Next Jeannette Jayhawk Athletic Hall of Fame class a family affair

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, July 5, 2022 | 7:44 PM

5213873_web1_ptr-SetonJeannette-021220 — Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

Seton LaSalle’s Molly Tuite fouls Jeanette’s Ciara Gregory in the first half at AJ Palumbo Center during the girls WPIAL Class AA championship game March 6, 2010.

This year’s Jeannette Jayhawk Athletic Hall of Fame class will be a family affair.

A father and daughter, and a pair of sisters, will be inducted.

The 2022 class was announced Tuesday and it includes 1974 graduate Terry Gregory, a football and basketball standout, who will join his daughter, Ciara, in the hall. Ciara Gregory will be inducted with the 2010 WPIAL girls basketball championship team coached by Janine Vertacnik.

Terry Gregory helped Jeannette win a WPIAL football title in 1971 and went on to play quarterback at Temple. Ciara Gregory is the all-time leading scorer in Jeannette girls history.

Gary Gregory, Terry’s brother, already is in the Jayhawks’ hall. He was part of the inaugural class in 2018.

The second set of sibling inductees will be Tracey Bone Cunningham (Class of 1991) and her late sister, Lisa (Dixon). Tracey was a WPIAL and PIAA long jump champion in 1991, while Lisa (1988) was a 1,000-point scorer in basketball.

The family angle goes on: Tracey’s daughter, Tatiana, and Lisa’s daughter, Taneshia, also played on the 2010 basketball team. Jesse Bone, their uncle, was an assistant coach.

Other inductees selected by the Jeannette Educational Foundation:

• Art Tragesser (coach): A calming presence in the district as a teacher and coach for 27 years, he went 73-33-3 in 10 football seasons with three conference titles.

• Gerald Foster (1996): A three-sport athlete best known as a quarterback who went 22-3 as a starter and passed for more than 3,000 yards. He went on to set records as a wide receiver at Duquesne.

• Julia Gongaware (2000): An All-WPIAL soccer player who had an outstanding college career at Saint Vincent.

• Jim Wherry (1966): The leading scorer for the basketball team in the mid-1960s, he later became a hall of famer at Bucknell.

• Dan Hartung (1975): A standout wrestler, he was a WPIAL champion in 1975 and helped the Jayhawks win a WPIAL team title that season. He later wrestled at Tennessee and is in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

• Brian Weightman (2010): Had a .500 batting average as a senior on the baseball team and also played on WPIAL and PIAA championship football and basketball teams.

• Bob Davis (Legend category): A talented track and field and cross country athlete, he went on to a college career at Pitt.

The 2022 class will be recognized on Sept. 16 at a Jeannette home football game. A banquet will be Sept. 17 at Stratigos in North Huntingdon.

Past Jeannette hall of fame classes:

2018

2019

2021