Gus Frerotte headlines Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame class

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, December 24, 2017 | 8:09 PM

Ford City High School never made the WPIAL football playoffs until quarterback Gus Frerotte took over in 1987.

Frerotte, who was also an outfielder on Ford City's 1987 state championship baseball team, went on to Tulsa, where he set passing records, and later played 15 seasons in the NFL.

He made a Pro Bowl appearance in 1996.

Now an Oakmont resident, Frerotte will be one of eight inductees at the 49th Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame banquet May 19.

The banquet will be held at the Quality Inn, New Kensington.

Here are the other inductees:

Dana Elder Petruska

One of the WPIAL's most successful basketball coaches, Petruska has guided programs at Deer Lakes and Mars to 20 WPIAL playoff appearances and had accumulated 416 coaching victories entering this season.

A 1975 Deer Lakes graduate, she later played at Pitt and coached Deer Lakes for eight seasons in between Mars stints.

Chad Hanna

A 1965 Ken High graduate, he captained Red Raiders football and wrestling teams and went on to play both sports at Clarion. He coached Vikings wrestling teams for 25 years, and his teams won nearly 250 dual matches and boasted many section, WPIAL and PIAA qualifiers.

Charles ‘Chip' Young

As a halfback, Young led Freeport to the 1963 WPIAL football title game and was first team all-AIC and WPIAL. Young also excelled in track, once winning the AIC high jump while sick with the measles and was a member of a Freeport American Legion title team. He later played at William & Mary as a defensive back and a punt/kick returner and is a Vietnam veteran.

Lewis Lawhorn

A 1991 Kiski Area graduate, Lawhorn was third-team all-state in football in 1990 and was a Valley News Dispatch all-star. In track, he was a two-time WPIAL champion in the 400 meters and won the PIAA in that event in 1991. At Temple, he was all-Big East and later all-Mid American Conference.

John E. Briscoe

A standout for Oakmont from 1957-59 as a blocking quarterback and defensive linebacker, Briscoe earned a scholarship to the University of Arizona. After playing offense and defense for the Wildcats' — required until 1963 — he was a key member of the 1964 Arizona team that went 6-3-1 and tied New Mexico and Utah for first place in the old Western Athletic Conference. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, but a neck injury ended his career.

Patrick McHenry

McHenry never played football until his senior season at Valley but was good enough to earn a scholarship to Wake Forest. He started at defensive back for the Demon Deacons for two seasons. He returned to his hometown as an educator and track coach for over 20 years, producing a number of stellar athletes.

Rudy Mattioli, DDS (posthumous)

One of only three quarterbacks in A-K Valley history to be named first team all-state, Mattioli was on the 1951 Associated Press team while playing for Har-Brack High School. In 1953 as a Pitt sophomore, he guided the Panthers to a Gator Bowl berth. Mattioli graduated from Pitt dental school and had a Lower Burrell practice for 43 years.

Also, the hall of fame will recognize Valley News Dispatch Offensive Football of the Year Nick Gizzo of Fox Chapel, Defensive Player of the Year Austin Kemp of Freeport, Male Soccer Player of the Year Jared Demore of Springdale and female Soccer Player of the Year Kaylee Comperatore of Freeport.

George Guido is a freelance writer.