Enshrined: Belle Vernon Football Hall of Fame inducts 22nd class
The Belle Vernon Area Football Hall of Fame inducted it无毛视频檚 22nd class at halftime of the Leopards无毛视频� home game against Laurel Highlands on Sept. 2.
Committee spokesperson Steve Russell announced the induction of four new members: three All-Conference players from the past, along with an original coach from the beginning of the school district in 1965.
This year无毛视频檚 class of honorees include:
n David Gobbie, a 1993 BVA graduate, was a Keystone All-Star Conference wingback and linebacker. BVA coach Lou Rood recalled recently, 无毛视频渁lthough undersized, you would not have known it based on his intensity and skill level that his play exemplified.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚 was excited and humbled to be honest,无毛视频� Gobbie explained. 无毛视频淢y brother was inducted about in the class of 2018. We were there for that and just being there with my family I was proud of him. So whenever I was notified I was excited, proud, honored, all of those reactions.无毛视频�
n Nick Kalcevic, a 2001 BVA graduate, has been heralded as BVA无毛视频檚 most exciting running back. A playmaker of distinction, Kalcevic earned Associated Press All-State honors. Nick still holds the following records: season rushing yards at 2,151 (1999), season TDs at 27 (1999), and career rushing TDs at 55 (1998-2000). Teammate Aaron Krepps recalled, 无毛视频渉is running style was a masterful combination of speed, quickness, deception, and toughness.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 been probably 20, 21, 22 years since I played at Belle Vernon,无毛视频� Kalcevic stated. 无毛视频淲hen they reached out to me I was excited. My dad was looking forward to it, so he got to see it. All my siblings were able to attend. It was quite the experience.无毛视频�
n Spencer Lynn, a 2010 BVA graduate, was a two-time All-Big 7 Conference linebacker, a Pennsylvania Football News无毛视频� First Team Academic All-State and an Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Year. His stellar play garnered a Cal U scholarship where he played with distinction. He served five years as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army. Spencer is a Jungle War Expert earning the 无毛视频淏lack Jungle Flag.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚t was kind of like a burst of pride,无毛视频� Lynn revealed. 无毛视频淚 had heard whispers about it, so I can无毛视频檛 say I was shocked that it came out of nowhere, but I definitely felt a great deal of pride.无毛视频�
n Coach Ray Ciferno, a 1959 Rostraver graduate and a special inductee, was part of the original coaching staff created in 1965 upon the formation of the BVA School District. An offensive coordinator, Ciferno coached at Bellmar Junior High from 1965 to 1968 for coach Harry Muckle whereupon he moved to the varsity ranks from 1969 to 1975 for coach Dick Fields.
无毛视频淚t was quite humbling to tell you the truth,无毛视频� Ciferno stated. 无毛视频淢any of the comments that were made really made me feel great, I really felt great about many of the comments made after all this time.无毛视频�
Ciferno noted with pride that he coached the three other inductees back in the day.
无毛视频淭hat was special,无毛视频� Ciferno offered. 无毛视频淚n talking with them before the ceremony, three of those youngsters were in my building as principal at the elementary school. They went through my building. It made me feel great that I was included with them.无毛视频�
无毛视频淪teve Russell does a fantastic job,无毛视频� Ciferno added. 无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 know how he does it, but he does a fantastic job and I feel great about the fact that I started out coaching at Bellmar and I played for Rostraver and then I coached for Belle Vernon Area after the jointure and it makes me feel really good about being a part of bringing those two school districts together to form Belle Vernon Area School District.无毛视频�
Leopard Pride was on full display as Belle Vernon defeated Laurel Highlands 41-20. The outcome delighted the Belle Vernon Hall of Fame inductees.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 make it back to the games often,无毛视频� Gobbie said. 无毛视频淚 live in Bethel Park, but every Friday I无毛视频檓 looking at the scores and keeping track of Belle Vernon football, and that has been since I无毛视频檝e left. There is a sense of pride when it comes to the football program and that starts in Midget League football. We still talk about the pride of Belle Vernon football.无毛视频�
无毛视频淥ne of the guys who was inducted was a water boy when I played, Spencer Lynn, and I ended up coaching him,无毛视频� Kalcevic said. 无毛视频淚t just reminded me of coming through the Midget Leagues and you always looked up to the high school guys and that was the pinnacle. You wanted to get to that spot where they were at. It无毛视频檚 ingrained in us from being young players. That无毛视频檚 Belle Vernon pride. It无毛视频檚 a standard that you wanted to reach and it continues.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚t is awesome to go anywhere around the Pittsburgh area and say I无毛视频檓 from Belle Vernon and the first thing they think about is how the football team has dominated the past couple of years,无毛视频� Lynn stated. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 awesome to see that pride in Belle Vernon football.无毛视频�
Current Belle Vernon head coach Matt Humbert was honored to welcome the BVA HOF class with a big win by the Leopards.
无毛视频淏eyond excited to help welcome the newest HOF members,无毛视频� Humbert stated. 无毛视频淚t was a great atmosphere to showcase the new inductees in a program that has 22 years of acknowledging great players and contributors from the past. It is one of the most special parts of the BVA football program and the effort and detail the committee goes through to run it each year is unparalleled.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.