News Record from North Hills, Pennsylvania • Page 20

FRIDAY, MAf NEWS RECORD-- D-l By CHIP LEWANDOWSKI Sports Editor North Hills area girls high school track teams will be well-represented next Tuesday in the WPIAL Class AAA Finals at North Allegheny High School. In the Qualifying Meet held at Blackhawk High School area schools kept the season alive by placing several individuals and teams in the finals. North Allegheny's girls will be represented the most as the Tigers qualified for the'finals in eight of the 16 track and field events. North Hills qualified seven participants in six events and Shaler Area in two. To qualify for the WPIAL finals, a school must finish in the top six in each event held in the Qualifying Meet.

Two such meets north and south were held earlier this week in the WPIAL. North Allegheny's two-mile relay team led the for the Tigers, first" place uTa time of team is comprised of Robin Reckard, Ann Muth, Beth Williams and Sue Robertson. Other qualifiers for "North Allegheny were Mim Policy in the high hurdles (fifth at 16.1), Reckard in the 400-yard dash (fifth, 62.6), the 400- Cheryl Rau (second) in the 800-meter IWleyrMaTy--run aUd theTtflle relay team of Rau, Wharton, Nancy Zavidney and Lynn Minick (fifth, 51.3), Robertson in the 800-meter run (sixth, the mile relay' team of Reckard, Heather Mcllvried, Nancy Hirsch and Muth (second, Zavidney in the triple jump 33-feet-8) and Nancy Burgert in the shot put (fifth, 32-11). North Hills' qualifiers were Karen Longjohn (fifth) and Cindy Perry (sixth) in the long jump, Longjohn (sixth) in-the triple jump, Cindy Zielinski (first) in the mile run, Zielinski (third) in the two-mile run, Patty Jackson, Colleen Quinn and Becky Dietrich (fifth). Shaler Area's two qualifiers came in the two-mile relay and Tera Hicks (second) in the two-mile run.

While North Allegheny has the most chances of one of its individuals or teams winning a WPIAL title, finished third last year in the states in the two mile." The top four finishers in WPIAL Finals will qualify for the Pennsylvania Intel-scholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Finals May 23 and 24. North Allegheny coach Russ Cerny, whose girls' track team is one of the best he has ever coached, expected as North Hills coach Scott 0 performers to qualify, believes some of his-girls have a good But hat about the other coaches? very youung (earn, so chance in the meet. "Our best shot of going to thestate (tournament) is Cindy (Zielinski) in the mile and two mile," he said. "She "We're a we're satisfied with our qualifiers," saidWentzel. In the Class AA boys qualifying meet held Wednesday at Richland High School, the h6st Rams qualified 13 individuals or teams in 12 events for the finals to be held next Wednesday at Neshannock High School.

Richland's qualifiers came in the 120-meter high hurdles (Tom Ibinson), lOOyard dash (Joe Juliana), 440-yard dash (Mark Harrison, discus (Ross Sorce), 440-yard relay, long jump (John Mitchel), 330-intermediate hurdles (Dave Klingler), 880-yard run (Dave McAfee), two- mile run (Bill Malchano), one-mile relay, pole vault (Marty Galabinski and Joe Vogliano)- and shot put (Sorce). Shaler baseball iecmaJikes it on By CHIP LEWANDOWSKI Editor Beware Section 7 baseball teams. Shaler Area coach Jerry Matulevic has a warning-for all of you. Apparently, the fact that the Titans have not lost a game in nine tries and lead the section by two full games does not bring a'smile to Matulevic's face The season, he saysris not over vet. "Anything can happen from now to the end of the season." said Matulevic.

"Baseball is a funny game. We've got a lot of tough games coming up. We respect everybody. "But." he said, leading into his warning, "we're going to go after everybody like it was the last game of the World Series." Matulevic's statement came just after his Titans had defeated North Allegheny, 0 Tuesday afternoon to increase their record to 9-0 in Section 7 and dro Pigers-to fourth place. North Hills and North Catholic, despite wins Tuesday, remained two games behind Shalenrith7-2 records.

Shaler, it seems, is getting better in every phase of the game as the- season progresses. With a solid pitching staff, a lineup with few weaknesses (if any) in hitting and a defense which has come up with a big play several times to stop opponents' threats, Shaler will be hard to catch in the section. That's one fact, however, which MaluleVic agrees with. "We're going to be tough to beat," he said, "This particular year the kids are showing a lot of guts and Indian, girls swamp Merlack- gets no-hitter Scott Merlack pitched his third no-hitter of the season in North Hills' rainshortened 6-1 win over North Catholic Thursday afternoon The win gave the Indians sole possession of second place in Section 7, two games behind undefeated Shaler Area. North Catholic dropped to third place.in the league.

Merlack has previously tossed no-hitters against Mars (7-0) and North Allegheny (5-0). In Thursday's game, North Catholic got its only run on three straight walks and a ground out in the rainy scored aU of its runs in the first inning, with the big hit-coming off the bat of Mike Bannon, who hit a triple scoring two runs. North Hills will play Shaler Area in both teams' most important game of the season, Tuesday at Etna Field: determination We get-ourselves in a about anyone else to win it (section). -They-have-to-catch The Titans put themselves in that position with names like Wayne Schukert and Doug Maggio. Allegheny this time," said Matulevic, earlier in the season.

"The kids are -The players' enthusiasm is showing both on the field in the Titans' laJuasaucci Wednesday to le rew-a the North Hills JUlls good as anyone. Tigers to just five hits. Jed the Titans at the "Titan pitching staff Is earned runs in 191 amesr High School softball team to an easy 15-1 win over Fox Chapel. -The win was the Indians' ninth straight in section play without a But. we'll worry about the section first" Allegheny kept up with Indian games-nTthT TMa uns first two innings, Shaler erupted for three runs Remaining Indian games in the section include play against Richland (Monday), Shaler, Hampton, North in the third to tage of wild Fox Chapel pitching to score six runs.

Ronda Caye and Leigh Curl got one triple each to lead the North Hills offensive attack. North Hills is 12-1 overall this year, with its only loss coining early in have remaining in the regular season before the playoffs. the teams I have seen," lead Schukert closest any of those teams has come to beating the Indians has been three runs, accomplished by Shaler when it was defeated North Hills, 44, April 23. Earlier this week North Hills defeated Deer Lakes, 7-1, behind the two-hit pitching of Leigh Curl, leads North Hills in "hitting with a average. Massucci leads the pitching staff with a 7-0 record while Curl is 4-0.

Shaler scored the three runs after two outs when Maggio singled with runners on-first and third to drive in- Tim Fieldhouse. Ed Bodnar then scored when Ken Karcher hit a single to center field. The Titans third run came on a single to right by Kevin Walsh, which scored Maggio. Shalerlater scored three more runs in the top of the seventh to insure its 16th win of the year. "We were really ready for North times.

Their combined earned average is less than 1.00. With those sjtats and that record, does Matulevic think the Titans can go undefeated in the section? "We're not concerned about that," he said. "I remember when I had the championship team in 1973 which won 11 straight a 12-game season) and Deer Lakes, which had'a poor team that year, beat us 2-1 in the final game." So maybe Matulevic is right when he says anything can happen in baseball But, if anything is going to -happen in Section 7, it better happen soon. If not, Shaler may be playing in the high 'Jiool equivalent of the last game. spring, Mmm 1 1 Determination i photo by ERIC FElA Vayne Schukert batter durirupTuesday's game.

Schukert shut out the Tigers, 6X) to notch his fourth victory in Section 7 play. The senior hurler is 5-2 overall. Schukert limited North Allegheny to just five hits while striking out six in leading-Shalerto its ninth section win without a loss. The Titans lead the league by over North Hills and-North-Cathollc. The loss dropped Norjjfi Allegheny to fourth place.

IfcL Out at home North Allegheny catcher Tony Schatzel puts the tag on Shaler Area's Ken Karcher during Tuesday's game at North Allegheny. Karcher was thrown out while trying to score on a single by Kevin Walsh. Shaler won the game, 60, to extend Its Section 7 recprd to 9-0. North Hills de- NerHi Nm burd pKrtjb feated North Catholic, 6-1 rainshortened game yesterday on hitter by Scott Merlack. Here Vyour to be cTflbgcLspoff Lthat'i The weather li greener amUJie grati irwan not right but It got your attention.

Little League and softball teaions are here. While the North Hills NewtRecord would like to get out and tee all the garnet which will be played throughout the area this summer, the numerous leagues and the limited manpower nuke It Impossible. However, we still would like to get all of the results ot ail participating teams In the paper. How does a league get its results printed? What procedure must one follow? When should the results be In at the News Record office? It's really not that tough. To read about your team (or any other softball or Little League In the North Hills area) all you have to drtrieid the game scores, summaries and names of key players in the game to the News Record possible.

Results will be published in the News Record as received. Because of deadlines, results of games to be included In the Tuesday edition must be at our office no later than Monday at 10 a.m. Friday's edition will include all results received before Thursday at 10a.m. 'For your convenience, game summary forms are available at no charge at the receptionist's desk at the North Hills News Record..