You Know The Drill. You See A Car Advertised At A Really Attractive Price, 
Visit The Dealer To Check It Out And Discover That The Price Isn T Quite As 
Good As It Looked.

Alleged Scammer Awaits Ruling 
Witnesses Tell A District Justice That 
A Wilkes-barre Man Reeled Them In 
Through An Aquarium Products Site 
On The World Wide Web

By TOM HOUSENICK; Times Leader Sports Writer
 Friday, November 28, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1B 





Manheim Central has led deep into the second half in three of its four
meetings with Berwick. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At the end of all four games, Berwick held the lead. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Barons are hoping to take the fifth (meeting) with the Dawgs in
Saturday's PIAA Class AAA Eastern final at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium.
Kickoff is at 1 p.m. The winner advances to next Friday's state championship
game at 7 p.m. at Altoona's Mansion Park. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Both teams are 11-2, but the Dawgs hold the mystique in this highly
entertaining series. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "If anything, it may be psychological for the coach," said Manheim Central
coach Mike Williams. "They're saying I can't win the big one." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the first meeting, in 1989, the Barons led 10-0 at Lehigh University's
Goodman Stadium before the Dawgs scored two second-half touchdowns to advance
to the state final. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In 1992, Ron Powlus orchestrated a near-flawless Berwick offense to a
convincing 29-6 victory at Hersheypark Stadium. The Dawgs finished 15-0 with
their second state title. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In 1994, also at Hersheypark Stadium, Williams disposed of the Barons' veer
offense in favor of a wide-open passing attack. The result was, arguably, the
best game in the 10-year history of PIAA playoffs. However, the outcome was
predictable- a 37-30 Berwick victory. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The 1995 game at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium was another heartbreaking
defeat for the Barons and quarterback Matt Nagy, who threw an interception in
the latter stages of the fourth quarter for a second consecutive year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 * * * &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Should Berwick survive, it might be playing a team that conjures up a
completely different memory- Perry Traditional Academy. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perry beat Berwick, 20-8, in the 1989 state championship game at
Hersheypark Stadium. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Penalties negated two Berwick touchdowns that would have tied the score in
the final minute of the game. An interception return for a touchdown on the
last play ended the Dawgs' first chance at repeating as state champion. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Berwick coach George Curry received one-year probation for comments about
the officiating after that state final. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Through 13 games this season, Perry is averaging 45.1 points per game and
giving up a PIAA-best 3.9 ppg. Perry (13-0) plays West Allegheny (12-1) in
Saturday's AAA Western final. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perry posted nine shutouts before allowing a season-high 19 points in a
last-minute victory over underdog Huntingdon in last Saturday's state
quarterfinals. An interception return for a touchdown in the last seconds was
the difference for the District 8 champions. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Commodores lost in the 1990 Western final to Seton LaSalle. Since then,
no District 8 team has reached the state semifinals in any classification
until this season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 * * * &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Southern Columbia has given up 211 points, the most of any team still alive
in the PIAA playoffs. However, that statistic is deceiving. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Coach Jim Roth has shown class in the postseason, taking his starters out
early in the second half in both District 4 Class A playoff games against
Jenkintown and Canton. The opponents scored a combined 43 points against the
Tigers' subs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 * * * &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Since giving up a first-quarter field goal, Riverside has pitched a playoff
shutout. The Vikings have dominated the Class A playoffs, winning 39-3, 33-0
and 42-0 to advance to today's semifinals against Southern Columbia. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 * * * &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Something has to give in today's Class A Eastern final. Riverside's Jeremy
Ransom has rushed for at least 120 yards in all three playoff games and scored
11 touchdowns. Southern Columbia's Rico Rosini has more than 400 yards in
three postseason games, including more than 200 yards in a 42-22 victory last
weekend against Steelton-Highspire. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 * * * &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 EXPERIENCE NECESSARY? Here's a look at the PIAA semifinals with their
state-playoff resumes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Class AAAA- East: District 1 champion Central Bucks West (13-0) is making
its third appearance in the Eastern final, winning the previous two. Central
Dauphin (11-2), under first-year head coach George Chaump, a Harding native,
is in its first Eastern final. West: Upper St. Clair (11-1) and Erie McDowell
(11-1) are both in the Western final for the third time. McDowell has lost its
two previous attempts to get into the state final; Upper St. Clair has won
both times. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Class AAA- East: Berwick (11-2) is in the Eastern final for the ninth time
in 10 years, missing only in 1991. The Dawgs are 6-2 in state semifinal games.
Manheim Central (11-2) is 0-4 in Eastern finals, losing all four times to
Berwick. West: Perry Traditional Academy (13-0) advanced to the state
semifinals for the third time, splitting the previous two meeting. West
Allegheny (12-1) is making its first appearance in the state semifinals. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Class AA- East: South Williamsport (13-0) made the state semis twice
previously, but both times in Class A. Northwestern Lehigh (12-1) is a
newcomer to the AA semifinals. West: South Park (11-1) is a state final-four
rookie, while Wilmington (13-0) made it this far once (winning in 1988). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Class A- East: Riverside (12-1) is an Eastern final rookie and the first
District 2 team to advance since Dunmore won it all in 1989. Southern Columbia
(12-1) is 3-2 in its five previous trips to the state semis. West: Riverview
(10-3) and Sharpsville (12-1) are both making their first Western final. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Riverside preview - &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Page 2B &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 PIAA F OOTBALL P LAYOFFS &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Berwick Strives For 5 Vs. Manheim Central