WHARMBY SPORTS A storied PAST

The former Goldsteins franchise is continuing to prosper -- this time under Bob Burke and Steve Burnich.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Wharmby Sports has had a long association with local softball and baseball teams at various levels.
In 2003, it moved up to the Class B League and finished fifth in the regular season with a 14-13 record.
As of Wednesday, Wharmby was on top in the 10-team league with a 10-1 record. The lone loss came in the season-opener.
The old Goldsteins Furniture franchise that went by the Riordan's Sports name for a season is now in the hands of Bob Burke.
Ron Wharmby took over sponsorship prior to last season. Burke is general manager of the franchise he's held since 2002.
"We're happy to have him because he's a longtime community businessman," Burke said of his Wharmby's sponsor. "After Riordan's, we were lucky enough to get Ron last season and again this year."
Background
Since 1989, Burke was with Goldsteins, serving as coach, then manager when Mike Goldstone vacated the dugout around 1994. Also in the '90s, Bobby Gesacion was Goldsteins' manager for two years and Ray Wells, one year.
Wells now manages the L.F. Wolf Construction team of the Little b League. Wells is the franchise-holder for Wolf, which won the Little b crown last season.
Wharmby and Wolf share player personnel resources.
"It's a storied franchise," Burke said of Wharmby and its Western Pennsylvania-rooted Goldsteins days. "We have great contacts there and, to this day, it's mostly a Western Pa. contingent."
Nine players from Ohio
On this year's 22-man roster, nine are from Ohio.
"We look for players anywhere, but I think it works well for us."
Wharmby's 18-year-old veterans are third baseman/pitcher Dustin Kulka of Hickory High, Pat Oman and Shawn Valenly of Sharpsville and Rudy Pekarovic of Champion High.
Hickory was eliminated from the state tournament on Monday.
Oman, a first baseman/outfielder, was a 16-year-old starter for the franchise and was one of B's top hitters the last two seasons. Valenly, a pitcher/infielder, and Pekarovic, an outfielder, have been with Wharmby both years.
New 18-year-olds are Mike Holmes of Girard, Zachary Horvath, a pitcher from Poland High; New Castle's Joe Onufrak, a left-handed pitcher, and Eric Kozma of Hickory.
Holmes played elsewhere in the league last year.
The younger group
The 17-year-olds, most of whom played on Wolf's title team last year, are pitcher/shortstop John Warren of Union High, pitcher/outfielder Jessie Alfreno, third baseman Billy Herman and outfielder/left-handed pitcher Tim Waxenfelter, all from Grove City; pitcher Andrew Browning from Brookfield, pitcher/infielder Andrew Chrobak of Laurel High, catcher/pitcher Alan Stevens of Champion, outfielder Kyle Milbert from Quigley Catholic and first baseman J.C. McCoy from Carlynton.
First-year 17s are catcher Cody Dillon (Salem), infielder Jake Gross (Champion), pitcher/catcher Matt Guerrieri (Canfield) and catcher Lou Kopachy (Chaney). Union High's John Izzo is a 16-year-old pitcher/outfielder playing on both the Wharmby and Wolf teams.
"They mesh well together," Burke said of the team's makeup. "They're also talented and play hard."
Credits Burke's recruiting
Coach Steve Burnich credits Burke for recruiting the type of player he can coach.
"They're a good bunch of kids," Burnich said. "They're all baseball junkies. We had nine games in seven days, yet they still wanted to go to the batting cages because they felt they weren't doing good enough."
Burnich, who helped last season when Burke was the manager, is assisted by John Armeni and former Woodrow Wilson standout Dino Balkan.
bassetti@vindy.com