Eckenrode

More than talent is needed to win with a two-man golf team.Compatibility, understanding and patience are important, too. Those virtues beyond pars and birdies have enabled Wakefield Valley's Todd and Gerry Eckenrode to be the most successful golf combination in Carroll County golf history.When the Eckenrodes -- who are not related -- captured Wakefield Valley's 1992 two-man team championship last weekend, it marked their seventh triumph in this 36-hole scratch event. Their titles came in 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1990 and 1992.

The Gailey brothers -- according to a Piney Branch joke -- may have decided to split the golf club's tournament spoils.Considering their records, the quip has some substance. Between the three of them -- Carol, Wayne and Steve -- they have captured 14 of Piney Branch's major championships, all within the last dozen years.Origin of the joke came from the manner in which Carol and Wayne won the last two match play titles.Last year, Wayne, 53, edged Carol, 50, one up in a scheduled 36-hole final that went 37 holes.

Todd Eckenrode puts his extended undefeated golfing streak on the line in this week's Wakefield Valley Championship matches.Eckenrode, who has won 27 straight matches, takes on Gerry Eckenrode (no relation) in the semifinal. In the other semifinal, Mike Myers meets Bob Kirkner.In going undefeated, Eckenrode has collected five consecutive Wakefield Valley match play titles. He has yet to taste defeat in six years of playing in the event.Complete weekend results saw: (first round)-T. Eckenrode defeat Craig Jennings 3-2, Lonnie Ritzer defeat Charles Farson 4-3, G. Eckenrode defeat Greg Leppo 6-5, Dave Bittner defeat Bill McGarvey 3-1, Mike Myers defeat Richard Blanchard 8-7, Bob Blubaugh Jr. defeat Ryan Kimble 2-1, Bob Kirkner defeat Martin Saia 1-up and Mike Fastner defeat Stu Webster 1-up.

Crime Solvers, a volunteer group that assists area police, is askingresidents to help solve the Crime of the Week.The group is targeting a breaking, entering and theft at a home on Saw Mill Road in Westminster.Sometime between Jan. 28 and Feb. 2, suspects entered the home through a living room window, police said.Stolen were a pair of Olympus binoculars, a 50-year-old Remington .22-caliber rifle, and a 60-year-old Savage 16-gauge shotgun.The suspects attempted to make the home appear as though it had not been entered.

End of ApartheidEditor: How the world changes. The United Democratic Front (UDF), which led the decade-long fight to end apartheid in South Africa, has closed its doors for good.The UDF understands that President F.W. de Klerk has made good on his word to realize the stated goals of the UDF: The release of anti-apartheid leaders, the lifting of bans on dissident groups and the return of political exiles.With these tasks accomplished, they felt there was no longer a reason to continue operations.

Ed Eckenrode didn't make much of his milestone. Smiling modestly, he called it his small contribution -- "just something you can do to help someone."Yesterday marked the 100th time that Mr. Eckenrode lay back, rolled up his sleeves, took a needle in each arm and relaxed for two hours. That's about how long it takes to make a donation of platelets, the tiny blood cells that cause clotting and help cancer patients endure the rigors of chemotherapy."It doesn't cost you anything to do this. There's no reason not to do it," Mr. Eckenrode said, relaxing at the Johns Hopkins Cancer Center while his blood flowed painlessly out his left arm, through a separating machine and into his right.