LEHIGH VALLEY FLASHBACK
A look back at Lehigh Valley sports stories over the years from March 15.
2008: Behind a triple-double by 6-foot-4 Rachel Connely, Marian Catholic (32-1) beats Mount Alvernia 40-34 in the PIAA Class A girls basketball championship game to win its first state title since 1985. The James Madison-bound Connely scores 19 points, collects 16 rebounds and blocks 11 shots, five in the first five minutes. It’s also the first title for Marian coach Paul Brutto in four tries.
2008: Marian Catholic’s Kristen Shickora, who repeated as the 50-yard freestyle champion the day before, repeats as the 100-yard backstroke champ in the PIAA Class 2A swimming and diving championships at Bucknell. Shickora breaks her own state record by nearly two seconds with a time of 53.88 and is named the meet’s outstanding swimmer.
2003: Parkland wins its second PIAA girls swimming championship in three years behind Jessica Lewis, who wins four gold medals. The Trojan boys finish second to North Penn.
1998: Michael Andretti ends a one-year victory drought when he wins the Grand Prix of Miami, his 37th CART victory.
1988: Dustin Helm’s 3-pointer at the buzzer enables Wilson to shock defending state champion Columbia 51-48 in the opening round of the PIAA Class 2A boys basketball tournament. The win gives the Warriors their school-record 19th victory; however, their season ends at 19-10 with a 71-65 double-overtime loss to Western Wayne in the second round.
1985: One year after tying the state record in the 50-yard freestyle, Emmaus’ Tom Schellin breaks the mark with a time of 20.88 in the preliminaries, then matches that time in the PIAA swimming finals to win his second straight gold medal in the event.