Another look: Thomas Yewcic

Before Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson made the two-sport star relevant during a period of the 1980s and 90s, Cambria County had one of its own.

Conemaugh native Thomas Yewcic dominated the local sports scene before making a major impact at Michigan State in football and baseball.

Thomas Yewcic played football and baseball at Michigan State.

The namesake of the football stadium at Conemaugh Valley, Yewcic was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1954 College World Series, and the Spartans didn't even make the championship game. He went on to sign with the Detroit Tigers and made his major league debut on Jun 27, 1957.

His stay in the big leagues lasted all of one game. A catcher, Yewcic had one career at-bat and abandoned the sport in 1959.

Lucky for him, he was pretty good at football.

A 27th-round selection of the Boston Patriots in 1954, Yewcic eventually joined the team in 1961 and he struck around for six seasons. Yewcic was used as a punter, quarterback, flanker and running back.

He passed for 12 touchdowns and 1,374 yards and rushed for 424 yards and four touchdowns, but made his most significant impact as a punter and he made the Patriots' All-1960s team.

Yewcic also holds a distinction with all-time great Tom Brady. They are the only players in Patriots history to have thrown a touchdown pass, rushed for a touchdown, caught a touchdown and punted.

The North girls' All-Stars

All-Star basketball teams often feature a collection of scorers, nothing but a group of shooting guards and small forwards that look to shoot the basketball with incredible frequency. It can often lead to boring basketball.

The group comprising the North girls' roster for Saturday's AmeriServ Senior Hoops Classic, which tips off at 1 p.m. at the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center, is much more than a collection of offensive standouts. It resembles an actual basketball team.

Sure, the North features some of the area's premier scorers, but there are players who rebounded, ran the point and dug down defensively. Another positive for Portage coach Lance Hudak, who guided the Mustangs to one of its best seasons and will lead the North roster, is every player came from a playoff team. Several of those players came from teams that accomplished more than expected in the postseason.

Coach: Lance Hudak, Portage
The Mustangs finished 22-4 and won their first WestPAC championship with a hard-fought overtime victory against Berlin. Portage was the District 6 Class A runner-up and qualified for the PIAA playoffs.

Players (in alphabetical order)
Katie Bracken, Central Cambria
Red Devils' post presence averaged 8.8 points and a team-best 9.1 rebounds.

Jamie Cekada, Conemaugh Valley
Blue Jays point guard did a little bit of everything as she averaged 7.1 points, 4.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals.

Casey Gallaher, Forest Hills
Gallaher aggravated an injury in the final game of the season and won't be able to play but plans to attend game. She scored 1,500 career points.

Lexi Hody, Conemaugh Valley
Ranked second on team with 10.1 scoring average.

Taylor King-Brothers, Central Cambria
King-Brothers recently signed with St. Francis track, but she's also a basketball standout who averaged 8.8 points and 3.2 steals.

Paige Lamberson, Westmont Hilltop
Three-point shooting specialist averaged 11.9 points and made 65 3-pointers.

Heather Marsh, Blacklick Valley
Stat-sheet filler averaged 11.0 rebounds and team-high 11.1 rebounds.

Emily McCabe, Portage
Key role player for Mustangs averaged 4.9 points and 4.2 rebounds.

Bri Mulhern, Penn Cambria
Another sharpshooter, Mulhern averaged 11.7 points and made 47 3-pointers.

Candice Ramus, Portage
One of the area's premier shooters in rifle, Ramus was a rare multi-sport winter sports athlete.

Erin Rodgers, Westmont Hilltop
One of area's most complete players averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 4.0 steals.

Marlee Zubek, Forest Hills
Key figure for District 6 Class AAA champs averaged 8.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists while leading team with 30 3-pointers.

The North Boys' All-Stars

The AmeriServ Senior Hoops Showcase, which is hosted by The Tribune-Democrat, takes place March 30 with a girls' and boys' game beginning at 1 p.m. at the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center.

What makes this event unique is that every player selected comes from a school inside The T-D coverage area.

And this year's showcase is shaping up to be a memorable one as the majority of the area's top players have confirmed their intentions to participate.

Over the next few days, rosters for the teams will be released - starting with the North Boys.

North
Coach: Dan Weber, Northern Cambria
Weber guided the Colts to four consecutive PIAA playoff appearances and the program's first two victories in the state playoffs since 1965. The Colts played in the District 6 Class AA championship game one year after winning the Class A crown.

Players (in alphabetical order)
Mack Behe, Penn Cambria
Two-time All-State linebacker averaged 8.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists.

Josh Bonatesta, Northern Cambria
Future baseball player at Mt. Aloysius averaged 12.4 points.

Dalton Cesarz, Blacklick Valley
Leading rebounder in Vikings history averaged 25.7 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 2.6 blocks.

Roshon Fields, Greater Johnstown
Averaged 11.1 points, double-digit rebounds.

A.J. Leahey, Penn Cambria
UPJ signee averaged 20.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists for District 6 Class AA champs.

Phillip Madison, Greater Johnstown
Averaged 20.3 points, topped 1,000 career points during postseason.

Adam Polites, Northern Cambria
Averaged 20.1 points, topped 1,000 career points.

Scott Ranck, Bishop Carroll
Huskies' on-floor leader averaged 13.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.5 steals.

Nick Roberts, Conemaugh Valley
Averaged 16.2 points, 13.1 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 2.0 steals.

Johnny Sheesley, Blacklick Valley
PA High School Heisman winner topped 1,000 career points, averaged 17.7 points, 3.0 steals.

Isaac Vescovi, Cambria Heights
One of four people in family to score 1,000 points at CH, Vescovi averaged 21.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 blocks.

Mike Vliet, Westmont Hilltop
Averaged 16.1 points, 5.4 rebounds.

District 6 girls' Class A preview

Top seeds: 1. Bishop Guilfoyle (21-2), 2. Portage (20-2), 3. Claysburg-Kimmel (16-5), 4. Conemaugh Valley (16-6).

Portage's Olivia McCabe (left) and Emily Chobany. Photo courtesy of Portage Athletics Twitter.

Defending champion: Bishop Guilfoyle
Players to watch: Olivia McCabe, Emily Chobany (Portage), Emily McCray, Lexi Hody (Conemaugh Valley), Eden Bloom (United), Allison Thomas, Heather Marsh (Blacklick Valley), Ellie Yahner (Bishop Carroll), Halee Adams, Kayla Bates (Bishop Guilfoyle), Abigayle Kulick (Claysburg-Kimmel), Krista Gillo (Penns Manor), Abbie Zinobile (Juniata Valley).
The skinny: It's difficult to imagine any other team besides Bishop Guilfoyle winning the tournament because, well, the Marauders win District 6 most years. ... Portage enters the field with higher expectations than its had in years and several standout underclassmen. ... Conemaugh Valley drew a tough first-round opponent in Penns Manor. ... According to MaxPreps, Williamsburg doesn't have a player averaging more than 7.1 points per game while Bishop Carroll averages 21.9 points per game.
Sleeper: Juniata Valley
Championship: Bishop Guilfoyle over Portage.

Coaching search update

Conemaugh Valley, Ferndale and Penn Cambria are searching for football coaches, and at least one school may be close to making a hire.

Penn Cambria will likely stamp its coaching hire at the Feb. 19 meeting. Tony Tomaselli is in the running and could be the front runner. Tomaselli replaced Ernie Fetzer on an interim basis after Fetzer resigned with two games remaining in the regular season. Tomaselli was an assistant on Fetzer's staff, a former head coach at Penn Cambria and a teacher in the school district.

Bishop Guilfoyle coach Justin Wheeler's name has also come up. Wheeler teaches Penn Cambria and also is a former assistant there, so it's logical his name surfaced though his interest in the opening may not be strong as some hope. Wheeler headed a remarkable turnaround at BG this season.

Conemaugh Valley athletic director Paula McCleester told T-D sports writer Mike Mastovich that interviews there will begin Monday (Jan. 28).

No candidates for the position have been confirmed, though former CV coach Tom Marshall and Windber athletic director Ralph DeMarco have been mentioned by sources.

Twelve things on 12/12/12

Twelve things that crossed my mind on Dec. 12, 2012, which is the last day to have identical digits (12/12/12) until Jan. 1, 2101 (01/01/01).

1. Richland football earned a lot of respect with the way it played in the PIAA Class AA tournament, and coach Brandon Bailey showed why a growing number of people think he's one of the best around. Check out this quote from Aliquippa's Malik Shegog in a recent edition of the Tribune-Review, "Hats off to (Richland‘s) coach; they played hard, and he had them ready."

2. Sixteen 3-pointers in an awful lot to make in a game at any point during the season. Somerset hit 16 of them at Bishop Carroll in a boys game on Monday.

3. Central Cambria's Max Kirsch and Richland's Brady Moran both had opportunities to play Division I golf. It's a pretty neat story that the duo opted to become teammates next year at IUP, and a big get for the Crimson Hawks. Kirsch and Moran played their best in the big tournaments.

4. Winston Redman resigned as football coach at Conemaugh Valley. Like any coach, Redman had his detractor but, from this perspective, he did a solid job this season. CV has a lot of building to do. The linemen are small and so are the numbers.

5. Ferndale is also looking for a football coach to replace Tony Penna Sr. Rebuilding Ferndale is a bigger task than turning Conemaugh Valley into a winner. The Yellow Jackets' struggles brings me back to one of my favorite arguments. ... It's time for more mergers.

6. It will be interesting to see how many area players land on the Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State football team. Here's a few guys I believe are worthy: Dalvin Williams (Johnstown), Stuart Urch (Ligonier Valley), Tanner Solarczyk, Josh Dininny, Derek Crawford, Luke Shertzer and Elijah Metzger (Richland), Drew Glotfelty (Berlin), Brock Medva (Shade), Tony Strasiser, Levi Albright (North Star) and Johnny Sheesley (Blacklick Valley).

7. With a majority of skill players returning, Richland should be primed for another strong year in 2013, but replacing all those seniors up front will be difficult. Don't be surprised if Forest Hills is right there with the Rams atop the LHAC standings next year.

8. All signs point toward Don Bailey returning for another season at Forest Hills. Could all signs be pointing to another "Bailey Bowl" for the District 6 Class AA title in 2013?

9. Greater Johnstown and Somerset fielded underclassmen-heavy teams this fall and should be much improved in 2013. Teams from the WestPAC, however, were senior-oriented. Should be interesting to see which programs do the best job replacing departing talent like Strasiser, Glotfelty and Sheesley.

10. Wondering how many other opening will happen in football? Counting Conemaugh Valley and Ferndale, the guess here is five.

11. Love it when teams beef up the schedule in hopes of bettering postseason performance. The Ligonier Valley girls basketball team, which moved up to Class AAA this year, is a good example. The Rams compete in the Heritage Conference, which includes some Class A schools. That won't help LV in the postseason, but playing at the Greensburg Salem Tournament gives it a better idea of what it will take to advance in a larger classification.

12. Did the players from Johnstown and Westmont get to keep the Ampipe/Walnut Heights jerseys their wore earlier this season?

Blue Jays way

Turning a program like Conemaugh Valley into a consistent, respectable opponent is no easy task.

The Blue Jays won a combined three game the previous three season (2009-2011), and they haven't posted a winning season since 2005, when Conemaugh Valley posted a 7-3 record.

Tough games remain against Blacklick Valley and Windber, so posting a winning record will prove difficult.

Yet. at 2-4 and with a game at Rockwood on Saturday at 1 p.m., Conemaugh Valley feels it's headed in a positive direction. Much of that has to do with last Saturday's 13-8 win against Meyersdale.

"(The players) are feeling better and we're getting better," Conemaugh Valley coach Winston Redman said. "I've said all along that our goal is to win four games this year. If we do that, that's a good step."

In order to achieve it's goal, Redman and the coaching staff gutted the team.

The Blue Jays will dress 24 players - two of them kickers - against Rockwood, which is undermanned as well.

"Next year, we'll have 30-35 kids. Probably 35. This year, we cleaned house," Redman said. "A lot of kids just wanted to wear the uniform but not be part of the football environment. We're down to the kids who really want to play football."

The small numbers have meant juggling positions and bringing up freshmen, but Redman sees progress. He hopes it continues at Rockwood, which is coming off a loss to Ferndale. The Rockets' lone win came against United.

"We won't do anything to put a player in harm's way, but we're using some kids who never played varsity before," Redman said.