William Ostrum 
Dec. 25, 1994 
William J. Ostrum, 63, Of Lower Demunds Road, Dallas, Died Sunday In 
Wilkes-barre General Hospital.

By DAVE KONOPKI; Times Leader Sports Writer
 Sunday, December 25, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1C 





Josh George was always taught to focus on team success, and personal
accomplishments would fall into place. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 His teachers were right. After helping lead his team to a 14-1 record and
the PIAA Class AAA state championship two weeks ago, the individual honors
have followed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Berwick senior offensive lineman was named to the Associated Press Big
School All-State first-team football squad. George was one of six Berwick
players -- a state record -- to be named to one of the three teams selected by
sports writers and sportscasters from Associated Press member newspapers,
radio stations and television stations. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Berwick offensive lineman Vinnie Kishbaugh and defensive lineman Mike
Coffman were selected to the second team, while quarterback Dave Robbins,
linebacker Jason Canouse and defensive back Mike Bennett were named to the
third team. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Wyoming Valley Conference landed three players on the first team and 10
players total. Joining George on the first team are Williamsport running back
Jamie Allen and Pottsville linebacker Randy Homa. Williamsport's Matt Mapes
and Jim Arp were named to the third team as placekicker and wide receiver,
respectively. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is a big honor, I'm very happy," said George, who was a third-team
selection last year. "You always put team goals ahead of personal goals. Coach
(Berwick's George Curry) always told us to just worry about the season and
everything else will fall into place for you." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Berwick center, who is considering scholarship offers from numerous
Division I and I-AA schools, was quick to share the honor with his fellow
Bulldog linemen. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Our line is a very tight unit," said George, whose brother Matt was a
Small College All-America at Ithaca College. "Five of the seven offensive
linemen are seniors and we're friends. This is a special honor for all of us.
I couldn't have gotten it without them." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Curry said George might be the best "true center" in the state. But the
veteran coach says it's not just physical talent that makes George an
outstanding football player. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "His ability is one thing, but his intelligence really surfaced this
season," said the Berwick coach. "He's done some things on the field you would
expect from a coach. He's always been a team player and he led by his actions
this season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He had an outstanding season." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Allen, a senior who rushed for more than 3,300 career yards, helped lead
the Millionaires to the District 4 Class AAAA title and the state playoffs.
The tailback finished the regular season with 1,530 yards and led the WVC in
scoring with 140 points on 23 touchdowns. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Homa, a senior linebacker, led the Crimson Tide with 125 tackles this
season. The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder is expected to choose between Syracuse,
Duke, Ohio State and Wisconsin. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kishbaugh, a 6-1, 300-pound senior offensive lineman, and Coffman, a 5-8,
190-pound senior defensive lineman, were outstanding players for Curry this
season. Kishbaugh, a Division I prospect who bench presses 485 pounds, was a
dominant tackle while Coffman, who bench presses 415 pounds, led the Dawgs
with 151 tackles from his nose guard position. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Vinnie is a tremendous player," said Curry of Kishbaugh. "He's the most
athletic 300-pounder I've ever seen. He's a tough kid, he has great technique
and he dominated everyone he played against this season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Mike Coffman hasn't been blocked by just one man in two years," said Curry
of his nose guard. "He made Josh (George) and Vinnie (Kishbaugh) better
players because they had to block his quickness in practice. He was a very
solid player for us." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Robbins, the only junior quarterback selected to the team, put up some
impressive numbers for the Dawgs. The junior completed 138 of 212 passes (65
percent) for 1,991 yards and 21 touchdowns this season. He also rushed for 612
yards and 11 touchdowns. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He caught the eyes of nearly every major college this year," said Curry of
his 6-foot-1, 185-pound quarterback. "He had an outstanding season. He's a
tough kid and that might be his greatest attribute. He's not afraid to stand
in the pocket and take the hit. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Just wait until next year." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bennett, who has committed to play at Syracuse University next season,
overcame a serious preseason ankle injury en route to the award. Despite
missing the first seven games of the season, Bennett still recorded seven
interceptions in eight games. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "When he came back we became a much better football team," said Curry of
Bennett, a three-year starter for the Dawgs and an All-State selection as a
junior. "He did more in the time he played than most players do in an entire
season. He's a tremendous, tremendous athlete. He was a fixture here, and
we're going to miss him." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Arp, a senior wide receiver for head coach Tim Montgomery, led the WVC
Division I with 529 yards on 27 catches during the regular season and finshed
the year with more than 600 receiving yards. The speedster averaged 19.6 yards
a catch this season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Mapes, a senior, was considered by many to be the conference's best
placekicker in the past decade. The Williamsport senior converted on 51 of 53
extra points and was successful on six of eight field goal attempts. Mapes,
who has a range of 50 yards, is leaning toward attending the University of
Pittsburgh. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Josh George &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Berwick center &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

By George, Berwick Sets Record Senior Center Makes All-state First Team; Five Other Dawgs Honored