I want to congratulate all of the youngsters on another successful basketball season. Yes. The John Bower Church League has been around for a very long time. It’s the best. Props to the many volunteers behind the scenes. Your contribution to this venue shouldn’t go unnoticed. Thank you. We were a tad worried about this
READ MOREWhen the winter high school sports teams gathered for their very first official practices back in November most talked about goals, they wanted to achieve. Yes, there were always those personal goals that players used for self-motivation, but in just about every case team goals included advancing to the district playoffs. Now, three months later,
READ MOREOne in three high school students will experience some form of dating violence in their relationships. One in ten high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend. According to breakthecycle.org 81% of parents said they didn’t think or didn’t know if dating violence was a problem. For
READ MORETip of my Loyalsock Lancer cap to cross-creek rival Mike Mussina. His election into the Baseball Hall of Fame is a celebration of a good man doing great things the right way, and being rewarded with baseball immortality. Mike’s priorities have always been in the right order, although sometimes, big city people and sportswriters didn’t
READ MOREMike Mussina, congratulations! Certainly over the course of the past two weeks, since the January 22 announcement of his selection into the Baseball Hall of Fame, accolades have been pouring his way from well-wishers all across the baseball landscape. The media, both national and local, have been providing the statistical accomplishments which somehow will be
READ MOREProps to Mike Mussina on being selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. What an incredible achievement for the Montoursville native. Moose is heading to Cooperstown as one of the all time greats. This is off the charts sports fans. It’s a beautiful thing. Mike spent 18 solid seasons in the BIGS. The former
READ MOREHaley Mumma, a 14-year-old young lady from Jersey Shore, has succeeded in taking top honors for the highest scoring buck rack in the annual Uncle Ron’s Monster Buck Contest. Haley topped the list of over 60 entries in our big buck contest that’s been going on for about eight years now. Last year another teenage
READ MOREIt is amazing what is accomplished in the world of sports from folks that call the West Branch Valley home. It just seems to get better and better with each passing season. I can guarantee you there’s no place in the world there has ever been a head basketball coach record their 1,000th win and
READ MOREWhat a most memorable week we just experienced last week! Two of our area’s true sports icons both achieved monumental recognition in their respective sports. Montoursville’s Mike Mussina culminated a six-year climb up the Baseball Hall of Fame voting ladder and received the ultimate call that he has been elected to be enshrined in Cooperstown
READ MOREYears ago, Ron “CI” Insinger, a freshly graduated college student looking for a job, was offered two choices. The Sullivan County graduate was offered the head coaching job at Canton, and a coaching position at Loyalsock. The decision might have been a difficult one at the time, but the final choice changed the course of
READ MOREOK y’all. You know how this works. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of space to do it. So pitter-patter, let’s get at ‘er! Here are this year’s Super Bowl Predictions from around the area! I asked my BF Steve first, and since he’s not much of a football
READ MOREAlthough having attended numerous events at Bucknell University’s Sojka Pavilion and the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State over the years a recent January weekend provided my first-ever trip to the two quality edifices on back-to-back days. A ‘spur-of-the-moment’ Saturday visit to Sojka to take in the Bucknell/American University men’s basketball game was followed the
READ MOREStop the presses. The basketball hoops are coming back to Memorial Park. Props to Mayor Campana and his staff for making this happen. Wait. Did I just say that? OK, I have been very critical of Gabe and his “recreational” decisions in the past. I chimed in on the Williamsport Outlaws, a short-lived outdoor minor
READ MOREBy BRETT R. CROSSLEY For the Webb Weekly WILLIAMSPORT—Even the threat of the year’s first major snow storm couldn’t stop Loyalsock from treating its longtime coach Ron “CI” Insinger to a special moment on a Saturday afternoon. The Lancers welcomed in Hughesville for a game that was bumped up to an early start as the
READ MORETwo more basketball acquaintances passed on this past month: John “Jack” Grimes and Richard “Rick” Felix. While mourning their loss, I once again found myself reflecting on how the simple game of basketball has graced me with the opportunity to get to know these two very special people. Rick through the coaching brotherhood, and Jack
READ MOREHappy New Year boys and girls. I am so looking forward to writing more articles in 2019. Special thanks to Jimmy and Steph for allowing me to scribe. I am extremely honored and grateful for this opportunity. It’s hard to believe that I have been associated with Webb Weekly for almost fifteen years. That’s crazy.
READ MOREBy BRETT R. CROSSLEY For the Webb Weekly STATE COLLEGE—Loyalsock’s offense has been outstanding all season. The Lancers have averaged nearly 50 points per game, topped the 100-mark once, and have finished each game with multiple double-digit scorers. The offense has been great, but the defense finally got a chance to shine during the State
READ MOREBy BRETT R. CROSSLEY For the Webb Weekly STATE COLLEGE—The one knock on Loyalsock in the early portions of the season has been its lack of depth after the starting five players. Although the numbers might not be exactly where it wants, Loyalsock’s bench proved its worth during the opening day of the State College
READ MOREBy BRETT R. CROSSLEY For the Webb Weekly MONTOURSVILLE—For the first time in a long time Loyalsock’s Gerald Ross sat on the bench at the start of a basketball game. Ross could have sat there inattentive and indifferent to the game unfolding in front of him, but he didn’t. He was engaged, helpful on timeouts,
READ MOREWhen Connor Watkins walked off the field at Bloomsburg fans and players thought it would be the final time they would see him in a Loyalsock uniform. There were tears, jeers, and plenty of fears as he left the field with an injury that looked severe. The only person who wasn’t worried about getting back
READ MORELooking back 70 years, the Yuletide of 1948 was the culmination of a very interesting year in history. Harry Truman had pulled off one of the greatest political upsets in history when he defeated Gov. Thomas Dewey in that year’s Presidential election. Truman also launched the historic “Marshall Plan” that year, which helped to rebuild
READ MOREIt was as if time had suddenly stopped as the high-arching three-point shot launched by a Northeast Bradford player almost seemed destined to hit the heating vents suspended high above the Montgomery Community & Athletic Center gym. When gravity intervened the seemingly desperate shot found nothing but white nylon cord tying the Panthers game against
READ MOREThe fall leaves and cool temperatures are giving way to empty trees and temperatures that force most people to rethink trips outside. The winter season is officially upon us, which means the long drives, crafty moves on the soccer pitch, and shifty shots on the tennis court will be moved to the back until next
READ MOREIt’s hard to believe it’s the fifth Christmas season that my good friend Dave Sechler isn’t ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. God must have needed Dave’s help, and he knew he would do whatever was asked of him with a smile on his face. That’s just who Dave was. If you remember, I
READ MOREFollowing an outstanding career as a player at Ursinus College, where he was a consecutive two-time All-American and two-time Centennial Conference Player of the Year and eleven years as an assistant basketball coach at Ursinus and Colgate University, Mike McGarvey was named Lycoming College men’s basketball coach this past June. With a non-conference opening mark
READ MOREMost athletes in high school aspire to reach the next level of competition but making that adjustment can be difficult. The game’s pace picks up, and the players seem to get bigger. Despite the challenges, it’s rewarding as an education is likely to come along with the new challenges. As a player at Lewisburg Akilah
READ MOREA chance to vote on beautifully decorated Christmas trees and the opportunity to help support the Salvation Army will again happen when the 16th Annual Salvation Army Festival of Trees is held at the Lycoming Mall on Friday, December 7, beginning at 7 p.m. This annual event is sponsored by the Lycoming Mall, Backyard Broadcasting
READ MOREAlize Johnson took the area by storm when he was selected in the second round of the NBA draft. The 6’9″ lanky athletic forward from Williamsport then had an incredible summer league with the Indiana Pacers. He became an instant fan favorite, and his incredible nose for the ball turned several heads. Johnson averaged 12.4
READ MORELast week’s column recounted the new developments at the Montgomery Athletic & Community Center and its plans to serve the community’s athletic and healthy lifestyle needs. While on a tour of the facility, athletic director Mike Snyder introduced me to Ryan Solomon, who was hired in July as coordinator of the building’s activities. Solomon was
READ MORETake a drive on Route 54 through Montgomery. You’ll not encounter a red traffic light to impede your journey. However, the lack of such operational hardware may cause you to miss one of the community’s crown jewels tucked away along the roadway, similar to a family heirloom that you know is valuable, but rarely trot
READ MORESean MacMillen is a combat veteran who did three tours of service in Afghanistan. Upon leaving the service, he found that he had great difficulty readjusting to civilian life. This led to many problems for him. “I fully admit I struggled to reintegrate into society when I returned from my 3rd tour in Afghanistan. I
READ MOREI’ve been spending a great deal of time at my beloved alma mater of late. Yes. I find myself taking a stroll down memory lane every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning. A lot has changed in the past twenty-three years, but I still get goosebumps whenever I head to the Taj Mahal. It’s grand. We
READ MOREMontoursville native Vince Molesky is coming off of a spectacular summer. The former Mount St. Mary’s product continues to amaze me. He was undrafted out of a college, but fortunate enough to sign with Independent. Molesky played with the Wichita Wingnuts of the American Association in 2015. He was then traded to the Gateway Grizzlies
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