Chestnut Hill Local

Mt. Airy triathlete beats cancer, wins Ironman Hawaii slot

Michele Pollio, 40, qualified for the event's world championship without ever running a marathon

by MICHAEL J. MISHAK

Five days after securing a slot in the Ironman triathlon world championship, Michele Pollio glows with accomplishment, still wearing her I.D. bracelet from the Lake Placid, N.Y. event where she qualified on July 25.

"This was something I never thought I could do," Pollio, 40, of Mt. Airy, said of her first Ironman, a triathlon competition acknowledged by many as the most grueling and unforgiving event in the world of sports.

The Ironman consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile marathon run. Competitors must perform each stage in succession and have just...

Magarity nabs national title once more

by TOM UTESCHER

At the local Magarity auto dealerships, sales awards are having to make room on the mantel for the prizes won by the owner’s offspring. Joe Magarity’s daughter Colleen, who’ll start her sophomore year at Germantown Academy next month, recently won her second AAU national basketball championship in three years.

The 5'4" Magarity plays guard for the Fencor 14-and-under AAU squad which competed at the Division I 14-and-under national championships in Monroe, LA. On July 22, the local squad survived an overtime semifinal battle with the Tulsa (OK) Swoosh, and in the championship game the same day, Fencor knocked off the home-state favorites, the Kenner (LA) Angels, 71-61.

Magarity and her teammates won the 12-and-under title two years ago, and...

Mount humbles Hatters, is toppled by Trojans

by TOM UTESCHER

Mount St. Joseph Academy faced a pair of nearby suburban public school rivals during the final week of play in the Hatboro Horsham Summer Basketball League.

Last Tuesday, the Magic had an easy time of it against league host Hatboro Horsham High School, breaking the bout wide open in the second half to triumph 52-22. Thursday’s game against Wissahickon was much closer, and in the last four minutes the Mount fumbled away a six-point lead and wound up losing 29-24.

Nine MSJ players scored in the first half of the Hatboro Horsham game, as Aubrey Barrett and Sarah McGorry led the way with four apiece. The Magic owned a healthy 16-5 lead with eight minutes remaining in the period, but the Hatters canned a three-pointer, picked up three more points at the foul line, and penetrated to the hoop for a few more baskets, outscoring

Softball Tryouts

Cheltenham Chaos will hold fast-pitch softball tryouts on Sat., Aug 21 at 10 a.m., Sun., Aug. 22 at 1 p.m., and Sun., Aug. 29 at 1 p.m. The Chaos is looking for girls for its 14- and 16-year-old teams. Tryouts will be held at Cheltenham Athletic Association Fields on Woodland Ave, behind Presentation B.V.M. Church. All positions considered. Questions: Cheltchaoscoach@AOL.com or visit www.eteamz.com/cheltenhamchaos...

Springside cruises to summer hoops victory

by TOM UTESCHER

For the first time since the mid-1990's Springside School has established a summer basketball presence, playing in the Upper Gwynedd League in North Wales.

The roster is an amalgam of actual Springside students and other players from the Renegades AAU club program, which is run by the Lions’ new basketball coach, Steve Flynn. Most of the participants are ninth and tenth graders (a few are even younger) and are presided over by Flynn and his AAU colleague Monte Pool.

Play began in the league after the July 4 weekend, but because the action takes place on outdoor courts, thus far about half of the scheduled contests have been postponed due to rain.

Last Wednesday night Springside, officially listed as Team Six, built up...

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