The Central New Jersey Home News from New Brunswick, New Jersey • 21

f1 THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1982 21 JUST MISSES Middlesex High School shortstop Joe Constantino misses a tag as Dennis Cleary of Emerson steals second base during the second inning of yesterday's Group I championship game. Emerson scored two runs in the first inning to defeat the Blue Jays, 2-0, to win the title. Mffi0FS7S 6 LJ IV crown Spearnock shines as Eagles win, 4-0 1 'iiiiw 'Mini -i -i iiiii.il. Lnmiinwp.Miiymi 'jSr By JOHN BRUNS Home News sports writer WEST WINDSOR Talk about deja-vu. Not only did Edison High School repeat as the NJS1AA Group IV baseball champion yesterday by defeating Hackensack again, but the Eagles did it by the same score, 4-0.

This time around, it was lefty Mike Spearnock, not righty Joe Lynch, throwing goose eggs at the Comets. Spearnock pitched a four-hitter, with seven strikeouts, and preserved the shutout by getting out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh inning when Hackensack had men at second and third with no outs. An RBI-single by Hank Santos gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the third and a two-run double by Ron Ugarte in the next inning gave Spearnock more than enough cushion. "It's a nice habit," laughed Edison coach Mike Krychowecky about taking a second straight title. "I think both about the game once the Eagles got the lead.

After that, preserving the shutout became the big thing in his mind. "We had to score first. I felt whoever scored first would take it," he said. The southpaw's shutout was jeop-' ardized in the bottom of the seventh when George Lee led off with a walk and Tim Bajraktari followed with a long double to center field. Spearnock bore down and struck out Kevin Caval-lo, got pinch-hitter Walt Briggs on an outfield fly and Paul Figueroa on a grounder to short.

"I wanted the shutout, it meant a lot to me," he said. Krychowecky showed uncommon coolness for a coach. He said about the bottom of the seventh, "They weren't hitting him (Spearnock) all day. 1 wasn't worried." The Eagles had the first scoring op- portunity against loser Bajraktari (6-1). in the first inning when they loaded the' bases on an error and two walks.

They didn't break the ice, however, until two were out in the third inning. Ken Racioppi got the Eagles' first hit on a grounder to deep first base. Arnie Santiago walked and Santos came through with a sharp single to' left. Left fielder Bill Curry bobbled the ball momentarily, negating the chance for a play at the plate. He then threw to third base to cut down Santiago for' the third out, but Racioppi had already lv.Xv.v.-.-.-..W..-.WVftV1 Home News pnoio dv Nai Ciymer yesterday to retain their Group IV championship.

Ironically, the Eagles also beat Hackensack, 4-0, last year to win the title. teams were much more relaxed today because we were both here last year." "These kids are outstanding," he continued. "Some of the plays they make are unbelievable. They have speed and can do a lot of things with the bat. They played a very good game and won it." The victory gave Edison a 24-3 record and the Eagles can add the Middlesex County Conference title to their laruels with a victory over Cedar Ridge today.

Hackensack, a surprise repeater in the state final, finished with a 27-5 mark. SWARMING EAGLES A happy Edison High School baseball team swarms pitcher Mike Spearnock who is buried beneath his teammates the after the Eagles defeated Hackensack, 4-0, Triple play crushes Eagles Eagles might come up with a rally in the bottom of the seventh, they were shot down when Beth Berger lined into a game-ending triple play. Ann Fifick and Chris Conti led off the inning with sharp singles off Kearny pitcher Bernadette Dolan. Berger See KEARNY, page 23 enth, the Kardinals lined three consecutive singles and a bases-emptying double by Joanne "Josie" Gorba and turned the deficit into a lead. The Eagles did not recover from that assault and Kearny won and the championship, 4-2.

Additionally, when it looked like the entering the final inning and were playing with poise and confidence. It seemed that it was just a matter of time before the Eagles would parade around Mercer County Park with the Group IV championship trophy. Somebody forgot to tell Kearny. With one out in the top of the sev By STEVE SILVERMAN Home News correspondent WEST WINDSOR For the first six innings of yesterday's championship game, Edison High School had the state softball title in hand. The Eagles, behind the three-hit pitching of Linda Brunner, had a 2-0 lead over Kearny GROUP I crossed the plate.

Krychowecky tried cautiously to build on the slim lead in the next inning, but it was the big double by Ugarte, the Eagles' leading hitter, which did the job best. Andy Bythell led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Dan Phillips. Joe DeAnni also walked and Mike Dugan singled to left. Bythell held at third, but when Curry uncorked a throw over the catcher's head and Bajraktari wasn't backing up, he came home. With Edison runners at second and third, Krychowecky had Bob Zifchak squeezing, but Bajraktari fielded the ball and flipped to catcher Jim Viscon-ti to get DeAnni at the plate for the second out.

Ugarte then powered a ball to center field for a double to score Dugan and Zifchak. "All year long, someone has come through for us." said Krychowecky. "Pitchers can't let up on anyone in our lineup. Everyone has put at least one out (hit a homer) and only one guys is hitting under .300." Ugarte's double finished Bajraktari, who then played second base, and Larry Weiler came in to pitch the rest of the way for the Comets. Edlion 0013000-451 Hackensack 0000000 041 2b: E-Uoarle, Zifchak.

H-BairaMarl. Wi Soearnock (8-1). Bairaklarl (6-1). Both Spearnock and Krychowecky agreed that the big southpaw was not at his best. "Mike wasn't sharp.

He had too many days (eight) off, but he was good enough," the coach said. "He's a gutsy kid and a fighter. He didn't have that extra foot on his fast ball, but his ball was moving, I know that." "I felt a lot better a lot of times," said Spearnock, who will take his pitching talents to Western Kentucky University in the fall. "I had to get psyched every day for this game (which was postponed three straight days over last weekend and Monday). This morning I saw the sun and All I knew we'd play today." "I threw mostly fast balls," Spearnock continued.

"My coach said they would be taking and not to try and mess around." Spearnock said he felt pretty good Emerson shades Middlesex the state semifinals to reach yesterday's championship game. "This is as far as a Middlesex team has ever gotten," said Poeltler. I've been coaching here for 23 years and it was great to get this far. We had that one bad inning and that was the difference." See BLUE JAYS, page 23 The Blue Jays were barely over the .500 mark when the tournament began and were coming off a loss to Sayre-ville in the first round of the Middlesex County Tournament. But they beat Hoffman and South River and then reversed an early-season loss to Manville to win the Central Jersey title.

The Blue Jays then beat Maple Shade 9-6 in game at West Windsor Park. The loss ended the Blue Jays season at 14-9-1, but they surprised a lot of people with their state tournament play. "Even though we lost, I still feel good for the kids," said veteran coach Bob Poeltler. "We came a long way to get this far and I'm proud of them. They can hold their heads high." By GENE HALEY Home News sports writer WEST WINDSOR A couple of tainted first-inning runs by Emerson ended the Cinderella dreams of Middlesex High School's baseball team.

The surprising Blue Jays fell 2-0 to the Bulldogs from Bergen County yesterday in the Group I championship Cooney inside 4 rounds Bob Knobelman Even his punch has drawn criticism. Despite eight straight stoppages while champion, the referee counted to 10 over a lone challenger Alfredo Evangelista. And that Spaniard is to boxing what Bo Derek is to womanhood a perfect "10." How would 'Rocky' fare? Here's the trulv important issue in boxing today and it definitely 't ft 'I I 7 I It ll'l 1 i v- mm ll' Who said Gerry Cooney can't go 15 rounds? He can so. He did it in 1977 against Bill Jackson (1), Jimmy Roberson (2), Jose Rosario (2), Matt Robinson (4), Joe Maye (4), Quinnie Locklear (1), and Jimmy Sykes (1). Add 'em up.

The 25-year-old from Huntington, New York, has waged exactly 86 rounds of battle since he knocked out Jackson on Feb. 15, 1977. Following that rookie year, he jumped to 35 and 30 rounds in 1978 and 1979. But then Cooney learned something. It's dangerous in the ring and the faster he finishes his job, the less risk of getting hurt.

So he tapered off a bit in 1980. It took him only four rounds to slash open Jimmy Young's face and a mere one to break poor old Ron Lyle's ribs. Total competition for 1980: Five rounds. The next year was even easier. He narrowly escaped charges of mugging a senior citizen when he took exactly 34 seconds to dismantle Ken Norton.

So call Cooney anything you like, but don't call him shopworn. Rusty? Maybe. Rested? Probably. But he's not used merchandise. Holmes, meanwhile, has been fighting everybody in sight which adds up to nobody! Four bouts and 32 rounds in 1980 and three defenses for 29 rounds in 1981.

Lorenzo Zanon in six, Leroy Jones in eight, Scott LeDoux in seven, Muhammad Ali in 11, Trevor Berbick in 15, Leon Spinks in three, and Renal-do Snipes in 11. But don't blame Larry for that collection of ponderous tanks and antiques. As the song says, that's all there was. How can a champion gain the respect that the title deserves when he steps into the ring with a crew like that? You can't blame a guy for being born too late. Give 32-year-old Larry Holmes his due he is hard working, generous, polite, a model husband and father.

Those qualities should earn him a ton of laurels on Father's Day, but they won't help tomorrow night. The first title fight between undefeated heavyweights since Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali went to war in 1971 is being billed as a confrontation between a boxer and a puncher. But don't call it a "classic" match because, despite their unblemished records, both battlers are flawed. There are questions about Cooney and valid criticisms of the champion. Can the 6-6, 225-pound Irishman, who has collected 25 straight victories but has never heard the bell for the ninth round, go the distance? Can he take a solid punch? Has his shoulder injury healed? Basic questions that may or may not be answered tomorrow.

Nobody questions Cooney's punch. Veteran trainer Carmen Graziano LARRY HOLMES the champion GERRY COONEY the challenger won be settled tomorrow. How would "Rocky" fare against Cooney and Holmes? Ring Magazine asked Sylvester Stallone how the mythical Rocky Balboa -would fight each of these real-life heavyweights and what his chances might be. According to the "Italian Stallion," Rocky would beat Holmes because the champ's style is similar to Apollo Creed and Rocky defeated Creed. Because he'd be giving away a lot of height and reach to both men, Rocky would have to fight from close range.

Cooney would be the bigger problem for Rocky because he fights well inside and throws powerful uppcrcuts with either hand. He compared boxing Cooney with bull baiting. But if Rocky could hang on for eight rounds, he just might prevail. Tomorrow's scenario Holmes will try to establish his jab early. He will circle to his left, away from Cooney's powerful hook.

The champ must avoid moving straight back because nobody ever escaped the path of a train by stepping back. If things go his way, the jab will help him set up a hard overhand right a punch that -could send everybody home early. While the champ is circling, Cooney will try to "cut the ring off. He must maneuver Holmes against the ropes or, even better, into a corner. He'll hammer Holmes' ribs with left hooks and, when the champ brings his hands down, he'll begin dismantling the face.

And the winner The key to this battle will be Cooney's short left to the ribs. Make no mistake about it. Former trainer and manager Gil Clancy described Cooney's punching ability this way: "When you get in the ring with Cooney, he puts marks on you." As Holmes circles. Cooney will step toward him, punishing the body. Eventually he will corner the champ and Holmes will be 39-1.

Cooney inside four rounds! Howard Meller, a 25-year-old resident of Edison, sparred three two-minute rounds with Cooney shortly after the challenger turned professional in 1977. "Have you ever been hit by a Mack Meller responded when asked how hard Cooney hits. "He hits very hard." Meller and Cooney sparred at Gleason's Gym in New York. "No, I didn even know who he was at the time," Meller said. "I just introduced myself and we stepped into the ring.

He was playful." Meller's prediction? "Holmes will outlast him unless Cooney catches him before the eighth round." Holmes is a good boxer who sometimes gets careless. Earnie Shavers, who has knocked a lot of people down, and Snipes, who has knocked few down, both sent Larry to the canvas. To the champ's credit, he got up and stopped both challengers. Critics blame Holmes' own jab for those lapses. Sometimes he forgets to bring his fine left back in time to protect his face.

It makes him vulnerable to a counter right. Holmes has gone 15 rounds twice and at least 10 rounds on 10 occasions. But his fuel tank was near empty against Shavers and Mike weaver. said, "The only heavyweight wno nu as iidru a.