Carson: Big week for local wrestling

February 15, 2020

The post-season gets underway in full force this weekend with the District 6 Class 2A wrestling championships in Altoona. Districts are the first rung of a three-week journey to crown the 28 individuals who make up that rare breed known as PIAA champions. Whenever the post-season rolls around, I channel my inner Jimmy the Greek and the ye olde prognostication antenna gets activated. For you younger folks, Google Jimmy and you’ll learn who he is. With that said, below are my predictions on who will bring home District 6 Class 2A gold. 106: Coen Bainey, BEA 113: Hunter Walk, ...

Lenze: Racing is back

February 11, 2020

It is that time of year ladies and gentlemen! The Great American Race is now less than a week away. The 62nd annual Daytona 500 is shaping up to be yet another classic. Drivers have been waiting all winter long to strap back in and turn up the heat in Florida. After the usual “silly season” as some call it, we ended up with familiar faces in new places. Drivers leaving teams and finding a new home should provide some interesting story lines going into this years race. In case you missed any of the offseason madness here is a recap of some moves and driver news. Jimmie Johnson ...

New year’s resolution workout routines don’t have to be scary

January 28, 2020

Each year, one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight. That usually involves exercising more or, if you haven’t been active in a while, getting back into an exercise routine. Why should 2020 be any different? After all, physical activity, sticking to a healthy diet and not smoking are three of the best things you can do for your overall health. “Physical activity and exercise shouldn’t only be about losing weight — they’re also key components of a healthy life,” says Geisinger orthopaedic surgeon Michael Sobolewski. “Regular exercise can reduce ...

Carson: the 80s top wrestlers

January 18, 2020

Last week, I wrote about the best wrestlers I’ve seen since I became a sportswriter almost 30 years ago. This week, we look at my top five wrestlers of the eighties. 1. Jack Cuvo, Easton Cuvo was a takedown machine. He still holds the national high school record for most takedowns in a career with 848. He won three PIAA titles, going 140-2 for the Red Rovers. Cuvo was a big reason the technical fall came to be. He once beat a guy 43-1 and no one wants to get embarrassed like that. He won two NCAA championships at East Stroudsburg, finishing his collegiate career with a 164-7 ...

Whisler: Minor league baseball still celebrated

January 18, 2020

The State College Spikes launched their #SaveOurSpikes campaign on Thursday morning and the formation of the project has led to a lot of uncertainty around the future of the franchise and the current minor league system as a whole, with 42 teams in danger of losing Major League Baseball affiliation. Three teams in Pennsylvania are directly affected by the proposed cuts, including the Spikes, the Williamsport Crosscutters and the Erie SeaWolves. The proposal by Major League Baseball has been touted as a restructuring of the current minor league system, which in turn could do some good ...

Carson: Top 5 PA wrestlers

January 11, 2020

As I begin year number 28 covering high school wrestling, I recently drifted off into a little reflection about the best wrestlers I’ve had the pleasure of watching in almost three decades writing about the best sport on earth. After a good bit of time thinking on the subject, I knew it would be much more difficult than I thought. The Keystone State produces so much talent to make a best-of list is quite a challenge. I started with one major ground rule: the list had to be in the past 30 years since I’ve been a paid sports writer. So, from 1990 on. There’s been plenty of talent ...