Enshrined: Belle Vernon Football Hall of Fame inducts 22nd class
The Belle Vernon Area Football Hall of Fame inducted it鈥檚 22nd class at halftime of the Leopards鈥� 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鈥檚 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, 鈥渁lthough undersized, you would not have known it based on his intensity and skill level that his play exemplified.鈥�
鈥淚 was excited and humbled to be honest,鈥� Gobbie explained. 鈥淢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.鈥�
n Nick Kalcevic, a 2001 BVA graduate, has been heralded as BVA鈥檚 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, 鈥渉is running style was a masterful combination of speed, quickness, deception, and toughness.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 been probably 20, 21, 22 years since I played at Belle Vernon,鈥� Kalcevic stated. 鈥淲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.鈥�
n Spencer Lynn, a 2010 BVA graduate, was a two-time All-Big 7 Conference linebacker, a Pennsylvania Football News鈥� 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 鈥淏lack Jungle Flag.鈥�
鈥淚t was kind of like a burst of pride,鈥� Lynn revealed. 鈥淚 had heard whispers about it, so I can鈥檛 say I was shocked that it came out of nowhere, but I definitely felt a great deal of pride.鈥�
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.
鈥淚t was quite humbling to tell you the truth,鈥� Ciferno stated. 鈥淢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.鈥�
Ciferno noted with pride that he coached the three other inductees back in the day.
鈥淭hat was special,鈥� Ciferno offered. 鈥淚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.鈥�
鈥淪teve Russell does a fantastic job,鈥� Ciferno added. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 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.鈥�
Leopard Pride was on full display as Belle Vernon defeated Laurel Highlands 41-20. The outcome delighted the Belle Vernon Hall of Fame inductees.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 make it back to the games often,鈥� Gobbie said. 鈥淚 live in Bethel Park, but every Friday I鈥檓 looking at the scores and keeping track of Belle Vernon football, and that has been since I鈥檝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.鈥�
鈥淥ne of the guys who was inducted was a water boy when I played, Spencer Lynn, and I ended up coaching him,鈥� Kalcevic said. 鈥淚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鈥檚 ingrained in us from being young players. That鈥檚 Belle Vernon pride. It鈥檚 a standard that you wanted to reach and it continues.鈥�
鈥淚t is awesome to go anywhere around the Pittsburgh area and say I鈥檓 from Belle Vernon and the first thing they think about is how the football team has dominated the past couple of years,鈥� Lynn stated. 鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome to see that pride in Belle Vernon football.鈥�
Current Belle Vernon head coach Matt Humbert was honored to welcome the BVA HOF class with a big win by the Leopards.
鈥淏eyond excited to help welcome the newest HOF members,鈥� Humbert stated. 鈥淚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.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.