When local sports legend Bill Byham passed away in late May 2017, his unpublished novel — offering relevant life lessons through the prism of junior-high football — could easily have died with him.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 MOREAutism is often little understood or under-understood and when it is written about or discussed, it is often done in a clinical and sterile manner. One local author attempts to humanize it and make it more accessible to people in a new novel titled A Mile in Her Shoes. The novel was written by local
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 MORELike King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail, legendary, longtime Loyalsock High School basketball mentor, Ron, C. I., Insinger, had his own quest for his own Holy Grail–a state basketball championship title. Well, finally, after 47 years, that arduous quest has ended joyfully with a 75-53 win over Brookville two weeks ago. We at Webb
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 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 MOREHave you ever been part of one of those word association games where a particular word is given, and the responder is asked to give the first word that comes into their mind? If you have, you know how the game is played. My guess is if any sports fan were given the word Indiana,
READ MOREAs we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, a great day for the Irish and those who wish they were Irish, it seems as though it would be good to look back and see what the Irish and their descendants have done to help make Williamsport and the rest of Lycoming County such a great place and
READ MORETerming it “quite a milestone,” Webb Weekly’s own Scott Lowery recently coached his 700th junior high school basketball game in a career that stretches more than 34 years. He is the South Williamsport Junior High School team coach and has sometimes acted as an assistant for the varsity high school team. We thought it would
READ MOREIt was the final game of the regular basketball season. Muncy’s varsity was looking to strengthen its hold on a Class AA number one seed. Its Junior Varsity team was looking for payback against a South Williamsport team that had inflicted one of the team’s three losses during its fine 13-3 season. Yet, despite the
READ MOREI have written before of my many wonderful connections and friendships developed from having played or coached “The Game.” It is a bond, perhaps weakened, over time, due to the lack of similar intense contact that never really breaks and a bond that lasts forever, even beyond a player’s death. My last article, about the
READ MOREAt 6’8”, Dean Kriebel is an imposing figure as he stalks the sidelines. While a basketball court is a familiar surrounding for the former Lock Haven University standout who earned a tryout with the Philadelphia 76ers, his new role as seventh-grade coach for the South Williamsport Mountaineers reengages him with the game he loves while
READ MORETwo weeks ago, the basketball community mourned the loss of legendary former basketball coach John Chaney, at the age of 89. In 2001 he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. But did you know that Chaney had a Williamsport connection? During their last two seasons of existence, that connection was his play for
READ MOREIt is going to be a Super Bowl like no other, that’s for certain. We’ve got the Kansas City Chiefs — who are the reigning Super Bowl Champs, versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are being led by the winningest quarterback in NFL history. The game will be at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay,
READ MORECoaching high school basketball has its challenges. Dealing with the 15-18-year-olds of today surely has its moments. Then you throw in a global pandemic. Where do I begin? Everything has changed. The entire landscape. I am not going to lie — it has been a struggle. These are uncharted waters. Every team is in the
READ MORESome of you may be aware of the 1955 movie “Mr. Roberts” featuring leading actors Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell, and Jack Lemon. The movie’s WWII plot centered around Mr. Roberts’s (Henry Fonda) desire to leave the cargo ship he was serving on to join the “action” going on elsewhere. The ship’s captain (James
READ MOREI wasn’t always overweight. I honestly thought I would never have to worry about it. My legs were always so long and skinny, and I was built just like Gram Perry. She was always so skinny without even trying, and even my mom always said I was like my grandmother. I never had to worry
READ MOREOver the past several decades, high school athletic competition has seen some significant shifts regarding the makeup of individual conferences. Most prominent have been the formations of the Central Susquehanna Conference (CSC) and the Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference (PHAC), both multi-tiered leagues, intended to be one-size-fits-all associations comprised of schools of many PIAA size classifications.
READ MOREThis year continues to be a bad year for baseball players I admired in my youth. The latest sadness comes with the news last week of the death of feared baseball slugger Dick Allen, who had an outstanding 11-year major league career and who once played here in Williamsport for the Grays in 1962. His
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 MOREFor centuries the unanswered question, “what came first, the chicken or the egg,” has been debated. Although it has nothing to do with sports, a similar thought crossed my mind while attending a high school football game with no visiting fans in the stands. Fan rooting interest has long provided the spark that makes athletics
READ MOREI write today to honor two more fellow basketball players and friends who recently passed away. Dennis “Dutch” Bogaczyk and James “Jimmy” Wilkerson. I had the pleasure of playing with both, for several years, with Ron Travis’s amateur teams — Jon’s Sports and Pennsylvania Athletics. Together with many other excellent players from this area and
READ MOREMy perspective has no bearing, but many folks have reached out and asked. I am a part-time scribe who coaches high school basketball. PERIOD. And I have been back and forth on this issue for several weeks now. The Patriot League — Bucknell — postponed ALL FALL sports back in July. The PSAC — Bloomsburg,
READ MOREI truly appreciate all the love. It was great to hear from several former players and old friends. I apologize for all the missed calls, texts, and tweets. My phone literally blew up last week, but I plan on responding at some point. I am extremely thankful for this incredible opportunity. Coaching basketball is a
READ MOREDecision time is fast approaching (if it hasn’t already hit prior to this Webb Weekly publication date). Major League Baseball is scheduled to ‘open’ their 2020 season this week, the NBA hopes to conclude their 2019-20 season under a bubble in Florida, the NFL is nervously approaching the opening of its training camps and the
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 MOREIf you attended a high school basketball game during the recently completed season, you most likely would have heard student cheering sections erupt with the phrase ‘you can’t do that’ when an opposing player violated the playing rules. Nothing malicious, it was just a fun-loving jab letting an opponent know he/she messed up. Sports, whether
READ MOREIt wasn’t a big deal, and at the time, and its action didn’t receive much national attention in the baseball world. Yet, that December 1, 2017 decision by the Houston Astros to non-tendered pitcher Mike Fiers, making him a free agent, may long live as a significant footnote in baseball history as the beginning of
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