The annual Tyrone Area High School All-Sports Senior Recognition was held Tuesday, May 22, at the Tyrone Area High School cafeteria. Special recognition was given to the senior members of all varsity athletic teams.
Our senior athletes have worked and practiced hard and endured days and weeks and seasons of work and preparation for whatever varsity sport they have competed in over the past three or four years. Their struggles and successes have often been recorded during those times, but many have worked and played in virtual anonymity for much of that time. Although we may not have noticed them, if they weren’t our children, all have left everything on the field or court, giving their all for us. Now it is our turn to honor them, whether they were first team all-league, or seldom heard their name being called.
You can’t measure the true high school athlete by the amount of medals, or all-league selections, but instead by the size of his or her heart, not by having them give 100 percent, but by the percentage past 100 percent that goes into every effort in practice and against competition from other schools. They give their best whether on the field, or to push the starter to higher, better efforts, so Tyrone Area School District will be glorified, and honored. Some clear the way for others, some seldom get on the field during games, or meets, or matches. Or, it’s the senior star helping the freshman or sophomore without being asked, without anyone seeing the deed, or knowing it was freely given, to pass on the skills and knowledge to make next year’s team a little better. The true high school athlete is the young man or woman who is measured by intangibles that a coach can see, but not the average fan, not the touchdowns, or takedowns or points scored, that has the crowd screaming their name.
Wins and losses have been compiled. Sometimes they are among the best in school history, sometimes they would rather you talked about some other teammate, some other sport, or even some other year. Rest assured, however, the 2007 senior Tyrone Area High School scholar/athletes have done their absolute best to add to the lure and history, to be included in the Honor Roll of Golden Eagles who have gone before and those who will follow.
The following awards were presented:
Senior watch awards were presented to each senior who participated in a varsity sport for three years and lettered one year.
The George “Bud” Wilson Award, which is presented which is given each year to the outstanding senior male athlete was given to Tyler Gillmen.
Tyler, one of five Tri Athlete honorees, lettered in Football, Baseball and Track and Field, will be attending St. Francis University in the fall to continue his education and play football, was also the recipient of the Albert F. “Teet” Snyder Memorial Award, which is presented to a graduating senior TAHS football player who has excelled both academically and athletically, is of strong moral character, and exemplifies what a coach looks for in a “true team player.”
Despite missing the first half of his senior football season, Gillmen was practically an assistant coach while recovering from an illness, and a team leader throughout the season, as well as, a determined and skilled athlete on the field, once he was cleared to play. After a slow start on the baseball diamond, Tyler rebounded to finish the regular season with a .358 batting average and pounded out two more hits in the playoff game against Southern Huntingdon. Although baseball was his primary spring sport, track and field coach Tony Yaniello utilized Tyler’s speed to run a leg on the Eagles 400 relay team which will compete this weekend at the PIAA State Meet at Shippensburg University.
The Levine Award, presented to the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete went to Elizabeth Tepsic. Liz needed a wheelbarrow to cart off her awards, also winning the Girls Basketball Booster Award presented to the outstanding senior girls’ basketball player, the DelGrosso TAHS Track and Field Award, presented to the outstanding girl in field events, won the inaugural Class of ‘57 Basketball Scholarship Award, chosen for the outstanding female basketball player as judged by coaches, high school principal and guidance office, plus the writing of an essay. Tepsic, who will run track and continue her education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was presented the Tom Templeton Outstanding Athlete Scholarship Award given to a graduating senior who has been accepted at a four-year college, has participated in basketball in both her junior and senior years and demonstrated outstanding character, scholarship and leadership abilities, while exhibiting and spreading team spirit in a varsity sports program. Liz finally was the female recipient of the Gordon L. Norris Memorial Scholarship Award, presented to the outstanding senior girl, who has excelled both athletically, as well as academically, with special emphasis in the field of mathematics.
Liz will try to become the second Tyrone girl in two years, to come back from Shippensburg with a PIAA gold medal this weekend after being the top seed in the triple jump. Tepsic also will compete in the 100 intermediate hurdles, where she finished second at the district meet with a personal best time. Emily Ingle won the 1600 meter race last year at states.
Wade Branstetter was the senior boy who received the Class of ‘57 Basketball Scholarship Award
The four other recipients of the Tri Athlete Award were Philip Kreckel (cross country, soccer, track and field), Doug Morrow, who as a junior lettered in football, basketball and baseball, Justin Schopp (football, wrestling, baseball), and Megan Turiano (soccer, basketball, softball).
A new award, given in 2007 for the first time, was the William Baker Tri-Athlete Award. The recipients were Philip Kreckel and Megan Turiano and provide a scholarship grant for a senior who is continuing their education. Kreckel, who also was presented the Dr. Norman Miller Memorial Swimming Award for the outstanding senior swimmer, and the Harold (Hank) Beringer Cross Country Award for the outstanding cross country senior. Kreckel was also presented the DelGrosso TAHS Track and Field Award presented to the outstanding senior boy in field events. Phil will continue his education in pre-medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.
Megan Turiano, who will attend Penn State Altoona was also the recipient of the James (Bud) Anderson Memorial Award presented to the senior girls for outstanding, but unrecognized contribution to the TAHS athletic program.
Kimberly Cherry was the recipient of the Booster Club Award in softball to the outstanding senior softball player, and also was presented the Volleyball Booster Award for the outstanding senior volleyball player.
Janet Cherry received a Citizenship Award, which is presented to citizens in the community that have given outstanding service to the TAHS athletic program.
The Roberto Clemente Award, presented in memory of Scott Strong to an outstanding senior baseball player went to Tyler Golden, who batted .370 and led the team in innings pitched in 2007. Golden will be attending Lock Haven University on a scholarship in the fall to play football and continue his education. Tyler completed nearly 60 percent of his passes (79 of 132) in 2006, for 1,479 yards, while throwing 14 TD passes with just three interceptions.
The James (Bud) Anderson Memorial Award is presented to a senior boy for outstanding but unrecognized contribution to the TAHS athletic program. This year’s recipient is Justin Schopp. Justin, who will be attending Lock Haven University in the fall on a football scholarship, led the Golden Eagles in receptions with 39, receiving yardage with 908 yards and receiving touchdowns with 10, also was the recipient Tony and Virginia Maisano Scholarship Award, which is annually presented to two senior wrestlers who will further their education at the post-secondary level and who fostered the most team spirit and leadership among the wrestlers. Schopp is a Tri Athlete, who batted .421 for the baseball team, and who won 20 wrestling matches or better in each of his final two seasons on the mat.
Sharing the Tony and Virginia Maisano Scholarship Award with Schopp is T. J. Albright. T. J., who also won the Ruth, Don and Sam Kimberling Award, presented to the outstanding senior wrestler, finished second on the TAHS career win list with 133 wins, won the 2006 district title, capturing the Outstanding Wrestler trophy, and qualified for the PIAA state meet in Hershey three times, including becoming the first Tyrone freshman wrestler to place at the state tournament with an eighth place medal in 2004.
Tyler Hoover, who will attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the fall on a football scholarship, was the winner of the David J. Kirk Award, presented to the outstanding senior football player. Hoover was a First Team AP All-State lineman in each of his last two seasons, and is a member of the West team in the annual East West All-Star Game to be played on June 23 at Mansion Park, where Tyrone football coach John Franco will be the head coach for the West team.
The Ellenberger Scholarship Award, in honor and memory of William Ellenberger, is presented to a member of the senior class who has been accepted at a post secondary school-the method of selection includes academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities, number of years on the football team, sportsmanship and personality. Russell Beck was the 2007 recipient. Beck also received the Gordon L. Norris Memorial Award for the outstanding senior boy who excelled both academically, with a special emphasis in mathematics, and athletically.
The Tennis Award was presented to Caitlinn Dillon, who is also the valedictorian of the 2007 Tyrone senior class.
Shannon Shultz was the recipient of the Karen Cowher Memorial Cheerleading Award.
The George Curry Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by the Monogram Club, to an athlete who possessed a winning attitude, dedication at practice, loyalty to his teammates and respect toward his coaches, often without starring on the field or court, went to James Updike.
The AYSO soccer Awards for the outstanding senior boy and girl in the soccer program were presented to Ashley Pennabaker and Josh Clancy.
To be a scholar-athlete a student must carry a 3.75 grade-point-average on a 4.0 scale, carry at least five credits his or her senior year, letter in a sport, have the recommendation of all his/her teachers, have the recommendation of all coaches, plus have a record free of disciplinary action and have the approval of the principal or disciplinarian.
This year there were 11 scholar athletes who qualified for this prestigious Scholar-Athlete Award: Casie Glashauser, Philip Kreckel, Aaron Delay, Tyler Gillmen, Paige Stott, Doug Morrow, Amber Davis, Wade Branstetter, Russell Beck, Elizabeth Tepsic, and Caitlinn Dillon.
