By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor, Staff Writer

Tom Devenney acknowledged that he was a little biased.

Having grown up as a Penn State football fan and gone to a number of games at Beaver Stadium, the All-Star lineman was delighted to get interest from the Nittany Lions in the college recruiting process.

And when PSU eventually offered him the opportunity to join the team as a run-on, Devenney was on board. Last Friday, in a telephone call with Nittany Lions’ offensive line coach Mac McWhorter, he confirmed his status with the Lions and the rest is history.

Understandably, it was a big relief for Devenney.

"It’s huge getting that off my shoulders and now I just get to work toward that," he said.

The Section One Lineman of the Year as a junior and Offensive Lineman of the Year in his senior season, Devenney (6-foot-3, 278) had his final two choices narrowed down to PSU and Ivy League school Princeton. Although it had been reported in earlier days that Devenney was on his way to Happy Valley as a run-on, he wasn’t ready to call it a done deal until he talked to McWhorter after getting home from wrestling practice last Friday.

By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor, Staff Writer

Photo by Preston WhitcraftWarwick senior star student-athletes who signed National Letters of Intent last week were (left to right) Tyler Morris (Liberty University), Adam Polett (Limestone College), Ryan Gruett (Southern New Hampshire University), Kiersten Cepeda (Lock Haven University), Maddie Schouten (Radford University), Emily Cameron (University of Georgia), Madi Derr (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), Ericka Griffith (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and Emily Griest (Florida Southern College).

Nine Warwick senior student-athletes were finally able to breathe a huge sigh of relief on National Signing Day last Wednesday, Feb. 6.

In the Large Group Instruction room at Warwick High School, they put pen to paper and officially put an end to the recruiting process. Those who signed a National Letter of Intent included Emily Cameron (University of Georgia), Kiersten Cepeda (Lock Haven University), Madi Derr (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), Emily Griest (Florida Southern College), Ericka Griffith (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), Ryan Gruett (Southern New Hampshire University), Tyler Morris (Liberty University), Adam Polett (Limestone College) and Maddie Schouten (Radford University).

üCameron will head to the University of Georgia to compete for the Lady Bulldogs swim team after re-writing the record books during her career at Warwick. A five-time PIAA State champion, she holds seven of the eight Warwick individual records.

By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor, Staff Writer

Photo by Preston WhitcraftWith their gold-medal winning time of 3:38.76 in the 400 free relay, Warwick's foursome of (left to right) Emily Griest, Morgan Haney, Emily Wyand and Emily Cameron helped the Lady Warriors overtake Hempfield for second place in the final team standings last Thursday at the L-L League Championships.

Emily Cameron, Emily Griest, Morgan Haney and Emily Wyand didn’t have a whole lot left in the gas tank.

Each had already swam three events as they prepared for the 400 free relay in the culmination of the Lancaster-Lebanon League Girls Championships last Thursday.

If they needed any motivation, however, it wasn’t hard to find.

Trailing Hempfield by just one point (73-72) for second place in the overall team standings going into that event, the Lady Warriors were driven to overtake their Section One rival.

"(Coach) Mark (Daum) told me before that race, ‘Cosmo, you have about 55 seconds of energy left,’" said Griest, who gets her nickname from Cosmo Kramer of the TV sitcom Seinfeld. "We need it. You feel (the fatigue), but when Mark told me we were within a point of Hempfield, the adrenaline … it was like I didn’t even swim."

By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor, Staff Writer

Photo by Preston WhitcraftWarwick's Nick Beard held off Manheim Township's hard-charging Anthony Sciscento to capture a second straight gold in the boys 100 breaststroke on Tuesday at the L-L League Championships.

The past week hasn’t been an easy one for Warwick’s Nick Beard.

Fighting a sinus infection made it nearly impossible for him to get any pool time to prepare for the L-L League Championships.

But when it mattered most on Tuesday night at the Lititz recCenter, Warwick’s senior rose to the occasion.

He won the League gold medal in the boys 100-yard breaststroke for the second year in a row, holding off Manheim Township junior Anthony Sciscento by a mere three-hundredths of a second in the final 25 yards, as he touched the wall in a time of 1:02.80. Sciscento took the silver in 1:02.83, while Hempfield’s Riley Stadel captured the bronze medal in 1:03.04.

"I saw (Sciscento and Stadel) coming up on both sides, so I knew I had to really kick it into gear," Beard said. "And I think that just helped me fuel myself into finishing first. It feels good (to repeat). I guess my main goal is Districts and hopefully States, but this is definitely an accomplishment for me."

By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor, Staff Writer

The road to Hersheypark begins this Saturday for local wrestlers.

While the ultimate goal is to reach the PIAA State Championships, slated for March 7-9 at the Giant Center in Hershey, the first order of business is Sectionals this Saturday.

Both Warwick and Manheim Central will head to Hempfield High School for the District Three Triple-A Section Three Tournament. The first session will get underway at 9:30 a.m. with the wrestlers competing on three mats.

The Warriors recently completed a regular season in which they finished 17-5, defeating back-yard rival Ephrata 58-16 last Thursday and then winning the team championship at the Salisbury Invitational last Saturday.

"They’re wrestling well right now," Warwick coach Ned Bushong said. "It’s just a matter coming into the tournament of who’s hot, who’s not. Are they going to be healthy? Are they going to be injury-free? But right now, I like the way they’re wrestling. I just hope we can peak them at the right time."

The top three finishers in each weight class will advance to the District Three Triple-A Championships, to be held Feb. 22-23 at the Hersheypark Arena.

By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor, Staff Writer

One year ago as a junior, Manheim Central’s Paige Daniel took home a PIAA State silver in the 500 free and a fourth-place medal in the 200 Individual Medley.

Yet as of last Thursday night, going into the Lancaster-Lebanon League Girls Swimming Championships, she still hadn’t swam a District qualifying time to move on in the post-season as a senior.

Nerve-wracking time, right?

"Not really," Daniel said. "I knew I was pretty close for both times, so once I got in there and tried to race, I knew I’d be at least a little closer."

Manheim Central coach Heather Fittery added. "That’s kind of her mentality of it — she just kinda trudges through the season and here at the end, she comes out and shows what she’s got."

True to form, Daniel did so again at the L-L Meet at the Lititz recCenter, winning gold in the 500 free in 5:10.30, along with silver in the 200 free in a time of 1:55.32. The Central star also took home a fifth-place medal with the 200 medley relay (1:59.18) and a sixth with the 400 free relay (3:52.38).

Thelma P. Witmeyer, 87, formerly of Manheim, died peacefully Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013 at Luther Acres in Lititz.

Born in Manheim, she was the daughter of the late LeRoy J. and Helen M. Rauch Peiffer. Thelma was the loving wife of the late Eugene B. "Gene" Witmeyer, who died in April of 2009.

Thelma worked as a medical office assistant for Dr. William Huss of Lancaster, and Dr. John Kreider of East Petersburg. Following retirement, she helped as an assistant at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church nursery school program in Manheim.

Thelma was a life-long and faithful member of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, where she sang in the choir for over 70 years, was a member of the bell choir, director of the Cherub Choir, and Sunday school teacher. She was a graduate of Manheim High School’s class of 1944. Thelma continued her education at Lancaster General Hospital, where she graduated with a degree in the laboratory technician program. She was a member of the Manheim Lioness Club and the Manheim Historical Society. Her interests included knitting, cross-stitch, music and spending time in Cape May, N.J.

Carol A. Wright, 70, a long-time resident of Lititz, passed away Friday, Feb. 1, 2013, at 6:15 p.m., surrounded by her family.

The wife of R. Earl Wright, the two were virtually inseparable during their 53-year marriage.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter: Tammy Tabbutt, fiancee of Joe Doskocil, of Lancaster; son: Bob Wright of Bala Cynwyd; and her four grandsons: Tyler, Taylor, Sam and Gus.

The daughter of the late Lester and Mary Kessler, Carol grew up in Lebanon and graduated from Lebanon Senior High School. Following graduation, she worked as a waitress at Sprecher’s Diner (Heisey’s Diner) in Lebanon, where her wit and teasing banter with her regular customers brought smiles to many.

Carol was a homemaker during her children’s adolescence and was well known for her enthusiastic support of Warwick Warrior athletics. In her later years and until her retirement, Carol worked as a cashier for Stauffers of Kissell Hill at their Leola and Lititz supermarkets.

Victor M. Stimmell, 36, of Lititz, died Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Born March 28, 1976 in Lancaster, he was the son of the late Mary Ann (Stimmell) Ortiz.

Victor worked at SuperValu Distribution Center (formerly Acme) in Denver.

He will be lovingly missed by a sister: Tammy L., wife of Ray A. Weeks, Sr., of Lancaster. He also leaves behind his stepfather: Eusebio Ortiz, of Lancaster; three children; as well as nieces, nephews and a host of family and friends.

A viewing will be held at the Andrew T. Scheid Funeral Home in Millersville on Feb. 13 and 14. Funeral services will take place at Bright Side Baptist Church Feb. 14, followed by interment in the Millersville Mennonite Cemetery.

To submit an online condolence, visit scheidfuneralhome.com.