Fall Sports

ORWIGSBURG - Tamaqua sophomore Amber Carroll entered Wednesday's Schuylkill League Cross Country Championships as the defending champion and overwhelming favorite to retain her title after sweeping unbeaten through the league.

For the first two and a half miles on Blue Mountain's 3.1 mile layout, things were going as expected for Carroll, who had opened up a huge lead with the finish line almost in sight.

Carroll, however, never made it to the finish.

The Coal Crackers volleyball team recently turned in a strong showing at the Cedar Crest Middle School Falcon Classic Tournament

The Coal Crackers finished in second place in the seven team tourney.

The tourney was a round-robin format with the top two teams advancing to the championship match. The Coal Crackers won 10 out of 12 games in the round-robin phase to advance to the championship game, where they lost to Hempfield Middle School.

Through the years, the Tamaqua-Panther Valley football series has been a ''throw out the records'' type of rivalry.

Friday's meeting at Panther Valley is shaping up as perhaps the biggest of them all, and it may even serve as a prelude of more to come.

The Blue Raiders and Panthers have been squaring off annually since 1964 and for the first time ever, both enter the game with 6-1 records.

There are at least two ways to make it through the PIAA Eastern Regional Golf Tournament and advance to states.

One way is to stay below the cut line, like Dan Costenbader did in shooting 75. The other way is to get in a tie right on the cut number then survive a nine-man playoff with a miraculous shot, like Mike Englert did.

Both Palmerton seniors will play in next week's PIAA Championship Tournament at Heritage Hills Resort in York.