George Guido: Late Riddinger made a number of contributions to Oakmont area sports

By: George Guido
Saturday, July 2, 2022 | 5:01 PM

Warren Riddinger, who coached the first Alle-Kiski Valley girls basketball team to a PIAA playoff win and made a number of other contributions to Oakmont area sports, died last week.

He was 90.

Riddinger founded the girls basketball program at Oakmont and Riverview, where he led the Raiders to three state playoff berths within a five-year span. His team in 1979 was the first local team to win a PIAA playoff game, recording a 46-19 victory over Ridgway.

Riddinger was on coach Chuck Wagner’s first varsity football staff at Oakmont High School in 1961. He was known to those in the surrounding communities as “Mr. Versatility” for all the hats he wore.

Riddinger was an assistant football coach for 18 years, girls basketball coach for 10 years, athletic director for four years, assistant track coach for six years, Oakmont golf coach for six years and, for a time, managed Riverside Park in Oakmont on a rotating basis.

He played football at what then was known as Slippery Rock State Teachers College, leading to 31 years as an educator. After retiring, he relocated to Calabash, N.C.

Riddinger was inducted into the A-K Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Funeral arrangements were handled by the Burkett-Truby Funeral Home in Oakmont. Riddinger was interred Friday at Richland Cemetery, near Johnstown.

Halfway home

The drive to make girls wrestling a sanctioned PIAA sport has reached the halfway mark.

The statewide body needs 100 schools to commit to sponsoring a girls wrestling program in order to sanction the sport.

Fort Cherry became the 50th school to approve a program this past Monday.

Kiski Area and Plum have pledged sponsorship. Among the approving WPIAL schools are Connellsville, North Allegheny, Canon-McMillan and Southmoreland.

Most of the schools declaring support are from PIAA District 3 (Harrisburg area) and PIAA District 1 (Philadelphia suburbs).

SanctionPA, the group pushing for the sanction, said the sport now qualifies for what the PIAA calls “emerging sport status.”

Vasas to NFHS confab

Knoch High School’s Megan Vasas is one of 12 Pennsylvania high school students selected to participate in the National Federation of State High School Associations Leadership Conference from July 18-20 in Indianapolis.

The NFHS event provides a forum for student leaders to discuss current issues facing education-based athletics and activities.

The summit also will provide time to promote respectfulness, positive values, sportsmanship, teamwork, healthy lifestyles and community service.

Vasas missed her junior basketball season with a torn ACL sustained during soccer season and was sidelined for the Knights’ run to the WPIAL Class 4A championship game and the school’s first PIAA girls basketball victory several days later.