Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 44

Page 16 June 5, 1986 iViSorth Matt Eaton is gearing up for pro cycling championships Matt's name burst into international news shortly before he turned pro when he became the first American he and his family are naturalized citizens to win Britain's prestigious amateur event, the Milk Race, in 1984. Last year, after winning the Toiir of Somerville, Eaton led the Corestates in Philadelphia early in the 150-mile event but, like most of the field, withdrew because of heat and humidity. "It was high 80s and very humid," Eaton says. "I broke off early but it was far too soon. We the lead pack ate ourselves up in the heat.

The winner was Eric Heiden, perhaps better-known for his Olympic skating. Two of Eaton's teammates finished in the top 20: Jeff Rutter (No. 9) and Daniel Franger (No. 18). Pittsburgh's Dan Chew, making his pro debut, surprised even himself by finishing 12th.

Locally, Eaton, Chew and other members of the Allegheny Cycling Association take part in races every Wednesday night beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the lower Highland Park Zoo parking lot Eaton began racing there when he was 13. Natives of Cuilford, England, the Eaton family moved here in 1970 from Scotland. When he says "cycling is a way of life" in the family, he means it from the days even before Matt began rummaging in the attic. Dave Eaton and his wife-to-be met at a youth hostel while cycling around England.

"I have a daughter," Eaton explains. "She's living here in Pittsburgh." His daughter is nearing Vh but the worries of fatherhood haven't held Eaton back all that much. He has won four races so far this season two in Florida, one in North Carolina and one in Ohio. Eaton races twice a week in a season that begins the last week in February and extends to the first week in November. Eaton is a member of a four-man team, Alfa Romeo, sponsored by the maker of the international sports car of that name.

He turned professional only 22 months ago yet already has notched one of the most coveted wins in road racing. Last year, he won the traditional Memorial Day race, the Tour of Somerville, beating an international field that included Olympic riders. His sister Sophie, who competes for Schwinn and resides in Los Angeles, won the women's competition. This time, neither finished in the top 20 an indication of the level of competition. "It's hard to repeat in a race like that," Matt remarks.

March Maertens, a Belgian, won the 50-mile event in one hour, 45 minutes, nine seconds. Eaton won last year in a slower 1:47:37. Eaton's father almost kept the family name in the headlines at Somerville. He finished second in a master's race the day before Matt's event. Last year, Dave Eaton, who competes in the 45-55 age group, won the national master's title in criterium (racing on a track) in Lancaster, Pa.

i Jh vnjL' A A "Sk I 4', ri i- I I1" i 1 Darrell SappPost-Gazette Butler County's Matt Eaton owns wins in a number of prestigious bike races. By John Zingaro "Matt was 10 or 11," his father recalls. "He found my old medals in boxes in the attic." That started it. The medals came from Dave Eaton's days as a young cyclist in his native Great Britain. The Eatons had since moved to Butler County and Matt, the oldest of the three youngsters, started asking his dad about cycling after discovering the medals.

"It was only a few weeks later," says Dave Eaton, "we went and bought some bikes." Now 25, Matt Eaton will be one of the top competitors taking part in the Corestates U.S. Pro Road Racing Championships June 15 in Philadelphia. "Cycling," Dave Eaton observes, "has become a way of life" in the Eaton household. "The phone is ringing all the time." With fielding requests to take part in races and making arrangements with teammates for traveling, living as a pro cyclist often is so on-the-go that the most certain, familiar part of one's day sometimes is the race itself. Even with the pro championships nearing, the pace of life is fast Eaton competed in an international race, the Tour of Somerville (N.J.) on Memorial Day Monday, trained 100 miles on Wednesday during the day and, that night, took part in the Allegheny County Association's weekly races.

He will be competing in Detroit, Chicago and Ottawa just Prior to the championship in hiladelphia. Eaton actually has eased his schedule, spending more time at home. He appears more frequently at the Wednesday night races in the lower Highland Park Zoo parking lot and can be seen on other days riding with fellow pro Dan Chew of Squirrel Hill in any part of Allegheny or surrounding counties on training runs. lia said he instructed his team simply to "take it one game at a time. I know that sounds corny, but with an inexperienced team, you just have to work on one game and try not to think too far ahead." North Hills ran into trouble when it got to what would be the final two games of its season.

"We had some defensive lapses," the coach said. "And we didn't hit very well the last two games." Why? "Playoff inexperience." The players have that now. North Hills will lose just three players for next season, and Papalia expects an improved team for 1987. "I think overall, the inner defense especially should improve simply because we'll have some experience. Most of the infield will be back," he said.

"And hitting should improve with the year's experience." The pitching will be depleted with the graduation of Schmitt, but Papalia already is looking for her replacement "Beth was our best pitcher," he said. "But we had another pitcher who was pretty good and who could step into tier Schmitt's shoes next year if she works hard." That would be junior Julie Semplice. "If she works in the off-season, she could pick right up where Beth left off," Papalia said. "You need somebody to come in." Other returnees Papalia said he will count on for next year are junior third baseman and catcher Cathy Smith; junior center fielder Lori Donnelly, who hit and sophomore second baseman Kristen mey, who hit .321. North Hills finishes 4th in WPIAL sof tball When you're they're not Liquid-cooled 1 6- and 20-hp Diesels from John Deere STEEL BELTED RADIALS MOUNTED BAmiDm0aalsg Ji P17580R-13 70 1 pl8580R-3 ns IllUSJ P18575R-14 3 76 ffPV P19575R'14 Li 78 I r51 P20575R'14 8Q lllvWt figp P21575R-14 84 1 P20575R-15 '82 I jNKjN P21575R-15 pS 86 1 V88.

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get a little something to take your mind off the heat. By Shelly Anderson Post-Gazette Sports Writer The North Hills girls' Softball team came so close to making it to the state playoffs before losing. Yet, Coach Denny Papalia said, the team still made it far. "For this team to come that far was very rewarding," said Papalia, adding that he had a young squad. "We only had one starter back from last year." North Hills finished fourth in WPIAL Class AAA with an 18-6 record.

It lost to Hempfield, 3-1, in the WPIAL semifinals May 28, then bowed out of the postseason with a 4-1 loss to Montour in the WPIAL consolation game last Thursday. In the Hempfield game, senior Eitcher Beth Schmitt threw a two-itter for the losers. Schmitt finished 12-3 with an earned-run average of 0.49. "Beth and the other two seniors were leaders all year," Papalia said. The other seniors on the team were first baseman Terri Verbanac and right fielder Nora Kachmar.

"Terri batted .397 (to lead the team, and Nora hit .286, which doesn't sound like much, but she had a knack for getting the hit when we really needed it" Papalia, who has seen his share of winning teams, said this year's squad survived on hard work. Papalia's teams won WPIAL titles in 1980, '81 and '83, and won the state championship in 1980. "These kids just made up their minds that they were going to keep the tradition going," Papalia said of the 1986 group. Going into postseason play, Papa-' MICHILIH Nothing Runs Like BLACK STEEL RADIALS 17570R-13 I 18570-R13 I 18570-R14 2 for $98 I 2 for $102 I 2 for $110 IB 'tn'MPW CRITCHLOW ENTERPRISES, INC. RT.

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