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By SUZANNE SHULTZ; Times Leader Sports Correspondent
Thursday, April 17, 1997     Page:

PITTSTON — Berwick boys tennis coach Bill Allison isn’t sure what makes
his team so impressive on the court.
   
Whatever it is, it’s working, as the ‘Dawgs stay near the top of the
Northeastern Pennsylvania Tennis Conference Southern Division.
    Berwick’s latest victory came Wednesday against Pittston Area, as the
`Dawgs (7-1) shut out the Patriots, 7-0.
   
“Something just clicks,” Allison said of his team’s performance. “I don’t
have a word for it. I wish I knew what it was, then I could coach that.”
   
Allison said the fact his team of juniors and sophomores has a year of
experience, and that the players love the sport definitely helps them play as
well as they do.
   
Berwick swept the singles competition.
   
Christian Roessler, a German foreign exchange student, defeated Pittston’s
Bucky Insogna in No. 1 singles, 6-2, 6-1. Roessler turned Insogna’s slams into
short returns over the net that had the Pittston player racing to the net and
missing.
   
With Roessler at the No. 1 position, Berwick pushes its returning players
down one spot. Allison said that is an advantage for the team, since they now
can put up tougher competition in the lower spots.
   
Berwick’s Tom Height took out Dave Kolmansberger at the No. 2 spot, 6-1,
6-0.
   
Brian Cole and Andy Zalonis shut out their opponents in the No. 3 and No. 4
singles.
   
Cole and Height then teamed up for the No. 1 doubles 8-5 pro set victory
over Insogna and Kolmansberger.
   
Josh Baker paired with Mike Morgan for No. 2 victory. Nick Deluca and
Justin Bohl paired in the No. 3 slot to win.
   
Allison said he likes to concentrate on improving Berwick’s doubles
performances. He feels that when players improve in doubles, they’re improving
their singles as well.
   
Pittston is 2-6, but Patriot coach Tony Linnen says he is pleased with the
player’s determination even though his team of seven players is inconsistent.
   
“These guys don’t let up against the big guns,” Linnen said. “They love to
play this game, and they love to come to practice. I’d rather coach seven guys
who love the sport than 30 guys who hate coming to practice.”
   
Christian Roessler, Ber, def. Bucky Insogna, 6-2, 6-1; Tom Height, Ber,
def. Dave Kolmansberger, 6-1, 6-0; Brian Cole, Ber, def. Mike Armalley, 6-0,
6-0, Andy Zalonis, Ber, def. Jack Bechtold, 6-0, 6-0.
   
Height/Cole, Ber, def. Insogna/Kolmansberger, 8-5; Josh Baker/Mike Morgan,
Ber, def. Armalley/Bechtold, 8-3; Nick Deluca/Justin Bohl, Ber, def. John
Dellamalva/John Creces.
   
Dallas 4, Coughlin 3
   
DALLAS — Brian Blase, Mike Cleary, Jeff Faneck and Marcus Sowcik all won
their respective singles matches for Dallas.
   
Brian Blase, Dal, def. Fabio Fonseca, 6-0, 6-1; Mike Cleary, Dal, def.
Brian Muth, 6-0, 6-1; Jeff Faneck, Dal, def. Steve Lucchino, 6-1, 6-0; Marcus
Sowcik, Dal, def. William Chase, 6-0, 6-1.
   
Fonseca/Muth, Cou, def. John Winter/Brian Balutis, 6-3, 6-4;
Lucchino/Chase, Cou, def. Tony Luizza/Kyle Williams, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3. R.J.
Hall/Chuck Boris, Cou def. Tom Amico/Brittany Bartolini 6-4, 4-6, 7-6.
   
Meyers 6, Lehman 1
   
WILKES-BARRE — Meyers grabbed another victory after scraping by
Lake-Lehman. The Mohawks swept the singles matches, edging the Black Knights
in the No. 3 and No. 4 spots.
   
Brad O’Connor and Shelly Nelson were victorious in their singles and
doubles matches for Meyers.
   
Scott Weiss, Meyers, def. Dan Nygren, 6-1, 6-1; Brad O’Connor, Meyers, def.
Matt Link, 6-0, 6-1; Shelley Nelson, Meyers, def. James Weber, 7-5, 6-3; Brett
Newirth, Meyers, def. Andy Weaver, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
   
Paul Williams/O’Connor, Meyers, def. Nygren/Weber, 6-1, 6-0; Nelson/Jason
Collier, Meyers, def. Susan Walters/Jonathan Bird, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0; Josh
Sawyer/Brad Boston, LL, def. Matt Dohman/Christian Morales, 6-3, 7-5.
   
Wyoming Seminary 6, WVW 1
   
KINGSTON — Wyoming Seminary swept singles and cruised past Wyoming Valley
West.
   
The Blue Knights (8-0) remain one-half game ahead of Hazleton Area (7-0) in
the NEPTC Southern Division.
   
The Spartans only victory came from Ned Whalen and Seth Kaufer in No. 3
doubles.
   
Dave Matysczak, Sem, def. Mike Rubin, 6-1, 6-1; Raj Dedhia, Sem, def. Jeff
Panzer, 6-3, 6-2; Hauke Flamming, Sem, def. Mike Savitz, 6-1, 6-2; John
McLaughlin, Sem, def. Pat Gallagher, 6-2, 6-2.
   
Kirk Kranson/Rohan Ramakrishna, Sem, def. Rubin/Panzer, 6-2, 7-5; Jon
Schulman/Dave Valenti, Sem, def. Savitz/Gallagher, 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, 6-3; Ned
Whalen/Seth Kaufer, WVW, def. Gavin Racz/Yuriy Krivosheya, 6-1, 6-3.
   
Wyo.Area 5, Tunkhannock 2
   
TUNKHANNOCK — Wyoming Area split singles with Tunkhannock, but went on to
sweep the doubles for a victory over the Tigers.
   
Jason Bartoli and Tom Reino won in singles and doubles for the Warriors.
   
Ken Brown and Mark Szajkowski were singles winners for the Tigers.
   
Jason Bartoli, WA, def. Rich Costello, 6-4, 6-2; Ken Brown, Tunk, def. Carl
Wisnesky, 5-7, 6-0, 6-4; Mark Szajkowski, Tunk, def. Scott Borino, 7-6 (7-5),
6-4; Tom Reino, WA, def. Victor Gorham, 6-1, 7-5.
   
Bartoli/Wisnesky, WA, def. Brown/Szajowski, 6-2, 6-4; Borino/Reino, WA,
def. Costello/Scott O’Neill, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1; Jareth Costello/Brendan Doty, WA,
def. Aaron Dymond/Corey Davis, 6-2, 6-0.
   
Hazleton 4, Crestwood 3
   
HAZLETON — Hazleton took one loss in the singles matches, but easily won
the No. 1 doubles to defeat Crestwood.
   
Jeff Yoo, Matt Tucker, and Todd Edwards were victorious in their singles.
Vito Logudic and Joe Albertine easily grabbed the win in the No. 1 doubles.
   
Rob Logan was the No. 4 singles winner for Crestwood.
   
Jeff Yoo, Haz, def. Ryan Weaver, 6-3, 6-2; Matt Tucker, Haz, def. Marc
Friedman, 6-2, 6-0; Todd Edwards, Haz, def. Riko Silvetti, 6-3, 6-3; Rob
Logan, Cres, def. Dan Heckman, 6-3, 2-6, 6-0.
   
Vito Logudic/Joe Albertine, Haz, def. Marc Lee/Schad Sutliff, 6-0, 6-2;
Weaver/Ian Kitchelow, Cres, def. Billy Jago/Barry Lutz, 8-5;
Friedman/Silvetti, Cres, def. Brad Hart/Tyler Frederick, 8-1.
   
Hanover 4, Seton 3
   
PITTSTON — Seton Catholic won three singles matches, but Hanover swept the
doubles competition to get its first victory of the season.
   
Michael O’Donnell won his singles and doubles matches for the Hawkeyes.
   
Josh Redinski paired with James Kerestes for the No. 2 doubles victory;
Joseph Werner and John Yenchick teamed for the No. 3 triumph.
   
Michael O’Donnell, Han, def. Robert Remsky, 6-2, 6-4; John Mikiewicz,
Seton, def. Josh Redinski, 6-4, 6-2; Matthew Maniskas, Seton, def. James
Kerestes, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4; Patrick McAndrew, Seton, def. Joseph Werner, 4-6,
6-4, 7-6 (7-5).
   
O’Donnell/Mike Roback, Han, def. Mikiewicz/Maniskas, 6-3, 6-4;
Redinski/Kerestes, Han, def. Remsky/Mike Kaluzavich, 6-1, 6-3; Werner/John
Yenchick, Han, def. McAndrew/Jason Stefanowicz, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.
   
AP PHOTO
   
Pittston Area’s Bucky Insogna charges the net to return a shot to Berwick’s
Christian Roessler during Wednesday’s match.