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Trying to change the culture of Rocket girls hoops

6/30/2024

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It's really been awhile since Titusville girls basketball has seen a winning season.

​Titusville's new head girls basketball coach Sarah Weigle is hitting the hardwoods running hoping to change that with a youth training camp from July 8-11. 

The camp is for kids in the Titusville school district and is for ages from first through eighth- grade.
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There are two camps for different age groups; first through fourth-graders will learn basics from 9 to 10 a.m., while the  fifth through eighth grades going from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. will focus on developing stronger skills to add to the fundamentals.

The camp focuses on having fun playing ball while learning how hard work and knowledge of the fundamentals increases the fun through basketball success.

Those interested should send coach Weigle their name, grade,, shirt size,school name, parent's phone number and address. You can download the entry form by clicking the flyer in this post.

There is a $25 cost and checks can be made out to Titusville Roundball Booster Club.

Mail information to \;
Titusville Area High School,
Attn: Sarah Weigle,
330 East Spruce Street,
​Titusville Pa. 16354. 
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You can also click here to download the file.
rocket_hoops_camp.pdf
File Size: 11314 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Defending D1 champs looking strong

6/27/2024

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Huddled under a shelter as tornado sirens blew last year, this team knew what it meant to dig deep.
The Titusville 9 and 10 year old softball team was scared that day, but they rallied to win the tournament.
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"We have a lot of returning girls with championship experience," coach Shawn Beers said. "I know they are 10 year olds but they play 50 plus games a year. They know where to go (on the field) and most of them have had older sisters who have played, they're smart, they're heads up and they just know how to play.”

The one key component Beers was unsure of at first was pitching. They had five returning players from last year's championship team, but their pitchers moved up.

“That was the biggest thing, working on developing new pitchers for this season. (Beatrice Popescu) has thrown really well in travel ball, she's got a really nice snap to her pitches." 
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This team is aggressive on the bases, making things happen with steals and stretch hits into doubles and triples.
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“We try to push it,” Beers said, though it cost them a couple runs in their first game against Lakeland which the coach took the blame for sending his runners on a couple passed balls. “I’m used to sitting on the bucket(in the dugout) yelling out to the field,” he said.
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They have been having good at-bats as well.
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“We hit very well tonight,” Beers said after last week's game in Conneaut Lake. “A lot of contact, not a lot of bad swings at bad pitches.”
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Since the Lakeland game where they won 11-1,  the Titusville team, which has one Oil City player, rolled against Cambridge Springs/Meadville/Vernon 8-0 on Monday and reached the championship final with a 6-2 win over Cochranton/Lakeview.
"We are doing enough to win," Beers said.
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Popescu has had a great pitching performances striking out 36 batters in three games.
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The offensive aggressiveness has also paid big dividends.

​"Keely Johnson scored two huge runs during the game(on steals) to home on close plays after wild pitches."
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Mary Lesko had a big infield hit that scored a run and Layla Jacoby belted a huge rbi double according to the coach.


Titusville now awaits the winner of the Mid-East vs. Cochranton/Lakeview game for the championship on Monday at home.
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Titusville softball is strong. Their 11-12 year old team swept through their division and have moved on to play sections in Union City after winning the District 1 tournament earlier in the week.
They ran into a tough Punxsutawney dropping an opening round game 4-1. They rallied back to beat Clarion 15-5 and Corry 9-6.

They will get a rematch against Punxy tomorrow night a 6 p.m.
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The junior league team, which has players from Mid-East and Cochranton as well, is playing for a district title this afternoon at 4 p.m. in Cranberry.
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Ah Shipoopi, there's Trouble, Trouble...76 Trombone Trouble in River City

6/26/2024

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Meredith Willson’s classic tale of a traveling salesman who dazzles the stubborn citizens of River City, Iowa comes to the stage in Titusville this weekend.

With now classic song like Seventy-SixTrombones, Shipoopi and Til There Was You you're sure to be tapping your toes and singing along with the cast.
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Kevin Vinson and Shandi Fakhoury, playing Harold Hill and Marian Paroo, lead a cast of 60, representing a large cross-section of the Oil Region community.

Showtimes are at 7 p.m. on June 27, 28, 29, at  and 2 p.m. on  June 30 at Titusville High School’s Colestock Auditorium.

Tickets are available in-person at Titusville United Way Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or  Friday from 9 a.m. to 1:30p.m., or online at
www.showtix4u.com/events/titusville
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​Contact [email protected] with questions.
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Support the arts!
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Titusville Summer Theater brings The Music Man to town

6/26/2024

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We'll be sharing more photos during the week. The show opens Thursday with four performances.
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PHOTOS: Had fun covering these guys when we could

6/23/2024

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For sports journalists this is a hard time of year to keep up and organized. We got to several games while covering Titusville and Franklin primarily and we missed too many games. The ones we got to we enjoyed. Getting to see these kids passion in playing a game that we absolutely loved when we were their age takes us back in a very good nostalgic way.

We took several photos and as a service and as a way to keep doing what we do, we offer these photos for sale. In our nearly 30 years covering local sports we are proud every time we hear about game room filled with photos we took that are cherished memories of the family.

To see little league photos please visit: sayerrich.zenfolio.com/f700082825. And please share with others who might like a memory of this time in their kid's life.
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PHOTOS: Junior League Baseball

6/23/2024

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For sports journalists this is a hard time of year to keep up and organized. We got to several games while covering Titusville and Franklin primarily and we missed too many games. The ones we got to we enjoyed. Getting to see these kids passion in playing a game that we absolutely loved when we were their age takes us back in a very good nostalgic way.

We took several photos and as a service and as a way to keep doing what we do, we offer these photos for sale. In our nearly 30 years covering local sports we are proud every time we hear about game room filled with photos we took that are cherished memories of the family.

To see little league photos please visit: sayerrich.zenfolio.com/f700082825. And please share with others who might like a memory of this time in their kid's life.
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Titusville's rough start doesn't mean the end

6/18/2024

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“Not the start we were looking for,” said Titusville’s minor league head coach Andrew Schwab.
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He, Wes Shaver and Kevin Dawson took a band of 12 gold jersey wearing nine- and ten-year old baseball players down to Clarion’s Weaver Park baseball complex for the first game of the 2024 All-Stars season for District 25.
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Facing a high powered Butler team, they fell behind in the top of the first when a check swing hit somehow made it to the grass in the outfield starting a two-out rally. In the end only two runs scored, but the momentum was clearly in Butler’s corner.
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Titusville couldn’t get a base runner in their half of the inning. Butler added another in the second and five more in the third.
Tituvsille finally got base runners in the third but couldn’t move them around stranding two.
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Butler gave the gold team a reprieve going down in order in the fourth. But Titusville had no answer. Gavin Smith reached base and immediately tried to steal but was gunned down by Butler’s catcher. Even though Smith’s reaction to the call made it obvious he disagreed, he was out and the speedy runner was taken off the base pads.

​Titusville got another base runner but ultimately couldn’t get anything going. 
Butler exploded for six more in the fifth.

Titusville needed a rally to stay alive, but ended up leaving two on base and dropping the first round game 14-0.
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Butler moves on to play Oil City-Cranberry  who notched an explosive 22-5 three inning victory over New Bethlehem in Monday’s nightcap.
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Titusville was scheduled to play New Bethlehem on Wednesday in a loser goes home matchup. We'll have that result next week.
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“I think we had a little ‘first game of all-stars’ jitters coming out,” Schwab said. “But we got some guys out in the field for experience and some pitchers we hope to use in the future and hopefully shake off those jitters out and come back strong on Wednesday.”
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Titusville’s bats just weren’t there. Smith and Jimmy Vogus had the only two hits of the game. “We had a couple really hard hit balls, but they were hit right at guys and (Butler) made some really nice plays. That’s good baseball. That’s what you hope to see at a game.”
Given the loss, Schwab was focussing on the positives and looking for the next game. He joked he’d like to play Oil City-Cranberry but that is because of personal memories of his playing days when he went head to head with a couple of the OC-C coaches. To face them he’ll have to catch them down the pike, since they destroyed New Bethlehem.
Schwab also pointed out one of the hallmarks of little league baseball. “The best thing I saw today was… we were waiting an hour to start this game (because of the weather,) and I could hear both dugouts cheering and singing back and forth. I was really pleased with team camaraderie, especially since they haven’t really been a team that long. They enjoy being together, enjoy being on a baseball field and that’s what it is all about.”
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Titusville's 9 and 10 All-stars are #9 Wyatt Beck, #18 Bryce Dawson, #44 Greyson Johnson, #11 Emmett McGarvie, #00 Carter Perdue, #22 Hayden Roberts, #10 Bowen Schwab, #42 Karen Sellen, # 52 Chaytum Shaver, #13 Gavin Smith, #17 Chase Spec and #14 Jimmy Vogus.
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Building Rockets for the future

6/11/2024

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Sign up for the Rocket football camp
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The Titusville Rocket’s had their first winning season in years last year and they are only looking to continue this trend long into the future.

In doing so, they will be conducting their Little Rockets Kids Camp beginning June 17 at Carter field.

Campers will experience a variety of activities and drills to help them acclimate to the sport of football, coach Mike Reynolds said in a press release. 

“We as a staff feel it is important to build these community relationships and help our community grow.”
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The camp  covers a variety of skills including: throwing mechanics, footwork and hand-offs for quarterbacks; running routes, catching and blocking for running backs; route running for wide receivers who will also learn the fundamentals of caching and down field blocking; offensive line drills include learning proper footwork and blocking techniques for success; Defensive back training of man and zone coverages and ball skills; Linebackers learn about block shedding, dropping back into pass coverage blitzing; while defensive linemen go over pass rushing, footwork and block shedding as well.

The nearly two-hour a day camp includes skill testing and development, punt, pass and kick competitions and games.
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Participants will be at Carter field from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m June 17, 18, 20, 24 and 25. It is open to kids in grades 1 though 7. The cost is $35 per player (addition siblings get a $10 discount). Registration includes a t-shirt and an ice cream party on the last day.

The registration fees go into the Titusville Rockets Football Club to support the football program and its athletes.

Questions: contact [email protected]
or call/text to (814) 758-4713.
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There is a link to a registration form on this story on our website or an the Rocket Football Facebook page.
Parents will be required to fill out emergency waivers and an information packet at the time of registration the first day of camp. 

Registraition form: 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkTct7gftAROxiXT6T-f8-OrtIg95C5eP2R6M6M7noBU_MlQ/viewform

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Go Devils top Franklin tourney

6/10/2024

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Church brings Devils big tourney win in Franklin

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“Grit,” said Tom Smith,Titusville’s 11 and under Go Devil’s travel ball baseball team's head coach.
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Down 5-2 with only a couple more at-bats to go they got a couple in the fifth with the help of some errors by Hermitage.
But entering the sixth and final inning they needed to make something happen.
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Matthew Church steps up and puts a ball in play scoring the tying run. 

Not the fastest runner, but Church ends up on second. A little bit later he is on third with two of his teammates occupying the first and second bases.
There was only one out.

A pitch finds its way to the back stop and Church was sent barreling down and he slid under the tag as the ball skipped out of the pitcher's glove as he tried to cover home.
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“Once that ball kicked out, we took a chance," said coach Smith. “A little bit of a risk, but hey, that’s how you win some games - being gritty, that’s who we are.”
Church touching a toe at home plate meant the Go Devils were finally champions of a tournament.

​They had previously made the finals of two other tournaments only to come in second.
The second annual Kevin Porter Memorial baseball tournament in Franklin was theirs - at least in the 11 and under division.
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Getting the wins this weekend showcased the hard work they have been putting in according to the coach.

A day earlier they found themselves down 9-3 in the fourth against the host Franklin Firestorm. 
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The gritty team never gave up getting a few in the bottom of the fourth, a few more in the bottom of the fifth and then cruised to a 12-9 win.

“I’m proud of them, we’ve been in the finals three weekends in a row. These teams in 11U, in this area, are competitive,” coach Smith said. “I’m proud of the kids, the way we fight, pitch, hit, pick each other up… it’s a team effort.”
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The Go Devils will take a bit of a breather so many on the teams can compete in the little league all-stars championships coming up.

If they take this same mentality into the all-stars season they will likely do some damage. 
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The Go Devils lineup is strong up front with the Smith cousins Kellen and Miles nearly always on base and scoring a couple runs a game.

​Trenton Gates and Jackson Greathouse often putting the ball in play scoring the Smith boys.

​Matthew Church, well we already discussed his grit and Cole K (announcers seam squeamish trying to pronounce Kurelowich) are solid bats when needed. Wade Sterling  and Jacob Schmader made solid contributions last weekend.
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“It’s a next guy up mentality,” coach Smith said. “Some guys might not have it one game, that’s why it’s a team… you fight.”
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    Eight & 27 focuses on stories centered around Titusville, PA. With the sad end of The Titusville Herald, we're hoping to pick up the slack.

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