As June hits the halfway point, with the official beginning of summer just a few days away, for those graduating students who’ve recently seen their high school days completed and their parents, it has been an emotional two weeks. Preparing for, and looking forward to, the end of that senior year is one thing; soaking
READ MORENorth Central Pennsylvania has a strong tradition of success in high school track and field. Recently Tré Taylor, of Williamsport, and Idris Ali, of Loyalsock have continued that tradition by winning at district and state competitions. Though neither local athlete is a stranger to success, there were some surprises this season. Tré Taylor set a
READ MOREWhen local sports legend Bill Byham passed away in late May 2017, his unpublished novel — offering relevant life lessons through the prism of junior-high football — could easily have died with him. The manuscript of “Bucky Deacon’s Dilemma,” pecked out on a typewriter during summers by the pool, had languished for decades since Byham
READ MOREHeartfelt congratulations to CI – Ron Insinger, Assistant Coaches Jeff Everett and Randy Glunk, the amazing Lancer players, and the Lancer nation. My staff has done a great job in the pages ahead, covering the 3A Pennsylvania State Champion’s run to the title. The longest journey begins with that first step, or maybe, in this
READ MOREArea scholastic basketball for 1971-1972 came to a dazzling finish during the last week when five Greater Williamsport basketball teams went to the wire in district compete and one of them—Bishop Neumann grabbed a state championship. The Knights whose first-year coach, Gary Koons may be wondering what to do for an encore, waded through all
READ MORE1,267 games. A State Record 1,066 wins. Twenty-four District IV Championships. Thirty League Titles. Thirty-eight 20-win seasons. His teams have won more than 85% of their games. And now Coach Ron Insinger has a State Championship to add to his already impressive resume. Where do I begin? Congratulations to my old friend for finally pulling
READ MOREIt’s good to be back from my short hiatus. I took a little break because I was coaching. Now that the season is over, things are slowly getting back to normal. These are crazy times. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day sports fans. So, I enjoyed my first year at the helm. Not
READ MOREBefore I get to the accomplishments through perseverance by some of our area athletes, I think it’s most important to give a tip of my Webb Weekly hat with the American Flag on the side to Dr. Robert Lombardi, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. Dr. Lombardi went to the mat for all
READ MOREBefore I get started, I want to be clear — I am not talking about Dr. Anthony Fauci or Dr. Rachel Levine. I am talking about Doctor J — Julius Erving. I think we all need a little break from the COVID craziness and political divide. For all you younger folks out there, or those
READ MOREWhenever I am feeling blue, I head to Wegmans to see my crew. Haiku? Sorry. My older and wiser friends are always there. They are good for my morale. Most are fans of this column, and this week I wanted to give them some love. Special thanks to John C., Big Mike, Tracy, Mrs. Ginny,
READ MOREIn keeping with the virtual learning experiences so prevalent these days, let us explore one of the often-asked questions of virtuality. If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? It is a philosophical thought experiment that raises question regarding observation and perception. In
READ MOREHappy Thanksgiving to all! Please celebrate this amazing day of American gratitude as you choose to do so. I am not trying to tell you how, or influence your decision regarding choosing a traditional or unconventional Thanksgiving celebration. I just want you to understand Governor-King Thomas Wolf and his Jester CDC Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine
READ MOREEvery sport has been impacted. But the onset of COVID-19 has absolutely crushed college basketball. It all started with the cancelation of MARCH MADNESS. All of my brackets busted. Unthinkable. There was talk about playing the games later. Unfortunately, that never happened. As we approach the 2020-21 hoops season, there is still a major concern.
READ MORENow that the traffic signal flickering above Lycoming County is operating under Governor Wolf’s green light much of the population will be out & about much more enjoying both the ‘new normal’ and the most welcomed warmer weather. Should you decide to hop in the car and take a drive; here’s is a destination you
READ MOREWhen I graduated from high school in approximately 1872, South Williamsport High School was doing construction on the football field, so instead of graduating at Rodney K. Morgans Stadium, we graduated in right field at Lamade Stadium. I imagine that it took a lot of finagling for SWASD to get that done, and up until
READ MOREThe St. John Neumann Regional Academy’s 2019-20 season suddenly came to a close. We were nipped 59-57 by Southern Foulton at the horn. It was a tremendous game, but unfortunately all good things come an end. 22-5. Mid Penn and District 4 Champs. PIAA Sweet 16. Impressive, but it still hurts. Everyone took it very
READ MOREIt is great to see Spring Training in full swing in both Florida and Arizona. The first exhibition games from both the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues can be viewed on TV. The Boys of Summer can mean just one thing — spring is just around the corner. This time of year always gets me thinking
READ MOREI genuinely believe there are two sides to every story. Rumors and speculations are everywhere, and I usually refrain from commenting online. There are several buzzes within our local community. I have no comment with regards to Myrtle. What a mess. But I would like to chime in on a situation that I am close
READ MOREAs the calendar flips to December this week marks the start of the high school basketball season. The action switches from the outside environs of football stadiums to the smaller indoor gymnasiums. The National Anthem and school fight songs will still be played but perhaps it might be a good idea if a recording of
READ MOREThe sound was unmistakable. If you heard it once, you’ve never forgotten it. Indeed, I had heard it many, many times. The sound of a baseball coming off a bat in the acoustically challenged, antiquated gymnasium of South Williamsport’s Rommelt Building is like no other. As I approached the gym doors, an accompanying sound was
READ MOREThere were occasions during my professional career when I was involved in conducting job interviews. Everyone-once-in-awhile I would ask the applicant a totally hypothetical question – “If the job fairy could grant you any job you’d want; what would it be?” It was an off-the-wall question with some surprising answers. One applicant once answered, “I
READ MOREThe grounds of the Stevens Primary School, 1150 Louisa Street, Williamsport will be a buzz of activity on Saturday, April 13, when an event to kick-off fundraising efforts to construct a new playground under the auspices of the Kids United program takes place. The activities that day, beginning at 8 a.m. will include a Community
READ MOREAnyone who has ever taken a journalism class has most likely received similar advice. In my case, I still recall the warning from the instructor. “Always remember,” he said, “when you are covering an event, keep your opinion out of the story. The news should be the news, and the reader isn’t interested in your
READ MOREWhat a great time to get out and about and enjoy all the happenings early Spring has to offer. There is definitely something for everyone that calls the West Branch Valley home. It is so nice to hear the singing of the robins in the morning and enjoy the sunshine upon returning home in the
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 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 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 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 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 MOREBreast Cancer is one of the biggest and perhaps scariest health threats that women face (though some men sometimes suffer it). October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the observation of it helps to shine a light on this serious health problem. Information and understanding of breast cancer is one of the most important goals
READ MOREMy son and I had a great conversation here recently. The nine-year-old was proudly telling me all about the first few days of his basketball camp. Jensen was having a blast, and he explained everything that took place in that little gym. We talked free throws, hotshot competitions, full-court dribbling, and no-look passes for an
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