Tag Archives: Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame

Well Dun: November 2024

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Longtime Dunmore volleyball coach Susan Dempsey and former Penn State and Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin headed the 40th annual induction ceremony for the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Chapter Sports Hall of Fame last month at Fiorelli’s, Peckville.

Other inductees included Jordan Hoyt Calvey for track and field; Joseph Dente as a baseball/softball official; Elizabeth McGowan for basketball; Gina Chieffallo Moreno for softball; Steven Pratico for football and track and field; James Tomcho for basketball/coach; Rick Muntean for the service award, and Chris Imperiale for the media award.

Former WBRE Eyewitness News sports director/sportscaster Phil Schoener served as toastmaster. The affable Schoener currently works as a broadcaster for the SportsFever TV Network, a syndicator of NCAA college sports to ESPN.

Bob Walsh, Dunmore, is president of the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. Mid Valley sports product Jerry Valonis is vice president. Judy Igoe Carr is secretary, and Tom “Doc” Dougherty is treasurer.

Other committee members include John Davies, Jerry Dempsey, Terry Greene, Rich Revta, and Chris Thomas.

Dunmorean reporter and sports editor Steve Svetovich is shown with newly-inducted member of the Northeast Chapter of PA Sports Hall of Fame Sue Dempsey, longtime Dunmore Volleyball coach, at her recent induction.

The U.S. Marine Corps provided the Presentation of Colors. Msgr. Patrick J. Pratico, Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, provided Invocation and Benediction. The Fiorelli’s staff provided a cocktail hour and superb dinner buffet.

Sue Dempsey, Dunmore, was a volleyball standout at Cranford (NJ) High School School. She earned All-County honors in 1981 and then played at Seton Hall for one year before attending Marywood University and earning MVP honors for the Pacers in 1984.

She then became volleyball coach for Marywood and in four years (1992-96) won a PA Athletic Conference title and finished runner-up in 1992. She then headed to Abington Heights (1998-2001) and led the Lady Comets to their first District 2, Class 3A volleyball title in 2001.

She started the volleyball program at Dunmore in 2006 and guided the Lady Bucks to 10 Lackawanna League titles, two District 2 Class 1A championships and seven District 2 Class 2A runner-up finishes. The volleyball pioneer reached the 200 career-win milestone in 2018.

In her speech, she mentioned her late dad who passed away three weeks after she learned the news of her induction. She spoke of his constant words of encouragement throughout her life

“He taught me that if they say no, then you work harder until they say yes.”

Matt McGloin was a standout quarterback for West Scranton High School, where he threw for 5,485 yards and 58 touchdowns in his four years. He was a four-year starter in basketball, scoring 1,398 points. He was a three-year starter in baseball. He was named Times-Tribune Athlete of the Year in 2008.

Former Penn State and Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin is a recent inductee into the Northeast Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame. Now a Lackawanna County Commissioner, he is shown with Dunmorean sports editor Steve Svetovich at the ceremony.

McGloin attended Penn State as a walk-on, making the team and eventually earning the starting quarterback job. He threw for 6,390 career yards and a school-record 48 touchdown passes.

He went on to the NFL, playing four years with the Oakland Raiders (2013-16). He played quarterback in 13 games, including seven starts in 2013. He completed 161-of-277 passes for a 58.1 completion percentage, 1,868 yards and 11 touchdown passes. He threw 11 interceptions. He passed for 1,587 yards and eight touchdown passes in only seven games in 2013.

He was also on the rosters of the Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.

Jordan Hoyt Calvey is a former track and field standout at Abington Heights, where she won three District 2 titles in the 200 meters, and two district crowns in the 100 meters in 2010. She was Times-Tribune co-Athlete of the Year after winning the PIAA Class 3A championship in the 200 meters and finishing as state runner-up Class 3A in the 100 meters. She went on to the University of Pittsburgh, where she ran on the 800-meter relay team that set a school record in 2011 at the Texas Relays.

Joseph Dente has been a baseball and softball umpire for 49 years. He is a high school boys and girls basketball official for 43 years. He initiated a referee mentoring program to help new officials reach the varsity level. He umpired/officiated 25 Lsckawanna League District II championship games and worked 25 PIAA tournament contests.

Elizabeth McGowan finished with 1,582 points as a girls’ basketball player at Mid Valley High School. She won the Lackawanna Northern Division scoring title and was tournament MVP in the Jaycees-Falcons Cage Classic. She was a junior college All-American at Lackawanna Junior College and played two years at Old Dominion University, where she was a part of two Colonial Athletic Association titles and made two NCAA tournaments.

Gina Chieffallo Moreno had a highly impressive career pitching record of 59-2 as a softball player for Valley View. She was a perfect 41-0 in the Lackawanna League, with two perfect games, two no-hitters, 37 shutouts, 494 strikeouts and a 0.49 ERA. She helped the Cougars win the PIAA title in 2013. She was Times-Tribune Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013.

She was on the Times-Tribune All Regional Team in 2011, 2012 and 2013. In 2013, she was the MaxPreps Softball Medium schools All-American.

At Brown University, she was a four-year varsity softball player where she had an 8-5 record and 2.73 ERA. A team captain twice, she was a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American Scholar Athlete.

Steven Pratico was a center and defensive end on the Valley View Cougars 1992 PIAA Class 2A title team. He was captain on the state title team. He was named by Coaches’ Magazine to the All-American Team in 1992. He was a member of the track team, winning the Lackawanna Track Conference title in the shot put and discus. He played football at Rutgers University (1993-95) and Bucknell University (1995-97). He helped Bucknell to their lone 10-0 season in 1997.

James Tomcho was a first Team All-Scholastic basketball player at Mid-Valley High School. At Keystone College, he ranks ninth with 537 career rebounds and third with 103 career blocked shots. He was team captain for an 18-4 team at Keystone. He then became a basketball coach leading Penn Stats Scranton to a team record 21 wins and its first conference title. In 1992-93. He led Carbondale Sacred Heart to the Northeast Athketic Conference Division II and District 12 Class 1A titles.

Rick Muntean has over 35 years of professional baseball management experience, including 26 years as general manager at every minor league level. He was the first general manager for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. He received the Best Minor League Baseball Yearbook Award in 1990 and was Minor League Baseball 100th anniversary Promotion third place winner in 2001. He was Executive of the Year in the Northern League in 2004. He was voted Executive of the Year in the Future Collegiate Baseball League in 2014.

Chris Imperiale is sports editor of the Scranton Times-Tribune. He began his journalism career there in 1994 as a correspondent and was hired as a full-time sports reporter in 1997. In 2002, he was promoted to assistant sports editor and led a redesign of the sports section. In 2004, he became assistant metro editor. He became sports editor in 2009.

He led the Times-Tribune sports department to state and national acclaim, twice earning the prestigious AP Sports Editors Triple Crown as a top 10 newspaper in circulation in 2018 and 2020. He served on multiple state and national committees for sports editors and writers and was AP Sports Editors Mid-Athletic Regional Chairman from 2014 through 2016.

The 2024 inductees into the Northeast Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame are shown, flanked by Chapter vice president Jerry Valonis, far left, and president Bob Walsh, far right.

Doin’ Dunmore: Enrico Galassi among Hall of Fame class

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The 2022 inductees into the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame are shown at Sunday’s event with Jerry Valonis, chapter vice president, second row, far left, and Bob Walsh of Dunmore, chapter president, second row, far right.

By Steve Svetovich

Former Holy Cross track and field and cross country star Enrico Galassi was among a class of 10 who were enshrined into the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday, Oct. 2, at Fiorelli’s, Peckville.

The other inductees in the class of 2022 included Ross Zanghi, Bob Timlin, Mike Lucarelli, Natalie Winters, Laura Fitzpatrick O’Malley, Jess Armillay Cacchioli, the late John Bucci, Donnie Collins for the Media Award, and Mike Serino for the Service Award.

Bob Walsh, Dunmore, is Northeastern Chapter president. Jerry Valonis is vice president.

Judy Igoe Carr is secretary of the Northeastern Chapter. Tom “Doc” Dougherty is treasurer. Other members of the executive committee include Dunmore’s Rich Revta, Terry Greene and Jerry Dempsey.

Retired sports broadcaster Jim Coles served as toastmaster for the 38th annual Induction Ceremony which was attended by about 180 persons.

The U.S. Marine Corps had a presentation of colors prior to the pledge of allegiance. Walsh provided the welcome address.

Galassi was three times All-Regional in both cross country and track and field at Holy Cross. He was the Scranton Times cross country male Performer of the Year and first team All-State in both cross country and track and field. He was a two-time,District 2 Class AA first place champion in both the 1600m and 3200m. He was voted Atlantic 10 outstanding rookie at Dusquesne University where he was a two-time first team All-Conference cross country runner. He holds the school’s 3K outdoor track record with a time of 8:21.95.

Zanghi was an all-star in baseball, basketball and football at Scranton Tech. He was a three-time All-Scholastic in football and three-time Scranton Times Athlete of the Week. He was Scranton Times Athlete of the Year runner up and twice a state PIAA honorable mention. In basketball, he was a three-time second team All-Scholastic and MVP in both the Dream Game and Forest City Holiday Basketball Tournaments. He earned Athlete of the Week and was a PIAA state honorable mention. 

In baseball, he was a three-time first team baseball All-Scholastic. Small in stature, he was blessed with power and speed accompanied with hard work and all-out hustle. He was a PIAA basketball official for 30 years and PIAA football official for 27 years officiating numerous district finals in both sports. He refereed the PIAA Class AA state football final in 1998.

Timlin was a PIAA basketball official for 37 years and IABBO college basketball official for 32 years. Known as “Sugar,” he was the Dean of District 2 basketball officials. He officiated 14 Lackawanna League championship games, 21 District 2 championship games and 26 PIAA state playoff games. He officiated every round of the 2002 PIAA tournament, including the PIAA state championship at Hershey. He officiated 111 Lackawanna League All-Star games and mentored countless young PIAA officials.

Armillay was a member of three straight District 2 Class 1A and Lackawanna League Division championships as a softball pitcher for Old Forge. She was a two-time Times-Tribune All-Regional pitcher and selected Times-Tribune Softball Player of the Year as a junior. She finished 18-3 with a 2.26 ERA and 153 strikeouts. She threw back-to-back perfect games which was a first in PIAA playoff history. She was named first team All-Star pitcher. She had a 34-3 pitching record in her final two seasons at Old Forge. She was a three-year starter at Misericordia University, winning 23 games.

The late Bucci had a 171-47 record in his nine seasons coaching basketball at Bishop Hannon. His teams were five-time Lackawanna League champions, four-time District 2 champions and appeared in three state finals, winning the PIAA Class AA Boys’ Basketball state title in 2002. He founded, owned, operated and coached a Northeastern Pennsylvania Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) program which exposed local athletes to college coaches throughout the country. He is in the Wayne County Sports Hall of Fame.

Lucarelli led the Lackawanna League in scoring playing basketball for Old Forge. He was Northern Division Player of the Year, first team All-Regional and selected to the third team for Small School Pennsylvania All-State basketball. He was a 1,000 point scorer at Old Forge. He played shortstop and third base on Old Forge’s baseball state championship team and was named Lackawanna County Athlete of the Year. 

He was a three-year letterman in basketball at Franklin and Marshall College. His 1994-95 team went undefeated at 24-0. As coach of the Cal Ripken Baseball League team in Marlton, New Jersey, his team won the Regional and New Jersey state titles.

Fitzpatrick O’Malley lettered in four sports at Lackawanna Trail High School. She participated in field hockey, basketball, softball and track and field. She was a two-time NAC All-Conference Field Hockey All-Star and Player of the Year. She was an NAC All-Conference track performer at Syracuse University. 

She was Big East Conference Rookie of the Year as a freshman field hockey player. She was a 2000 AstroTurf National Field Hockey Coaches Association third team All American, first team All-Mideast Region and first team All Big East performer. She was a three-time Big East Academic All-Star and selected an alternate to the under 21 U.S. Olympic team. She was presented the Soladay Award for outstanding achievement in academics, community service, leadership and athletics.

Winters Aniska was a three-time basketball Lackawanna League first-team All-Star, twice Times-Tribune Athlete of the Week, two-time Times-Tribune All-Regional selection and Times-Tribune Athlete of the Year. She is Carbondale Area’s all-time leading scorer with 1,887 points and a PIAA Class AA second team All-State selection. She was two-time basketball captain at West Chester University where she received the Carol Eckman Award given to the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship and dedication. She coached basketball at Forest City and Western Wayne.

Serino spent 65 years as a volunteer for Little League baseball. The first 30 years were spent at the West Scranton Little League where he was coach, manager, umpire while holding numerous league office positions. He was a District 17 Umpire-in-Chief, District Administrator of District 17/32 for the past 23 years and a Pennsylvania State Coordinator for 11 years. He was elected to the International Board of Directors where he served a three-year term. He was instrumental in getting our Local Challenger Division to play baseball in Williamsport.

Collins, a Pittston Area and Penn State graduate, has covered area sports at every level for the past 24 years at the Scranton Times-Tribune. He covered local product Gerry McNamara’s entire basketball career at Bishop Hannon and Syracuse University and Matt McGloin’s football career at West Scranton, Penn State and into the NFL. He covered the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Red Barons/RailRiders beat for 15 years interviewing and writing about the likes of Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and later Aaron Judge. 

For the past 20 seasons, he has been the Times-Tribune’s Penn State football beat reporter. He takes great pride in telling the stories of local and professional athletes. He maintains the same enthusiasm he exhibited when he began a career in sports journalism 24 years ago.

Doin’ Dunmore: A Special Thank You to All Who Helped Along the Way

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By Steve Svetovich

Surreal…thankful…

Those are the best two words to describe being inducted into the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame as a recipient of the media award at Fiorellli’s last month. 

Celebrating together at the induction ceremony last month at Fiorelli’s for Steve Svetovich, Dunmorean sports editor, who won the media award for the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame were, from left: Atty. James Gregorowicz, Steve’s father Stan, his son Dylan, honoree Steve Svetovich, his son Ryan, Mike Booth, and Brian Bosley.

Since the induction ceremony was postponed from 2020, this scribe had well more than a year to prepare a speech.

And as the 10th and final speaker, the nerves were apparent. 

But the speech went well as this scribe touched on 40 years of writing and interviews while thanking the major supporters and influences. 

This column is not about me or the speech, but a thank you to those who were helpful influences throughout the years. 

What I want to do in this column is simply thank all of those who helped along the way. Many were mentioned in the speech.

First there are my dad and late mom. 

As a youngster, after reading books about Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays in the Robert Morris Elementary School library, I wanted to play baseball.

I knew nothing about the game.

My mom took me to the Green Ridge Little League for a tryout. When I was about to turn back, she told me to “take a chance” and then drove away. Soon after, I fell in love with baseball. From that point on, I knew writing about it could be a reasonable goal. 

In later years, she worked the stands with my sister at the Green Ridge Teener League. She encouraged me in my writing career and was one of my biggest supporters. 

My dad is probably the only one who has read all of my stories. And I know there are about 7,000 of them. He is my biggest fan. He always made sure there was a nice supper on the table for me. Even if it meant there was less for him. He continues to read my stories with great interest. 

Then there was my first baseball coach, the late Bill Kandle, and my Little League coach, the late Frank Coupland, who taught me how to play the game and to love sports.

Then there was the late Tony Miele, my Green Ridge Teener League coach, who brought this bench warmer back for one more game just for a chance to shine. He played me the whole game, which ended with this scribe getting the winning hit. Then he brought me back as a coach. No wonder he is also in this Hall of Fame.

Then there was Sandra Buzas, my eighth grade English teacher at North Scranton Junior High School, who gave me a journal and told me to write. I haven’t stopped since.

Then there is the late John McCormick, the former Scranton Times sports editor and past president of this Hall of Fame, who knew my love of sports and brought me to the Scranton Red Soxx of the ACBL where I worked as team statistician and official scorer under the great Gary Ruby, Jerry Valonis and late Bill Howerton. What a group to learn from! 

McCormick didn’t stop there. He got me involved keeping the score books during games for the Scranton Tavern League and used me as a stringer covering football games for the Scranton Times.

Then there was my late junior high school English teacher Father Joseph Quinn, S.J., who took a sincere interest in me as a person and not just as a student.

Then there was former Scranton Times columnist Joseph X. Flannery, who taught me the basics of good journalism at the University of Scranton and followed my career thereafter. And there was the late novelist Gilbert Sorrentino who taught me so much about writing when he lectured one semester at the University of Scranton on a grant.

Then there was Nat Zinicola who provided me the opportunity to write 15 years for his Pennsylvania Athlete publication. We covered all high school sports throughout Northeastern and Central PA. 

Then there was Danny Ziobro who gave me a job in the Central Supply Unit of Mercy Hospital when I was 22 and desperately needed full time work while freelance writing and pursuing a writing career. He doesn’t realize what he did for me. I was so grateful. Work is a privilege. 

Then there was the late Bill Hoppel, 34 years my senior, but a Mercy Hospital co-worker who served as a mentor, teaching me so much about life and the working world. He persuaded me to interview Notre Dame Four Horseman Jim Crowley who was a patient at the hospital. The recorded interview was published in several newspapers and put my name on the map.

Then there was the late Pete Gray, the only one-armed position player in MLB history, who allowed me to interview him on the back porch of his Nanticoke home. The recorded interview led to a UPI award and can now be heard forever at the National Baseball Hall of Fame or on the World Wide Web. Thank you, Pete Gray. 

Then there were the reporters and editors at The Scranton Tribune who taught me how to be a good reporter and honed my writing skills. Those reporters and editors in particular were the late Doug Miele, the late Ray Flanagan, Joe Pesavento, Dunmore’s Guy Valvano, Lew Marcus and Maureen Garcia-Pons. What a great experience that was. There were others, but those six took the most interest. 

Then there was John Hart who took me on with The Dunmorean almost 32 years ago. He and his wife Maureen have allowed me free rein to continue with my craft. I am extremely grateful to John and Maureen for allowing me to do what I love for so many years and counting. Without them, there would be no platform. Special thanks to John and Maureen Hart. 

Then there are my lifelong friends who have always stood by my side. Namely: Tom Reese, John Reap, Jim Decker, Bob and Kathy White, Jim Gregorowicz, Andy Gregorowicz, John Gregorowicz, the late Bill Hoppel, Jeannie Hoppel, Mike Booth, Steve Gall, Ted “T.C.” Christy, Brian Bosley, Paul “Saki” Wysocki, Tom “Duggie” Duggan, Andy Debawalski, Patti Lennox Vanston, Ned “Doc” Sweeney and the late Pat O’Malley. 

Then there is my brother George and sister Denise who have my back and are always there for me. 

Then there are my two sons, Dylan and Ryan, my biggest supporters. They are my true legacy in life. They served as my presenters at the Induction ceremony. And without their mom, Beth, I would not have them. Thank you, Beth. 

Finally, there are Bob Walsh, president; Jerry Valonis, vice president; Judy Igoe Carr, secretary; Tom “Doc” Dougherty, treasurer, and Rich Revta, committee member, who provided me with this honor. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was a great night.