W-b Twp. Officials Clash Over Budget Cuts

Anthony Gorka 
Dec. 5, 1992 
Anthony Gorka, 69, Of Harveys Lake, Died Saturday Morning In Nesbitt Memorial 
Hospital, Kingston.

By BOB NOCEK; Times Leader Sports Writer
 Monday, December 07, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





HERSHEY -- As the wind ripped through Hersheypark Stadium Saturday, the
Berwick Bulldogs tore into another opponent. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Only this time, quarterback Ron Powlus wasn't putting on his usual aerial
show. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He couldn't. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With gusts so strong that pre-game warmup punts sailed backwards, the Dawgs
knew full well this wasn't a day for passing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I told (Ron) that you can't worry about stats, or hitting 10-for-15 or
15-for-20 today," said Berwick coach George Curry. "In weather like this, if
you complete one, be happy." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In fact, he was able to complete 9-of-16, and he did throw for 128 yards.
But they were mostly short passes -- his longest was 35 yards -- as the Dawgs
relied on the rushing game in their 29-6 win over Manheim Central in
Saturday's PIAA Class AAA Eastern Championship. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Dawgs (14-0) will face Blackhawk (14-0) at noon Saturday at Altoona's
Mansion Park for the PIAA Class AAA Football Championship. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In a strange playoff twist to a championship season, the Bulldogs rushed
for more yards than they passed for Saturday, as Powlus and Jason Soboleski
each carried for two touchdowns. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The wind prevented Powlus and Manheim Central quarterback Jason Thompson
from doing much at all in the air, and so both teams turned to their ground
games. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "You couldn't throw," said Curry. "You could only throw towards our bench,
and you had to throw quick outs and maybe quick slants. You couldn't throw
anything upfield. It really curtailed what we could do." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And so they turned to the rushing game, with Soboleski carrying 22 times
for 73 yards and Powlus rushing 12 times for 74 yards, including a 30-yard &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 JUMP ME PLEASE &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 touchdown run in the second quarter. Powlus also carried for a one-yard
touchdown, and Soboleski rushed for a pair of one-yard touchdowns. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We did run the ball well, and we played good defense, and we made the
short passes when we had to," Curry said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But for Manheim Central, things didn't go quite so well. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sure, the Barons outdid Berwick in passing yardage with 147, but 95 of that
came on one play, a touchdown pass from Thompson to Loren Cook. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Barons were otherwise restricted to the rushing game, as Thompson
completed just 6-of-12 for 147 total yards. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Manheim Central had intended to attack Berwick with a combination of
rushing and passing through their option-oriented veer offense, but the wind
made the Barons stick to the running game. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "That killed us," said Manheim Central coach Mike Williams. "We had a lot
of things we wanted to do, but with that wind, everytime you threw the ball
sideways, it went backwards." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It was Chad Strickler who led Manheim Central with 59 rushing yards, while
Todd Bretz added 51. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The veer found some early success on a long first-quarter drive to the
Berwick three-yard-line, but a Strickler fumble ended the Barons' scoring
hopes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Then, after nearly an entire game running the ball, their only score came
on the 95-yard pass, which managed to go about 30 yards in the air before Cook
pulled it in amid double coverage. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It was one of the few times the wind allowed either team much leniency.
Manheim is still pondering whether it was a curse -- in stopping their passing
game -- or a blessing -- in stopping Berwick's. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Maybe we could have made it closer," Williams said. "But maybe if they'd
had the wind at their backs for four quarters, it could have been 84-0."

Air Show Cancelled, Bulldogs Grind To Final 12-7-92