SPORTS
Swimming
Upstream
It wasn't easy, but Dena
Bernstein scored some
major triumphs in 1987
MIKE ROSENBAUM
Sports Writer
987 was an unpredictable
year in the water for Dena
Bernstein. At times, the
16-year-old Birmingham
resident did not show the
same promise she demonstrated in
her freshman swimming season at
Birmingham Groves, but at other
times she enjoyed some surprising
successes.
"One big surprise for me:' she
said, "was taking second by .01 se-
cond to Audra Martin (of Livonia) in
the 18-year-olds' open 200 butterfly
in the long course last year. That was
a real big surprise no one expected!'
That performance, at the United
1
States Swimming (USS) Michigan
long-course championships in early
August, came after she was seeded
eighth among eight swimmers in the
final race. It capped what Dena term-
ed "a terrible meet" for her. "But I
made it in that one event;' she added.
At Groves last fall, Bernstein ad-
mittedly "didn't have a great year.
But it's O.K., I'll be coming back,"
said the sophomore.
Bernstein finished seventh in the
Class A state high school meet in the
500 freestyle as a freshman. Last
season, she qualified for the state
meet in two individual events, plus
two relays. She qualified in the 200
freestyle with a time of 2:02.13, and
in the 500 with a 5:18.43. At the meet
last month, she swam in the 500, but
did not place.
The relays were another story.
Dena swam the butterfly leg of the
200 medley and the third leg of the
400 freestyle relay. The Falcons plac-
ed second in each event, leading them
to an overall second-place finish in the
meet. Groves set school records in
each relay (1:52.01 in the 200 medley,
3:36.93 in the 400 free), times which
helped Dena earn All-Area, All-State
and All-American honors.
Dena was a regular on the
Falcons' 400 freestyle relay team all
season, but only swam on the 200
medley relay team "a couple of times:'
said Groves coach Darin Abbasse. Ab-
basse explained how Dena wound up
on that team for the finals. "I had to
make the final decision only about
two weeks before the state meet and
Dena's mental state — she was
preparing herself for it, and I knew
that if I stuck her in it that she would
perform to my expectations. And she
surpassed that, in both relays."
While Abbasse said Dena "didn't
swim as fast as we thought she
would've this year," he felt she was
valuable to the team. "She is very ver-
satile. She doesn't only swim the
ROUND UP
Bowling Event
Begins Sunday
The international B'nai
B'rith Bowling Association
Seymour Orlov doubles tour-
nament will be held on the
lanes of all affiliated BBBA
leagues on Jan. 10 and 17.
Players may enter the han-
dicapped event with as many
different partners as they
wish. Last year's biggest local
money-winner was Mark
Klinger. Klinger will team up
with at least 88 bowlers this
time.
Maccabians
Star On Court
Several players from last
summer's Detroit Maccabi
46
FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1988
basketball team are con-
tributing to their high school
squads this winter. At West
Bloomfield High, forwards
Dave Hubert and Noah
Bremen made the varsity as
freshmen. Bremen hit a
three-point shot at the buzzer
to give the Lakers a win in a
recent game against Bloom-
field Hills Lahser.
Sophomore Joey Hurshe is
a starting forward on the
Brighton High junior varsity.
He scored 10 points in a 65-61
loss to Howell Dec. 18.
The three, plus sophomore
Matt Hoffman, a starting
guard at North Farmington,
returned to action this week.
Maccabi basketball coach
Burt Hurshe announced that
interested high school basket-
ball players may try out for
this year's Maccabi team on
March 6 and 13 at 5 p.m., at
the West Bloomfield Jewish
Community Center. Hurshe
and assistant coach Doug
Hoffman hope to improve on
the bronze medal the team
won at the 1987 regional
games in Cleveland, when
they travel to Chicago in
August.
Goldstein Wins
Once In Meet
Linda Goldstein swam to
one first and two second-place
finishes in the recent Pepsi-
Marlin invitational meet in
Cincinnati. The 13-year-old
Goldstein, swimming in the
13-14 age division, won the
500 freestyle in 5:15.04. She
took seconds in the 200
freestyle and the 100
backstroke and placed third
in the 200 individual medley.
She also swam on two winn-
ing relay teams, the 400
medley and 400 freestyle. In
the 1650 freestyle she placed
12th overall, competing
against high school and col-
lege swimmers.
The Cincinnati meet was
basically a tune-up for Golds-
tein, who is pointing toward-
her next meet, Jan. 29-31 in
Indianapolis.
Bills Rebound
Under Levy
Buffalo (JTA) — Mary Levy,
the only Jewish head coach in
the National Football League,
directed the Buffalo Bills to a
respectable 7-8 record in his
first full season in Buffalo.
The Bills were 4-12 last year.
While several NFL teams
have Jewish ownership, there
are no other Jewish head or
assistant coaches in the
league. The Bills' organiza-
tion does have, in addition to
Levy, rookie defensive
lineman Bruce "Kosher
Krusher" Mesner, scout Dave
Gettlemen and team attorney
Ralph Halpern.
Levy told Harlan Abbey of
the Buffalo Jewish Review,
"My work day starts at 7 a.m.
and ends at 11 p.m. — and I
don't give a sigh of relief
when it's over. I work slowly
and I enjoy it, and even
though football is sort of a
narrow slice of life, it's a great
challenge."
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