Special night: BVA Football Hall of Fame inducts Class of 2021
After a hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19, the Belle Vernon Area Football Hall of Fame celebrated its 21st year by inducting its Class of 2021 consisting of six inductees.
Three Richard O. Dolfi award winners, along with a founding member, and two representative players from the 1980s were enshrined at halftime when the BVA Leopards hosted the Thomas Jefferson Jaguars on Sept. 24.
This year无毛视频檚 class of honorees included:
n Mike Ansell, a 1987 Belle Vernon graduate, who was an All-Conference powerhouse on the Leopards无毛视频� line as a tackle and defensive guard. BVA coach Bill Connors called Ansell one of his best guards ever.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a great honor,无毛视频� Ansell stated. 无毛视频淚t was really exciting. I hadn无毛视频檛 really expected it and it kind of came out of nowhere last year during COVID, I hadn无毛视频檛 heard anything, but then I found out they didn无毛视频檛 have it last year because of COVID. It was nice to hear back from them and to get inducted. It was well done and it was really a nice honor to be remembered this many years later.无毛视频�
n David Delmastro, a1985 BVA graduate, who was known for his aggressive play, while teammates described him as 无毛视频渢ough as nails.无毛视频� A three-year letterman, Delmastro was named a Pizza Hut Player of the Week seven times during his senior year.
无毛视频淚 was surprised that I was chosen,无毛视频� Delmastro offered. 无毛视频淚 had sent in the paperwork and was told my credentials might not be strong enough, so I was thrilled and honored when I got the word I was going in. I无毛视频檓 honored to go in with a great class, especially Mr. Zunic who was a friend of my father.无毛视频�
n Aaron Krepps, a 2002 BVA graduate, who was a recipient of numerous awards which included the Richard O. Dolfi scholar football award, a three-time Keystone Conference All-Star, a Post-Gazette Fabulous 22, MVP of the North South WPIAL Foothills Football Classic, and Westmoreland County scholar athlete award.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a wonderful feeling and it was great to come home and be there for that evening,无毛视频� Krepps explained. 无毛视频淥n top of the personal enjoyment it was a phenomenal game. I was blessed to be at Belle Vernon during a great period of football and played with phenomenal players on some great football teams. I was fortunate to be there and have that experience, it was amazing.无毛视频�
n Mike Steeber, a 1995 BVA graduate, who was a Richard O. Dolfi award winner and All Keystone Conference player while performing as a quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 great to be remembered especially with the group of people who were there,无毛视频� Steeber stated. 无毛视频淚t was just a really nice night overall. It was nice to hear from Steve Russell and it was special to be a part of it.无毛视频�
Two deceased members of the Class of 2021 were:
n Roger Sullenberger, a 1963 Rostraver High graduate, who was a two-year quarterback hailed as the best QB since Ernie Kline in 1947. His 1962 Leopards were co-champs, ending the season 9-0-1. Roger was the second ever recipient of the Richard O. Dolfi award.
n John Zunic, special inductee and 1965 Bellmar High graduate, he was one of the founders of the BVA Football Hall of Fame.
The BVA Hall of Famers were treated to a great football game between Belle Vernon and Thomas Jefferson. The game lived up to it无毛视频檚 pregame hype, a clash between two WPIAL Class 4A powers.
The back-and-forth contest came down to a scintillating play by Belle Vernon quarterback Devin Whitlock.
Whitlock had a 40-yard touchdown run with 4.5 seconds remaining to lead the Leopards to a 28-21 win over the Jaguars.
无毛视频淚 got into the game, it was exciting,无毛视频� Krepps said. 无毛视频淚 played against coach Cherpek and he无毛视频檚 been there forever and they were our rival when I was in school. First time back in many years and to watch that game was really, really neat and it was awesome to see the Leopards pull it out in that dramatic fashion there at the end.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 part of the coaching staff there and the atmosphere was just incredible,无毛视频� Steeber said. 无毛视频淚t was great to be a part of it as a coach and also as part of Hall of Fame and being honored, it was special.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚t was a great event capped of with a great win over Thomas Jefferson,无毛视频� Delmastro said. 无毛视频淭hrilling to win it the way they did in that atmosphere in front of the largest crowd I无毛视频檇 every seen at Belle Vernon. It capped off a perfect evening.无毛视频�
BVA Hall of Famer Ansell summed up the evening this way.
无毛视频淭hat game was fantastic,无毛视频� Ansell gushed. 无毛视频淵ou couldn无毛视频檛 have written the script any better, it was perfect weather, perfect evening and everybody was there and it went off without a hitch and it was an unbelievable game. It was a special night.无毛视频�
George Von Benko无毛视频檚 无毛视频淢emory Lane无毛视频� column appears in the Sunday editions of the 无毛视频-Standard. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.