Welch, Chesterfield Pace Wvw Over West Scranton

20 Jobs Hang On Mercy's Next Move 
While The Health System 
Chooses A New Ambulance Service, 
Employees Of The Current Provider 
May Find Their Jobs In Jeopardy

By TOM HOUSENICK; Times Leader Sports Writer
 Wednesday, January 31, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1B 





NANTICOKE -- It was some time in 1988 when a group of boys from Nanticoke
got together to play basketball. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Those sixth graders decided to form their own intramural team. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "We all got shirts made up," Ryan Stetz recalled. "We looked like a real
team. It was a neat thing." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They won the intramural league, which was made up predominantly by eighth
graders. Since then, those eight boys have done a lot more winning. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Championships always have been secondary, however. Friendships and fun have
been foremost in their minds. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Now as high school seniors, these eight players are a month or so away from
their last organized game together. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the eight years since this unique sports friendship formed, none of the
success has spoiled these guys. Nothing has kept them apart each winter. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The eight seniors have led coach Ken Bartuska's varsity team to a 16-3
overall record this season and the first-half championship in the Wyoming
Valley Conference's Division I. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Seniors can make or break a team, even if they don't play," Bartuska said.
"If they don't play, if they don't have a good attitude, it can create a
cancer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "With eight seniors, there was the potential for some problems. But these
guys have been great from day one." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bartuska has watched this group mature, having coached them to two
championships in eighth grade, watched them win a district title in ninth
grade, and joined them on the varsity squad the following season. He has
nothing but admiration for the way they have stuck together. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "There are a lot of different personalities in this group," the third-year
Nanticoke coach said. "But, they get along. It is so rare these days that a
group stays together from junior high to their senior year, let alone eight of
them." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Al Yendrzeiwski, Ryan Stetz, T.J. Ziolkowski, Ed Lukowski, Bob Rakowski,
Pete Blasi, Ryan Kearney and Sean Spencer don't have a flashy nickname like
"The Great 8" or "Eight is Enough." They don't play with a lot of flash,
either. They just play. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're like a family here," Yendrzeiwski said. "Everybody has something to
bring to the team. Everybody contributes. Nobody tries to outshine anybody
else. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Somebody can score 30 points one night, get two the next game, and it
won't matter. We're all leaders in some way." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 This group from Ziolkowski, the team's leading scorer, to Kearney and
Spencer, who don't get a lot of playing time, leads by example. Hard work and
hustle are the requirements. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Stetz is a natural leader," Bartuska said. "They just seem to follow him.
He came out this year and played great from the first game. Everybody else has
done the same. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They all work real hard in practice. They just love to play." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 One of the unique qualities of this team is the distinct differences in
each of their sports backgrounds. Stetz is a three-sport all-star, excelling
in football, basketball and baseball. Lukowski participates in four sports --
soccer, football, basketball and track. Yendrzeiwski and Ziolkowski are just
basketball players. Rakowski loves the outdoors. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're all different in one way or another," Stetz said. "We don't get on
each other's nerves because we're not around each other all year." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Yet from early November through March, they work hard to achieve the same
thing -- success. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We have the same goals every year at Nanticoke," Bartuska said. "Win
league, district and state championships. Some years, those goals are more
realistic than others. This year's team believes it can reach those goals." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Trojans have one league loss, a recent two-point decision at Hazleton
Area, and will likely face the Cougars for the division championship in a
couple of weeks. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I remember watching (Paul) Guffrovich and (Damian) Angradi play when I was
the waterboy," Yendrzeiwski recalled. "I wanted to be a part of that when I
got older. I wanted to play in that kind of atmosphere, play in big games in
front of big crowds. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We've done well so far, but we haven't reached any of our goals yet. We
have a lot left to accomplish." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Trojans made an unexpectedly deep run in last year's PIAA Class AAA
state playoffs before succumbing to eventual state runner-up Pottstown. That
success has heightened expectations for this group's last year at Nanticoke. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I remember we couldn't wait for this year's summer leagues to start after
getting as far as we did last year," Stetz said. "We were all anxious to start
the season. All of the pressure and expectations have come from inside the
team. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "But we're not as serious as some may think. It's not a life-or-death
situation. We play hard every night. We give it our best and then we go home." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When Bartuska decided to take the head coaching job at Nanticoke in 1993,
he did so because of this special group. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Personally, I didn't think I was ready to take the job," he admitted. "But
it was too good to pass up. It gave me a great opportunity to finish coaching
these kids." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 These eight players, as well as their coach, are hoping this season (and
their careers together) don't finish before the goals have been met. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

`senior Eight' On Special Mission Longtime Trojan Teammates Eye Final Burst Of Glory