On Saturday, I drove up the northeast extension and then along Rte 80 and 15 for college basketball games between the Lycoming College Warriors and the DeSales Bulldogs. After traveling along roads once used by the Muncy Indians and underground railroaders, I arrived just in time for a double header with both men and women teams playing. It cost me $3. Attorney Chris Spadoni, an alum, had threatened me that he'd be there. I thought he was messin' with me. But when I ambled into the gym, he was there.
Lycoming is located in Williamsport, a pretty river town nestled in a valley of the Appalachian mountains. It;s the home of Little League and Reptileland. I expected to see fracking trucks tearing up the roads, but there were none.
"Welcome to the Harvard of North Central Pennsylvania," said Spadoni.
I have to admit it's a beautiful campus. Though it was freezing, Chris took me on a brief tour.
Lycoming, like DeSales, is a D3 (Division 3) school. If you play a sport at a D3 school, you are a student athlete, not just an athlete. Those schools, including the coaches, pay attention to the academics.
I asked Chris was he thought of the school. "It changed my life," he told me." He went there as a wrestler, but soon found himself involved in numerous other activities. Even a play!
Now I know how he came by his courtroom theatrics. He'd make a good Falstaff. Hamlet, not so much.
Chris told me went to Lycoming as the son of struggling immigrants and was accepted. He was proud to say that the school today specializes in getting financial aid for students. So if you have a child or grandchild looking for a college, you might consider the Harvard of Northern Central Pa/
Chris threatened to take me to Mass at St. Joseph the Worker, but I told him I'm pretty much banned at all churches.
Lycoming lost both the men and women basketball games to DeSales. The men's game was quite close. The Bulldogs were down by 10 points at one point, but managed to win the game with 1.2 seconds left. Mason Barnes managed to toss in a running, one-handed floater with 1/2 seconds left in the game.
The Bulldogs, now at 14-1, will see the Warriors again on February 19. But this game will be at DeSales.
I have an uncle living in Williamsport. A WWII veteran in Patton's Army, alive and kicking at 103!
ReplyDeleteWell done. Joe Montesano, former roommate of Chris's at Lycoming, class of '73.
ReplyDeleteWell, at least apparently you didn't shit your pants this time. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteJust curious why you made this journey. The gas cost a lot more than the $3 admission fee.
ReplyDeleteSounds like great fun - even with Spadoni there. :)
ReplyDeleteI suspect Lafayette, Lehigh, and some others think their Division 1 players are also student athletes.
Lafayette and Lehigh certainly consider their athletes as student athletes.
ReplyDelete12:31, My grandson plays for DeSales, and I like to go to his away games. I missed the first one in Md bc it was a weeknight.
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