Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 13

5B COURIER-POST 57 COURIER-POST, Monday, Jun 10, 1985 finishes Bishop Eustace wire-to-wire run for top Baseball Top Ten 1. Bishop Eustace 23 248 2. Cherokee 2 226 3. Florence 192 4. Woodstown 182 5.

Gloucester Catholic 120 6. Shawnee 95 7. Pennsville 76 8. Sterling 69 9. St.

Joseph's 53 10. Audubon 52 Second Ten: 11. Burlington City 38; 12. Delran 27; 13. Cumberland 24; 14.

Holy Cross 18; 15. Cherry Hill East 17; 16. Glassboro 14; 17. Cherry Hill West 13; 18. Pennsauken 19.

Maple Shade 20. Buena 5. Bishop Eustace Prep School survived an upset bid last week to finish on top of the final baseball Top Ten Poll and capture the 1985 Courier-Post Cup. TheCrusaders.whoare23-2,stood atop the poll from wire-to-wire. After a 2-1 victory over upset-minded St.

Augustine in the South Jersey Group semifinals, Eustace gathered 23 votes for its ninth straight No. 1 rating. Camden Catholic and McCorristin were the only two schools to have solved the Crusaders winning formula. Gloucester Catholic will get a chance to be the third in tomorrow's South Jersey Group final at Eastern High School. "We started the season thinking we would have a strong team because we had a good group of veterans, but we never anticipated being No.

1," said Coach Bob Wen-gert. "We beat Gloucester Catholic in our second game and that got us record, and shortstop Steve Budd. Favieri, who also plays the outfield, Kavulich and Rose have averages. "Going into the McCorristin game Favieri hadn't lost in his high school career," said Wengert regarding the junior. "Rose was our catalyst.

He's our leadoff hitter, talks things up and gets us going. Budd is a transfer from Pennsauken. He bolstered the defense." Wengert points also to the contributions of assistants Joe Galliera and Gary Sarno, both former high school head coaches. Cherokee, a 10-1 loser to Eustace earlier in the year, was second for the eighth time. The Chiefs, 21-2, have won 1 5 straight since their loss to the Crusaders.

They will play Hightstown tomorrow in a Group 4 state semifinal game. Following the Chief in order are Florence, Woodstown and Glouces-terCatholic. Florence, 22-3 and win ner of the South Jersey Group I title last week, and Woodstown, 21-3. the sectional Group 2 winner, held the same positions in the last poll. Gloucester Catholic.

15-8. has moved up from the No. 10 slot with the helpof a victory over St. Josephs which sent the Rams into tomorrow's clash with Bishop Eustace. St.

Joseph's, 20-5, which was fifth last week, lost also to Middle Township and. as a result, as dropped to ninth. Shawnee finishes in the No. 6 spot. The Renegades.

15-5. advanced from 12th as they battled into the sectional Group 4 final before bowing to Cherokee. Next in line is Pennsville. the Courier-Post Cup winner a yea ago. The Eagles, 19-8, fell to Woodstown in the sectional Group 2 final.

Sterling has taken over at the No. 8 position. The Silver Knights, 17-5, were 19th, but took the big step forward by taking the South Jersey Group 3 title. going. "The good start was so important, and it made the kids more confident.

One of our concerns was how we would doearly. After we took the No. 1 ranking in the poll, the kids really didn't put any pressure on them-selves. They didn't do that until the last few weeks." Bishop Eustace had more than a good start. The Crusaders won their first 17 games before losing to Cam-dem Catholic.

Two Bishop Eustace players were named to this season's All-South Jersey team. Pitcher Andy Kavu-lich, who plays right field when he's not pitching, has won 10 games, while losing one. Third baseman Tom Heinkel is second in South Jersey with 13 home runs, leads the team in RBIs with more than 50 and is hitting over .500. Other players who have had key roles are second baseman Ray Rose, pitcher Mark Favieri, who has a 6-1 H.S. TOURNAMENT SOFTBALL Washington Twp.

runs to championship victory -t By BOB BROOKOVER Ol the Courier-Post GROUP 4 A. 3. 1 A Ufa 4-A 4 v- I The closest Westfield came to scoring was in the topof the sixth when Kim Canata went all the way to third before Alvaro ended the inning with a strikeout. Washington Township had numerous threatsduring the game, but didn't capitalize until the sixth. Janeen Burke reached based on an error in the top of the first and moved to second before the inning ended.

Laura Kelly singled with one out and moved to third on a single by Burke before Kasko ended the inning with a strikeout. Kathy Tomasco reached base on an error and went to second in the fourth before Kasko rebounded with a strikeout and a good play at the mound. Laura Kelly lined a one-out single in the fifth, but Kasko stopped that rally by forcing Ross and Burke to pop out. "Washington Township had our defense on the move the whole game, and something had to give," said West-field coach Carol Donner, after her team completed the year with a 30-3 mark. For the third straight game, Washington Township had won as the underdog.

The string of three started with a victory over then unbeaten Cumberland in the South Jersey final. Laura Kelly knocked in Denise Brown with the game's only run in that victory. "We gained a lot of confidence after the Cumberland win," said Shilling. "After that game, these girls never believed they were the underdog. They never went out on the field thinking they were defeated or intimidated." The second game in the string of three was a 1-0 win over another unbeaten.

Middletown South. In that game. Lori Simonson lined an eighth-inning single to left field that scored pinch-runner Denise Leonetti. And yesterday the string of three was completed against the only team in the state with 30 wins. WEST WINDSOR Coleen Kelly likes to slide head first into bases.

That way she can see if she is safe. "Not that my judgment matters." said Kelly. "I just like to know." Kelly slid head first safely into home plate yesterday in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift Washington Township High School to the state Group 4 softball title with a 1-0 victory over Westfield. The play developed during a single to left field by Denise Brown. Kelly-was on second base after leading off the inning with a single and moving to second on a wild pilch.

Washington Township coach Dawn Shilling stopped Kelly at third and it appeared that Westfield pitcher Nancy Kasko was going to cut off the throw to the plateand that would be the end of the play. But first baseman Sue Williams cut in front of Kasko and the ball deflected off Williams' glove and toward the Washington Township dugout. Kelly saw the ball rolling and immediately headed to the plate, just beating the throw. "I saw the first baseman cutting over." said Kelly. "Then I saw the ball tip off her glove.

I thought it was going to be a close play at the plate. I really didn't know how far the ball had rolled. I just wanted to cross the plate and be safe." "It was really a heads up play on Coleen's part," said Shilling, after the Minutemaids completed their state championship season with a 24-2 record. "I didn't tell her to go. She saw the ball go wide and she just went.

She's a senior captain, and she's played well for me for three years." The win was the third straight gutsy performance by the Minutemaids and the third straight where the score it MARY JO ALVARO pitches three-hitter ended 1-0. Again much of the credit belonged to junior Mary Jo Alvaro, and again she gave most of the credit to her defense. "These last three games were really a reflection on how good our defense is," said Alvaro, who completed the season with a 23-2 record. "It's really ironic that all three scores were 1-0, but we always managed to pull it through." Although Alvaro was justified in crediting her defense, she was the force through the first four innings. Alvaro retired the first 1 1 batters she faced and didn't allow a hit until the fifth.

The main plug behind Alvaro was senior shortstop Sharon Ross, who finally won the state championship that had eluded her the last three years. Ross had three assists and five put outs, including the final out of the game. Courif-Posi pnoio by Glenn Scroggy Mike Kenney of Gloucester Catholic High game against St. Joe's. Pitcher John School scores a third inning run in Fischer takes the throw at the plate.

Glou-yesterday's South Jersey Group semifinal cester Catholic won, 7-6. Gloucester Catholic wins, earns third shot at Eustace By SAMIANNUZZI Of the Courier-Post is a WESTVILLE Two times Three years of 'almosts' comes to an end for Ross charm, three is just plain tough. Gloucester Catholic High School survived a late St. Joseph rally to down the Wildcats 7-6 yesterday in a South Jersey Group semifinal baseball game. The win sets up the third meeting with Bishop Eustace Prep, the No.

1 team in the Top Ten Poll, in tomorrow's finals at Eastern High School. Gloucester Catholic has lost both of the previous games. 11-8 and 12-11. "I'm excited about another chance at Bishop Eustace," said Gloucester Catholic coach Al Radano. "They're the champs of our league (Olympic Conference National Division) and we have lost to them twice.

They'll have to beat us a third time." To get that third shot at Eustace, the Rams used solid pitching from senior hnni frto CrnrOrm a two-run home run by Will Vespe and a delayed steal that produced the eventual winning run in yesterday's game. Scanlon, who raised his record to 4-0, on a walk to Kaufman and to third on a fly ball by Kenney. Kaufmann delayed a steal to second that got him caught in a rundown. Powers scored during the rundown. Gaffney seemed to- recognize the play but slipped while running toward Kaufman.

"Gaffney was smart enough to step off the mound," said LaSasso, of his pitcher's reaction. "But he slips and they end up getting a run." Scanlon who missed a potential eight starting assignments this season with tendonitis in the rotator cuff of his pitching shoulder settled into a groove with four hitless innings. The Wildcats played a little long ball in the final two innings to make things close. Joe Paparo's grand slam in the sixth inning closed the margin to 7-5. Gaffney hit a solo shot with two outs in the seventh to complete the scoring.

Radano staved with Scanlon desnite a double by Fischer, who had moved to center field, following Gaffney 's proximity homer. Scanlon recovered to set down Vince Mallett on a fly ball to Vespe in center that ended the game. "I wanted to finish," said Scanlon. "I had trouble getting my curve over. Bo(h home runs were on astballs right down the middle.

I think having the big lead made me lay back and relax a little." GloucesterCat holic has little time to relax with Eustace on the horizon. Vespe has had back spasms most of the year but would like a shot at the Crusaders. "I think Bishop Eustace knows we could beat them." said the University of Miami-bound Vespe. "I would like to try and pitch." Get set for round three. GROUP survived two home runs to pick up the complete-game victory on a five hitter.

Each team scored a run in the first inning before the Rams erupted for their big second inning. Vespe's home run capped the five-run second that left the Rams on top 6-1. a lead they never relinquished. The blast, to dead center field, chased starter John Fischer, who suffered his second loss in 12 decisions and only the fourth of his career, in favor of John Gaffney. The left-handed Fischer probably deserved a better fate, considering there were three errors in the inning.

Gary Powers opened the inning with a walk and a stolen base. Mike Kenney laid down a bunt that he beat out for a single. Powers scored to give Gloucester Catholic a 2-1 lead when the throw to tirst got by second baseman Chris Caprio, who was covering on the play. Kenney scored the third run when a throw to the plate, after a fly ball to right by Bob Rivell, got by catcher Jeff Passarella. Kyle McKinney's run-scoring double plated the fourth run before Vespe parked his two-run blast.

"You can get that far behind against a good team." said St. Joe coach Frank LaSasso. after his Cape-Atlantic II Leaguechampionsdropped to 18-5! "I wanted Fischer to pitch to the left-handed hitter(V'espe)buthehit thehomerunand we just couldn't catch up-" The delayed steal scored the seventh run an inning later. Powers was on third after he walked, went to seconJ I Ironically, most of the times Ross traveled to the South Jersey final her team was the favorite. But during the Minutemaids' drive to the state title, they were the underdog in the last three games.

In that three-game stretch the Minutemaids knocked off two unbeaten teams Cumberland and Middletown South and the winningest team in the state Westfield. "I liked going into tne game ihe underdog," said Ross. "That way no one was expecting us to win, so there wasn't as much pressure." Even more ironic was the fact that Ross almost didn't play softball this season. "Near the end of basketball season I was thinking about going out for track." she said. "Track is more of an individual sport and I wanted to find out how I would do in that situation.

"But then I started to think about it. and when practices started I said to myself. 'I have to play I've been playing softball my whole life." And yesterday Sharon Ross couldn't have been happier that she decided to play again this year By BOB BROOKOVER 0( the Courier-Post WEST WINDSOR It was just a routine pop out, but for Sharon Ross it was the greatest moment of her scholastic athletic career. Sharon Ross had waited three years for this moment. She had waited three years to say, 'I played on a state championship "I wanted that ball," said Ross.

rfrrin to th final fMitnf Wachinaton Township High School's 1-0 state Group 4 final victory over Westfield yesterday. "It was the end of my high school career and I wanted to make the catch." Ross, one of the best three-sport athletes ever to play in South Jersey, had lived through three years of almosts. She almost won a South Jersey championship in field hockey, having traveled to the Group 4 Final three times, only to lose by one goal each time. She had almost won a state title in basketball. The Minutemaids lost the South Jersey championship to Lenape her sophomore year, fell in the state semifinal round to Neptune her junior year and lost in the state title game to Irvington earlier this year.

The two previous seasons in 5oftball Washington Township had fallen to A AUTO RACING Kuhn establishes mark lo capture SCAC title SUMMIT POINT. Va. Jerry Kuhnof West Berlin won theSportsCar Club of America National GT1 Race at Summit Point Race Track yesterday by a margin of 37 seconds. Kuhn established a track record for fastest lap time. He was driving RingosFast Food Camaro for his third win this season.

SHARON ROSS fulfills dreams Cherry Hill West and Cherokee in the South Jersey title game and each time the Minutemaids' opponent went on to claim a state title. "I've been to nine South Jersey finals and only won three." said Ross. "But winning this state title makes up for all of that. This is the greatest feeling of my life." I i.