Plum welcomes new class of inductees to sports hall of fame

By: Michael Love
Saturday, November 23, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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It was an evening seven years in the making.

For the first time since 2017, the Plum High School Sports Hall of Fame celebrated its own with the induction of some of the greatest to ever represent Mustang athletics.

Enshrined at a banquet ceremony Nov. 14 at Edgewood Country Club were Scott Benzel (football and volleyball, Class of 1993), Nolan Cressler (basketball, Class of 2012), Andrew DeFazio (football, baseball, and basketball, Class of 1995), Richard Foutz (golf, Class of 1970), Scott McGough (baseball and basketball, Class of 2008), William Rometo Jr. (football coaching, Class of 1970), William Wilmore (wrestling, Class of 1990) and Ronit Yurovsky (tennis, Class of 2012).

For the first time in the nearly two decades of the hall of fame, a team was inducted, as coach Lou Klauss, Foutz, Dave Borkovich, Lane Nonnenberg, Wade Nonnenberg and Mark Richardson were on hand to receive honors for their achievements in winning back-to-back WPIAL boys golf team titles in 1968 and 1969.

“We come together to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our new inductees,” Plum graduate and master of ceremonies Billy Bonura shared with the more than 150 of the inductees’ family members, former teammates, coaches and friends in attendance.

“These individuals have worked hard, and through dedication, they found success that has made a lasting impact on our school, our community and the world of sports. These inductees have not only excelled in athletics, but they’ve also set examples of excellence, perseverance and leadership that’s inspired us all.

“Our Hall of Fame’s motto is to honor, preserve and inspire, and tonight, we do all three. We honor the accomplishments of these remarkable individuals, we preserve their legacy for future generations, and we inspire the Mustangs of today and tomorrow to follow in their footsteps.”

This year’s Class of 2024 brings to 108 the total number of Plum individual inductees since the inaugural class of Mike Larko, Bill Closson, Frank Marchlewski, Gary Sandala, Jennifer McDowell, Joe Naunchik, William Rometo Sr. and Steve Cassidy in 2005.

“Plum is a special place, and it’s all about the people,” said McGough, a standout pitcher for Plum and Oregon who has enjoyed success at the professional and international levels.

“I was born and raised here, and that is where you learn a lot that becomes your foundation. There were so many great people who taught me and helped me grow as an athlete, a student and a person.”

McGough, who made his major-league debut with the Miami Marlins in 2015, was part of a league championship team in Japan before helping Team USA win silver in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

“Everywhere I have gone, I’ve let people know about Plum,” he said. “They now know what a great place it is.”

Tom McGough, Scott’s father, a former member of the Plum Sports Hall of Fame committee, and a former member of the Plum School Board, gave the evening’s invocation.

Past inductees — Tony Bonura, Brian Cipollone, John Garcia, Steve Kiragis, Cassidy, Mark Pupilli, Lou Klauss, Dave Martin, Brett Montgomery, Matt Morgan, Dave Pucka, Jeff Schmeck and John Schmeck — were on hand to celebrate this year’s class of inductees.

A special feature of the hall of fame is the interaction throughout the evening of the inductees with current Plum standout athletes.

Sierra Hunter, a member of the girls tennis and track and field teams, introduced Yurovsky to the dias for her acceptance speech.

“I will forever be proud to be a Plum Mustang,” said Yurovsky, who captured three WPIAL singles titles and was a PIAA champion her junior and senior years before moving on to a stellar collegiate career at Michigan.

Other student-athletes presenting their hall-of-fame counterparts were Nick Odom (football), Will Beckner (basketball), Dan Macioce (football), Wes Lorish (golf), Mike Tedrick (baseball), Ben Stricklin (football) and Saphia Davis and Alaina Claassen (wrestling).

The names and images of the inductees will soon join the other classes on a plaque at the entrance to the Plum High School gymnasium as a lasting tribune to their achievements.

“It’s a reminder that greatness can be found within our own community, and their legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come,” Bonura said.

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.

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