6 WPIAL coaches earn NFHS Section 2 honors for 2021-22 sports seasons

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, January 27, 2023 | 3:35 PM

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Six WPIAL coaches have earned regional honors from the National Federation of State High School Associations for their work in the 2021-22 school year.

Seneca Valley’s Brian Blackwell (boys swimming), Neshannock’s Luann Grybowski (girls basketball), Mars’ Bob Marcoux (boys lacrosse), Hempfield’s Suzannah Meyer (competitive spirit), Montour’s Rob Naylor (girls cross country) and Moon’s Bill Pfeifer (girls soccer) all were named coaches of the year in NFHS Section 2, which includes Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington D.C., along with Pennsylvania.

Pfeifer was named an NFHS National Coach of the Year earlier this month. His Tigers won WPIAL and PIAA titles with a 20-1-1 record, and allowed only five goals all season.

Blackwell led Seneca Valley to its first WPIAL title in boys swimming since 1975, and the Raiders added their first state championship.

Grybowski, who owns more than 700 career wins, led Neshannock to WPIAL and PIAA girls basketball titles. The Lancers went 29-2 in her 42nd season as a coach.

Marcoux helped Mars become the first WPIAL lacrosse team to win a state title. The Planets went 23-1, losing only to an eventual Ohio state champion, while averaging 17.6 goals and allowed 3.9 per game.

Meyer coached the Hempfield competitive spirit team to WPIAL and PIAA titles. The group also finished third at a national competition in Orlando, Fla.

Naylor led the Montour girls cross country team to the first WPIAL and PIAA titles in program history. Two runners finished in the top 10 at both meets.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Hempfield, Mars, Montour, Moon, Neshannock, Seneca Valley