, Young scored from the 17 to give the Rollers a 20-0 lead.
Disaster then struck the Tide.
They fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which the Rollers turned into points. Campbell scored on a 10-yard scamper with 10 minutes left in the first half.
On the Tide’s next possession, quarterback Matt Kreiser fumbled when he was sacked and the Rollers got the ball back. Two plays later, Young scored on a 6-yard run and the Rollers were ahead 32-0.
Columbia again was forced to punt, but got a huge break when the Rollers fumbled the punt, giving the Tide new life. But they were unable to capitalized as Dakota Lightfoot’s option pass was picked off, which the Rollers converted into a 30-yard run by Dionte Willis. With five minutes left in the half, the Rollers were in front 39-0.
The Tide finally got some offense going. Lightfoot, the leading rusher in the L-L League broke loose on a 22-yard gain and the Rollers were flagged for a 15-yard penalty on a Tide punt. But the Tide was unable to capitalize and the half ended.
Now with the mercy rule controlling the game, the Rollers moved in for another score in the third quarter, but a great defensive play by Clark Meshey broke up a fourth down pass.
Columbia moved the ball on their second possession of the second half. Steel-High was again hit with a 15-yard penalty and Kreiser teamed up with his number one wide receiver Yahya McIntyre for a 34-yard gain to the Roller 24. But the Tide was unable to convert.
Columbia finally did get on the board. Getting the ball at the Roller 49, the Tide needed nine plays to score on a 2-yard run by Lightfoot with 3:47 left in the game.
On the nine-play drive, Lightfoot had his hands on the football for eight of the plays.
The Tide finished the season with a 3-8 record.
Friday’s game saw the end of the high school careers of Kreiser, Lightfoot, McIntyre, Meshey, Jason Combs, Kevin McCarty, Bobby Schoelkopf and Raefel Mendez.

Me and my 2 million friends

2008-11-04T15:28:00.001-05:00

Yes I was nuts, but its something I had to do. To get off for the day, all I had to do was write something about Charlie on how wrong I was and run the picture above.
Mission accomplished.
I knew I needed to be in Philly on Friday, but just wasn’t real sure about going.
I started my trek down after getting some coffee and breakfast and didn’t hit any traffic until that spot on 322 where the McDonald’s, the car wash and the old Miami Motors is. It was a long wait, probably 45 minutes to get those that mess, plus a bathroom break.
But once I got on 95, it was a pretty clear shot to the stadium area. As I was listening to WIP going down, things didn’t sound that promising about me seeing the parade, so I put a game plan in motion.
I go into the stadium area and if its packed and I can’t find a place to park close, I’ll head to a bar/restaurant or turn around and come back.
Well, I found a place to park after a few trips around the block across the street from the bank and there were only a few thousand nuts standing around at 11 a.m.
So as I walked around the stadium, I found out where the parade was going past and much to my surprise there wasn’t anyone standing along the ropes in the left field area along Citizen’s Bank Way.
How could I be so lucky? So I got my place right along the rope, met some really nice people and felt like I won a $1 million.
As it started to fill up, we stared to have some fun with the people looking for places to stand and things were looking good. I had a good feel of things.
The sites were something to behold prior to the parade. I thought I was at a distributor for a while, any kind of beer passed my way. Didn’t even realize they still made Pabst. The people, for the most part were orderly.
About the only regret was there was no one selling anything outside the stadium.
As it came time for the parade to come past my location, it got packed and all at once, the rope went down and I went from the first row (sorry Bob Uecker) to sixth row, but still a prime location.
I cheered loudly as the World Champions went past and then became the long walk back to the car, carefully stepping over thousands of cans.
While it took me four hours to get back, I would have to say this is a once in a lifetime experience that I will always remember and never forget and something I probably won’t do again.
After the summer I had, the Phils winning the World Championship and going to the parade was definitely one of the best days of my life.
I listened to the ceremony waiting in traffic to get on 95 and that had the people stuck in traffic going nuts as well.
I got to see my new heros and a couple of others as well.
Me and two million of my new friends.