Pirates

Cardinal O'Hara guard Steve Cloran started the season looking for a little respect. He finished it as the Catholic League South's Most Valuable Player. And in the first round of the division playoffs, at St. John Neumann Friday night, Cloran was given appropriate attention. "Defensively, their whole intention was to take him out of the game," O'Hara coach Bud Gardler said. "He only scored 7 points, but he did a good job running the show for us. " Still, in Neumann's 48-44 victory, a low-scoring game in which every point counted, Cloran's missing offense might have made a difference for O'Hara.

Last year, Archbishop Ryan opened its boys' basketball season against Monsignor Bonner, a team that would go on to win the Catholic League championship. The result of that confrontation was a 62-59 victory for Bonner, but the loss did not seem significant for Ryan at the time. It was a nondivisional game, and like most Catholic League teams, Ryan traditionally downplays the importance of its preseason. This year, though, that tradition has fallen by the wayside. On Sunday at St. John Neumann, Ryan again opened its season by meeting a highly regarded team from the Catholic League Southern Division.

Cinnaminson High is 10-0, ranked No. 2 in The Inquirer's South Jersey ratings and sitting atop the Olympic Conference National Division standings. And the Pirates are about to get stronger. Cinnaminson, you see, has played all season without the services of injured center-forward Keith Bottger, who led the team in goals last season, with 10. Bottger suffered a stress fracture of his right leg during a preseason scrimmage against Willingboro last month. He may return to the lineup in about 10 days, Cinnaminson coach Jay Phillips said.

They passed the quarter pole last night, 41 games entered indelibly into the ledger, and already it has been an eventful year for the Phillies. No. 1 starter Ken Howell still hasn't pitched a game. All-Star centerfielder Lenny Dykstra first had to go to Mississippi to testify about illegal gambling, then to the 60-day disabled list after he bounced his car off two trees. Catcher Darren Daulton, who was along for the ride, has missed nearly three weeks. The manager was sacked barely two weeks in. Von Hayes started play last night batting .200 and Charlie Hayes isn't hitting much higher.

RE YOUR RECENT editorial on pirates: Long after that Flynn movie, and some time before the Depp movies, there was "Hook" and other numerous fictionalized accounts of pirates. So, Daily News, maybe you should implore Hollywood to stop glamorizing and promoting "sea thugs. " They are what they are - Sea Thugs! Pirates terrorize the high seas. And have been doing it for a while. Blame our popular culture for the romanticization of these lawless maritime criminals who've been around ever since humans first traveled by sea. Did you know that Julius Caesar was kidnapped by Sea Thugs?

Let's look at the facts. The Pirates trail the Reds, three games to two, in their best-of-seven National League Championship Series, which continues tonight in Cincinnati. They beat the Reds Wednesday night but need a win tonight and another tomorrow to advance to the World Series against the American League pennant-winning Athletics. That would make three successive wins against Cincinnati, an incredible feat, to be sure, but also one that the Pirates have accomplished before.

Aggressive Cardinal O'Hara defense averted any upset possibility Saturday when the Lions bottled up St. John Neumann while rolling to a 33-7 victory on a perfect football afternoon in South Philadelphia. The week before, O'Hara knocked off arch-rival Monsignor Bonner and coach Bob Ewing was concerned. "You're always worried of a let-down and what with four starters out, you don't know what to expect. " A booming 42-yard punt by Jason Raguckas gave Neumann the ball on its 20 early in the first period.

Pittsburgh pitcher Dave Stevens was rushed to a hospital yesterday after suffering a seizure in the Pirates' clubhouse and falling unconscious. Stevens, a non-roster player, was sitting in front of his locker when he suddenly began shaking. He was able to walk to the trainer's room under his own power, then collapsed. Stevens was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton, Fla., where he was conscious and listed in good condition. He was expected to stay overnight for tests, Pirates spokesman Jim Trdinich said.

The series with the Mets that ended Wednesday injected a little pennant- race level intensity into the Phillies' play. Now, though, the Phils must finish out their '87 season with three games in Pittsburgh, three games that will decide little, other than whether this is technically a winning season or not. The Phils are 80-79, and can finish anywhere from 83-79 to 80-82. They also can finish either fourth or tied for fourth with the Pirates, who are 77-82. The Pirates are assured of finishing with their best record since 1983, when they were 84-78.

Five Cardinal Dougherty backs combined for 235 rushing yards Saturday night to help the Cardinals down St. John Neumann, 21-6, in a nonleague season opener at Northeast High. Leading the assault was quarterback Mike McGinn, who rushed for 96 yards on 17 carries and scored on runs of 34 and 24 yards. Until the last 5 minutes of the game, when he fumbled three times, McGinn ran Dougherty's option with aplomb. "Mike's a real gamer," Dougherty coach Gene Kane said. "We've had some talented athletes here in the past, but when it comes to game day, Mike's going to be the kind of kid who does what has to be done.