Oct 25, 2005 By Commentary, Jim Kriek 3 min read

Who says lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place? Go back to this week of 1972, and you will get an answer to that one from the Frazier cross country running team overall, and from Tony Trinkle and Dan Dyer in particular.

Six teams participated in the Fayette County Coaches Association Cross Country Championship Meet at the Uniontown Country Club, with Frazier winning the team championship. Trinkle was the individual champion in 11:36, two seconds ahead of Dyer.

Just one year previous, Frazier was also team champion, with Trinkle and Dyer running one-two in the field.

What would you estimate the odds to be on that finish two years in a row?

Tim Miller of Geibel was third with Uniontown’s John Morrow fourth.

Then came five runners in a row from Frazier – Clyde Van Divner, Phil Davis, Barry Lynch, Albert Davis, and Garry Lynch – all finishing in a bunch-up of 17 seconds, to give coach Joe Turek’s Commodores not only a repeat title, but a new meet winning record of 35 points.

Dennis Ruane of Uniontown St. John completed the top 10 lineup. Uniontown was second with 68 points, followed by Geibel 79, St. John’s 87, Laurel Highlands 90 and Connellsville 145.

In the JV meet, coach Leo Lowney’s Geibel High charges won the school’s first ever cross country title, also setting a new record for their division of 24 points, followed by Uniontown, St. John’s, Connellsville, Frazier, and Laurel Highlands.

Robbie Robinson of St. John was the individual winner in 12:31, followed by Chuck Freda (G), Gregg Ellicott (G), Bill Cramer (U), Tom Traynor (G), Vince Mascia (G), Paul Condupa (F), Dan Rendine (G), Manuel Napenas (C), and Kevin Murtha (SJ).

Elsewhere that week:

-Southmoreland ran sixth in the Westmoreland County Coaches Association cross country meet. Scotties in the top 40 included Gary Hesson (11), Bernie Kiliany (25), and Mike Luczki (34).

-Varsity assistant coaches named at Fairchance-Georges included Gerald Glover (basketball), Jim Dillow (wrestling), and Bruce Hayden (junior high basketball).

-Len Moncheck was named assistant wrestling coach for the German Twp. Elementary School.

-California QB Gary DeHainaut (Connellsville) was third in total offense among backs in the Western Division of the State College Conference, with 420 yards passing (16-for-37), and 174 yards rushing in 57 carries.

-Laurel Highlands lineman George Link was among the week’s nominations for the Big 33 football team.

-Latrobe scored three times in the first quarter and went on to beat Connellsville, 28-6. Noble Hardy got the CAHS score, from two yards, in the third quarter.

-Frazier scored four first half touchdowns and beat West Greene, 28-14. Scott Turnbull ran 5-yards and had two PATs, Mark Kallok scored from 10 yards, Wayne Sparinga had a two-yard touchdown, and Sparinga passed to Jim Kallok for a score.

-East Allegheny got a field goal in the fourth to nip Southmoreland, 17-14. Jim Keibler passed 2 and 35 yards to Jim Byrwa for TDs, and two PATs, for a 14-8 halftime Scotty lead.

-Turkeyfoot routed Shade, 50-8, and won the Somerset County “B” championship. Mark Glass scored four times on runs of one, 10, 36 and 5 yards. Gary Leonard blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone, Kevin Parnell ran four yards, and Dan McVicker four with a pass interception for Ram TDs.