Longtime coach Paul Sapotichne headlines Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025

By: George Guido
Monday, December 23, 2024 | 11:30 AM

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Once upon a time, Paul Sapotichne was in the audience at the Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame banquet as a student honoree.

Come May 17, Sapotichne, the 1971 WKPA Radio/Westmoreland Cable Channel 3 basketball Player of the Year with Springdale, will be on the dais as an inductee as part of hall of fame’s 54th induction banquet.

Sapotichne, presently Greensburg Salem’s boys basketball coach, will join seven other inductees and two teams as part of the ceremonies at the Pittsburgh Shriners Center in Harmar.

During his coaching career at Wilmington, Greensburg Salem and Riverview, Sapotichne has accumulated 465 victories. The Westminster College graduate piloted Greensburg Salem to the 2009 PIAA Class 3A finals.

Twin talents

The local Hall will induct twins for the second time in 2025.

Jodie Vick McCartney and Jamie Vick Moran, 2002 Kiski Area graduates, excelled in basketball, volleyball and track and field. Both went on to attend Saint Vincent College and were basketball standouts.

Tragically, Jamie died in 2012 at age 28 after battling acute lymphatic leukemia.

Her father, David Vick, will accept induction for Jamie at the banquet.

Jodie was Kiski Area’s head volleyball coach for four seasons and now helps operate the Jamie Vick Memorial Fund, which has provided scholarships to female Kiski Area students.

The other inductee twins were Garry and Barry Nelson, Fox Chapel and Duquesne basketball greats enshrined in 2011.

Here are the other inductees, listed alphabetically with their high school and graduation year in parentheses:

Don Frederick (Ken High, 1964)

A 1963 all-state tackle for the Red Raiders, Frederick spent 46 seasons as an assistant coach with Verona, Riverview, Valley and Leechburg after being part of Cal (Pa.)’s 1968 state collegiate title team.

Jonathan Martin (Valley, 1975)

A second-team all-state running back in 1974, “Jonny” helped turn around Valley’s football fortunes during his final two seasons. Martin batted .450 for the New Kensington American Legion team and went on to play football for four seasons at Slippery Rock and served as a 1978 team captain.

Larry Ondako (Arnold, 1962)

Best known for his basketball play at Arnold, Ondako was part of the Tri-City Jaycees all-star game, the forerunner of today’s Cager Classic. As a coach, he collected 500 victories guiding Leechburg basketball, Burrell softball and golf.

Nick Reiser (Knoch, 1993)

An all-state tackle with Knoch’s 1992 WPIAL Class 3A runner-up, Reiser went on to enjoy a stellar career at Allegheny College. He earned All-American status his junior and senior seasons and made the all-North Coast Athletic Conference teams all four seasons.

Mark Schubert (Springdale, 1974)

A member of Springdale’s 1973 WPIAL championship football team as a lineman and kicker, Schubert went on to Pitt and kicked three seasons for the Panthers. Best known as a clutch kicker, he booted late field goals to win games against Syracuse, Temple and Arizona and was the 1979 Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP.

Teams

For the second year, the A-K Hall will induct teams.

1948 Ford City boys basketball team: WPIAL champions and PIAA runner-up. Bill Englert Jr., son of starter Bill Englert Sr., will accept induction.

1971 Kiski Area football team: WPIAL champions at 12-0, ranked No. 1 in Pennsylvania and No. 5 in the USA. Quarterback Tom Giotto will accept induction.

High school players

Like Sapotichne in 1971, a number of local athletes will receive recognition at the banquet.

On the list thus far for awards on behalf of Trib Total Media include Leechburg’s Jayden Floyd, Valley News Dispatch Offensive Player of the Year; Freeport’s Sean Selinger, VND Defensive Player of the Year; Fox Chapel’s Milo Chiu, VND Boys Soccer Player of the Year; and Springdale’s Briana Ross, Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

The Valley News Dispatch boys and girls basketball players of the year, the four Cager Classic MVPs and a possible Courage Award winner will be added at a later date.

Banquet tickets will be $40. For more information, visit the Hall’s website at: www.akhof.com.

Tags: Armstrong, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Kiski Area, Knoch, Leechburg, Riverview, Springdale, Valley