Date: Wed 29-Mar-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: KIMH

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Newtown-Power-Vball-Champ

Full Text:

Newtown Power Wins Second Straight Volleyball Title

B Y K IM J. H ARMON

Newtown Power Equipment seemed to have it all heading into the finals of the

Parks and Recreation Power Division volleyball championship - the momentum of

a regular season win over Fico's Painting, a deep bench, and a big hammer on

the front line.

What Newtown Power, the defending champion, didn't have, though, was an easy

time of it.

" The keys at the end were, " according to NPE captain Bob Martin, " we had

eight players and we were able to wear (Fico's) down a little bit because they

had to play six all night. We were able to rotate and sub and we were tired,

so I know they were tired. "

Newtown Power and Fico's each eased through two-game sweeps in the

semi-finals, though Fico's seemed to get through it's preliminary much quicker

and easier. But a half hour after the semis ended, the top two seeds in the

Power Division entered the battle zone.

Fico's - undefeated until the final week of the season - needed, with its lack

of depth, to get off strong and try to put Newtown Power away in two games.

And Fico's didn't lack for incentive. Other than the pure desire to win,

Newtown Power was the team that knocked off Fico's last year after Fico's had

won the previous two division championships.

" I figured if we had all eight or nine of our people here we'd be able to

play them, " said Martin, " because we had too many bodies and we'd be able to

wear them down. "

While Newtown Power did everything by the numbers, Fico's scrambled like a

starving man at a banquet table and actually crafted a 13-10 lead late in the

game off the front line strength of Brian Bronski, Ray Fico, and Tim Morrell.

They had to fight mighty hard to get themselves to 14, but with the serve and

game-point on the line, it all slipped away.

Newtown Power scored the next three to take the 15-14 lead and after a little

tussling the score was tied up, 16-16. Newtown Power then spiked and dinked

its way to the 18-16 win.

With the momentum of that win, Newtown Power exploded to a 9-1 lead in Game 2,

with Carl Fagerholm pounding one ball after another into the gaps in Fico's

defense. But after a critical time out, Fico's regained some of its strength

and inner resolve. It wasn't long before the score was tied at 9-9 and wasn't

long after that when Fico's took its first lead, 11-10.

Fico's fought for a 14-12 lead - the same position it had been in just 20

minutes before - but a long spike by Fagerholm that sailed past the end line

handed Fico's the Game 2 win.

FIco's had the momentum and built up an early 5-0 lead, but the team's gas

tank was running on empty at that point. Newtown Power, which was able to

filter people in and out throughout the set, took hold of the match. NPE

quickly tied up the match, 5-5, then rolled off 10 more unanswered points to

secure the championship.

" With these guys, " said Martin, " it's whoever gets the momentum. In the

first game we had momentum, so we stayed in, and in the second game they came

back and got that momentum. In the third game I thought we were going to lose

it, because we were down early. "

Final Standings

Fico's Painting 9-1 (27)

Newtown Power 9-1 (25)

K's Korner 6-4 (16)

Dinks 4-6 (12)

Castle Hill 1-9 (05)

Svanda's 1-9 (05)

Records and sets won

Recreation Division

Undefeated Newtown Septic was led by the net play of Mike Oberstadt and the

setting of Marty Stowe in a 3-0 (15-6, 15-8, 15-8) win over Sandy Hook

Volunteer Fire Department.

With the spiking of Rich Regan and the serving of Brian Kean, 100 Church Hill

Spikers was able to defeat Pros & Cons 2-1 (5-15, 15-13, 15-9).

The Untouchables moved past three teams into first place in the Recreation

Division with 2-1 victories over the Deadly Dinks (12-15, 15-6, 15-9) and the

Malibu Maulers (15-12, 3-15, 16-14). The all-around play of Kevin Baugart and

the setting of Suzanne Davenport were the keys.

The Sniveling Weasels upended the Malibu Maulers, 2-1 (15-4, 5-15, 16-14), and

swept Newtown Exxon, 3-0 (15-5, 15-7, 15-6) to remain unbeaten at 5-0 and in

second place behind the equally unbeaten Newtown Septic (6-0). Steve Sumple

and Patti Powers played well.

Current Standings

Newtown Septic 6-0 (18)

Sniveling Wsls 5-0 (13)

100 Church Hill 5-2 (13)

Untouchables 4-3 (09)

SHVFD 3-3 (07)

Malibu Maulers 3-4 (12)

Deadly Dinks 2-5 (08)

Pros & Cons 1-6 (05)

Exxon 0-6 (02)

Records and sets won