Uniontown Area condenses middle school football program to one team
UNIONTOWN — The Uniontown Area School District middle school football program will be condensed into a single team starting next school year.
School directors Monday voted to combine the program into one team for all three of its middle schools — A.J. McMullen, Benjamin Franklin and Lafayette.
Superintendent Dr. Charles Machesky said the move was necessitated by a lack of participation for the A.J. McMullen team, which attracted 12 students this past fall.
The combined team will practice and play home games at the high school stadium, where the current Ben Franklin/Lafayette team plays, said Machesky. Arrangements will be made to bus A.J. McMullen students to and from Uniontown for team functions.
Machesky said having one team for the district will reduce transportation costs when traveling for away games.
“It makes sense financially, as well as numerically,” he said.
Continuing on the topic of athletics, the board made a series of coaching moves Monday.
School directors accepted the resignation of high school first assistant varsity baseball coach Dennis Martin and hired Tyler Spohn in that position. James Cales was hired as an assistant varsity coach.
Directors accepted the resignations of high school head girls’ varsity basketball coach Jason Winfrey and assistant varsity coach Vincent Winfrey Jr., the latter whom was replaced with the hire of Michelle Sevcik.
Victoria Helmantoler resigned as high school head varsity volleyball coach.
The following coaches were rehired for the 2018-19 school year: Amy Foster, assistant cross country, A.J. McMullen; William Cossick, assistant boys’ basketball, Ben Franklin/Lafayette; Angela Kern, head cross country, Ben Franklin/Lafayette; Violet Kern, assistant cross country, Ben Franklin/Lafayette; Greg Peck, head boys’ varsity soccer, high school; and Scott Fitzpatrick, assistant boys’ varsity soccer coach, high school.
The board also rehired Larry Alexander, William Cossick, Martin Gatti, Tyler Ramsey and Robert Anthony Young as high school assistant varsity football coaches.
In other business, the board:
n Denied a grievance by the Uniontown Area Education Association, the union that represents district teachers. Machesky said he could not comment on specifics or the nature of the grievance until a settlement is reached.
n Approved United Bank for the district’s banking needs.
n Accepted the retirement of high school cafeteria worker Delores Hickle, effective Feb. 6, 2018.
n Added Alexis Hull to the professional substitute list.