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TOM HARRIS
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DON McCORMACK
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A Don McCormack column: Frankly, some good guys step up
Paying another visit to the variety store...
Good people
One of the most well-liked and respected gentlemen to have darkened the doors here at the Star Beacon is Tom Harris.
A former sports writer for us, Tom was forced into premature retirement a few years ago because he’s battling multiple sclerosis.
Tom’s writings (fortunately) still appear on these pages from time to time — as recently as our Thursday edition, in fact — but Mother Nature’s wrath makes it difficult for him to get around these days as the snow flies.
Well, another good guy, Pat Sheldon, carted Tom to Andover Township to take in the two Division II sectional championship girls basketball games Thursday night at Pymatuning Valley.
After the games, Pat and Tom were having some difficulties getting Tom loaded into the van.
Enter yet another of the true good guys — Frank Soria.
We’ll let Tom have the floor, now:
“Getting in Pat’s van at home was easy — we had some help,” he wrote in an email. “As it happened, we also had help at PV when we left.
“If it hadn't been for Frank Soria, we might still be there trying to get my uncooperative legs to cooperate.
“Would you please tell him again how thankful I am? As frustrating as it had to be getting me into the van, he was still smiling when I managed to plant my butt on the seat.
“So, if you can relay another thank you from me, I’d sure appreciate it.”
Consider it done, Thomas.
And you can catch Frank’s always-entertaining act tonight as he leads his sixth-seeded Lake Catholic Cougar girls against legendary coach Rod Holmes’ third-seeded Jefferson Falcons in the nightcap today at PV, tip slated for somewhere in the neighborhood of 7:30.
In the opener tonight at PV, the fourth-seeded Perry Pirates and the fifth-seeded Kenston Bombers will contest Round III of their triumvirate of clashes, beginning at 6.
Perry and Kenston have met twice in the regular season in Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division contests, coach Ryan Dolatowski’s Pirates pulling out both down-to-the-wire matchups, one of which needed overtime to settle. They shared the CVC Chagrin title.
Four play
If basketball game is your game, Lakeside Gymnasium will be the place to be today.
The finest basketball facility these eyes have ever seen in this area will be the site of four — count ’em, four — varsity contests today.
Lakeside will host three sectional championship girls games today as the home of the Division III sectional-district tournament.
At 1 p.m., top-seeded Regina will meet 13th-seeded Beachwood.
That will be followed by ninth-seeded Wickliffe and second-seeded Villa Angela-St. Joseph playing at 2:30 p.m.
The final act of the girls competition for the day will tip off at 4 p.m. when second-seeded Gilmour Academy and seventh-seeded Mineral Ridge play.
Then, the facility will be cleared, the staff and Lakeside can take time to grab a bite to eat and — perhaps — catch its breath before the Dragon boys close out the best regular season in the nine-year history of the program against visiting Riverside at 7 p.m.
That contest was supposed to be played last night, but Mother Nature felt differently about it, forcing it to be pushed back to tonight.
Joe “Mr. Sports” Pete — aka, The King of Ashtabula County Media — will be on hand for the contest, which will be broadcast on ESPN 970 WFUN.
Mr. Sports will be available for autographs and photographs afterward, according to his agent.
McCormack is the sports editor of the Star Beacon. Reach him at donmac@suite224.net.
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