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Friday, May 8, 2026 | 6:01 AM
Members of the 1984-85 PIAA champion Deer Lakes women basketball included, in entrance, from left, coach Ok.C. Ladish, Kathy Suvoy, Terri Gizienski, Missy Overly, Erica Goodrich, coach Don Favero; in again, Michele Murray, Michele Fletcher, Sandy Martin, Joelle Wise, Valerie Chauvin, Francie Rombaldi, Amie Siekierski, Shawn Rearick, Gingy Hahn, Stacey McCaskey, Jill Favero and Carla Smay. Jill Switalski additionally was half of the crew. (Courtesy of A-K Valley Sports Hall of Fame)
The 1965 Arnold baseball crew included, in entrance, from left, John Migliorisi, Ed Solomon, William Sabo, John Ciciarelli, David Graziano, Dennis Gourley; in row two, Frank Martin, Dan Barbiaux, George Hustak, Dennis Marra, Alan Baroni, George Harris; in row three, Roger Shaffer, Dan Coyle, Joe Unites, Tony Silvestrin, Chester Napierkowski, Chuck Johnson, Jim Fantuzzo, John Mazur and coach Jim Marino. (Courtesy of A-K Valley Sports Hall of Fame)
In 1965, the Arnold baseball crew performed David to a slew of Goliaths in profitable the WPIAL championship.
Twenty years later, Deer Lakes conquered its personal large on the best way to capturing a state women basketball title – a feat that also hasn’t been replicated by an Alle-Kiski Valley faculty.
Members of the 1985 Lancers and ’65 Lions shall be honored for his or her memorable seasons on the A-K Valley Sports Hall of Fame’s fifty fifth induction banquet May 16 at Pittsburgh Shriners Center in Harmar.
1965 Arnold baseball
The WPIAL didn’t have any enrollment classifications in baseball in 1965. As a end result, the Lions performed many bigger faculties, together with part foes New Ken, Har-Brack and Springdale.
“We might have been the smallest school in the WPIAL at that time,” stated John Mazur, catcher on the Arnold crew. “Being that young, I don’t think we thought about playing against larger schools. We just went out and played. We had a good group of athletes, and (Jim) Marino was a great coach who always had us prepared.”
When requested what made the Lions particular, Mazur didn’t hesitate.
“Pitching and defense,” he stated. “On offense, we didn’t score a lot of runs. If you keep it close, you have a chance to win. Coach Marino liked to play small ball, advancing runners, and we got some key hits.”
Behind a pitching workers that includes Jim Fantuzzo, Chuckie Johnson, Joe Unites and Tony Silvestrin, Arnold posted a 9-1 report whereas permitting solely 9 runs in part play.
“Every game was critical. There was no margin for error,” stated Mazur, who was a long-time instructor and coach at Valley.
Back then, the WPIAL solely allowed part winners into the postseason. Arnold certified in a giant means, with Unites tossing a no-hitter in opposition to Har-Brack in a 3-0 victory.
“The last game against Har-Brack was do-or-die, and Joe pitched a no-hitter,” the 78-year-old Mazur stated.
In the playoffs, the Lions rattled off victories over larger faculties Greensburg (3-2), Gateway (3-1) and North Hills (8-0). That arrange a showdown in opposition to Beaver Falls in the WPIAL title recreation at Forbes Field.
Arnold was thought-about a heavy underdog in opposition to the Tigers and star pitcher Jim Suskiewicz.
“He was a big left-hander, about 6-foot-2, who averaged 14 strikeouts per game,” Mazur stated.
After staking Suskiewicz to a 1-0 lead, Beaver Falls had one other runner in scoring place early in the sport.
“There was a base hit to center and Alan Baroni threw the guy out at home,” Mazur stated. “It was a one-hop throw to me and I tagged out the runner. It was a bang-bang play. That really picked us up.”
Arnold erupted for 5 runs in the third inning, then knocked Suskiewicz out of the sport on the best way to a convincing 11-1 victory.
“We just played basic baseball,” Mazur stated. “We put down some bunts, stole some bases and got some key hits. It was a great experience playing at Forbes Field.”
Fantuzzo earned the victory in the ultimate. Johnson had two RBIs every in the quarterfinal, semifinal and remaining recreation.
Besides Mazur, the Lions beginning lineup included first baseman Chester Napierkowski, second baseman Johnson, shortstop Fantuzzo, third baseman Danny Coyle and outfielders Dan Barbiaux, Baroni and Unites. Depending on the pitcher, John Ciciarelli performed second or brief and Johnson moved to proper.
Napierkowski, who coached soccer at Burrell for a few years, nominated the Arnold baseball squad for A-K Hall consideration and was instrumental in contacting crew members for the banquet. Unfortunately, he died March 21.
“Chester and I worked together to reach everyone that we could,” stated Mazur, who lives in Monroeville. “We were best friends growing up since the seventh grade.”
1985 Deer Lakes women basketball
With a wealth of expertise, the Lancers had nice expectations for the 1984-85 season.
The Deer Lakes lineup featured 4 seniors: guards Terri Gizienski and Missy Overly, ahead Erica Goodrich and heart Kathy Savoy. Shawn Rearick began at ahead, whereas fellow junior Valerie Chauvin shared time at heart.
“Our four seniors were very mature and intelligent,” stated Don Favero, who coached the Lancers. “They kept everyone in line.”
During the preseason, Favero and assistant coach Ok.C. Ladish put in a defensive scheme handed alongside by Pitt males’s basketball coach Roy Chipman at a summer season camp.
When the video games commenced, the Lancers used a swarming protection and a balanced scoring assault to overwhelm their first 9 opponents.
But two-time defending state champion and part rival North Catholic proved to be Deer Lakes’ match, after which some.
The Trojanettes handed the Lancers their first loss in dominating style, 79-56.
In the rematch a couple of month later, Favero instructed his crew to sluggish the tempo. While efficient, the Trojanettes pulled out a 14-6 victory.
“After the second game, I told the girls that if we played again, we’d beat them,” the 79-year-old Favero stated.
Deer Lakes bounced again to win its remaining two regular-season video games, then eradicated Swissvale and Carlynton in the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs. That offered the Lancers with a 3rd crack at North Catholic in the ultimate at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House.
Trailing by two at halftime, the Lancers turned up the defensive stress, holding the Trojanettes scoreless whereas taking a 10-point lead after three quarters. Deer Lakes then weathered a North comeback to rating a shocking 42-32 victory.
Rearick scored 11 factors and Goodrich added 10 to lead the Lancers to WPIAL gold.
In the state playoffs, Deer Lakes knocked off Franklin, Turtle Creek and Sharon to attain the western remaining. When Bishop Guilfoyle beat North Catholic, the Lancers prevented a fourth matchup with the Trojanettes.
Against Guilfoyle, the Lancers rallied in the fourth quarter to ship the sport into time beyond regulation. They outscored the Marauders 8-3 in the additional session to safe a 55-50 victory and a spot in opposition to Palmyra in the state remaining in Hershey.
Palmyra boasted Division I recruits at level guard and heart. The Cougars constructed a 17-point lead over the Lancers at halftime.
“We were ice cold in the first half,” Favero stated. “We couldn’t get our press going because we weren’t making any shots.”
In the locker room, Favero pulled apart Gizienski and challenged his star level guard to up her play in the second half.
“She totally turned around the game,” Favero stated. “Everyone bought into her energy and fight. The other seniors fought hard and we played a tremendous second half.”
Deer Lakes reduce the deficit to 5 coming into the fourth quarter. The Lancers lastly tied the rating at 43 in the ultimate minutes.
Gizienski then grabbed Palmyra’s twenty third turnover of the sport. She pushed the ball upcourt, dishing to Rearick for the profitable basket with 9 seconds remaining.
Rearick and Gizienski led the Lancers with 11 factors apiece in the 45-43 victory. Goodrich and Suvoy every pulled down seven rebounds.
“I’ll be forever grateful to the girls on that team,” stated Favero, a retired instructor and administrator who led groups to the WPIAL playoffs in 4 classifications over a 35-year teaching profession. “At the time, I told them to not let this championship be the most important thing they do in life. Terri became a doctor. They all had that type of maturity.”
Deer Lakes completed the season with a 25-2 report. Forty years later, the Lancers stay the one A-K Valley crew to seize a state women basketball championship.
“There’s a lot of talk about public versus private schools these days,” Favero stated. “We would never have won the state title without North Catholic being in our section. They made us better.”
Tags: Deer Lakes, Valley