The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 95

1 Spool THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1996 THE NEWS JOURNAL NOI 7 Calendar Wockenfuss returns to managing Do you have news for the Sports page? Here's how to get your information to us: Mall: Street address: Box 10887 950 W. Basin Road Wilmington DE 1 9850 New Castle DE 1 9720 TTD number for the hearing impaired: 324-2580 Items of interest must be submitted 10 days prior to publication date. cvi ih if 1 Game of the week Newark and William Penn, preseason favorites to contend for the Blue Hen Conference Flight A baseball title, will waste no time trying to get the upper hand in the 1996 race. The two square off this afternoon at 3:30 at Newark. The Yellowjackets won Flight A last year, only to have their bid for the state championship derailed by William Penn in the state tournament semifinals.

Highlighting today's Softball slate is Mount Pleasant at Glasgow at 3:30. Mount Pleasant trounced perennial Flight A power William Penn 22-6 in a season opener last week. The Green Knights have another stiff test Saturday when they host St. Elizabeth at 11 a.m. Kevin Tresollnl Evansville, who owns the Albany team and the Evansville, club in another independent league, called.

Sullivan needed a manager for his Albany team because Doc Edwards, a Phillies catcher in the '70s, had resigned to become a scout with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a major-league expansion team. Edwards, who knew Wockenfuss from their days with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, recommended Wockenfuss as his successor. Wockenfuss said his back feels fine. He's glad to be getting another shot at managing. Although he'll be away during summer, Wockenfuss said his baseball academy will operate as usual.

"I'll have quality people in there running the academy," he said. Delaware's Athlete of the Year for 1979 and a 1993 inductee into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame, Wockenfuss played 10 years with the Detroit Tigers, two with the Phillies. His playing career over, he became a minor-league manager in 1987 in the Class A Florida State League. Managerial success rocketed him up the ladder with Glens Falls of the Class AA Eastern League and the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League. By MATT ZABITKA Staff reporter AVONDALE, Pa.

The last time former major-leaguer John Wockenfuss managed a minor-league team was in 1993, when he skippered the Pittsburgh Pirates' Carolina Mudcats of the Class AA Southern League. That year he experienced severe back problems and had operations in April and August at St. Francis Hospital, Wilmington. He missed about six weeks of the season. After the season, the former Dickinson High School baseball, basketball and football star announced his retirement from managing.

He later founded the Tri-State BaseballSoftball Academy in Avondale with Joe Vallorani, David Hollars and Al DiFilippo. The academy was coming along well. Wockenfuss was totally immersed in the activities. He had mapped out a series of clinics and camps for the summer. Then opportunity knocked.

A call came asking if he would be interested in managing the Al-bany-Colonie (NY.) Devil Dogs in a six-team independent league. Its teams are studded with former players from Class AA and AAA teams, with a scattering of former major-leaguers trying to win their way back to the bigs. v--J 1 Special to The News JoumalROBERT CRAIG Former major-leaguer John Wockenfuss, who retired from managing after suffering back problems, says he'll give it "one more shot." Changes on the way at Delcastle early September. "We'll be playing in the same ball parks as when I managed the Glens Falls, N.Y., team in the Class AA Eastern League," Wockenfuss said. In addition to Albany, teams in the league are Glens Falls and Elmira, N.Y.; Bangor, Maine, and two teams from Rhode Island.

Just a few weeks ago, managing a pro team this year was the farthest thing from Wockenfuss' mind. Then Charley Sullivan of corner as a senior, but Cavanaugh will no longer be batting for him. "We have to find a spot in the field for Cavanaugh so he can have more at-bats," Higgins said. "He was our second-leading hitter last year." Then there's the catching position. Ralph Russell was the starting receiver last spring as a sophomore.

He's back, but won't be able to play through at least the first four games because of academic deficiencies. Senior Jason Nowell is back at shortstop; junior Scott Merced returns as the starting left fielder. Tom Quann is coaching the freshman team, with Ralph Lepre assisting Higgins on the varsity and also working with Jim Wyatt on the junior varsity. Howard, which replaces Mc-Kean, is the only new team on the Cougars' 18-game schedule. On April 5, Delcastle will participate in the second annual wide vScationat technical school tournament, to be played at Poly Tech in Woodside and Sussex Vo 1 i By MATT ZABITKA Staff reporter Despite the loss of Torrid Tom Truselo, a 21st-round pick of the St.

Louis Cardinals in the June '95 major-league free-agent draft, Delcastle High School baseball coach Vern Higgins feels pitching will be one of the Cougars' strengths this season. "We have three fairly good pitchers back," junior Jason Snavely and seniors Bobby Cress-well and Eddie Lesniciak, said Higgins, who is entering his 10th year as head coach. Snavely, one of the keys on this season's varsity basketball team, is a 6-foot-5, 235-pound right-hander, who chalked up a 2-4 record last season as a sophomore; Snavely "could be All-State," Higgins said. Creswell is a southpaw who had an 0-3 record last year. Lesniciak is a right-hander with no decisions in his junior year.

"He was used mostly in relief, but he did have a couple of starts, against Sale-sianum and St. Mark's. He always gave us five strong innings," Higgins said. Up from the junior varsity are "I wasn't sure about taking the job," Wockenfuss said. "I decided to give it one more shot, to see if I still wanted to pursue managing.

If I enjoy it, I'll continue. If not, I'll give it up." He's scheduled to report to Albany May 14 and will have two weeks to prepare tha ieam for the season. The only player he's heard of is Hipolito Pefia, a former major-leaguer. The 80-game season runs from June 1 to Aug. 26, with playoffs in left-hander Chuck Sisson, a junior, and right-hander Jim Grabowski, a sophomore.

"I see our pitching being solid," Higgins said. "What we really need is a catcher and strength up the middle at shortstop, second base, center field." Last year, Truselo played center field when he wasn't pitching. When he pitched, Rick Lloyd, now a junior, played center. If he can find a new center fielder, Higgins could use Lloyd at second base, replacing Will Mer-cado, now attending Delaware State University on a baseball scholarship. The Cougars also have a problem in right field.

Mike Joswick, who has graduated, played that position as well as first base and at times took a stab at pitching. When he wasn't playing in the outfield, the right-field spot was taken by freshman Joe Gregorcyk. "But now Gregorcyk says he's giving up baseball to concentrate on karate," said Higgins. I Last year, Bret Simpers was the starting third baseman. Scott Ca-vanaugh batted for him in the role of d.h.

Simpers returns to the hot I 610-358-1838 Sports Talk Wilmington coach has link to 'Nova Gene Thompson, who recently completed his 20th season as head basketball coach at Wilmington High School, isn't joshing if he tells you he has a "pipeline" to Villanova University basketball. For five summers, Thompson worked summer basketball camps with Steve Lappas, Vil-lanova's head hoops coach, before the NCAA banned college head coaches from such participation. Thompson this summer plans to continue working summer camps. Del. semipro team to begin 56th year The Delaware Semi-Pro Baseball League, which has outlasted every amateur and professional sports league ever attempted in the First State, is readying for its 56th season, with the reliable and endurable Bill D'Onofrio continuing in the role of president for life.

D'Onofrio, the Rock of Gibraltar of the circuit for more than a quarter of a century, has never received a cent for his efforts, which include compiling mountains of statistics every season. D'Onofrio reports that the same eight teams that made up the field last year are scheduled to return Delaware Sportscare, Canada Dry, Guy Johnson Transportation, Brandywine, Home Budget Center, Walter's Collectibles, Sportsworld and C. Wallace Insurance. The tentative opening day is May 20. Ex-Sanford player to be co-captain Former Sanford School basketball All-Stater Kenny Mitchell will co-captain next season's Dartmouth College team with backcourt teammate Sea Lonergan of Dallas.

Both were juniors on this year's team that capped its third straight year in the top half of the Ivy League standings. The Big Green completed its schedule 16-10, the best showing Matt Zabitka since the 1988-89 team that finished 17-9. Since the 1959-60 season, only two teams have bettered this season's 16-win mark. With a 9-5 Ivy League log, the Big Green finished third behind Princeton (12-1) and Penn (11-2). Mitchell recorded 123 assists, moving into seventh place in career assists for the Big Green.

He also was team leader in steals with 51, third best in school history. He started all 26 games. At Sanford, he was the starting point guard three years as Sanford went 64-9, won state titles in 1991 and 1992, went to the '93 semifinals and won two Independent Conference titles and shared a third. During his senior year, he made first-team All-State, averaging 16.5 points, eight assists and five steals per game. He closed his scholastic career with 1,110 points (fourth on Sanford's all-time list) and a school-record 565 assists.

Bowlers schedule open meeting The Wilmington Women's Bowling Association has scheduled an open spring meeting at 1 p.m. April 14 at Bowlerama, 3031 New Castle New Castle. Beginner golf class to start April 1 1 The Newark Parks and Recreation Department has scheduled a six-week class in beginner's golf for adults, April 11 through May 16, 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. at Downes School. The cost is $65 for Newark residents, $70 for nonresidents.

Participants will need to purchase a training grip for $8.50 and a basic book on golf for $10. Advance registration is necessary. Also, the department is offering advanced golf lessons for adults who want to improve their game. Classes will be held Tuesdays, April 16 through May 21, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Downes School on Casho Mill Road. Cost is $65 for Newark residents, $70 for nonresidents.

Advance registration is necessary. For information on either class, call 366-7091. Special to The News JournalBILL HUGHES Pitcher Jason Snavely, a possible All-Stater, practices In the gym at Delcastle High School. Tech in Howard and Hodgson are also competing in the one-day, single-elimination event. Elkton, Md.

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