Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 47

Friday, October 20, 2006 www.courierpostonline.com Arena Inside Sixers guard Allen Iverson still thinks his team can win the championship. Page 9 For live sports scores and stats, send Auto Racing I text message with TEAM NAME (e.g. Eagles) or Varsity Extra 4-5, 8-9 PLAYER NAME (e.g. Michael I II Lewis) to 44636 (4INF0). Scoreboard 8 College Football NFL 11 panastasiacourierpostonline.com Sports Editor Phil Anastasia (856) 486-2424 State Tennis Championships Molina Sports IS HK sends Cards DlMljllMI toM otown Pitman wins 1st crown, lives up to team's motto By LAUREN ARMBRUSTER Courier-Post Staff PITMAN VERONA 3 2 What State Group 1 final.

Next Tournament of Champions Sunday. Key player With the score tied 2-2, Pitman's Kerri Hayden finished off Kathryn Glasbrenner in the second set and won the match 6-1, 6-2. Fun fact In the last two years, two Tri-County Conference teams have brought two state titles home with them. In 2005, it was Pennsville. Both Pennsville and Pitman play in the Classic Division.

VARSITY EXTRA Camden Catholic's Kevin McDonnel and Highland's Jessica DiCicco are the individual winners at the Camden County Championships in cross country. 4E Moorestown rolls to easy field hockey win. 4E Gloucester Catholic must forfeit last two wins in girls' soccer. 8E Williamstown blanks Cumberland in boys' soccer. 9E the stage for the deciding match at third singles.

Pitman's Kerri Hayden and Kathryn Glasbrenner were the center of attention as both teams and fans swarmed the court to watch the second set after Hayden won the first set 6-1. See CHAMPIONS, Page 5E WEST WINDSOR Play with gusto. That was the slogan displayed on the back of the shirts worn by the Pitman High School girls' tennis team since the beginning of the season. The Panthers probably had no idea what the motto meant in early September, but they had it figured out Thursday afternoon as the squad won its first state crown with a 3-2 victory over Verona in the NJSIAA Group 1 state final at Mercer County Park. "This is unbelievable," junior first singles player Mary Beato said.

"This is something that I'll never forget. It's something that you can tell your kids one day." After the win, Beato dumped the team's water cooler over the head of coach Debbie Slenkamp, whose team advanced to the final by beating Highland Park 5-0 in the semifinals. "The kids have to run if they leave any balls on the court after practice I guess, I can let go," Slenkamp said after being drenched. It was a win by Pitman's Carly Lovelace and Stephanie Radcliffe over Julia Geangu and Rachel Yeager at second doubles that set By MIKE F1TZPATRICK Associated Press NEW YORK No way anybody was catching Yadier Molina's ninth-inning shot. And by the time it landed beyond the left-field fence, the St.

Louis Cardinals were headed to the World Series. Molina's tiebreaking homer and another Game 7 gem by Jeff Suppan helped St. Louis overcome Endy Chavez's astounding grab, giving the Cardinals a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets Thursday night for the NL championship. Adam Wainwright wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth, striking out St Louis nemesis Carlos Beltran to end it and leaving a stunned crowd in deflated silence just moments after it had Shea Stadium shaking. And with that, the Cardinals earned their second pennant in three years and a date with the Detroit Tigers Saturday night in Game 1 of the World Series.

Hey Motown, here come the Cards. Molina, a .216 career hitter with only six home runs during the regular season, drove the first pitch he saw from reliever Aaron Heil-man into New York's bullpen for a 3-1 lead in the ninth. Chavez, who made one of the most memorable postseason catches just three innings earlier, could only stand and watch at the fence as the Mets' World Series hopes were dashed. Scott Rolen, robbed of a homer by Chavez in the sixth, got the St. Louis rally started with a single.

But the Mets, resilient (All games on FOX) Game 1: Mets 2, Cardinals 0 Game Cardinals 9, Mets 6 Game 3: Cardinals 5, Mets 0 Game 4: Mets 12, Cardinals 5 Game 5: Cardinals 4, Mets 2 Game 6: Mets 4, Cardinals 2 Game 7: Cardinals 3, Mets 1 (Cardinals win series 4-3) WEB EXTRA Go to courierpostonline.com sports for bonus coverage of the playoffs by Gannett News Service, including the scores and news, blogs and videos. throughout their stirring season, nearly came back in the ninth. Jose Valentin and Chavez opened the inning with singles before pinch-hitter Cliff Floyd struck out looking. Jose Reyes lined out to center for the second out, but Paul Lo Duca drew a walk that loaded the bases. That brought up Beltran, who homered three times in the series after hitting .417 with four home runs for Houston in the 2004 NLCS against St.

Louis. Wainwright, a rookie filling in for injured closer Jason Isringhausen, got ahead in the count immediately and froze Beltran with a breaking ball for strike three. The Cardinals, with their 17th pennant in hand, charged out of the dugout and mobbed Wainwright in front of the mound. Suppan won the MVP award for two outstanding starts. He limited the Mets to one run and five hits in 15 innings, and once again was at his best in a big game.

0(7 1 1 ri.tuT i in, ''I I JOHN ZIOMEKCourier-Post Pitman's first doubles player Danielle Collier returns the ball against Verona during Group 1 state final Thursday. Collier and doubles partner Abby Finn won their match 6-1, 6-1. FOOTBALL FRIDAY In this week's Football Friday on Page 5E, you can find: A preview of tonight's 7 p.m. Clearview-Williamstown game. Preview boxes on three other key games and tonight's schedule.

'Under the Spotlight' feature on Shawnee sophomore running back Chris LaPierre. XT VARSITY PLUS is. i. 4 STATE FINALS Group 4 E. Brunswick 4, J.P.

Stevens 1 Group 3 Millburn 3, Moorestown 2 Group 2 Manasquan 3, Bernards 2 Group 1 Pitman 3, Verona 2 Non-Public A Immaculate Heart 3, Red Bank Catholic 2 Non-Public Montclair Kimberly 5, Sacred Heart 0 Coverage: 5E r-f i jf Visit courierpostonline.comvarsityplus for enhanced Varsity football coverage that includes: Live scores with summaries and updated statistics and standings Team pages with rosters, school profiles, schedules and interactive maps Cherry Hill East's first singles player Caryssa Peretz returns the ball against East Brunswick in the Group 4 state semifinals Thursday. Phil Anastasia writes on the experience the freshman Peretz, who had the Cougars' lone win in the 4-1 loss, gained this year. Page 5E JOHN ZIOMEKCourier-Post BILL KOSTROUNAssociated Press The Cardinals' Yadier Molina connects for a two-run home run in the ninth inning. It won the NLCS for St. Louis.

Justice eyes first chance to play Forsberg injured EAGLES AT BUCCANEERS in Flyers' defeat "When I was drafted (with the No. 39 pick overall), I knew they drafted me for a reason," Justice LIGHTNING 4 1 FLYERS JUSTICE said. "The best thing I By DON BENEVENTO Courier-Post Staff PHILADELPHIA When the Eagles selected Winston Justice with a second-round draft pick last spring, the intent was to develop the former USC tackle for the future. With left tackle William Thomas and right tackle Jon Runyan still in their prime, it was assumed Justice would not play regularly for at least one season, and maybe even beyond. So far, the Eagles have stayed with that plan.

Through six games, Justice has yet to be placed on the active game-day roster. That may or may not change Sunday when the Eagles visit Tampa Bay. Thomas has been struggling with back spasms all week and has been listed as questionable on the team's injury report. How- CHRIS O'MEARA Associated Press The Lightning's Ruslan Fedotenko slams the Flyers' Mike Richards Into the boards In the first period Thursday. When: 1 p.m.

Sunday Where: Raymond James Stadium TVRadio: FOXWYSP (94.1 -FM) Line: Eagles by 5 Eagles notes, NFL news. 9E WEB EXTRA Visit courierpostonline.com eagles for photo galleries, wallpaper and archived coverage. Read Don Benevento's blog Eagle Eye at courierpostonline.com blogsbenevento.html. ever, he did practice Thursday, a sign that he may be ready to play. Before that, though, Justice had been taking many of the snaps at left tackle with the starting unit in anticipation that he may play.

If called upon, Justice said he is ready to go. Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. Ryan Craig and Ruslan Fedotenko scored second-period goals and Marc Denis made 34 saves to help the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Flyers 4-1 Thursday night. The Lightning, who had lost four of five, also got third-period goals from Vin-ny Prospal and Nikita Alex-eev. Tampa Bay has won nine straight games against the Flyers, outscoring Philadelphia 43-16.

Denis lost his bid for his first shutout of the season and 16th overall when Sami Kapanen scored a short-handed goal with 4:12 left Flyers captain Peter Forsberg left with a sprained left wrist in the first period when he was Next Flyers at Florida Where: AmericanAirlines Arena When: 7:30 tonight TVRadio: CSNWIP (610-AM) Flyers notes. 13E WEBEXTRA Visit courierpostonline.com flyers for photo galleries, wallpaper and archived Flyers coverage, including this season's preview section. Read Chuck Gormley's blog at couriefpostonliM.comblogs gormley.html checked into the boards by Paul Ranger. "My left hand got caught against the glass and it got twisted backwards," Forsberg said. "I had it looked at and it's sprained." could do now is just stay ready.

If (Thomas) can go, he can. If he can't, I'll be ready. An opportunity is an opportunity. It's a chance to play." Speaking at his weekly news conference on Thursday, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said Thomas' physical status is still uncertain. "I don't want to get too far into this because we'll see how our starting left tackle (Thomas) does today and tomorrow," he said.

"But Winston would be the starting left tackle if See EAGLES, Page HE were coming off a 9-1 loss to Buffalo Tuesday night. Craig put the Lightning ahead 1-0 at 7:38 of the second when he made a waist-high deflection off a tipped pass from Brad Richards. Criag left later in the second with a right knee injury. Staff writer Chuck Gormley contributed to this report. The Flyers' captain said it is "very, very doubtful" he will play tonight when the Flyers visit the Florida Panthers.

"But we have a few days offafter that so hopefully I can get back as soon as possible." A team official said X-rays were negative. Antero Niittymaki made 32 saves for the Flyers, who 1 If Mr l-f)i! tvnfuaiHTjm Bun irnus Aaafrm nuf mjacxain WHITE HOUSE PMC D5B-D5B-5555.