Zanti

It rained on the St. Patrick's Day parade. And sleeted. And snowed.But while the famed Irish luck seemed scarce yesterday, Irish pluck was in abundance.The pipers piped, the Ancient Order of Hibernians tipped their top hats and a bearded St. Patrick threw snowballs at the crowd."If the Irish stayed in every time it rained, they never would have gotten anything done," reckoned parade chairman Mike Flynn.Although fewer than half of the 116 units scheduled to participate in the parade marched, organizers who had been planning the event for almost a year weren't about to let the gloomy weather cancel their plans.

These Carroll County students are among about 1,200 undergraduates who enrolled this fall at Western Maryland College in Westminster. They are:DetourKristen R. Coffman '95, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin CoffmanElza E. Hurst '93FinksburgLeanne Godwin '96, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William GodwinMichelle L. Hertsch '96, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roland Hertsch Jr.Allison R. John '94, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George MillerEric J. Paulson '96, son of Mr....

ABOARD THE USS WISCONSIN -- After initiating the allied air attack against Iraq, a naval task force in the Persian Gulf fired dozens of additional Tomahawk cruise missiles in intermittent barrages Thursday.The battleship Wisconsin, the ship coordinating the launches, fired missile salvos three times in daylight on the first day of the war. It also coordinated and participated in the initial pre-dawn attack, the first use of cruise missiles in battle.By late afternoon, the Wisconsin had fired 16 long-range, precision-guided cruise missiles.

The Western Maryland College dean's list has been announced for the 1993 spring semester. Inclusion on the list requires a minimum 3.4 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Highest honors are earned for a 3.8 to 4.0 average, high honors for a 3.6 to 3.79 average and honors for a 3.4 to 3.59 average.Jtudents from Carroll County on the spring '93 dean's list are:Eldersburg: John L. Faris '94, honors, son of Deborah and John Faris Jr.* Finksburg: Wendy M. Gayo '93, honors, daughter of Joyce and Christopher Gayo Jr.; Leanne Godwin '96, high honors, daughter of William and Nancy Godwin; Michelle L. Hertsch '96, honors, daughter of Cheryl and Roland Hertsch Jr.; Allison R. John '94, honors, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Miller.

Player of the YearMarissa Schuchat, McDonogh, senior, midfield: The No. 1 player on the No. 1-ranked team, Schuchat sparked the Eagles (22-5-1) to a season-ending 12-game winning streak capped with the Catholic League A Division tournament championship. The area's most skilled, savvy player scored 28 goals and added 19 assists, but that was only the tip of her contribution. Driven to succeed, no one worked harder. At center midfield, she proved the consummate team player and the Eagles' transition catalyst.

Player of the YearBecky Bieneman, Catholic, junior, forward: Talk to Catholic coach Jerry Dieter about his standout striker, who scored 25 goals and added 17 assists to lead the top-ranked Cubs (20-1-1) to the Catholic League A Division championship, and two words keep coming back in the conversation -- "balance" the first with "consistency" not far behind. A second-team All-Metro selection last season, Bieneman took her game to a higher level this fall to become the metro area's most complete player from a striker's standpoint.

Freshman keeper Mariel Wilner announced her arrival as the newest McDonogh girls soccer star yesterday with five terrific saves to preserve a 4-2 victory for the No. 1 Eagles over Shenendehowa (N.Y.) in the McDonogh Invitational Tournament title game.Wilner finished with nine saves for the game, but had to work especially hard in the second half as Shenendehowa tried to rally from a 3-2 halftime deficit.Against the Plainsmen, who had scored 11 goals in their first two tournament games, Wilner made a couple of point-blank saves and stepped up to snuff out several other chances.

McDonogh played 28 games this fall, nearly double the number some area schools played. After the first 11, the Eagles were 7-4, respectable but hardly memorable.At Goucher College yesterday, the No. 2-ranked Eagles made their season definitely one to remember, soundly beating unranked, surprise finalist St. Mary's, 2-0, for the tough Catholic League's tournament championship.Oh, and make that final record 22-5-1, another thing about this fall the Eagles can savor after losing last season's tourney final to Catholic High.