Kiski Area Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 represents younger generations

By: Michael Love
Friday, September 5, 2025 | 5:43 PM

Mike Rairigh earned nine varsity letters in football, basketball and track and field as a Kiski Area athlete.

He finished his high school football career as the Cavaliers’ all-time leader in receptions, picked up all-conference recognition football and basketball and earned a silver medal in the javelin at the WPIAL Class 3A track and field championships.

He went on to a football career at IUP and earned All-American honors in the javelin.

More than two decades after he graduated from Kiski Area as part of the Class of 2002, Rairigh received yet another honor as a Cavalier.

He and seven other Kiski Area athletic greats were celebrated last Saturday with induction into the Kiski Area Sports Hall of Fame at the Greek Orthodox Church Social Hall in Oakmont.

The Kiski Area athletic community came together to enshrine Rairigh, as well as Maddie Antone (Class of 2013, volleyball, basketball, softball), William Emerick (Class of 2011, football, wrestling, baseball), Crystal Heder Kosecki (Class of 2003, soccer, track and field), Ryan Sciullo (Class of 2014, baseball, basketball, golf), Kara Shirley Shunski (Class of 2003, basketball, swimming, cross country, track and field), Allison Little Sromek (Class of 2002, tennis, swimming, track and field), and Blair Woolheater (Class of 2007, golf, swimming, tennis) in the Class of 2025.

“I didn’t know much about the hall of fame before this, but it was a very cool experience,” Rairigh said. “I no longer live in the (Kiski) area, but it was great to get back and catch up with people I haven’t seen in years, coaches and teachers and friends and former teammates. It was a very special evening. I am honored that I was thought of as worthy to be inducted.”

Rairigh, as well as Heder Kosecki, Shirley Shunski, and Little Sromek all graduated within a year of each other.

“I basically grew up with Allie my whole life. We were classmates from junior high all the way up to senior year and graduated together,” Rairigh said. “I was friends with Kara, and we were joking that we couldn’t believe that we are in this (HOF class) together.

“I knew Crystal, but I got to know her better at IUP. We hung out a lot together in college. This is like life coming full circle. We were all joking that our younger selves would be pretty proud of us.”

Heder Kosecki earned seven varsity letters in soccer and track. She scored a school-record 29 goals as a junior and was selected that season’s Valley News Dispatch Player of the Year.

She enjoyed a four-year soccer career at IUP, where she became the fourth-highest goal scorer in school history. She added her Kiski Area Sports Hall of Fame enshrinement to the IUP Athletics Hall of Fame induction she received in 2024.

This year’s class of eight brings the total number of individual inductees to more than 160 since the first group was enshrined in 2006.

“I had such a great experience at Kiski. It helped mold me into the person I am today,” Shirley Shunski said.

“The ceremony Saturday felt like home, and (hall of fame chairman) Tony (Nicholas) and the other committee members did a great job of making us all feel so good and welcomed. He did a great job finding things that were special to each of us.

“I was friends with Mike, Crystal and Allison, so it was very special for all of us to be reunited this way. I don’t see any of them on a regular basis, so it was a really cool experience to be out there with them. And this whole class reminded me of Kiski as a whole, a group of modest, hard-working people. We all had a great experience being there. We all could have been friends if we were all there at Kiski at the same time. We all got along great sitting up there and sharing in the special moments of the ceremony.”

The hall of fame class also gathered together and was celebrated at Kiski Area’s home football game against Knoch on Aug. 22.

“It was special to hear the inductees talk about their athletic memories at Kiski and for some of them, in college, and also what they are doing now,” Nicholas said.

This Class of 2025 is the first group where all of the inductees graduated after the year 2000.

“We’re moving up the ladder to where we are able to honor some of the younger graduates and athletes,” Nicholas said.

Nicholas said the hall of fame ceremony has become somewhat of an overall Kiski Area athletics reunion.

“People come back, and they get to see each other maybe once a year, but they can’t wait to reminisce about their athletic careers and their overall school experience,” said Nicholas, who was able to welcome to the ceremony close to 30 former inductees.

“Some of them come every year. They make it a point to come back, and we really appreciate that. Blaze Tatannani from the first class (2006) has never missed a banquet. It has turned into a wonderful event every year. The focus is fully on the inductees, and we’re happy to be able to do that.”

Plaques recognizing the inductees will be on display in the athletic wing of the high school.

In addition to the enshrinement of this year’s class, the hall of fame committee honored Anthony Gonella with the Bill Miller Community Service Award for his years of dedication to the school district and community.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Kiski Area