Tide girls move on

Will the third time be a charm for the Columbia girls' softball team?


That question will be answered Tuesday when the Crimson Tide meets Section 4 rival Annville-Cleona in the semi-finals of the District Three Class AA playoffs. The two qualified for the semi-finals with opening round wins Thursday.

A-C, who finished second behind the Tide in Section 4, blanked Littlestown, 4-0. The Tide, the Section 4 champs, got past Bermudian Springs, at Spring Grove, 9-1.

And there will be plenty at stake on Tuesday.
For the winner, they get a trip to the District Three championship on Thursday and also qualify for the PIAA tournament. The loser sees their season end.

And the Tide girls only lost four games this season – two of them were to A-C. There was a 2-0 loss at Glatfelter Field on April 14 and a day after wrapping up their first Section title, the Tide girls lost a meaningless 8-2 decision to the Little Dutchmen.

Last Thursday, playing for the first time in a week, the Tide girls were a little sluggish, but still had enough juice to record their second district playoff win in two years.
The Eagles reached Tide hurler Emily Detz for four hits, three in the sixth when they scored their lone run and one in the fifth. Detz struck out 10.

The Tide didn't get the scoreboard until the second. Jenna Plastino led the inning off with a walk, but was forced at second when Vallesa Carollo grounded into a fielder's choice, Alex Slick then singled, but Carollo later scored on a ground out.

In the third, the Tide went up2-0 on a single by Detz, a couple of wild pitches and she scored when Bermudian booted Kayla Lambert's ground ball to third.

The Tide got some breathing room in the fourth. Carollo scooted around the bases with an inside-the-park and a homer to lead off the inning. A walk to Slick and wild pitch scored another run. The final run came on a double steal executed by Megan Seibert and Detz.'

In the fifth, the Tide added a single run scored by Ashlyn Phillips on a ground out off the bat of Carollo.

In the sixth when the Tide scored their final three runs of the game, Jenai Plowden, Detz and Emily Hooper touched the plate.

From the PIAA record book

The PIAA track and field championships are this weekend at Shippensburg University.
Found these little tidbits from the PIAA record books, part of Columbia's rich track tradition.
The PIAA started crowning male champions back in 1925.
Did you know...
* Columbia is tied with four other schools, including McCaskey for the most state titles with 27. The most is 54, which is Norristown. Altoona is second with 38 followed by Scotland, Lower Merion and Williamsport with 33; Chester, Glen Mills, Harrisburg, North Penn and Swarthmore are at 31; Coatesville and Ridley Park are at 29. Joining the Tide and McCaskey with 27 are Abington and Bristol.
* Ron Smith is one of just two athletes to win four straight title titles. He accomplished the mark from 1963-66 in the Class B 120-yard hurdles.
The other is Don Coval of Council Rock, who won four straight 3,200-meter runs between 1997-2000.
* Smith also won six gold medals in his career along with Earl Brown of Mioddletown and three others. The tops is McCaskey and Olympic sprinter Barney Ewell with seven.
* Jerome Ellis also from 1964-66 won the 180-yard hurdle event three times in a row.

Weekly Columbia police reports

AMANDA LYNN HAMILTON, 29, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN THE 200 BLOCK OF SOUTH THIRD. STREET, AT 9:55 P.M., MAY 19.

GARRY EUGENE SHENEBERGER, JR., 27, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS, IN THE 200 BLOCK OF SOUTH THIRD. STREET, AT 9:55 P.M., MAY 19.

JUSTIN LEE BROWN, 26, OF MOUNTVILLE, WAS CITED FOR DRIVING WHILE OPERATING PRIVILEGE IS SUSPENDED OR REVOKED, AT SECOND. AND PERRY STREETS, AT 7:35 P.M., MAY 21.

HEIDI BARNINGER, 32, OF MOUNTVILLE, WAS CITED FOR PERMITTING UNAUTHORIZED PERSON TO DRIVE, AT SECOND AND PERRY STREETS, AT 7:35 P.M., MAY 21.

JAMES R. ENGLE, JR., 42, OF MOUNT JOY, WAS CITED FOR REGISTRATION AND CERTIFICATION OF TITLE REQUIRED AND FOR DRIVING WHILE OPERATING PRIVILEGE IS SUSPENDED OR REVOKED, ON ROUTE 441 NORTH, AT 3:18 P.M., MAY 21.

JOSHUA EUGENE FRASIER, 29, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS AT SECOND. AND MILL STREETS, AT 1:25 A.M., MAY 21.

MARY ELIZABETH PHILLIPS, 46, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR HARASSMENT AND FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS, IN THE 500 BLOCK OF SOUTH FRONT STREET, AT 5:55 P.M., MAY 22.

ELSIE M. BROMMER, 43, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR PERIODS REQUIRING LIGHTING, AT FOURTH. AND CHERRY STREETS, AT 2:04 A.M.,  MAY 22.

GARRY EUGENE SHENBERGER, JR., 27, OF COLUMBIA, WAS CITED FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS, IN THE 400 BLOCK OF AVENUE I, AT 4:20 P.M., MAY 22.

SAMUEL A. GRAYBILL, 28, OF LANCASTER, WAS CITED FOR REQUIRED FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND FOR REGISTRATION AND CERTIFICATION OF TITLE REQUIRED, AT ROUTE 441 AND ROUTE 30, AT 7:20 A.M., MAY 24.

DANIEL BRIAN ALBRIGHT, 41, OF FLORDIA, WAS ARRAIGNED AT CENTRAL BOOKING, IN LANCASTER, AT 1:38 A.M., MAY 21, FOR AGGRAVATED HARASSMENT BY PRISONER, POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA, PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS AND OPEN CONTAINER, FOR AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED AT SECOND. AND MILL STREETS.
 HE WAS COMITTED TO L.C.P. IN LIEU OF $150,000 STRAIGHT BAIL.

Kutztown has one loss

A legendary coach somewhere once said, “to beat the best, you got to play the best.”


If that’s the case, it might be the motto tomorrow for the Columbia girls’ softball team in their District Three Class AA quarter-final game with Kutztown at Muhlenberg High School at 6:30 p.m.

The Cougars are 18-2 and outscored the opposition 205-29 this season. They were 12-1 in Division IV of the Berks County League. Their two losses were a league game to Brandywine Heights (5-0) and a Berks County League playoff game to Daniel Boon e, 9-1.

That’s 14 of the 29 runs they gave up this year. Six others were to Tulpehocken in a 16-6 win and one was in a 16-1 win over Central Catholic. The 29 runs given up were the third lowest in the Berks County League behind Brandywine (13) and Daniel Boone (26). Brandywine is the top seed in the Class AA playoffs.

Columbia beat both of those teams and they are the only two common opponents.

Kutztown, coached by Dick Angstadt, who is in his fifth year, won eight of its 13 league games by shutout and in a pre-season preview of Division IV in the Berks League, Kutztown was described “as the prohibitive favorite in a weak division.”

The Cougars also scored a 12-0 win over Tulpehocken and 15-0 over Central Catholic.

Senior Megan Greiss, a returning All-Berks performer, is the team’s top pitcher with an 8-1 record. When not pitching, she also plays third base. The other pitcher/third baseman is Karly Billig.

Other top players are returning all-division performers Nikki Wearnecht (2B) and outfielders Monique Megio and Kelly Peter. Other players of note are Cyleigh Mertz, Janelle Geist, Emily Bard and Tasha Steltz.

The Cougars won five of their first six games by shutout and 12 games by the 10-run mercy rule.

Here are the directions from the District Three website to Muhlenberg:


MUHLENBERG HIGH SCHOOL: Route 222 toward Reading following signs for Route 12 East (Pricetown). Get on Route 12 East toward Pricetown. Take the 5th St. Highway Exit (Rt. 222 Business). Continue on the 5th St. Highway passing through 7 stop lights. Turn right onto Bellevue Ave. (Sheetz gas station on the right). Continue to the light and make a left onto Kutztown Road. Park in the CE Cole ES Parking lot to access the softball field.

NO PARKING will be available in the middle school this year.