By SANDRA DECKELMAN

NARROWSBURG - On Tuesday July 11 these divers were spotted in the Delaware River below the Narrowsburg Bridge. Student Blair Busseli and his instructor Dave Gorman were making Busseli's final dive for his open water dive certification. Busseli is part of a home study course offered by Pisces Divers in Honesdale. According to Pisces instructor Ed Ashcom, "Home study is where you do your academics, and then we [the instructors] check to make sure you have obtained the proper knowledge." Blair completed a minimum of 40 hours of at-home academic study. He was tested in "pool sessions" as well as open water.

By TOM KANE

SMALLWOOD - Three local young women of the Erie Belles softball team will appear in the American Fast Pitch Association's National Tournament from July 24 to 30 in Shawnee, Kansas. Analey Deitrich, 17, her sister Shannon, 14, and Kim Donahue, 15, all of Smallwood, play for the Belles, who compete in three states. The women attend Monticello High School.

The Erie Belles, consisting of players from the Port Jervis, Monticello and High Point Regional School Districts, is a non-profit organization supported by player fees, team fundraisers and business donations. Team members raised the funds for their trip to the invitational tournament.

The Belles were formed in 1998 by coaches John Faggione and Steve Jenks. The team competes in the 16-and-under division and may soon compete in the 18-and-under division.

"We play between 40 and 60 games per summer and have competed in over 12 sanctioned tournaments, winning one and placing in the top five of five of the tournaments," Faggione said.

By TOM KANE

ELDRED - To field a varsity football team, you need at least 11 varsity-sized football players.

Eldred Central School (ECS) doesn't have them. So they're canceling next year's varsity football season.

"We're doing this for the safety of our young players," said Eldred athletic director Al Wojtaszek. Wojtaszek said the school would concentrate on developing its junior varsity team. "We intend to resurrect our varsity team in 2001," he said.

Wojtaszek said he wrote about his plight to all the teams in the league, asking if his seniors could play on their team.

"We've only heard from Roscoe," he said. "But we decided that was too far for our students to travel." Roscoe is at least a 45-minute drive from Eldred, he said.

Wojtaszek said one of the considerations in merging with another team was to keep the other team's classification. "When players from one school go to another school to play, the school might lose its classification because the rules say you count the entire population of both schools even if you only sent three or four players to that school."

That could account for the reason why he didn't hear from other teams, he said.

Last year, the team had to cancel its varsity season after only two games because of the lack of varsity-ability players.

"It's too risky; someone could be seriously hurt," he said.

Varsity coach Phil Marrella will now coach the junior varsity aided by John LiGreci as assistant. Frank Kean, who also coaches boys' baseball and girls' basketball, will coach modified football, Wojtaszek said.

"Members of the booster club who are now soliciting support from local businesses are worried that businesses in the area will think all football is canceled, which isn't true," Marrella said. "We still need their support."

By TOM KANE

JEFFERSONVILLE - The athletic directors of the three merged schools comprising the new Sullivan West School District have recommended Delaware Valley veteran football coach Ron Bauer to the position of coach to the newly merged team, according to recent press.

"There will be nothing certain on this until the board makes it decision," said school District Superintendent Michael Johndrow. "I have no idea what decision they'll make. It's premature."

Johndrow admitted that the three athletic directors - Debbie Owen of Delaware Valley, Scott Haberli of Narrowsburg and Dave Franskevicz of Jeffersonville - recommended Bauer to him and he will pass it on to the board.

Bauer, who has been a football coach at Delaware Valley and at Jeffersonville over a 30-year period, lead Delaware Valley to seven Section 9 Class D titles.

Next fall will be the first time the three high schools - Jeffersonville, Delaware Valley and Narrowsburg - will merge football teams.

The new team will compete as a Class C school and will be called the "Bulldogs." Their home field will be at Jeffersonville.

Narrowsburg has not had a football team for a few years. Students from the school have been playing on the Delaware Valley team.

Franskevicz said former Jeffersonville coach, Anthony Durkin, will be recommended for the job of first assistant coach. One other position of assistant coach remains open.