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Crestwood boys lacrosse makes history with PIAA semifinal berth; Redeemer volleyball falls

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Roth honored at Wilkes University Founders Gala

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Wilkes-Barre Area School District plans to unveil all the trappings of the sports consolidation merging three high schools into the new &#8220;Wolfpack&#8221; at a June 7 pep rally, including uniforms, logos, and even a student &#8220;Howler&#8221; contest.</p><p>&#8220;The students have had fun auditioning,&#8221; Superintendent Brian Costello said after Friday morning&#8217;s School Board meeting, showing a video clip on his smart phone of two students howling. The plan is to use a &#8220;howler&#8221; at team introductions and other special moments in competitions.</p><p>The district is combining the three existing high school teams &#8212; Coughlin Crusaders, Meyers Mohawks and GAR Memorial Grenadiers &#8212; in all athletic programs this fall.</p><p>The district has nine logos it plans to unveil at the pep rally, Costello said, and students will have the opportunity to do additional artwork with those nine. A mascot also will be introduced at the pep rally, which is being held at Meyers for all district students.</p><p>The district will also be using the SuperFan smartphone app for the new team. The program, which can be customized by the district, is designed to help fans connect and keep track of sports events. The company touts it as a way to increase fan participation, increasing revenue, and that it can be used in fundraising.</p><p>During the meeting, Costello denied rumors that homecoming has been canceled, saying it will be held, and said diplomas are not being changed because of the sports merger. The Wolfpack is emerging ahead of physical consolidation of the three schools into a new building under construction in Plains Township, expected to be done in 2022.</p><p>After the meeting Costello touched briefly on a plan, not yet underway, to build an athletic center at the new high school site. He said the district has budgeted about $10 million for the facility, which would include a new stadium, but stressed it is only a proposal at this point and that no design work has been done.</p><p>The board also voted to hire the following coaches for the merged teams next year:</p><p><strong>Boys Basketball, </strong>Dale Rapson assistant coach and John Hopkins junior high head coach; <strong>girls basketball </strong>junior high head coach Hattie Caruso; <strong>Wrestling</strong> assistant coach Rubin Prophete and junior high head coach Kyle Paul; in <strong>soccer,</strong> boys assistant coach Cheryl Nolan, girls assistant coach Jason Nolan, junior high assistants Katherine Flannery and Matthew Davidson; <strong>field hockey</strong> junior high assistant coach Haley Waslasky; <strong>baseball</strong> varsity head coach Matthew Skrepenek; <strong>softball</strong> varsity head coach Wally Peck; <strong>in lacrosse,</strong> boys varsity head coach David Kelly, boys assistant Justin Francis, and Girls varsity head coach Colleen Wood; <strong>boys volleyball</strong> varsity head coach Michael Day; <strong>boys tennis</strong> varsity head coach Raphael Cooper; and for <strong>cross-country and track and field,</strong> varsity head coach Paul McGrane, assistant coaches Hayden White and Stan Mirin.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Costello.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Costello.jpg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_TTL102818HSF-GAR-Meyers_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">GAR alumni flank the GAR football team as they enter Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium to face Meyers for the final time last October. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_TTL102818HSF-GAR-Meyers_1.jpg</photo1><caption1>GAR alumni flank the GAR football team as they enter Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium to face Meyers for the final time last October. </caption1><photoCredit1>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

June 7 Pep Rally to reveal much about W-B Area’s ‘Wolfpack’