Sports

Last Updated on Sunday, 01 June 2014 01:48

On Friday, June 20, 2014, the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame will honor area senior scholar athletes during its 21th annual induction banquet at The Willow Room in Rostraver Township at 5:30 p.m. Honoring the Mon Valley's best and brightest in sports and in the classroom has been an integral part of the Sports Hall of Fame since 1995.

Area students are selected by Mon Valley athletic directors and high school principals and are recognized at the banquet for their academic and athletic accomplishments. The Sports Hall of Fame Committee awards a certificate of merit reflecting personal dedication to achieving the highest standards of excellence as a scholar and in sportsmanship.

This prestigious event bonds generations of area athletes by bringing together the past generation of Hall of Fame recipients with the present generation of athletes. This is ceremoniously represented in the seating arrangement in which the scholar athletes sit on a tier below the Hall of Fame inductees, challenging the students to achieve a goal that Hall of Fame personalities have accomplished. The first student scholar athlete to reach Hall of Fame status was Gina Naccarato. Ms. Naccarato was recognized as a student school athlete in 1996 and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.

The 2014 student scholar athlete recipients are:

Belle Vernon Area High School: Jake Sweitzer and Katie AnnaBentworth High School: Matthew Viekless and Ella SchaltenbrandBrownsville High School: Nick Despot and Whitney PtakCalifornia High School: Michael Luketich and Kailyn ClancyCharleroi High School: Mathew Indorante and Anjela TilghmanElizabeth Forward High School: Andrew Jacobs and Alison PastoreMonessen High School: Nathanael Moon and Monet WadeRinggold High School: Devin Fallenstein and Eleni RadicYough High School: Teddy Charletta and Natalie Peebles

In addition to inducting the area's finest scholar athletes, the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame will induct seven new members including: Milfred "Bubby" Holmes; Maurice Mathieu; Heather Ferrari Milkent; Tony Segzda; Charles H. Smith; Ed Zuraw; and the late John Maczuzak. The recipient of this year's Hall of Fame appreciation award will be Jerry Zahand of Highway Appliance, a former member of the Hall of Fame Board of Directors. Pat Bostick, a voice of Pitt Panthers football, will do the honors of master of ceremonies.

Anyone wishing to attend the June 20 banquet and induction ceremony can purchase tickets for $40 by contacting Steve Russell, general chairman, at 724-258-3823 or by mailing in money to MMVASHOF, 1106 Stanton St., Monongahela, PA 15063.