http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien RSS Feed for Inq Col Rick O'Brien en-us Sun, 27 May 2012 07:01:00 GMT http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120527_Rick_O_Brien__LaMotta_provides_relief__eight-plus_innings_of_it.html With a pitching rotation that includes stalwarts Joey Gorman and Joe Kinee, John LaMotta has had few chances to shine for Neumann-Goretti. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120526_A_long_relief_outing_for_N-Gs_LaMotta.html With a pitching rotation that includes stalwarts Joey Gorman and Joe Kinee, John LaMotta has had few chances to shine for Neumann-Goretti. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120513_Rick_O_Brien__Ashburn_Jr__tries_to_revive_Falcons.html As was the case with his late and well-known father, Richard Ashburn Jr.'s love for baseball runs deep. The Hall of Famer's eldest son, rarely straying from the game that grabbed his attention when he was a youngster, is a full-time hitting instructor and second-year head coach at Pottsgrove High. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120509_LaPrise_a_patient_leader_for_Devon_Prep.html Despite a youth-laden pitching staff, Devon Prep again is battling for a Bicentennial Athletic League baseball championship. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120506_Rick_O_Brien__Conestoga_s_Williams_working_back_to_health.html In addition to trying to help Conestoga contend for the Central League baseball title, Scott Williams had hoped this spring to showcase his hitting and catching skills for major-league scouts and cross-checkers. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120501_Roman_hoping_rebound_continues.html Anthony Valucci, Roman Catholic's second-year baseball coach, said "a little bit of everything" played a part in his team's disappointing 2-10 start. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120406_Santorum_meets_with_activists_to_seek_a_path_forward_as_Romney__in_Pa___looks_to_the_fall.html Rick Santorum met Thursday with conservative leaders in Virginia to brainstorm possible paths forward in the Republican presidential race, as Mitt Romney cruised across Pennsylvania with a presumptive nominee's focus on the general election. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120401_Rick_O_Brien__Team_of_Year__Chester_is_the_perfect_choice.html Chester won its record eighth PIAA state championship in no-doubt-about-it fashion, blitzing District 1 rival Lower Merion, 59-33, in the final at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120325_Bolgers_play_is_key_for_Constitution.html STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Savon Goodman and Daiquan Walker received most of the ink, and deservedly so, for Constitution's run to the PIAA Class A boys' basketball title. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/rick_obrien/20120312_Rick_O_Brien__For_C_B__West__a_historic_win_in_playoffs.html A combined 28 teams from District 1 and 12 earned berths in the PIAA basketball tournament. After the opening round, 20 are still alive in the hunt for state gold.