Armstrong County HOF greets dozen new members

By: George Guido
Sunday, April 28, 2024 | 10:11 PM

Things came full circle for six of 12 inductees at Sunday’s 49th Armstrong County Sports Hall of Fame banquet.

The six — Ford City’s Kristin Myers Moran and Mark Szymanski, Freeport’s Ron DeJidas, Leechburg’s Nick Matviko, Apollo-Ridge’s Lauren Reilly and Shannock Valley’s Todd Heigley — were recognized as honorees during their senior high school years at previous Armstrong County banquets.

“As a young athlete 31 years ago, I was sitting there listening to some old guy talking,” DeJidas said with a laugh.

DeJidas, the 1992 Valley News Dispatch football Player of the Year, went on to a record-setting career as a running back at Clarion. He now coaches Freeport’s softball team and has the Yellowjackets clinching a WPIAL playoff berth in his first season at the helm.

Heigley’s performance as a quarterback for the former Shannock Valley and Armstrong East high schools propelled him to a career at Gannon, where he remains on the all-time top-10 list in numerous offensive categories.

Myers Moran, a 2001 Ford City graduate, helped lead the Sabers to four of 20 straight WPIAL basketball playoff berths — an Alle-Kiski record that still stands — before earning more success at Saint Vincent.

“When I was in high school, I didn’t understand how a coach can impact your life,” Myers Moran said.

Matviko spearheaded Leechburg’s drive to the WPIAL Class A basketball title in 2007 when he hit a pair of free throws with 4.7 seconds left to secure a 60-59 victory over California. He thanked the Leechburg community for its support and the school custodian who let him into the gym before the school day started so he could work on his game.

Reilly was a two-time All-WPIAL selection and a Cager Classic MVP. She thanked her high school coaches, Ray Bartha and Gary Biagioni, along with her Saint Vincent coach, the late Kristen Zawacki.

“Those coaches made me who I am today,” Reilly said.

Szymanski started out as a lineman for Ford City but was moved to fullback and helped lead the Sabers to WPIAL playoff berths each of his last three seasons.

“The entire town shut down on game nights, and it was more than a game, it was a community affair, ” said Szymanski, who later played at Robert Morris.

Matt Sherrieb led Freeport to a baseball section title in 1987 and was a three-time all-district American Legion performer who experienced success at The College of Wooster in Ohio.

Lori Goepfert was on Kittanning’s first softball team and accumulated a pitching record of 27-3 with three no-hitters. She was recognized in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” feature.

Jennifer Emberg Turkalj lettered in basketball, track and volleyball at Kittanning. She set the school record in the shot put. Kittanning closed in 2015, so her record will be untouched.

Dennis Maritto lettered for four seasons for Leechburg basketball and was one of the A-K Valley’s scoring leaders in 1963. He scored 22 points to aid the East team’s 62-59 victory in the A-K Jaycees All-star game, the forerunner of the Cager Classic. He later served in the U.S. Army.

Bill Hancock of Freeport and Gene Breski of Leechburg were inducted in the Builder category.

Hancock grew up on a farm outside of Dayton in northern Armstrong County and served in the U.S. Navy. Hancock recognized Dayton coach Frank Powers, crediting him with positive philosophies for his many years of youth baseball coaching. Hancock also has helped out with the Freeport International Baseball Invitational for more than 20 years.

Breski played on Leechburg’s 1953 WPIAL football title team and later was an assistant coach on four of Freeport’s seven WPIAL football finalists after serving in the Marine corps.

Bruce Yard, former Los Angeles Dodgers minor-league player whose induction was delayed by the covid pandemic, was recognized by the Hall’s board.