RIVALS NO MORE

KEYSTONE AWARDS THE CITIZENS’ VOICE WILKES-BARRE, PA DIVISION III ONGOING NEWS COVERAGE STEVE BENNETT RIVALS NO MORE

High School Football Beat Writer Steve Bennett chronicles the end of a decadesold intercity rivalry as Wilkes-Barre consolidates its high schools and its storied teams.

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W-B General nurses issue strike notice

BRAND NEW BALLGAME

One-day walkout planned if concerns aren’t addressed.

BY DENISE ALLABAUGH staff writer

Wilkes-Barre General Hospital nurses announced Tuesday after noon that they have submitted a notice threatening to strike.

In a press release from christoPher dolaN / staff PhotograPher the Pennsylvania AssociaMeyers High School head boys basketball coach Pat Toole speaks about his views on merging the district’s athletics programs during tion of Staff Nurses and a school board meeting at Solomon/Plains Junior High School on Tuesday.

Allied Professionals, the union that represents the nurses, they announced

BY STEVE BENNETT that if the hospital “fails to TAX INCREASE staff writer address serious concerns w-B area’s proposed budget PLAINS — Beginning with the over staffing and patient would increase property taxes 2019-2020 school year, it will be a care, they will hit the by 3.4 percent. Page A13 brand new ballgame for the three streets” for a one-day strike on Thursday, May 31.

Wilkes-Barre City public high The union charged in a schools. At a school board meeting The merger ended nearly 10 press release that the hospion Tuesday night, the school board months of speculation about when, tal’s for-profit owner, Comvoted 6-3 to combine all three athlet- or if, the three public schools would munity Health Systems, ic programs, getting a jump on the see their athletic programs merge has “refused to take nurses’ process in anticipation of the build- before the new high school building concerns seriously, resulting of a brand new school in the is built. But with participation ing in chronic understafffuture. numbers dwindling across the ing and unhealthy over-reliThe meeting was held at Solo- board, and some programs close to ance on temporary agency mon/Plains Junior High School, becoming extinct due to a lack of nurses and even illegal just about a long touchdown pass interest, the board as well as coachforced overtime.” away from where Coughlin used to es and athletic directors within the The union alleges the play its home football games before district believed the time was right christoPher dolaN / staff PhotograPher hospital was short-staffed moving to Wilkes-Barre Memorial to make the decision.

Meyers High School head boys soccer coach Jack Nolan discusses by more than 107 full-time Stadium for the start of the 1994 the athletics merger during Tuesday’s meeting.

Please see SPORTS, Page A13 positions and had more season. than 900 unfilled shift openings in the emergency room during a recent six-week period.

The hospital was cited by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Area residents are holiday weekend, represent- “Regardless of gas pricing the highest travel volume for violations of the state’s es, they’re going to take expected to hit the since 2005 and a 4.7 percent that vacation,” Rosser said ban on mandatory overtime roads for holiday. increase over last year. for nurses and other front Tuesday at the AAA office

BY DENISE ALLABAUGH line healthcare workers.

According to AAA, 90 per- on Kidder Street in Wilstaff writer “A strike is always a last cent of all local travelers will kes-Barre. “Our economy High gas prices will not drive to their destinations is good and people have resort,” said Elaine Weale, deter area residents from during the Memorial Day confidence. Those who registered nursed and the traveling on Memorial Day holiday travel period from plan vacations for certain local union president. “But weekend, according to AAA. Thursday to Monday. these are serious issues times of the year budget Although the average that impact patient safety.

Carol Rosser, membership for that. We have to tweak price of gasoline in the Wil- sales specialist for AAA, said our budget a little one way We feel we have to stand up kes-Barre/Scranton area is area residents waited for so or another to accommoand fight for the quality of Mark MoraN / staff PhotograPher $3.09 a gallon, AAA forecasts long for nice weather and date the gas prices but we care that our patients need Customers pump gas at the Petroleum Service and deserve.” nearly 45,000 area residents choose to go on vacation do it.”

Company station Tuesday on South Main Street in will travel 50 miles or more when the temperatures are Wilkes-Barre.

Please see NURSES, Page A6 Please see DRIVE, Page A6 during the Memorial Day warmer.

Meyers, GAR, Coughlin athletic programs will merge for 2019-20 school year

High gas prices won’t keep drivers parked

FBI’s use of informants an old tactic

Strategy is as old as the agency itself.

calling for a new investigation — this time into whether the FBI spied on his presidential campaign in its own bid to sway the 2016 election.

“If the FBI or DOJ was infiltrating a campaign for the benefit of another campaign, that is a really big deal,” Trump wrote last weekend in a tweet punctuated with his campaign slogan: “Drain the Swamp!”

BY ANNE FLAHERTY associated Press

WASHINGTON — Snitches, moles, spies, whistleblowers. Government informants are an age-old investigative tool that’s as much a part of the FBI’s 110 years of history as J. Edgar Hoover or its “10 Most Wanted” list.

In the case of President Donald Trump, the FBI called on a longtime informant — identified by several news outlets as an American professor living in Britain — to ascertain whether Trump’s campaign aides accepted help from the Russian government to sink Hillary Clinton’s presi-

HOOVER dential ambitions. That jury is still out, with a special counsel appointed to investigate.

In the meantime, Trump and closely aligned Republicans in Congress have flipped the tables on the politically damaging Russia probe by

Crazy? Maybe not The FBI has successfully investigated big-city mobsters, the Ku Klux Klan and domestic terrorists. But it has also probed the work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and the Beatles’ John Lennon.

Claiming that the civil rights

movement was under communist influence and a threat to national security, Hoover’s FBI closely monitored King and others with surveillance, informants and wiretaps. At one point, the head of the FBI’s intelligence operations told a congressional committee that King was subjected to the same tactics as Soviet agents and, “No holds were barred.”

The secret recording campaign failed to prove that King was a communist, but it did provide evidence of the civil rights leader’s extramarital affairs — information that could have been used by his political opponents in government.

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Obituaries / NeWs

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018

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sPOrts: 3 board members vote no frOm PAge A1

Louise Falchek Roper May 18, 2018

Louise Falchek Roper, 75, of Charlottesville, Va., and formerly of New Orleans, La., passed away Friday, May 18, 2018.

Born in Kingston, she was the daughter of the late Dr. Joseph S. and Lottie Knoll Falchek of Plains Twp. Known and loved equally as Mom, Grandma and sometimes Weezy, Louise was the salutatorian of the first six-year class of West Side Central Catholic High School in Kingston. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Rosemont College, after which she enrolled in a master’s program in chemistry at Tulane University. In 1989 she returned to school, earning a Master of Sciences of Pharmacy degree from Xavie r U n ive r s i t y i n N ew Orleans.

She worked for more than 10 years in New Orleans area hospitals for Tenet Healthcare before retiring permanently in 2009.

Louise loved gardening — a talent inherited from her father — and was an active member of the Park Timbers Garden Club of New Orleans in the 1970s and 1980s. In later years, as a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, she turned her passions to caring for New Orleans’ abandoned animal population, and worked extensively with Alley Cat Allies to rescue, spay and neuter stray animals.

Louise was married twice, to John M. Roper of New Orleans (deceased) and later to Michael German of St. Louis (deceased).

Surviving are her son, John H. Roper and his wife, Jennifer, Crozet, Va.; grandchildren, Maddie and Jack; and her brother, Joseph Falchek, Mountain Top. A memorial service will be announced at a future date. Interment will be held in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hanover Twp. Arrangements are entrusted to Harold C. Snowdon Home for Funerals Inc., Kingston.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the kind staff at Rosewood Village in Charlottesville, Va., and asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to Alley Cat Allies.

Joanne M. Golden May 19, 2018

Joanne M. Golden of Swoyersville died Saturday, May 19, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. Funeral services are pending from Kopicki Funeral Home, 263 Zerby Ave., Kingston, for a Thursday viewing and Friday funeral.

Obituary policy All obituaries should be in paragraph form with a double space between paragraphs.

Obituaries should be submitted by a funeral home. Private individuals who wish to submit an obituary must provide the name, phone number and address of the funeral home handling arrangements.

The Citizens’ Voice will not accept obituaries without contact information.

“So much has been said and so much has been debated, at some point we all come back to the definitive point and that is what is best for our studentathletes,” Meyers athletic director Mike Namey said. “It is not about school colors, not about what section of the city you live in, it’s about moving forward as one, and moving forward with that passion and spirit.”

The vote was met with some resistance. Board members Melissa Patla, Dino Galella and John Quinn voted no.

Board members Ned Evans, Denise Thomas, Dr. James Susek, James Geiger, board president Joe Caffrey and vice president the Rev. Shawn Walker all voted yes.

While the decision to merge athletic programs was not designed to put the district in a position to become some kind of sports superpower, it should give the athletic programs a chance at being more competitive, not just when the games begin, but during practice time.

There has been issues within the district when coaches have had to cancel practices because of injury, illness or players just not showing up.

The Meyers junior high football team nearly had to forfeit its last game of the year against GAR due to having just 13 players, a number of them skill position players.

One example brought up during the course of the meeting was the GAR varsity girls soccer team that had 16 players on the roster. Eleven players can compete on the field at one time, and of those players on the soccer team, six of them ran cross country. Seven members of the GAR boys soccer team are also on the cross country team.

“It was a courageous decision to really benefit the student-athletes of our district as a whole,” Meyers girls basketball coach Mary Mushock said. “Change is difficult. But through my years of coaching and teaching, our student-athletes will be up to the task.”

ChrISTOPher DOLAn / STAff PhOTOgrAPher

Coughlin High School head football coach Ciro Cinti said the decision ‘is best for all programs’ because ‘it gives more opportunity for the kids.’

Coughlin’s football program was represented by just 14 players at an offseason conditioning session on Tuesday. As of now, head coach Ciro Cinti has just five seniors ready to go for next season, which is just three months away.

“I think this is best for all the programs. It gives more opportunity for the kids,” Cinti said. “There will be competitiveness. The competition is going to be there. With social media these days, all the kids know one another. They are all friends.”

At a presentation made back in January before the school board, Meyers junior high athletic director Corry Hanson, estimated the savings from merging the three athletic programs would be anywhere from $700,000-$900,000.

As far as combining the programs in the middle of a twoyear cycle, which is the case here, the PIAA has no issues with it, and no penalties will be handed down, and all programs will be eligible for district and state play should they qualify.

When all three city schools submitted their enrollment figures in October, they did so as three individual schools. They will remain that way for the 2018-2019 school year.

“Any action that would be taken would go through our office from District 2,” PIAA

Executive Director Dr. Bob Lombardi said in an interview in January. “We would act on the consolidation of schools and place them where the (enrollment) numbers put them. We will work with the school. Locally the scheduling will be more challenging for them than it is for us. We don’t develop or adopt local schedules. That is done with the local leagues and conference.”

When Coughlin, Meyers and GAR turned in their enrollment numbers for grades 9-11, for boys, Coughlin is 354, GAR, 235, and Meyers, 263. Combined that comes to 852 boys. As for the girls, Coughlin is 349, GAR, 242, and Meyers, 213, with a combined number of 804.

Based on PIAA parameters, the merged school would classify in boys sports in Class 6A in baseball, basketball and football. It would be Class 4A in soccer, and 3A in cross country, golf swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, wrestling and lacrosse.

The girls programs would be Class 6A in basketball and softball. Class 4A in soccer and volleyball, 3A in cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, swimming and diving, tennis and track and field.

“As is the case with most of the transition committee, I feel as though it is time,” GAR ath-

letic director Simon Peter said.

“Sometimes change is difficult. It’s certainly not easy. Given the status of the programs at GAR, not just only the wins and losses, but the numbers or lack of numbers. In some cases it’s a forgone conclusion they think they are going to lose.”

For the 2018-19 season, three of GAR’s athletic programs are moving up in classification to 4A. “Girls basketball, volleyball and softball, those are three programs that wins and losses are in dire straits,” Peter said.

“I can’t even imagine what the 2018-19 school term will bring for those respective programs.

I just hope they will be able to compete against those bigger schools.”

The transition committee, which did not set wins and losses as its primary focus, was comprised of all three building principals, three varsity athletic directors, Pat Martin, who runs the chorus and the band (Coughlin and GAR have already merged their bands), school district superintendent Brian Costello and two board members.

But when the wins and losses were presented, it certainly grabbed the attention of those in attendance at the meeting.

Based only off of regular season contests, Coughlin finished the 2017-2018 athletic season with an overall record of 68-189-1. Meyers was 89-125-2, while GAR was 36-177. Combined the three schools went 193-481-3.

“We have to look at all the sports,” Meyers basketball coach Pat Toole said. “I was the first class of Bishop Hoban; we had the eight Catholic schools that came together. It was time then, and it is time now. I think it is hard for people to understand. This is a necessary thing. I am thrilled the board voted accordingly. Everybody has the best interest of the student-athletes; it’s just we all have a different way to get there.”

Contact the writer: sbennett@citizensvoice.com 570 821-2062 @CVSteveBennett

Tax increase proposed in W-B Area budget

bY MiCHaeL P. buFFer STAff WrITer

PLAINS TWP. — A proposed budget for the WilkesBarre Area School District would increase the property tax rate by 3.4 percent and allocate almost $121.8 million in spending.

The school board proposed the budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year at Tuesday’s meeting and is required to adopt a

final budget by June 30. The tax rate would increase to $18.0364 mills — $18.04 for each $1,000 in property assessment.

The tax increase is due to underfunding from the state and a 6.8 percent increase in the cost of health benefits, Business Manager Thomas F. Telesz said. About 40 percent of the budget would fund employee wages, and

29 percent would cover employee benefits, Telesz said.

The board on Tuesday also approved payments costing more than $200,000 for work planning and designing a new consolidated high school in Plains Twp. On March 5, the school board agreed to buy 78 acres between Maffett and Main streets for the new school.

The land purchase from Pagnotti Enterprises will cost $4.25 million.

The district plans to merge Coughlin and Meyers high schools in 2022 after the new school is built. Building the new high school is estimated to cost between $101 million and $118 million.

Contact the writer: mbuffer@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2073, @cvmikebuffer

sPOrts HiGHLiGHts baseball ■ The Coughlin boys baseball team finished second in the state in 1980.

basketball

■ The gAr boys basketball team finished second in the state in 1986, 1990 and 1991. meyers was second in 1997.

■ gAr and meyers have won a combined nine District 2 boys basketball championships.

Field hockey

■ The Coughlin field hockey team finishes second in the state in Class 3A in 2004.

Football

■ In 1925, gAr beat the Coughlin JV football team 46-0.

■ gAr and meyers first met on the football field in 1931. gAr won 6-0.

■ meyers leads the football series with gAr 46-39-1, including a 26-19 overtime win in 2017.

■ gAr’s Tydus Winstead tied a national record when he returned three interceptions for touchdowns in a quarter in 2014.

■ Coughlin, gAr and meyers have won a combined seven District 2 football championships.

soccer

■ The Coughlin boys soccer team won the 1997 PIAA Class 3A championship. It remains the only boys state soccer title in Wyoming Valley Conference history.

track & field

■ Three runners — meyers’ ron mrochko (1967), meyers’ mary Wazeter (1980) and gAr’s rebecca mack (1985) — have won individual state championships in cross country.

■ City schools have enjoyed tremendous success in track & field, including a dozen state champions since the 2000 season.

Wrestling

■ Led by individual wrestling champions frank Castrignano and Charlie Wysocki, meyers wins the 1978 PIAA Class 3A team championship.

■ In 1949, meyers’ Paul miller became the first wrestler from a city school to win a state championship.

Fbi: Using an informant is a legal, widely accepted practice frOm PAge A1

Since Hoover’s death, the FBI has enacted several reforms including 10-year term limits on its director and new rules about domestic investigations intended in part to insulate the agency from politics.

Having said that …

The mere existence of a government informant in an investigation doesn’t mean a probe is tainted. It’s a legal and widely accepted practice that’s hardly a secret. And Trump’s accusation that the FBI “planted” a source on his campaign doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

The agency itself addresses the practice on its web site, noting “special care is taken to carefully evaluate and closely supervise their use so the rights of individuals under investigation are not infringed.”

Informants “may receive compensation in some instances for their information and expenses,” the FBI writes, but they aren’t considered employees.

The agency seemed acutely aware of the political pitf a l l s o f i nve s t i g a t i n g Trump’s campaign, keeping it under wraps in its early stages and, according to reports, sending a longtime source to question lower level aides.

the fine print While legal, employing an informant is tricky tradecraft.

Government informants often have sketchy dealings and their own agendas.

In the 1960s, it was New York mobster Joe Valachi who peeled back the inner workings of the crime families who employed him. In the 1980s, Henry Hill became the FBI’s prized informant

on the mob before disappearing into the Witness Protection Program, his life later portrayed in the film “Goodfellas.”

According to news reports, the FBI informant on the Russia investigation was a longtime U.S. government insider tied to the 1980 “debategate” scandal in which aides to Ronald Reagan obtained documents Jimmy Carter was using to prepare for a presidential debate.

Where we go from here?

In Trump’s corner are several House Republicans who are demanding access to the FBI’s closely guarded secrets in the Russia probe, including details on the Russia informant.

“Let’s cut through the recalcitrant bureaucracy, get the truth, and hold people

accountable!” tweeted GOP Rep. Ron DeSantis of Florida.

Top FBI and Justice Department officials have already agreed to meet with congressional leaders and “review” highly classified documents in the case. Also, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said the Justice Department’s inspector general will look into whether any surveillance was politically motivated.

But DeSantis and other Trump supporters, including Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York and Mark Meadows of North Carolina, are suggesting that might not be good enough.

They want their own special counsel to investigate misconduct at the FBI and Justice Department under President Barack Obama — a tactic that would flip the political narrative back to Obama and Clinton and energize conser-

vative voters ahead of this fall’s midterm elections.

the bottom line Conservative pundits say liberals would be outraged had the FBI put Obama’s campaigns under surveillance.

Liberal pundits counter that conservatives would be outraged if Clinton’s campaign aides sought or accepted the help of the Russian government ahead of the election, and the FBI ignored it.

All of this puts pressure on special counsel Robert Mueller to conclude his investigation in what has become the most politically charged atmosphere in Washington in decades.

“Spying on campaigns is extraordinary. Mueller better have the goods,” tweeted Ari Fleischer, the White House press secretary under President George W. Bush, on Tuesday.

COuNtY: Audit won’t be complete by June 30 deadline frOm PAge A4

“The public cannot comment if they do not have information,” Shiner said, during public , comment. “When are you going to pay attention to the laws of this state … and the county charter?”

According to the agreement approved Tuesday, employees hired after Jan. 1, 2014 will contribute 15 per-

cent of the cost of health care premiums.

Employees hired prior to Dec. 31, 2013 will contribute 12 percent of the cost of health care premiums starting in 2019. Those employees currently contribute 10 percent toward health care premium costs.

In other business: ■ County Manager David Pedri released his proposed

2019-2021 capital plan budget.

The plan includes $650,000 for phase two of a renovation project at the county courthouse. It also calls for $400,000 to rehabilitate parking lots at county-owned facilities, a separate $150,000 allocation for restoration of the parking lot at the county human services building, and $100,000 for the countywide emergency building

fund. Council may approve all, some or none of the projects at future meetings.

■ Pedri announced that the 2017 county audit will not be completed by the stipulated June 30 deadline, due to problems with the audit of the county Children and Youth Services agency. County administration will provide a draft audit that includes all other county

departments by June 30, but the final audit, including Children and Youth Services, will not be completed until August, Pedri said.

■ The launch of the county’s new website, scheduled for this week, has been delayed until late June, Pedri said.

Contact the writer: emark@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2117

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Emotions high in Casey, Barletta debate

Upcoming GAR-Meyers game marks end of an era in WVC football

Barletta confronted Casey over a recent television commercial.

By MARC leVy aSSociated PreSS

I

ers drove the length of the field down to the GAR 2-yard line. The Grenadiers stopped the Mohawks on fourth down in the final seconds of the game. After the stop, a bench-clearing brawl ensued.

PHILADELPHIA — The first debate between Pennsylvania’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and his Republican challenger, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, touched on health care, abortion rights and the economy under President Donald Trump before it ended in a personal and emotional exchange Saturday.

The hour-long debate, at WPVITV in Philadelphia, also featured Barletta being prompted four times to directly answer whether he would vote to prevent Trump from firing special counsel Robert Mueller, whose investigation uncovered Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Barletta has badly lagged Casey in fundraising and independent polls, making it a low-profile race in a state Trump won in 2016.

Casey is seeking a third six-year term in the Nov. 6 election.

In his closing statement, Barletta raised the matter of a Casey television ad that he objected to last weekend when it began running.

Barletta contends it is particularly cruel to his family because it mirrors the plight of his toddler grandson, a twin, who is fighting cancer.

The TV ad accuses Barletta of voting to let insurers strip coverage for pre-existing conditions and features a woman, Stacie Ritter, whose twin daughters were diagnosed with cancer.

Barletta challenged Casey again to take the TV ad down.

“Could you tell me why you did that?” Barletta asked, looking at Casey and his voice shaking. “And why you won’t take the ad down?”

Please see RiVAlRy, Page A4

Please see DeBATe, Page A7

By sTeVe BenneTT Staff Writer

t began in 1931 with GAR’s 6-0 win over Meyers.

It ends Saturday afternoon when the two Wilkes-Barre high schools meet for the final time on the football field at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium.

The rivalry, which is the longest among schools in Luzerne County, has reached its finale after the school board approved a consolidation plan of all three city schools beginning with the 2019-20 school year.

Since the first game in 1931, friendships have been forged and broken. Memories of two proud programs will live on long after the final whistle blows.

“It was nasty,” said former GAR head coach Charlie Fick, who played for the Mohawks. “When I was at Meyers, GAR guys threw a brick through the window of the malt shop across the street from Meyers. It wasn’t the players who did it; it was the fans. As time went on the rivalry really intensified. It was tough; you really wanted to beat them.”

The rivalry is one where the cliche “you can throw the records out the window” truly does exist. It’s one where a simple play — “84 Cross” — called late in the 1985 game, launched a career that turned Raghib Ismail into the “Rocket.”

There have been players in this game that have gone to play at elite college football powers and continued on to the NFL. But what makes it a rivalry is it’s two neighboring schools coming together and protecting their turf.

This is it GAR won the initial meeting between the two teams, and Meyers followed in 1932 with a 6-0 victory. It wasn’t until the third meeting that the losing team final-

chriStoPher dolan / Staff PhotograPher

gar’s Michael Drozda runs the ball up the center during the 2016 game against Meyers at Wilkes-Barre Memorial stadium. inset: the rivalry has lasted decades. ly scored in Meyers’ 14-6 victo-ry.

Meyers leads the series 44-411. The lone tie was 6-6 in 1939.

Since then, the game has been played every year except for one. The 1971 game was postponed because of a blizzard.

The longest winning streak in the series is eight games.

GAR accomplished the feat twice. The first came from 1951-58. The second was from 2007-14.

There were times the game rested on the foot of the field goal kicker. Two GAR victories came on field goals. In 2007, Godson Tandoh booted a 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to give the Grenadiers a 3-0 victory. In 1982, Joe Ruane’s field goal gave GAR a 9-6 win.

That year featured one of the more thrilling endings. After Ruane’s kick, Mey-

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A4 THE CITIZENS' VOICE

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2018

RIVALRY: Two storied programs produced star athletes From page a1

The coaching tree There have been 11 head coaches in the history of GAR. Joe McCracken was the first. He was followed by Vic Baiz, Harold “Dutch” Wermuth, Ted Casey, Ray Chesney, Chet Wasilewski, Luther Richards, Wasilewski again, John Rowlands, Charlie Fick, Tony Khalife and Paul Wiedlich Jr. Rowlands led the Grenadiers to their first unblemished season in 1976, going 12-0. In 1952, GAR finished 9-0-1 under Richards.

“In my opinion, John Rowlands is Mr. GAR,” said former GAR, University of Michigan and NFL lineman, Greg Skrepenak. “He was a stud.”

Meyers has had 13 head coaches in its history. Steve Emanuel was the first. Eddie Johnson, Fuller Greenwalt, Johnson, John Davies, Jack Jones, Cummings Jake Piatt, Mickey Gorham, Rich Chukonis, Gorham, Mike Namey, Dwayne Downing, Corry Hanson and Jeff Labatch have all walked the sidelines for the Mohawks.

Emanuel led Meyers to its first undefeated season, a 9-0 record in 1935.

mark elIaS / aSSoCIaTeD preSS

Notre Dame’s Raghib ‘Rocket’ Ismail flies down the sideline accompanied by only the referee during first-half action, Oct. 20, 1990, in South Bend, Ind. Ismail, a Meyers graduate, returned the Miami kickoff 94 yards for an Irish touchdown.

GAME TIME gar at meyers WHEN: 3:30 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Wilkes-Barre memorial Stadium TICKETS: game is sold out

There was a sophomore on the team that year named Raghib Ismail. He was small, shifty and had speed that fans in the Wyoming Valley Conference had not seen in years.

“My senior year I really believe that was Rocket’s coming out party with our game against GAR,” Maffei said. “The year before, Meyers, Hanover Area and GAR were tri-champs. If GAR beat us they would have been champs.”

But this was 1985 and GAR led 21-20.

“Rocket played well that year, but we had no idea just how good he was,” Maffei said.

“Against GAR he caught a touchdown pass and ran back a kick earlier in the game.

With 24 seconds left we got the ball back. We ran a play we never ran in a game all year.

“I don’t think any kid in the country could have done it. It was called 84 Cross.

Rocket lined up as the middle receiver in a wide trip set. He ran from the numbers on one side of the field to the numbers on the other side of the field 35 yards deep. He caught the pass and we won, 27-21.

“That game he just electrified everybody. From that point forward, he really became the Rocket.”

moments, on and off the field. But what the two programs do share is a mutual respect for one another.

“We respected each other because we knew how tough the kids were on both sides,” said Maffei, whose son Ryan is a starting lineman for the Mohawks. “The one thing I remember is a lot of the players from the other schools couldn’t believe how well the Meyers, GAR and Coughlin kids got along at UNICO. They were baffled when they saw the kids from Meyers and GAR hanging out. We got along really well off the field. But when it was time to play, it was time to play.”

Skrepenak had the same kind of experience when he played in the UNICO game.

But what Skrepenak can draw on, is the intensity the rivalry brought out on the field.

“I have been fortunate,” Skrepenak said. “I played in the best rivalry in sports when we (Michigan) played Ohio State. Ultimately it started for me in high school.

It was the same preparation and the same sense of us playing Meyers, like it was when we were playing Ohio State. The game was equally hard hitting with all the pomp and circumstance for a high school kid that he could have.”

star at Michigan and went on to play in the NFL. Williams was the quarterback for the Notre Dame Legends in the making team that ended Oklahoma’s Numerous players from 47-game winning streak in both sides reached the high- 1957, while Salvaterra was est levels of college football. named the MVP of the 1956 Meyers produced the likes Gator Bowl. of Mickey Dudish and Char‘84 Cross’ lie Wysocki, who both played Meyers quarterback Gene at Maryland. Todd Moules, Maffei called “84 Cross” in Lance Hamilton and Phil Ostrowski went to Penn the huddle during the fourth State. Steve Brominski and quarter of the 1985 game Qadry Ismail went to Syra- against GAR. Maffei, a twocuse, while Rocket Ismail year starter at quarterback, played at Notre Dame. Gor- threw for 3,579 yards in his ham, who graduated from career.

The Mohawks were not GAR, but coached at Meyers, having a particularly good also played at Notre Dame.

The Grenadiers had their season that year, but beating share of graduates move on GAR was all that mattered.

“No matter what, that is as well. Jay Kubicki went to play at Nebraska. Bobby Wil- always the biggest game,” liams went to Notre Dame, Maffei said. “The thing that I Corny Salvaterra and Shakir tell everyone is that once Soto went to Pitt and Paul they find out you played at Jefferson went to Penn State. Meyers, they don’t ask if you Harold Jackson finished his were all-scholastic or made collegiate career at Temple. the playoffs. They always ask Mark Glowinski went to the if you beat GAR.” More friends Well thanks to “84 Cross,” University of West Virginia than enemies and is currently an offensive Meyers was able to salvage a Contact the writer: Like all rivalries, GAR and sbennett@citizensvoice.com lineman with the Indianapo- 3-8 season with a win over lis Colts. Skrepenak was a the Grenadiers.

Meyers has had its heated 570-821-2062

MEYERS VS. GAR game results: 2017: meyers 26, gar 19, oT 2016: gar 50, meyers 7 2015: meyers 28, gar 6 2014: gar 46, meyers 19 *2013: gar 21, meyers 20 2012: gar 50, meyers 12 2011: gar 38, meyers 6 2010: gar 28, meyers 6 2009: gar 42, meyers 21 2008: gar 48, meyers 0 2007: gar 3, meyers 0 2006: meyers 34, gar 33 2005: meyers 21, gar 19 2004: meyers 36, gar 19 2003: meyers 54, gar 30 2002: meyers 42, gar 14 2001: meyers 33, gar 14 2000: gar 33, meyers 7 1999: gar 21, meyers 0 1998: gar 35, meyers 14 1997: gar 34, meyers 6 1996: meyers 34, gar 21 1995: gar 38, meyers 6 1994: gar 49, meyers 15 1993: meyers 8, gar 0 1992: meyers 38, gar 14 1991: meyers 33, gar 6 1990: meyers 14, gar 12 1989: gar 28, meyers 6 1988: gar 17, meyers 0 1987: meyers 38, gar 18 1986: gar 20, meyers 6 1985: meyers 27, gar 21 1984: meyers 15, gar 7 1983: meyers 22, gar 0 1982: gar 9, meyers 6 1981: meyers 17, gar 6 1980: meyers 21, gar 20 1979: gar 7, meyers 6 1978: gar 32, meyers 28 1977: meyers 35, gar 14 1976: gar 26, meyers 0 1975: meyers 25, gar 13 1974: meyers 66, gar 6 1973: meyers 33, gar 0

1972: gar 14, meyers 0 1971: game canceled because of snow 1970: meyers 40, gar 0 1969: meyers 23, gar 0 1968: meyers 28, gar 6 1967: gar 14, meyers 6 1966: gar 7, meyers 0 1965: gar 7, meyers 6 1964: meyers 27, gar 14 1963: gar 13, meyers 0 1962: meyers 32, gar 14 1961: meyers 20, gar 0 1960: meyers 6, gar 0 1959: meyers 14, gar 7 1958: gar 31, meyers 7 1957: gar 7, meyers 6 1956: gar 13, meyers 12 1955: gar 6, meyers 2 1954: gar 20, meyers 0 1953: gar 21, meyers 6 1952: gar 19, meyers 6 1951: gar 25, meyers 13 1950: meyers 19, gar 6 1949: gar 19, meyers 13 1948: gar 32, meyers 6 1947: meyers 13, gar 7 1946: meyers 26, gar 6 1945: meyers 6, gar 4 1944: meyers 12, gar 7 1943: meyers 34, gar0 1942: meyers 7, gar 0 1941: meyers 7, gar 3 1940: gar 13, meyers 0 1939: meyers 6, gar 6 1938: meyers 13, gar 0 1937: meyers 6, gar 0 1936: gar 18, meyers 0 1935: meyers 19, gar0 1934: meyers 13, gar 0 1933: meyers 14, gar 6 1932: meyers 6, gar 0 1931: gar 6, meyers 0 *First Backyard Brawl Trophy game

SCREENINGS: Pa. was the first state to cover 3D mammograms From page a1

“I do occasionally hear from women who, because of uncertainty about insurance coverage, elect not to have supplemental screening,” she said. “For women with dense breasts, for whom a mammogram is a less effective screening tool, a mammogram alone my be an incomplete screening. Yet, additional screening may involve out-of-pocket expenses.”

Pushkin, a Long Island, New York resident, became a patient advocate and helped launch the educational website DenseBreast-info.org in 2015 after her own personal experience with breast cancer.

She said she never missed an annual mammogram and was alarmed when she felt a lump during a self-exam.

She was particularly unnerved because she was told her mammogram was “normal.”

A radiological technician told Pushkin since she has dense breast tissue, cancer detection would be a “hard find.”

While breast cancer was undetectable on a mammogram, a tumor showed up minutes later on ultrasound in 2005. Based on the size and characteristics, the tumor was estimated to have been growing up to five years, she said.

“Unfortunately, during those five years, the letter I received after my mammogram, every one of those years said normal,” Pushkin said.

Pushkin said it came up as normal because the abnormality could not be detected in a mammogram.

After battling breast cancer,

GET SCREENED

■ Women who receive a 3D mammogram and receive a bill could file a complaint with the pennsylvania Insurance Department by calling 1-877-881-6388 or online at www.insurance.pa.gov.

■ pennsylvania’s HealthyWoman program provides free early detection services for breast cancer, including mammograms. This pennsylvania Department of Health program is for uninsured women and funded through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and prevention. To check eligibility, and to schedule an appointment, call 800-215-7494.

■ Those who have health insurance but have high deductibles or co-payments for these tests may also qualify for help through HealthyWoman. For more information, go to www.pahealthywoman.com. she said she had a recurrence almost five years to the day of the original diagnosis and underwent additional surgeries and treatment. There has been no evidence of the disease since 2011, she said.

According to DenseBreastinfo.org, a mammogram determines whether or not a woman has more dense breast tissue than fatty tissue.

Cancer is four to six times more likely in women with extremely dense breasts.

Though mammograms find some cancers not seen on other screening tests, they will miss more than 50 percent of the cancers present in women with dense breast tissue.

‘Diagnostic not preventative’ Breast ultrasounds are not covered by many insurers because they are considered diagnostic not preventative, said Dr. Tina George, Commonwealth Health family physician in Avoca.

While breast ultrasounds have been shown to aid in overall cancer detection, George said they also are much more likely than mammograms to result in false positives and unnecessary biopsies.

If there is more evidence breast ultrasounds reduce mortality rates over time, she said insurers could cover the full costs in the future.

A push for a state law Two years ago, New York became the first state to pass a law requiring full insurance coverage with no out-of-pocket expenses for all breast screenings, including ultrasounds or MRIs. “Eliminating these insurance barriers will prevent women from paying out-ofpocket for breast cancer screenings, including imaging for the detection of breast cancer, diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),” a news release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office stated.

The New York law doesn’t mean all women are covered, however, Pushkin said. There are plans like self-funded plans which are exempt from state insurance laws, she said.

Pennsylvania does not have the same law as New York, but state Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Butler Twp., said she believes it’s “something that we need to take a hard look at implementing in Pennsylvania.”

“Early detection is half of the battle and greatly increases the success rate for women,” Toohil said. “Unfortunately, because of high co-pays, high deductibles, and busy schedules, women are likely to find a million reasons to put off their breast screening or skip the exam altogether.”

Toohil said she looks forward to raising the issue with her colleagues to see if they can move legislation forward in Pennsylvania.

Local breast cancer survivor Barb Sciandra, who cofounded Paint Pittston Pink, said she would be in favor of a law that ensures that health insurance covers the full cost of breast ultrasounds.

“It’s a relatively safe test. I don’t see why insurance wouldn’t want to pay for something that has the potential to save someone’s life,” Sciandra said.

According to Pennsylvania Insurance Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Rementer, two bills were previously proposed in Pennsylvania that would give insurance coverage for breast density.

Senate Bill 869, proposed by Sen. Bob Mensch, a Republican who represents parts of Berks, Bucks and Montgomery counties, says mammogram films of breasts with higher density are harder to read and interpret than those of less dense breasts.

He suggested legislation that would amend the Insurance Company Law of 1921 to extend insurance coverage to ultrasounds and MRIs if mammograms shows dense breast tissue. Younger women are more at risk since about 50 percent of women under 50 years of age have dense breast tissue, he said.

Tom Wolf clarified 3D mammograms must be covered until the existing state mammogram law at no cost to women in the same manner as traditional 2D mammograms.

Pennsylvania Acting Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman said Pennsylvania is the first state to have this policy.

“Women can’t be worried about whether or not they can afford such a potential life-saving test,” Altman said.

Self-insured or self-funded health insurance plans offered by employers are not required to provide coverage under the Pennsylvania mandate for 3D mammograms, however. because they are regulated by the federal government and not by the state.

Advantages of 3D mammography are it produces more detailed images of breast tissue and there are fewer false positive mammograms which reduces the number of followup tests, Dr. George said.

Pennsylvania also has the Breast Density Notification Act. This means that if a mammogram shows a woman’s breast tissue, she must be notified.

While tremendous strides have been made in the detection and treatment of breast cancer, Altman said more work remains.

“Twenty-seven women get the devastating diagnosis that Pa. first state to cover they have breast cancer every day in Pennsylvania,” Altman 3D mammograms said. “And every day, the famiAlthough Pennsylvania lies and friends of five Penndoes not yet have a law like sylvania women endure the New York, the commonwealth death of their loved one from has extended its definition of this disease.” mammography to include 3D Contact the writer: mammograms. dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com In 2015, Pennsylvania Gov. 570-821-2115, @CVallabaugh Similar legislation called House Bill 579 also was introduced by State Rep. Isabella Fitzgerald, a Democrat from Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition supports legislation providing insurance coverage for breast density.

“We have met with the Pennsylvania Radiological Society to see how we can jointly move this critical legislation forward,” said Natalie Kopp, spokeswomen for the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition.

Kopp said women need more than “one size fits all” insurance coverage.

According to statistics she provided, more than 140,000 Pennsylvania women are living with breast cancer and 2,000 of those women will die this year.

When detected at its earliest stage, the five-year breast cancer survival rate is 98.6 percent.

“Every Pennsylvania woman deserves the best possible breast cancer screening available,” Kopp said. “Sometimes a mammogram, even the 3D mammogram, isn’t the only screening needed. We receive calls, emails and letters from women who desperately need these additional screenings like ultrasounds and MRIs for the early detection of breast cancer but can’t afford the bills. This legislation will save women’s lives.”

WB_VOICE/PAGES [A01] | 10/25/18

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Raghib, Qadry Ismail launched their legendary careers at Meyers. INSIDE

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BEST SEAT (not) IN THE HOUSE

Opa-locka, Florida, where they believe some of the packages originated, another official said.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation by name.

Please see BOMBS, Page A5

Please see BUSES, Page A7

David Nargoski throws his hands up in frustration while questioning a call during last week’s game between Meyers and Holy Redeemer at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium. Nargoski was watching the game from the backyard of a home on Corlear Street.

Backyard deck will provide great view of final GAR-Meyers game

BY STEVE BENNETT Staff WRIteR

deck and catch any game at the stadium on a Friday night or Saturday When the hottest ticket for a high afternoon. It’s where they’ll be staschool football game went on sale ear- tioned with several of their friends lier this month, Anthony Gipson when Coughlin hosts Berwick tonight didn’t need to wait in in what will be the Cruline. saders’ final game.

WHERE He’ll have the best “There are going to TO WATCH seat in the house when be a few of my CoughSaturday’s game GAR and Meyers play lin friends coming over between gaR and for the final time at 3:30 for the game,” said GipMeyers is sold out, p.m. Saturday at Wilson, who graduated but the game will kes-Barre Memorial from Meyers in 2011 be broadcast at Stadium. and played football one 3:30 p.m. on SerThe backyard of Gipseason for the vice electric chanson’s home on Corlear Mohawks. “Saturday nel 2.

Street is adjacent to the there is going to be a stadium, at the far end bunch of friends and Dave ScheRbeNco / Staff PhotogRaPheR away from the scoreboard. It’s where family coming over.” he and his fiance Kiah Randolph can Fans watch a game at Wilkes-Barre Memorial from the backyard Please see GAME, Page A5 justwalkoutthebackdoor,sitontheir deck of Anthony Gipson’s house on Corlear Street.

Investigators dig for pipe bomb motive WASHINGTON — Investigators searched coast-tocoast Thursday for the culprit and motives behind the bizarre mail-bomb plot aimed at critics of the president, analyzing the innards

of the crude devices to reveal whether they were intended to detonate or simply sow fear two weeks before Election Day. Three more devices were linked to the plot — two addressed to former Vice President Joe Biden and one to actor Robert De Niro — bringing the total to 10 in an

outbreak of politically loaded menace with little if any precedent. Authorities warned there might well be more.

Law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that the devices, containing timers and batteries, were not rigged like booby-trapped package bombs that would

explode upon opening. But they were still uncertain whether the devices were poorly designed or never intended to cause physical harm. A search of a postal database suggested at least some may have been mailed from Florida, one official said. Investigators are homing in on a postal facility in

Actor James Karen never forgot his roots Friend: W-B native always remembered where he first set foot on the stage.

BY ERIC MARK Staff WRIteR

James Karen, the wellknowncharacteractorandWilkes-Barre native who died at 94 this week, never forgot his roots, according to an old friend from the local theater world.

“I think it’s important that people realize he did not forget from whence he came,” said Walter Mitchell, director of development at Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre.

Karen, who appeared in films such as “Poltergeist,” “The China Syndrome,” “Wall Street,” “All the President’s Men” and “Return of the Living Dead,” discovered his love of performing at Little Theatre

when he was a student at Coughlin High School in the late 1930s, according to Mitchell.

Karen, who was born Jacob Karnofsky, loved to tell the story of how an enthusiastic amateur thespian named Dan Flood — later a long-time U.S. congressman — talked him into appearing on stage for the first time, Mitchell said.

Karen told that story during an interview with The Citizens’ Voice in 2013. He also spoke fondly of his time at the Little Theatre as a teenager.

“It was terrific for me,” he said. “It gave me a real reason to exist, and to live. I was doing exactly what I wanted to do.”

Rain tonight B8

Area’s Largest Purchaser Of Precious Metals

the cItIzeNS’ voIce fIle

James Karen, left, and his wife, Alba Francesca, standing, chat with Catherine Flood and former congressman Dan Flood during the 65th anniversary celebration of the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre in 1988.

Karen left the area in the continued into his 90s.

1940s and launched a sucPlease see KAREN, Page A5 cessful acting career that

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BREAking nEWS, viDEOS, BlOgS AnD mORE AT ciTizEnSvOicE.cOm © 2018 The Citizens’ Voice

BY KENT JACKSON Staff WRIteR

Crestwood schools will reopen today with a two-hour delay after being closed for two days while bus drivers updated their criminal background checks.

State auditors discovered some of the background checks weren’t current, leading the Crestwood School District to close Wednesday and Thursday and cancel a contract with its school bus provider, effective in February 2019.

Rinehimer School Bus of Slocum Twp. has a contract with Crestwood, but the school board decided to end it early.

“Their duty was to make sure every driver was qualified through the state mandate.

That didn’t happen. The contract said if they can’t provide transportation, we can terminate,” board President Bill Jones said.

During the next three months, the board can ask companies for proposals to provide bus service.

Jones said several firms are interested and will have drivers, but also might extend jobs to current drivers. There is a possibility, he said, that the board might let Rinehimer reapply.

Scott Henry, owner of Rinehimer School Bus, didn’t return a telephone message.

State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale on Wednesday said school administrators and the board have the ultimate responsibility to ensure that drivers are certified, although bus companies should make certain as well.

DePasquale used Crestwood as an example when advising

Dave ScheRbeNco / Staff PhotogRaPheR

BY MICHAEL BALSAMO, COLLEEN LONG AND ZEKE MILLER aSSocIateD PReSS

Classes resume today with delay as background checks for drivers are updated.

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GAME: Deck seats ‘are the best seats in town’ FROM PAGE A1

While Gipson and Randolph occupy one side of the double-block residence, four of his friends live on the other side. It makes for some easy watching.

“Every single week I have been doing it for my buddies,” Gipson said of making the deck available when games are being played. “It’s been every week for the last four of five years.”

The seats offer much more than a view of the game.

JOSH REPLOGLE / ASSOCIATED PRESS There are times when you DAVE SCHERBENCO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Postal service police screen employees entering the Royal Palm processing and can see the group on the deck Taking in a recent game from the deck were, from left, Distribution Center on Thursday in Opa-locka, Fla. talking with the officials, Greg Skrepenak, David Nargoski, Doug Richards and cheering on their favorite Doug Pape. team and generally having a good time. more.”

‘Every single week offered “They are the best seats in Instead, Gipson is expectI have been doing ing about 30 friends for Sattown,” Gipson said. “The game. environment is great. The it for my buddies. urday’s FROM PAGE A1 Gipson said they will be refs are funny. Usually you grilling up some barbecue only see them throwing flags It’s been every hot dogs and hamNew details about the or getting yelled at. It’s great week for the last chicken, devices came as the four-day burgers. He also said that one to see them interact with us. mail-bomb scare spread They talk about everything.” four of five years.’ of his friends will be bringing over some crab macaroni nationwide, drawing investiWhile fans who were ANTHONY GIPSON and cheese. gators from dozens of federunable to get a ticket for SatWilkes-Barre resident “The more the merrier as al, state and local agencies in urday’s game and those long as everybody has a good the effort to identify one or crammed into the bleachers more perpetrators. will be envious of Gipson’s offered me $50 to use my time,” Gipson said. “We have The targets have included setup, there was one fan who backyard and deck for the people walk by the house all former President Barack thought ahead and asked if last Meyers and GAR game. the time but nobody has just Obama, Hillary Clinton, the space was for rent.

He said I could come if I come in and asked to sit on CNN and Re p. Maxine “I don’t want to name the wanted to. I guess he wanted the deck. I’m sure that will Waters of California. The man, but one Wednesday to have him and his friends change Saturday.” common thread among them night our doorbell rings at over for the game himself. I Contact the writer: was obvious: critical words 10:30,” Gipson said. “It was told him that the deck is not sbennett@citizensvoice.com for Donald Trump and freone of the most odd things I up for rent. Personally, I 570 821-2062 quent, harsher criticism in have ever experienced. He thought he should have @CVSteveBennett return.

At a press conference Thursday, officials in New York would not discuss possible motives, or details on how MARK LENNIHAN / ASSOCIATED PRESS the packages found their way A member of the New York National Guard watches as into the U.S. postal system. commuters walk through the World Trade Center Nor would they say why Transportation Hub on Thursday in New York. none of the packages had raid shined a light on the doc- abortion waiting periods and Discoveries inside detonated, but they stressed practice. Some say it performing illegal late-term The list of bombing tar- going to do to someone else. house of horrors led tor’s they were still treating them gets spread from New York, And some people like to relshould be demolished to erase abortions. He was convicted of to murder charges. the physical reminders, while three first-degree murder as “live devices.”

Delaware and Washington, ish that,” he said.

“As far as a hoax device, D.C., to Florida and Califorothers say it should be saved charges and one manslaughter The new packages discovASSOCIATED PRESS we’re not treating it that nia. because of architectural signif- charge related to the deaths of ered Thursday set off a new PHILADELPHIA — Phila- icance. one woman after a botched way,” said Police CommisThe explosive devices wave of alarm. sioner James O’Neill.

Investigators acting on nar- abortion and several of the viawere packed in envelopes A retired New York police delphia has begun the process Details suggested a pattern with bubble-wrap interiors detective working in security to auction off the site of a for- cotics-related tips raided the ble fetuses.

Gosnell had been a well— that the items were pack- bearing six American flag in De Niro’s Manhattan mer clinic where now-impris- west Philadelphia building in known physician, making aged in manila envelopes, stamps and the retur n office called police after see- oned doctor Kermit Gosnell 2010. addressed to prominent address of Florida Rep. Deb- ing images of a package performed illegal late-term A grand jury produced a house calls and opening a clinTrump critics and carried bie Wasserman Schultz, the bomb sent to CNN and recall- abortions. more than 200-page report on ic where few physicians pracThe city is seeking to use a the horrors inside. Sedated ticed. Authorities say Gosnell U.S. postage stamps. The former chairwoman of the ing a similar packa g e devices were being examined Democratic National Com- addressed to the actor, offi- sheriff ’s auction to recoup women were found lying on was known to perform proceabout $50,000 in delinquent tax- dirty recliners covered in dures for immigrants and othby technicians at the FBI’s mittee. cials said. forensic lab in Quantico, VirThe bombs seized WednesThe packages addressed to es, with a sale possible as soon blood-stained blankets. A flea- ers who had issues getting ginia. day were about six inches Biden were intercepted at as early 2019, Philly.com report- ridden feral cat roamed the access to abortions or who had The packages stoked long and packed with powder Delaware mail facilities in ed Thursday. hallway where investigators passed the stage in their pregThe proceedings were initi- stepped over animal feces to nancies where other doctors nationwide tensions and and broken glass, according New Castle and Wilmington, fears as voters prepared to to a law enforcement official according to a law enforce- ated earlier this year. Gosnell, climb the stairs in the build- would perform the procedure.

Some experts who deal with vote Nov. 6 to determine par- who viewed X-ray images. ment official who, like oth- who is serving a prison sen- ing. tisan control of Congress — The official said the devices ers, wasn’t authorized to dis- tence of life without the possiFetuses were found in con- removing stigma from propera campaign both parties have were made from PVC pipe cuss the investigation and bility of parole, or someone on tainers all over the building, ties where crimes, deaths and described in near-apocalyp- and covered with black tape. spoke on condition of ano- his behalf, will have the chance including some that investiga- suicides happen, said owners to object to the sale at a hearing tors had determined had been have an easier time selling and tic terms. Even with the At the New York briefing, nymity. sender still unknown, politi- authorities confirmed that at viable births. Medical examin- developing commercial propLike earlier targets, both Nov. 27.

Community members and ers said there were signs of erties because no one has to cians from both parties used least some of the packages Biden and De Niro have the threats to decry a toxic were distributed through the been sharply critical of neighbors have mixed feelings incisions and severed spinal sleep there or live with the ghost of past events. Some political climate and lay U.S. mail, and cautioned that Trump. The actor dropped about what should happen to cords. blame.

Gosnell was charged with community members, howevthere could be additional an expletive insult at Trump the building, which stirs deep “A very big part of the devices in the postal system. at this year’s Tony Awards emotions in some who lived in hundreds of counts of violat- er, have their doubts the buildAnger we see today in our They said investigators and also apologized to Cana- the neighborhood when a 2010 ing state requirements on ing’s history can be erased. society is caused by the pur- searching for more suspi- dians for the “idiotic behavposely false and inaccurate cious parcels had not found ior of my president.” Biden reporting of the Mainstream any during the previous said last week that the presiMedia that I refer to as Fake eight hours. dent may not “know what News,” Trump said on TwitDavid Chipman, a retired he’s doing” and coddles dicter. “It has gotten so bad and federal ATF agent and now tators. hateful that it is beyond senior policy adviser for the Trump has called Biden description. Mainstream Giffords Center, said the “Crazy Joe” and “mentally

BY BRET PALLOTTO bill on the counter. while she stayed in the vehiMedia must clean up its act, details revealed telltale signs weak.”

CENTRE DAILY TIMES Patton Twp. police eventu- cle. She would then drive the FAST!” that could help guide investiOn Thursday, during a Three women were arrest- ally stopped a Chevrolet Mal- women from store to store to Former CIA Director John gators. campaign trip to suburban Brennan, the target of a The tape on the pipe is “an Buffalo, Biden said: “We’ve ed Oct. 19 for using counter- ibu driven by Samantha Kal- repeat the process.

Kalson was charged with package sent to CNN, fired investigator’s dream,” he got to get off this hate feit $100 bills to make pur- son, 28, of Wilkes-Barre, with back. said, recalling a case in Tex- machine. We’ve got to come chases at about 10 State Col- Marshall, Markessa Cole- 10 felony counts of conspiralege retail stores, according man and two other women cy to commit forgery and 10 “Stop blaming others. as that was solved because together.” misdemeanors. Both Coleinside.

Look in the mirror,” Bren- the fibers on the tape were The packages were “clear- to State College police.

An AutoZone employee at After police searched the man and Marshall were nan tweeted. “Your inflam- traced to the bomber’s dog. ly an effort to terrorize peomatory rhetoric, insults, lies, He said bombers tend to plot ple politically, to choose peo- State College alerted a co- vehicle, they found a book charged with one felony & encouragement of physi- methodically. ple for political purposes and worker that Nahciera Mar- containing counterfeit $100 count of conspiracy to comcal violence are disgraceful.

“This is someone sitting attack them because of their shall, 19, of Wilkes-Barre, bills and numerous receipts. mit forgery and one misdeOne of the receipts was meanor.

Clean up your act....try to act down and spending time beliefs,” New York City May- may try to make a purchase All three were arraigned using a counterfeit $100 from Ross, which is where Presidential.” thinking about what they’re or Bill de Blasio said. because she had done so pre- Coleman, 25, of Irvington, by District Judge Kelley Gilviously.

New Jersey, made a purchase lette-Walker, who denied During the transaction, for $44.97 with a counterfeit them bail because the trio the employee told Marshall $100 bill and received $55.03 was allegedly operating a celebration in 1988, and often FROM PAGE A1 “multi-county criminal orga“He was affable, outgoing, he had to obtain a counter- in change. contacted old theater col- generous with his time, feit marker from the back Police said Kalson would nization.”

All charges were forwardHe appeared in Broadway leagues on his trips home, unlike some actors who of the store. Marshall then give the women counterfeit productions, amassed more according to Mitchell. become full of themselves,” fled the store and left the bills to make purchases ed for prosecution. than 200 film and television “He was a good friend of Mitchell said. “He was down credits, and was well-known the theater for many years,” to earth and had a great from a series of commercials Mitchell said. “He would sense of humor.” for the Pathmark supermar- check in with us to see how Five years ago, Karen Pictures at Village Pet! ket chain. we were doing.” spoke about his long career But even as a busy actor Articles published after that began on a community ALL PROCEEDS BENEFITS RESCUE WARRIORS working in New York and Cali- Karen’s death at his Los theater stage in WilkesCASH OR fornia, Karen often came home Angeles home on Tuesday Barre.

CHECK ONLY to Wilkes-Barre to visit family noted that his face and voice “I like to work, and I’ve PETS AND HUMANS OF ALL AGES WELCOME! and friends, Mitchell said. were better-known than his had a good time of it,” he ALL PETS MUST BE ON A LEASH, NO AGGRESSIVE PETS. And he never forgot where name. said. he first set foot on stage.

Mitchell said that never Contact the writer: OCTOBER 28TH • 10 AM - 3 PM Karen attended the Little bothered Karen, who did not emark@citizensvoice.com Theatre’s 65th anniversary let his success go to his head. 570-821-2117 Village Pet Luzerne, 490 Union Street

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Star Wars Halloween

$10 each pic

COVER S

Whe Ma

Rocket, Qad

BY STEVE BENNETT STAFF WRITER

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES

G8 OCTOBER 26, 2018 THE CITIZENS' VOICE WB_VOICE/SPECIAL_SECTION/PAGES [G08-09] | 10/24/18

22:53 | CONNORSSTE

When they came to Wilkes-Barre in 1982, Meyers High School was as much of a mystery to Rocket and Qadry Ismail as the Ismail brothers were to Meyers.

Coming from Newark, New Jersey, the Ismail brothers were looking to find a better way of life and set the foundation for a future they had no idea where it would take them.

On Saturday, Rocket and Qadry Ismail will return to Wilkes-Barre, this time to celebrate the final game of the storied rivalry between Meyers and GAR. “I was 11 years old at the time we came to Wilkes-Barre,” Rocket said. “We moved in with my 77-year-old grandmother. She kept us in check.”

They learned to love the game of football from what they watched on television. Just dreaming of one day being able to do what their heroes were doing on the screen in front of them.

“I never saw artificial turf before,” Qadry said. “I had heard of this place called Meyers.

There was a football game one Friday night and I went with one of my friends. The next thing you know we are on the turf. I was in heaven. I never saw artificial turf before. All of a sudden this coach comes over to us, it was Mickey Gorham. I’m thinking we are in so much trouble, and he asks us what we are doing. He told us to come back the next Friday and that we are going to be on the bus and on the sideline. I was in eighth grade and I was with James Fonzo. The next week I got on the bus and went to Wyoming Area.”

As it turned out, that was the beginning of

two o caree Ro Moha him t a sta Moha ing p own i “I right was s scrim broke hand from turf b Mem “Th at Wy They off ta amaz was e hamm my h rep th Physi didn’ cup it chest Wh durin Rock boun back their ry wi

STORY

ere Legends ade Their Mark

dry Ismail look back on time playing for Meyers

of the most dynamic high school football ers in the history of Meyers High School. ocket was too old to play for the Mini awks, missing the age cutoff. That sent to the Meyers freshman team. Qadry was ar in the making playing for the Mini awks, scoring touchdowns at an eye-openace. All the while, Rocket was having his issues. was so small, I couldn’t hold the ball t,” Rocket said. “Even though I was fast, I seventh-grade fast. I remember our first mmage, I got the ball on a pitch and I e free, but the ball started bobbling in my d, and that slowed me down. A guy got me behind and that was the first time I got burn on the famous turf of Wilkes-Barre morial Stadium. he first game that year we were playing yoming Area on a Saturday morning. y put me in the backfield and gave me an ackle play. It was one second I see this zing light and a hole. The next second I eclipsed by eternal darkness and sledge mers hitting me. The ball popped out of hands. It went 10 yards in the air. I got the hat he is fast, but he fumbles all the time. ically, it was going to happen. But the ball ’t fit where the forearm and where you t with your hand and hold it next to your t. That didn’t work for me.” hile they created long-lasting memories ng their time with the Mohawks, with ket rushing for 4,333 yards and Qadry ncing back between wide receiver and full, there are two games that stick out in memories the most, aside from the rivalith GAR.

And they were both against Dallas.

The first came during their junior season in 1986. Actually, the stage was set a week prior to the game when a group of football players from Meyers decided to go out and watch Dallas play on a Saturday afternoon to get a live look at the upcoming opponent.

“So we roll up to Dallas and we are wearing our polyester Meyers football jackets, there was a bunch of us,” Qadry said. “Dallas was playing of all teams, GAR. So we’re sitting on the GAR side for a bit and we decide to walk around. We ended up walking over on the Dallas side.”

That’s when it started.

“They knew we were there,” Rocket said of the Dallas faithful. “I don’t know if it was the student section, the band or the fans, but they all started chanting ‘Dallas wants Meyers.’ It’s getting louder and louder. So we get in the car and figure out a way to use that against them.”

It made for an eventful Friday night at Wilkes-Barre Memorial the following week.

“Mickey Gorham was a phenomenal motivator,” Qadry said. “He starts talking about what we need to do and how they don’t respect us. He told us that if Dallas wants us, we are going to give it to them. The whole locker room erupts. So we are waiting to leave the locker room and one dude looks out the peephole and sees Dallas is leaving the locker room. We just burst through the doors chanting ‘Dallas wants Meyers.’ We got two feet from them. It would have been a brawl, but their coaches started dividing us and then our coaches jumped in.”

Meyers ended up winning the game, 32-14, setting up for an even more interesting

rematch the following year at Mountaineer Stadium.

As legend goes, the keys to the lawn mower at Dallas suddenly went missing. There was nobody that was in too big of a hurry to find them.

“That was a game of legend,” Qadry said.

“I’ve had guys tell me that not only did they water the grass down, but they let it grow higher. It was all wet on our sideline and their sideline was dry.”

In the first half, Rocket estimates he rushed for 4 yards.

“That game my senior year got heat because of what happened the year before,” Rocket said. “We were getting all the press and nobody was predicting us to lose. Dallas was able to think of a way to brilliantly negate that. They essentially grew the grass where it was so long it couldn’t stand up straight. It had that curl over. At some points I couldn’t even see my shoes.”

Dallas won the game, 21-8.

“Four years after that game I’m back home at the Odyssey working out,” Qadry said.

“One dude comes up to me and asks me how I’m doing. Then he says to me, ‘You know the Dallas game, I was one of the guys who helped water down the field. I was told we needed to slow you and your brother down.’”

It was at Meyers where Raghib Ismail became the Rocket and Qadry launched a career that led him to a Super Bowl championship and an opportunity to return to the school and present it was a ceremonial golden football.

Wilkes-Barre proved to be a city that embraced them and made them two of its own.

“Thereisnotjustonethingthatsticksouttome

about Meyers and Wilkes-Barre,” Rocket said. “It is everything. It was the opportunity to go there. It was getting ready to take the SAT and everybody who helped me. It was the people who showed up at our front door with groceries and bags of clothes, and somebody giving me and my brother a couple of dollars to go to Burger King after a game with the rest of the team. It is the people.

They were all a part of it. Meyers is central in all of that. Everything about it stands out.”

After graduating from Meyers, Rocket went on to be one of the most electrifying college football players during his career at Notre Dame that eventually brought him to the CFL and the NFL. Qadry went to Syracuse, where he finally settled in at wide receiver after playing fullback in high school blocking for his brother. Qadry is also the only player from the Wyoming Valley Conference to play on a Super Bowl-winning team.

On Saturday, they will walk into WilkesBarre Memorial Stadium to watch a chapter they were such a big part of come to an end.

“Going into that stadium as an honorary captain brings on another level of responsibility,” Qadry said. “It is a time for the players and it is a special moment. There will be memories. Like the time Mickey Gorham got us a police escort to play at Valley West. It’s maybe three miles to Valley West, but that ride felt like 10 miles to me. Of all the police escorts I have been involved in when I was in college and the NFL, nothing compares to that day. It was just so magical. I just want everyone to enjoy the day.

“Make the last one the best one.”

Contact the writer: sbennett@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2062; @CVSteveBennett on Twitter

THE CITIZENS' VOICE OCTOBER 26, 2018 G9 WB_VOICE/SPECIAL_SECTION/PAGES [G08-09] | 10/24/18

22:53 | CONNORSSTE

WB_VOICE/PAGES [B01] | 10/27/18

22:51 | MALUSOANTH

tHE CItIzEns’ VOICE

Sports SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018

RIVALS NO MORE

Christopher Dolan / staff photographer

Meyers and GAR players shake hands after the coin toss before the last Meyers-GAR rivalry game on Saturday.

Meyers beats GAR in final matchup

BY STEVE BENNETT staff Writer

WILKES-BARRE — The end.

The storied rivalry between GAR and Meyers came to a close on Saturday afternoon at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium under dark clouds with rain, heavy at times. It was a fitting end to the 87 years of two football programs leaving everything they have on the 100 yards it takes to navigate a football field.

And it was Meyers running back Kevin Dessoye who put the period on the final chapter of the final sentence in a 21-14 Meyers victory. He picked up three yards, which was enough for a first down, with just enough time on the clock where the final two plays in the history of Meyers football were quarterback Talee Swinney taking a knee and

running out the final 1:44 that secured the Meyers win.

Dessoye carried the ball eight times in a nine-play drive culminated by a first-down run to the GAR 24 before the Mohawks could run out the remaining time on the clock.

“I told them to keep feeding me, we had to run the ball and the holes were there,” said Dessoye, who finished the day with 106 yards rushing and a touchdown. “The line did a great job, they were making some great blocks.”

GAR — which finished the regular season 1-9, but will still advance to the Class 3A district playoffs — gave the Mohawks all they could handle, and even after Darrian Tysons’s 78-yard touchdown run put Meyers up 6-0 early in the second quarter, the Grenadiers fought back.

Please see WIN, Page B9

Players look toward future as one program

BY TONY MALUSO sports eDitor

WILKES-BARRE — Following Meyers’ 21-14 win in the final edition of its storied rivalry with GAR, Meyers junior offensive lineman Josh Jones walked through the postgame handshake line, taking the time to hug many of the Grenadiers that met him around midfield.

“It’s all family and friends,” Jones said. “We’re all best friends off the field. We hit each other for 48 minutes and then we go back to being best friends. That’s what it’s about.”

The friends from the other side Jones embraced, they were his opponents on Saturday. But the next time he shares a field with many of the GAR players, they’ll be teammates.

Next year, the two programs, along with Coughlin, will merge to form the Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack.

After decades of existing as three separate factions, Wilkes-Barre will be one.

“I like it. We’re all mainly friends, so we’re going to work great as a team,” Jones said. “I think we’re going to be so much better as a team. We’ll work great together.”

After the final whistle blew, while the Mohawks were raising the game’s trophy high in celebration for the final time and the Grenadiers were shedding emotions after pouring everything they had into this final game, some of the rivalry’s most prominent alumni ushered in the new era.

Please see FUTURE, Page B9

INSIDE: for more photos from saturday’s final Meyers-gar rivalry game, see Page B8.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Penn State escapes Iowa with late stands

BY RALPH D. RUSSO assoCiateD press

STATE COLLEGE — Nick Scott intercepted a pass to thwart Iowa at the Penn State 2 with 3:18 left and the No. 17 Nittany Lions held on to avoid a third straight home loss with a 30-24 victory Saturday over the No. 18 Hawkeyes.

Penn State (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) needed one last defensive stand to hold off Iowa (6-2, 3-2), which drove to the Nittany Lions 44 with less than a minute left.

On fourth-and-10 with 7 seconds left, Penn State’s pass rush swarmed Nate Stanley, who flipped backward to offensive tackle T r i s t a n Wi r f s. T h e

300-pounder rumbled 15 yards before being dragged down with no time left.

It was a fitting end to an odd game with little sustained offense on a chilly and rainy day. Iowa scored two safeties and a touchdown pass by punter Colten Rastetter to defensive tackle Sam Brincks on a faked field goal in the first half, and got a pick-six in the second half. Penn State played three series in the second quarter without starting quarterback Trace McSorley.

“Gutsy win,” Penn State coach James Franklin said.

“It was a beautiful day in Happy Valley, I would describe it.”

Defense shines

M

aybe the ultimate irony is that even Penn State’s defense feared it had found another way to blow a game.

A defensive end with a bead on a defenseless quarterback. The time winding down.

The end of the game and inarguDONNIE ably the NitCOLLINS tany Lions’ Commentary biggest win of the season in sight.

Then there went an Iowa offensive lineman, with the ball, up the field.

Chris Knight / assoCiateD press It worked out well for Penn Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley runs up the State, of course. Defensive end middle against Iowa on Saturday.

Shareef Miller’s crushing hit

on Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley might not get remembered as a sack, and the ball offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs somehow picked out of midair and returned desperately upfield will go down as a near-heartattack-inducing play for Penn State players and fans alike. But in the end, the Nittany Lions got to celebrate the end of a wacky 30-24 win over the No. 18 Hawkeyes at Beaver Stadium.

“All I know is, when I hit him, the guy I beat, he ended up with the ball,” a somewhat angered, somewhat confused Miller vented. “I don’t even know how. I’ve got to watch the film. They’re talking about, he pitched it.

I’m like, ‘There’s no way he pitched that.’”

Miller lay on the ground after Please see COLLINS, Page B6

WB_VOICE/PAGES [B08] | 10/27/18

22:33 | CONNORSSTE

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

B8 THE CITIZENS' VOICE

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018

Qadry Ismail presents the Backyard Brawl trophy to Meyers after the Mohawks defeated GAR in the final rivalry game on Saturday.

THE END OF AN ERA

Scenes from Saturday’s Meyers-GAR rivalry game PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER DOLAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

GAR students cheer on the Grenadiers during Saturday’s game.

GAR’s Malachi Williams hauls in a touchdown pass over Meyers’ Corey Brown.

GAR’s Rodsheen Ayer gestures after a Meyers pass was called incomplete.

Meyers’ Michael Horvath gestures toward the stands.

Meyers’ head coach Jeff Labatch, left, celebrates with Meyers athletic director Michael Namey after the game.

Meyers’ Kevin Dessoye says a prayer before the game.

Former GAR and Pittsburgh star Shakir Soto yells from GAR’s sideline.

WB_VOICE/PAGES [B09] | 10/27/18

23:05 | PICCOTTITY

SPORTS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018

THE CITIZENS' VOICE B9

Hershey takes shootout

BY TYLER PICCOTTI STAFF WRITER

Three times, the Hershey Bears erased a one-goal deficit on Saturday night at Giant Center.

And when the game eventually went to a shootout, they finally seized control in their favor.

Tristan Jarry made 35 stops for the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins, but Riley Barber and Shane Gersich beat him in the series of penalty shots to give Hershey a 4-3 win and the extra point.

After losing 10 of 12 matchups last season, the Bears have already taken two of three games against the Penguins in the first month.

The turning point

CHRISTOPHER DOLAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Meyers’ Nazir Dunell is brought down by GAR’s Curtis Smith during the final Meyers/GAR rivalry football game on Saturday.

WIN: Meyers gets victory in final rivalry game vs. GAR FROM PAGE B1

Malachi Williams hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass from Kam Taylor, and following the extra point, GAR took a 7-6 lead into the locker room at the half.

GAR coach Paul Wiedlich Jr., prior to the game, told his team that when all was said and done, look in the mirror because that would tell the story.

On the other side of the field, Meyers coach Jeff Labatch glanced briefly across the field and saw a packed Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium, only to wish he took a little bit more time to soak in the atmosphere.

“We talked about the ghosts of the past,” Wiedlich said. “I don’t think our kids will have a problem looking in the mirror. They left it all on the field. They played 48 minutes, we just came up a little short today.”

T hey came up shor t because Meyers put together three second half drives, with two of them resulting in touchdowns, and took significant time off the clock.

Dessoye capped an eightplay, 65-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. The next time the Mohawks had the ball, they ran 11 plays with Nazir Dunell punching one in from two yards out to

put the Mohawks up 21-7 with 10:34 left in the game.

“We went back-and-forth, we had some big plays and nice drives, but we couldn’t put them away,” Labatch said. “That is what you want out of this game. The fans really got a show. I looked across the field a couple of times in the stands but tried to block it all out. I wish I looked over there more.”

Meyers couldn’t put GAR away because the Grenadiers kept fighting back.

Following Dunell’s touchdown run, GAR put together a scoring drive of its own.

Williams hauled in an 8-yard touchdown pass from Taylor to make it 21-14 with 7:12 left.

And then it looked as if GAR got the break it needed.

The Grenadiers recovered a fumble on their own 30. But the drive stalled and GAR was forced to punt. Meyers took advantage of it, taking over on its own 25 with 5:41 left to play. With Dessoye getting the ball out of the backfield, he kept the chains and the clock moving, enough so he could run out enough time to not only bring an end to the game, but an end to the longest running rivalry the Wyoming Valley Conference has seen to date.

With the win, Meyers improved to 7-3 on the year

and will also head to the Class 3A district playoffs next week. But for the time being, Labatch was going to savor the victory.

“I don’t want to leave, I don’t know when I’m going to leave here,” Labatch said.

“I’m just glad we have the trophy. I’m glad we have the last one.”

GAR Meyers

0 0

7 6

0 8

7 — 14 7 — 21

Second quarter Mey - Tyson 78 run (kick failed), 6:19 GAR - Williams 6 pass from K.Tayler (Amigon kick), 3:17 Third quarter Mey - Dessoye 4 run (Tyson pass from Swinney), 7:12 Fourth quarter Mey - Dunell 2 run (Deutsch-Jones kick), 10:34 GAR - Williams 8 pass from K.Taylor (Amigon kick), 7:12

Team statistics

GAR Mey First Downs .........................................7 16 Rushing-Att-Yards........................21-5 51-373 Comp-Att-Int ............................. 8-17-1 2-7-0 Passing Yards ................................ 132 13 Total Yards...................................... 137 386 Punts-Average.............................0-0.0 0-0.0 Fumbles-Lost ..................................2-0 4-1 Penalties-Yards ............................5-35 10-52 Individual statistics

Rushing: GAR – J.Lomas 2-9; K.Taylor 8-1; T.Qualls 2-(-1); R.Ayer 9-(-4). Mey – D.Tyson 4-143, 1 TD; K.Dessoye 16-106, 1 TD; N.Dunell 16-88, 1 TD; C.Brown 4-43; R. Patronick 1-5; T.Swinney 8-(-10); Team - 2-(2).

Passing: GAR – K.Taylor 8-17-1, 132, 2 TDs. Mey – T.Swinney 2-7-0, 13.

Receiving: GAR – M.Williams 5-104, 2 TDs; T.Qualls 1-4; J.Lomas 1-18; R.Ayer 1-6.

Mey – T.Yelland 1-3; N.Dunell 1-10.

Contact the writer: sbennett@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2062; @CVSteveBennett on Twitter

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5-2-0-1) had to hold on for dear life just to get to overtime, killing off 24 seconds of 5-on-3 play and the ensuing man-advantage late in the third period.

Hershey’s Liam O’Brien thought he had given his team the lead, knocking the puck loose from Jarry and past the goal line. However, an official immediately waved it off citing an intent to signal the play dead.

Jarry made a couple more big stops in the next sequence and in the extra period, helping the Penguins earn one point.

AHL most in a game since March 20 of last season against Toronto. He’ll officially take the loss, but he received a well-deserved third-star nod.

■ Mike Sgarbossa might have used up all of his puck luck on one play, scoring after a dump-in by the Bears took a freak bounce toward the slot and caught Jarry out of position. That put Hershey (3-6-0-1) even at 1 in the second period, and he later added an assist as the No. 2 star.

■ Riley Barber scored the shootout winner, picking the top right corner of the net.

He also scored a tying goal late in the second period, earning him the game’s top honors.

Stat to know Penguins defenseman Ethan Prow continued his hot start to the season, scoring his third goal in the third period. That’s already only one tally off his career high set last season.

Lineup notes

■ The Penguins lost rookie Sam Miletic early in the second period after he took a hit along the boards from Connor Hobbs. He skated to the bench area under his own power, but was grimacing in pain.

After the game, radio broadcaster Nick Hart Three stars reported that head coach ■ Jarry’s 35 saves were his Clark Donatelli said the

rookie is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Miletic had six points (3G3G) entering the game.

■ Will O’Neill returned to the blue line after serving a one-game suspension on Friday.

The takeaway Jarry nearly stole this one for the Penguins, who were outshot by 17 and gave up way too many odd-man rushes and shorthanded opportunities. Hershey was deserving of the two points.

Looking at the bigger picture, losing Miletic for any extended period of time is a huge blow to the WilkesBarre/Scranton offense. He had emerged as one of its top playmakers in a variety of situations.

Up next Wilkes-Barre/Scranton faces the Hartford Wolf Pack for the first time this season, 7:05 p.m. Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Penguins Hershey

11100—3 02101—4

First period: Scoring - 1, WBS, Aston-Reese, 14:51. Penalties - WBS, Wilson, fighting 0:06; Her, O’Brien, fighting 0:06; WBS, Taylor, slashing 11:46; WBS, Trotman, slashing 15:16.

Second period: Scoring - 2, Her, Sgarbossa (Ness), 0:39; 3, WBS, Blueger (Angello, Taylor), 6:40; 4, Her, Barber (Sgarbossa, Johansen), 11:16 (SH).

Penalties - Her, Ness, slashing 10:05; Her, Whitney, hooking 12:46; WBS, Wilson, interference 15:00.

Third period: Scoring - 5, WBS, Prow (Johnson, Wilson), 3:11; 6, Her, Malenstyn (Whitney, Siegenthaler), 4:02. Penalties - Her, Gersich, hooking 9:28; WBS, Angello, slashing 13:07; WBS, Wilson, slashing 14:44.

Overtime: Scoring - None. Penalties - None.

Shootout: WBS, Aston-Reese no, Hayes no; Her, Sgarbossa no, Barber yes, Gersich yes.

Shots on goal: WBS 5 8 8 1 0 - 22; Her 13 9 10 6 1 - 39.

Goaltenders: WBS, Jarry (35 saves on 38 shots; 1 for 3 in shootout); Her, Samsonov (19 saves on 22 shots; 2 for 2 in shootout).

Power-play opportunities: WBS 0 for 3; Her 0 for 5.

Referees: Conor O’Donnell and Corey Syvret.

Linesmen: Jud Ritter and Matt McNulty.

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FUTURE: Saturday’s opponents will become teammates next season FROM PAGE B1

The six former players selected as honorary captains — Harold Jackson, Greg Skrepenak and Shakir Soto for GAR and Rocket Ismail, Qadry Ismail and Mickey Dudish for Meyers — put on the new black and light blue jerseys of the Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack.

“I’m blessed to be able to be here at the beginning,” said Rocket Ismail, a 1988 Meyers graduate who went on to fame playing at Notre Dame. “You’re seeing a new generation. You’re seeing at times what we dreamed about when we were younger. What would it be if Meyers, GAR, Coughlin was one team? What would that be like? To see the beginning of that, even though it’s the end of something that was powerful in my life and in the lives of everyone in our community, moving forward together is a beautiful thing and I’m thankful to be able to be here to experience it.”

For Meyers junior Kevin

Kaskey, the new Wolfpack jerseys are a symbol of bringing the community together.

“Seeing those jerseys, what it means to me is coming together as a unit,” Kaskey said. “We’re going to have to take it step by step.

We’re all going to have to reearn our positions, re-earn our jerseys, our numbers.

We’re going to come together as a unit, get that unity, that togetherness and hopefully we can make it work.”

Andrew Brooks is a sophomore lineman for GAR. While he admitted it was emotional to play GAR’s final game, and there’s bound to be growing pains going forward, he’s looking forward to what one Wilkes-Barre team can do next season.

“At first it’s going to be kind of difficult, but at the end of it, we’re all going to be a family, all around no matter what. We’re going to be better next year, we’re going to take over. All the hard battles and struggles, we’re going to do it better next year.”

Malachi Williams, a GAR junior, already is looking at a few potential teammates he’s looking to share a sideline with after years of battling against each other.

“It’s going to be cool. I like it. Everybody just battling and we’ll see what happens next year,” Williams said.

“There’s a couple guys from Coughlin, a couple from Meyers. I like it. It’s going to be cool, going to be nice.”

“It’s going to be the best,” Brooks added. “Everyone coming together as one.

There’s going to be a lot of competition, a lot of good skill.”

Kaskey agreed that next year is bound to be something special.

“Most of GAR’s team, I’m good friends with a lot of people on their team,” Kaskey said. “It’s the best. Coming together as a team, I can’t even put it into words. It’s going to be crazy.”

Contact the writer: amaluso@citizensvoice.com; 570-301-2181; @TonyCVSports on Twitter

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