George Guido: 1st Willie Thrower QB Camp set for July 16 at Valley

By: George Guido
Saturday, June 11, 2022 | 5:50 PM

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The first Willie Thrower Foundation Invitational Quarterback Camp is set for July 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Valley High Memorial Stadium.

Serra Catholic coach Jose Regus and members of the Black Coaches Association are organizing the event that will provide instructors such as star quarterbacks of the past and current WPIAL head coaches.

The New Kensington-Arnold School District gave the OK to hold the event at the stadium where Thrower played during his final three seasons with the Ken High Red Raiders. The camp will take place under the watchful eye of Thrower’s statue, erected near the stadium entrance.

The first set of invitees will be returning quarterbacks from WPIAL and City League teams such as last year’s Willie Thrower Award winner, Armstrong’s Cadin Olsen.

The Willie Thrower Award, named after the NFL’s first Black quarterback, has been presented following the past two football seasons to the top quarterback in Southwestern Pennsylvania as voted on by a panel of two coaches from each WPIAL conference and the City League, along with media members who regularly cover high school football.

Pine-Richland’s Cole Spencer was the first winner in 2020, followed by Olsen last year. Both athletes received a 29-pound replica of the Willie Thrower statue.

There were 30 quarterbacks who received votes last season, and those returnees will be among the first to be invited.

Among the coaches invited are Valley’s new coach, Dave Heavner, and returning Burrell coach Shawn Liotta.

New Kensington-Arnold School District Superintendent Christopher Sefcheck has asked organizers to stress that the event isn’t just about football or sports in general. Sefcheck asked that campers receive a strong message of the importance of athletics and academics combining as means for them to “further their education and enhance their futures.”

The 2022 Willie Thrower trophy also is scheduled to be on display that day.

Class 5A thrills

In a rematch of the exciting WPIAL Class 5A softball final, Armstrong will meet Penn-Trafford in a PIAA semifinal at 2 p.m. Monday at Mars Centennial Field.

One thing is certain: there will be a new state Class 5A champion. Last year’s champion, Lampeter-Strasburg, was eliminated Thursday under wild circumstances.

Pittston Area thought it had defeated Lampeter-Strasburg when Jiana Moore and Kallie Booth raced home from second and first base on a Sage Wendlich bunt and an errant throw.

As the celebration took place, the home plate umpire waved his arms and halted the celebration The ump ruled that Wendlich had stepped out of the batter’s box during her bunt, negating the play and Wendlich was ruled out.

The next batter, Tori Para, slammed a gap shot that scored both runs for a second time and set off a second Pittston celebration.

Pittston will now play Oxford — the high school, not the university — Monday and the winner there will face the winner between Armstrong and Penn-Trafford at 4 p.m. Friday at Penn State’s Beard Field.

Armstrong defeated Penn-Trafford, 6-5, on a June 3 walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh by Jenna Clontz.