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鈥檚 class of honorees included:
n Mike Ansell, a 1987 Belle Vernon graduate, who was an All-Conference powerhouse on the Leopards鈥� line as a tackle and defensive guard. BVA coach Bill Connors called Ansell one of his best guards ever.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great honor,鈥� Ansell stated. 鈥淚t was really exciting. I hadn鈥檛 really expected it and it kind of came out of nowhere last year during COVID, I hadn鈥檛 heard anything, but then I found out they didn鈥檛 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.鈥�
n David Delmastro, a1985 BVA graduate, who was known for his aggressive play, while teammates described him as 鈥渢ough as nails.鈥� A three-year letterman, Delmastro was named a Pizza Hut Player of the Week seven times during his senior year.
鈥淚 was surprised that I was chosen,鈥� Delmastro offered. 鈥淚 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鈥檓 honored to go in with a great class, especially Mr. Zunic who was a friend of my father.鈥�
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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful feeling and it was great to come home and be there for that evening,鈥� Krepps explained. 鈥淥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.鈥�
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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to be remembered especially with the group of people who were there,鈥� Steeber stated. 鈥淚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.鈥�
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鈥檚 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.
鈥淚 got into the game, it was exciting,鈥� Krepps said. 鈥淚 played against coach Cherpek and he鈥檚 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.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 part of the coaching staff there and the atmosphere was just incredible,鈥� Steeber said. 鈥淚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.鈥�
鈥淚t was a great event capped of with a great win over Thomas Jefferson,鈥� Delmastro said. 鈥淭hrilling to win it the way they did in that atmosphere in front of the largest crowd I鈥檇 every seen at Belle Vernon. It capped off a perfect evening.鈥�
BVA Hall of Famer Ansell summed up the evening this way.
鈥淭hat game was fantastic,鈥� Ansell gushed. 鈥淵ou couldn鈥檛 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.鈥�
George Von Benko鈥檚 鈥淢emory Lane鈥� column appears in the Sunday editions of the 缅北禁地. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.