Boxing

Former Phoenixville Area Police Athletic League (PAL) professional junior middleweight boxer Harry Joe Yorgey of Bridgeport won the biggest fight of his career Saturday night at a casino in Miami, Oklahoma.
Yorgey stayed undefeated with a ninth-round knockout of Ronald Hearns, who was also undefeated and is the son of former pro star Thomas Hearns. Yorgey knocked Hearns to the canvas three times during the fight, that was televised live on Showbox.
Yorgey won a belt for the fight and looks to move up higher on the worldwide boxing rankings.
Yorgey formerly trained with Jim Deoria and John Mulvenna at the Phoenixville Civic Center on Main Street. He is now trained by Henry Racich.
Yorgey, now 31, is married and he and his wife have four children.

Phoenixville’s baseball team has started the 2009 season with a 1-1 record.

After starting the year with a 15-4 non-league loss to West Chester Henderson Friday afternoon at “Doc” Kennedy Field, the Phantoms won their Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC-10) opener Monday afternoon, 5-4, over Pottstown at Bobby Shantz Field in Pottstown.
Coach Jack Sturgeon is assisted by Rob Huston and Craig Jeffers with the Phantoms, who visit Pottsgrove Wednesday and host five-time defending league champion Boyertown Friday in the first of their busy, regular three-game weeks of games.
The three-game weeks are going to make pitching an even greater commodity this year than it already is anyway. Phoenixville will rely heavily on juniors Devon Landis and Jeremy Burgess with their experience on the mound. Left-handed veteran Jake Waller is sidelined until Senior American Legion season with a broken ankle. The legion season starts at the end of May around Memorial Day.
The younger pitchers will be looked upon to improve as they receive more game experience to contribute more depth to the staff..
PAC-10 baseball will also have its first-ever Final Four playoff this year, like some of the other sports do. It is particularly big for boys and girls basketball during the winter months.
The Phantoms look solid defensively in the infield with Burgess and Jon Wheel at third base, Thomas Romano at shortstop, Cal Milano at second base and John Wieland at first base. Derek “Duck” Ryan is a solid catcher.
In the outfield are Andrew Ewing in center, Sam McQuiston in right and Matt Cohen in left. That is also a solid defensive group.
Wieland and Ewing are the only two seniors on an essentially young squad.
Besides league play, Phoenixville also has its eye on the District 1 Class AAA playoffs.

The Phoenixville girls softball team is off to a 2-0 start for the 2009 season.

The Phantoms, coached by Joe Bogus and Dave Devlin, defeated West Chester Henderson, 11-9, in a non-league season opener Friday afternoon. Then came a 10-0 victory to open the Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC-10) season Monday at home against Pottstown.
The Phantoms have a mixture of experience and youth and should do well throughout the season.
Senior second baseman Miranda Peto, senior third baseman Ruth Jasienski and senior catcher Kacie Nemeth are veteran leaders for the Phantoms along with junior pitcher/outfielder Molly Ferguson. Nemeth will also be doing some pitching this year, and both she and Ferguson are left-handers.
The speedy Peto has homered to lead off the first inning in both Phoenixville contests. She went 3-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and four RBI against the Trojans.
The Phantoms started junior Kate Kelly at first base and freshman Chandler DiFebbo at shortstop.
The outfield has two juniors and one sophomore with Lauren Granese in center, Jen Rutherford in right and Laura Gronski in left.
The Phantom players are able to play several positions, which enhances the depth and strength of the ballclub.
Junior starter Kelly Foedinger is recovering from an injured back. Other reserve players include Lindsay Waller, Hillary Viola and Courtney Wieland.
Phoenixville hosts Pottsgrove Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m.

Spring Means Tennis

Spring sports officially begins this week with tennis matches starting off first and then most all sports in action on Friday, March 20 and thereafter throughout the spring months.
Spring is a busy time in sports with boys tennis, boys and girls track & field, baseball, softball and boys and girls lacrosse.
They play several times per week and also have practice sessions to keep them busy. Practice started Monday, March 2, although that was the day of the 8-inch snowstorm that hit the area. However, by the end of the week the snow was gone and teams have been practicing regularly to prepare for their seasons ever since that early delay.
Rainy weather and wet grounds often hampers spring sports, but athletic directors and coaches do their best to keep youngsters active. Postponements especially hurt teams with younger players who do not have as much experience and need the time on the fields, courts and tracks in order to improve their skills.

Phoenixville’s boys basketball team

Phoenixville’s boys basketball team captured the 2008-09 PIAA District 1 Class AAA championship Saturday night with a 56-55 overtime victory over Strath Haven at The Pavilion on the campus of Villanova University.
The Phantoms (21-5) captured the school’s second-ever district title and first since 1998.
Head coach Bill Detweiler is assisted by coaches Lou Brignola, G.T. Pufko, Bruce MacLelland Jr. and freshman coaches Ken Winston and Charles Thompson.
Phoenixville, which was the top seed in the tournament, received its championship trophy as well as individual gold medals for its efforts. The Phantoms will now start the PIAA playoffs Friday night at Norristown High School at 7:30 p.m. against Archbishop Carroll, the third-place team from District 12 (Philadelphia’s Catholic League).
The Phantoms have been led in scoring by 6-foot-6 senior center Greg Peters, who has both an inside and outside game. He scored 21 points against Strath Haven and is averaging 12 points per game for the season. Peters is also the team’s top rebounder at eight per game and is also an adept shot blocker.
Senior point guard Yusuf Brown is averaging 11 points per game and is counted upon for top defense and ballhandling as well as his scoring output. So is junior guard Corey Gordon.
Junior forward Harrison Deyo suffered a broken tibia in the second quarter and is lost for the season. But he has been a valuable asset all season long. So have junior forwards Jamie Hennessy and Mike Matson, who are scrappy role players.
The Phantoms have relied on balanced scoring as well as tight defense, combining man-to-man and zone alignments, in order to be successful.