Guido: Busy days ahead for Springdale softball team

By: George Guido
Saturday, April 23, 2022 | 3:48 PM

Springdale is looking to do something Monday afternoon that it hasn’t done much of lately: play a softball game.

The Dynamos are set to play at Leechburg in a game between two WPIAL playoff hopefuls at 4 p.m. at Gilpin-Leechburg Park.

Because of an abundance of rainouts and other postponements, Springdale needs to fit in 8 ½ section games by May 12, the mandated end of the WPIAL section season.

The “half” game is a 4-1 lead over St. Joseph in a suspended contest. Conversing with Dynamos coach Anthony Pototo on Saturday, he added that the game will be completed before the regularly scheduled game May 3.

The only completed section game thus far is a 16-0 victory over The Ellis School on April 4. There is a make-up game with Leechburg set for May 5 and one with Northgate on May 9. Make-up games against Ellis and Riverview are pending.

That’s just an example of the problems facing athletic directors in a season during which the weather was nicer in mid-March for the preseason practices than in much of April.

Butler’s Pullman Park was the site of four games Thursday. The first three involved Allegheny-Clarion Valley, and the nightcap was a good one, with Pine-Richland knocking off Butler, ranked No. 1 with Trib HSSN last week, 2-0.

Butler was 90 feet from sending the game into extra innings. The Golden Tornado had the bases loaded and one out, but Rams freshman Tristan Farrar struck out the final two batters, ending the contest at 11:12 p.m.

Now we’re getting to the point of the season when teams can’t play because of proms, spring choral concerts and National Honor Society inductions (something yours truly never had to worry about).

The WPIAL playoffs are set to begin the week of May 16.

Kevin Colbert to retire

Long-time Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert is set to retire after this week’s NFL Draft.

While he’s done a superb job keeping the Steelers in constant postseason contention, all you have to know about Kevin Colbert is this: When his sons were playing basketball for Mars, he took his turn as a parent working the concession stand for the Planets.

I close my eyes and somehow can’t imagine New England’s Bill Belichick or Jerry Jones of the Cowboys working the concession stand at a high school game.

Davis Field lives on

Don’t write the obituary for Vandergrift’s Davis Field just yet.

Even though the Cavaliers now have their own stadium on the Kiski Area campus, the venerable facility is still in use.

Currently, the Kiski Valley Lancers are using the field for youth football, and the Kiski Area Soccer League is seeking playing time there.

The football league is keeping the field maintained and the grass cut.

Now, Vandergrift Borough council needs to accommodate the youth teams and any other user that may emerge.

“We need to iron out a plan and agreements,” said councilman John Uskaritis. “We just can’t let Davis Field sit and rot.”

Davis Field celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. It was built in 1921 on a slag dump owned by Apollo Iron & Steel Company.

Besides high school football, the Vandergrift Pioneers of the Mid-Atlantic League played baseball there from 1947-50.