Each month, we profile an alumnus/ae who has been recommended by fellow classmates for his or her activities, accomplishments and/or outstanding contributions. If you have someone you would like to recommend, send us the information and why you think they should be "Alumni of the Month."
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The Minersville Area Alumni Association is an organization that was started approximately two years ago and was founded to promote social events... ( More)
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Did you know the following facts regarding Minersville Area sports teams throughout the years?
Archery:
- The Minersville Area Girls Archery team won the Schuylkill League B Championship in 1974-75.
Baseball:
- Russ Rothermel (1966) played professional baseball in the Houston Astros’ organization for 15 years.
- Keith Witkowski hit 5 home runs on April 27, 1998, in a 7 inning game to tie the National Record. Since broken.
- Zach Fritz was one of only three baseball players from Pennsylvania to be chose to play for the U.S. Junior Olympics in 2005.
Basketball:
- Minersville Area boys basketball team has won District XI Championships in 1981, 1995 and 2001.
- Kim Homa is the only female Minersville basketball player to receive a full scholarship to a Division I -A school, Kent State.
- Jack Murphy is the only male Minersville basketball player to receive a scholarship to a Division I-A school, LaSalle.
- The 1965-66 Minersville Area Boys Basketball Team (The Fab Five) won 22 regular season games, 22-0.
- Kim Homa (1990) still ranks as the second all time leading scorer in Pennsylvania Girls Basketball, 3,151 points.
- Jared Homa still holds the Minersville Area High School Boys Basketball career scoring record (1992) of 1,979 points.
- Jared & Kim Homa are still second in combined brother/sister basketball career scoring, 5,130 points.
Billiards:
- Joe Balsis won national billiard championships as a boy and as an adult. We believe no one has duplicated this feat.
- Joe Balsis won junior title four years in a row, 1944 next title, Armed Services Champ 1964, nickname “The Meatman” (family business). Between 1965-75 Balsis competed in the finals of the U.S. Open five times, winning 1968-1976. He received the title All Around World Championship in 1966. Stardust Open All Around title, back to back, 1968-69. Billiard Room Proprietor’s Association tournament 1965. He was inducted in the Billiard Congress of American Hall of Fame in 1982.
Boxing:
- Boxer Wally Sears beat Al E. Hore 61-14-4 in 10 rounds in Philadelphia in 1938.
Coaches:
- Dave Homa is the only county coach to be named Coach of the Year in three different sports: boys basketball, girls basketball, and girls softball.
- Pat Droskinis of Minersville coached the Cass Township undefeated, untied and un-scored upon football team.
Football:
- Minersville Area football teams have compiled a record of 625 wins, 578 losses, 38 ties for a winning percentage of .558.
- Minersville Area football teams has had three undefeated seasons: 1949, 1955 and 2000.
- Dan Lipsett, linebacker/fullback also made All State Big 33 and attended Rutgers University, graduating with a degree in engineering.
- Snow covered Memorial Stadium was lined with coal dust for the Eastern Conference 1949 Championship game.
- Two safeties were scored by Minersville High School in the 1949 Championship game to default Old Forge 10-6.
- Nine members of the 1959 starting football team received scholarships to Division I - A schools:
| Rich Sukeena |
University of Maryland |
| Jack Murphy |
LaSalle |
| Robert Kopich |
University of Cincinnati |
| William Chescavage |
West Point |
| Ted Malewicz |
Penn State |
| Raymond Kurowski |
University of Indiana |
| Jim Salve |
University of Buffalo |
| John Mileshosky |
Wichita State University |
| Bernie Stoppi |
Bucknell |
- Robert Kopich set a county/state scoring record for football (1959) 24 touchdowns.
- Memorial Stadium was set ablaze, in an atempt to dry it out, for the 1963 Eastern Conference Championship game.
- High school teammates Robert Kopich & William Chescavage played against each other in a Division I - A college football game (1963-64) Army vs. Cincinnati.
- Jonathan Murphy (1995) linebacker/fullback made All State Big 33 and Honorable Mention All-American.
- John Zernhelt, a Maryland University graduate, went on to coach college football at Citadel and late was tight-end coach for the New York Jets. John is presently with the Tennessee Titans.
Soccer:
- Ian Mahal was named to the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association All State Tam, 2001.
Softball:
- Dee Stephen Motley still holds the Minersville Area High School girls softball team record for most career hits (162).
Track & Field:
- Mary Beth Walasavage won a District XI Championship (1978) in vaulting.
- James Close won a gold medal in District XI 100 Meters Championship and a Silver Medal in the State 100 Meter Championship.
Wrestling:
- Tony Walsh won a District XI Championship in wrestling, 185 lbs (1973-74).
- Tom Balcavage won the District XI Championship in wrestling in the unlimited class (1979-80).
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