End Of Year Alumni Shenanigans

Old School meets New School.  Brannon Kidder takes a run with an ex-Lion teammate (and Duck!) John Zishka during the holiday break.

And Billy Cvecko interviews the top high-schooler, Katelyn Touhy before she matriculates at North Carolina State:

Some Old-Time Junior Records Include 2 Teammates

Brian Boyer sent us an old program from the TAC (used to be the AAU and is now the USATF) Junior Championships held at the Nittany Lion Track in 1983.  I was ensconced in Podiatry School at the time and missed the whole thing entirely.  Previously, I included two of the ads from the program and here is a listing of the Junior Records at the time.  Two teammates of mine are in the ranks as well as a Nittany Lion Great from before my time. 

• John Zishka       (Lancaster, OH HS)     5000M     13:55.65     6/17/1980
• Paul Lankford    (NY HS)                      400 IH       50.87        6/18/1977
• Alvin Jackson    (Nittany Valley TC)     Hammer    202' 2"      6/22/1973

"Moldy" Monday

Here's a pic I came across on the world-wide computer-thingie.  With the chic and already overused "Throwback Thursday" meme on Facebook and Twitter, I figured I would do a "Moldy Monday". Can you name all of the Nittany Lions and their home states on this pic? And where was the meet? (Hint: I heard Coach Groves got a speeding ticket coming home from this meet in the van just as they were arriving home.)

Addendum:  It is pointed out that that is Ted Lyon himself behind Dwight Stephens in the pic.  Three TC Williams runners in a row for the Nittany Lions. A Platinum Membership is awarded to Ted for the slight!  We await his future post.

AddendumII: Upon further review, Ted relates it might not be him.  But his Platinum membership and all its options will remain, by the unanimous consent of the Idiot Officers.  Congratulation Ted! 

High School Mania!

I came across a nice pic on the inter-tubes yesterday from fellow teammate Ricky Garcia.  His TC Williams (of Remember the Titans fame!) distance medley relay team was the holder of the national record for more than 25 years.  On that team was fellow Nittany Lion Dwight Stephens.  Ted Lyon was also from that powerhouse program.  That's three teammates of mine from just one high school.

Ricky Garcia, second from left, and Dwight Stephens, right.

There are other schools with similar Penn State credentials.

• Lancaster, Ohio's Brannon Kidder, John Zishka and Keeper of the Beer Clark Haley.
• Council Rock's Bob Hamer, among others... coached by my daughter's future coach at PSU Mont Alto Bill Preston.
• And last but certainly not least, State College High with literally dozens of Nittany Lions springing from its halls. 

Are there any other High Schools with similar PSU credentials?  (I know there are.)

Who Am I?

Here's a few more photos from Dan Martinez's vault he has graciously sent our way.  I think I know some of the names but there is no need to point out what an Idiot I am by getting any of them wrong.  Help us out by naming names and supplying any accompanying stories in the comments. 

 1985 Dogwood Relays.  Photo by Bill Killian.

 1984 Dogwood Relays.  Photo by bill Killian.

 1984 Dogwood Relays.  Photo by Bill Killian.

 1995 Penn Relays.  Photo by Bill Killian.

 1985 Dogwood Relays.  Photo by Bill Killian.

1984 USA Championships.  Photo by Richard Lee Slotkin.

 

1984 Dogwood Relays.  Photo by Bill Killian.

Nittany Lion Progeny in the News

Alex Shisler is certainly the best parts of both of his parents.   He has the good looks and speed of Beth, and the...   Well Steve, you're in there somewhere, I'm sure.  He won two events against powerhouse Altoona, but couldn't quite stop the 100th victory in a row for Altoona Boys Track.  He sticks mostly  to the 200 M and 400 M, events I sure don't know much about.  I was always threatened with running the 4 x 440 y relay in high school as a punishment.  (Yeah, I'm that old!)

Sammie Zishka is another PSU Track Alumni progeny in the news, this time in Lancaster, Ohio.  That's the home of John Zishka, who coaches her and happens to be her dad.  John spent some time at PSU, setting some records and putting in quite a few great performances before transferring to  Oregon.  He's still one of our own though, being a Duck doesn't get rid of all the Nittany Lion in you!  John's exploits led to Clark Haley's matriculation at PSU, and we all know that led to our group.  We owe John some applause for that too.

I would be more than happy to promote the exploits of every Nittany Lion's progeny.  Send stories, links, photos, movies and anything else my way at dfbaskwill-AT-cs-DOTcom

PSU is 800 U: The Ohio Connection

"High in the middle and round on both ends."

-Tom Rapp.

And by  800 U, I mean every distance from 400 M through 1 mile, of course!  I thought you all knew that?

Following the post on the "Football Connection" reflected in the latest middle distance recuiting class, I have become aware of another Connection, this time from the State to our west, and even one high school in particular.  There must be something in the water in Lancaster, Ohio!

 I ran with a few Ohio milers in my day.  Each of them a fine 4:0x runner, tantalizingly close to the "barrier" we all know and love.  Barrier buster Larry Mangan arrived at PSU from high school and went from the fastest high school miler in PA to the second fastest person in his dorm room with Tom Rapp having better credentials from that other state.  Tom has gone on to become a very successful high school coach in the far reaches of the enchanted land of Ohio.

The high school credentials of Alan Scharsu were among the best all-time, and he went on to spearhead some of the best teams PSU has ever had.  I once saw him run a 4:0x mile in 9 degrees on a track that was seemingly 20 laps to the mile.  Tough little hombre.

But Lancaster, Ohio has given PSU a trio of worthy middle distance stars.  Leading the pack was John Zishka, another 4:0x miler who gave the PSU teams he was on incredible depth.  John is again in Lancaster, where he is helping to coach his daughter.

Next from Lancaster was our beloved Founder Clark Haley.  Still another 4:0x miler, Clark succombed to the pressure and ran distances longer than a mile , even becoming # 1 man on the Cross Country team.  The kind of runner Coach Groves loved best. Although I'm not sure I've ever seen Clark drink water....

Now, the Lancaster, Ohio connection is back.  Next year's class of athletes includes Brannon Kidder.  Brannon's credentials include bests of 1:51 at 800 M and 4:06 in the Mile.  He should fit right in with Coach Sullivan's and Coach Gondak's middle distance contingent.

I'm looking forward to more PSU is 800 U!

Pennsylvania and Ohio Distance Champions in the 70's Chose Penn State

Larry Mangan recently pointed out how nearly all the Pennsylvania distance champions in our day gravitated to Penn State. We are doing our best to make that happen all over again.  Title IX makes that difficult on the mens side.  The list is rather impressive.  Let's see if I can get some of them:

Pennsylvania:
1.  Dave Felice, mile 1976
2.  Ray Krombel, 2-mile 1976
3.  Larry Mangan, mile  1977
4.   Marc Dunmire, mile 1977
5.  George Severine, 880 1977
6.  David Baskwill, 2-mile 1977
7.  Gary Black, mile 1978

I'm forgetting others!  Write a comment below to update the list.

And lets not forget Ohio, the state that's "high in the middle and round on both ends" (from Tom Rapp himself).   The Ohio State Mile Champions at PSU in my day are:

1.  Tom Rapp 1977
2.  Alan Scharsu  1978 (in the photo)
3.  John Zishka  1979
4.  Clark Haley  1981

All of this was off the top-of-my-head, which is notably deficient.  Please send me additions and corrections in the comment section!

Ah, the updates are rolling in, just as I had hoped. 

1.  Mike Cook, 1600 1979.

2.  Mark Overheim, 1600 1981

3. Jay Novak, 3200 1986

4. Dan Mazzocco, 3200  2002

5.  Dave Greene 800, 1979

6.  Doug Walter, 800 1986

7.  Mary Rawe, mile 1977 or 1978?
8.  Robert Snyder, mile 1974, 1975
9.  Kathy Byrnes, 880, 1977