Alle-Kiski Valley Hall of Fame reveals latest class

By: George Guido
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 | 4:32 PM

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Whether he was called the “Dynamo Dandy” or the “Dynamic Dynamo,” Dick DeVenzio left his mark on Springdale basketball and will be honored posthumously at the Alle-Kiski Valley Hall of Fame’s 55th induction banquet May 16 at the Pittsburgh Shriners Center, Harmar.

Playing for the Dynamos in his sophomore and junior seasons, DeVenzio led Springdale to numerous victories against much larger schools, including Gateway, Fox Chapel and Penn Hills.

But for his senior season, he and his father, legendary coach Chuck DeVenzio, moved on to Ambridge and were key factors in WPIAL and PIAA championships for the Bridgers.

A Parade All-American, he excelled at Duke and later led the charge for what has become the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) program for collegiate athletics.

DeVenzio died in 2001 and his brother, Dave, will accept induction. He will be one of eight individuals and two teams that will be enshrined.

Here are the others, listed alphabetically:

Billy Callahan

Football standout at Valley and Pitt, Callahan held the A-K record of 348 rushing yards in a 1981 game until it was broken in the late 2000s. He went on to have a stellar career at Pitt as a safety and was drafted by the Steelers.

William “Billy” Clarke

An outstanding wrestler for New Kensington from 1964-66, Clarke compiled a 37-1 record in the regular season in three weight classes and was the first Ken High wrestler to qualify for the PIAA tourney.

Jeff DeSantes

Played three seasons at Burrell and was selected All-Conference in football with the Bucs and went on to play four seasons at Geneva College. He was an NAIA All-American in 1985 and set a single-game record for tackles for the Golden Tornadoes in 1983. He was a three-time District 18 defensive Player of the Week.

Dave Fortun

Only one goalkeeper in WPIAL soccer history was part of two titles in the same calendar year. How’s that? In 1965, soccer was a spring sport and Springdale captured the championship. But the PIAA made soccer a fall sport that same year, and the Dynamos won it all again. Fortun has coached WPIAL soccer for more than 55 years

Crystal Heder Kosecki

A four-time all-section soccer standout at Kiski Area and IUP, Heder Kosecki was Valley News Dispatch female soccer Player of the Year in 2001. She scored 29 goals that season for the Cavaliers and later tallied 112 career points in college.

Scott McKillop

Not only did McKillop capture the Kiski Area record for tackles, he was a two-time individual WPIAL wrestling champion and placed second in the WPIAL track finals in the 400. He went on to have an All-American career as a Pitt linebacker, leading the nation in tackles before a two-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers.

Cecil Smith

A posthumous inductee, Smith was prominent in track in Valley’s early years, losing just once in the 100 meters over the 1968 and ’69 regular seasons. All races in 1968 were 10.3 seconds or under, and he won the AIC Section 2 in three events. Uncle Melvyn Smith will accept induction.

Teams

• 1965 Arnold baseball: The WPIAL champions navigated through a season playing much larger schools culminating with a 10-1 win over Beaver Falls for WPIAL honors at Forbes Field.

• 1985 Deer Lakes girls basketball: Coach Don Favero’s Lancers brought home a WPIAL title over North Catholic and a PIAA title over Palmyra, erasing a 19-point deficit in the second half.

Tags: Burrell, Deer Lakes, Kiski Area, Springdale, Valley