A final farewell
The time to move along has arrived.
I’ve decided it’s time to retire after 30-plus years in the employ of the Uniontown Herald-Standard.
I first sat down in front of the 8600 monitor (a boat anchor of an antiquated computer) and five-button set (a phone set up with up to three lines, a hold button and a means to transfer calls for you youngsters out there) on April 12, 1995, as I neared the completion of my thesis (A Lethal Tour of Duty: A History of the 142d Regiment, Pennsylvania Voluntary Infantry, 1862-65) for my Master’s degree in History from IUP.
Sports editor Mike Ciarochi explained the part-time job I was hired to do as the “obit writer of the sports department,” meaning taking a lot of phone calls (the days before email and texts) and composing the agate page the old-fashioned way.
Herald-Standard Sports Writer Jim Downey
I’ve related this story before, so just skip ahead if you’ve heard it.
I wanted to get my name in the paper and found an avenue by covering cross country meets and golf matches before my shift started. I had done some cross country stories as a stringer for the Daily Courier’s Paul Schofield and knew golf coaches, so it was a fluid opportunity.
As for track & field, I credit Southmoreland’s outstanding distance runner Chris Dugan for opening the doors to coverage of the PIAA championship. I explained to Mike at the time this kid’s pretty good (quite the understatement) and he’s worth covering.
I’ve only missed two PIAA meets since 1996 which were for weddings (my cousin Vince Wallander and nephew Brian) and another was canceled due to COVID.
I added other sports to my beat over the years, with local road races, rifle, swimming, hockey, bowling and tennis joining the aforementioned sports. Plus, after COVID, I became the go-to guy for American Legion and FCBL baseball in the summer.
I moved into covering the Fayette County Open and attempted to give the county tournament a big-time feel. The players appreciated the effort the paper extended on their behalf with all the stories and photos. The daily notebook became a favorite as guys attempted to get noticed for the “Fashion Plate,” or take top honors with the lowest sibling/family score or tops among left-handers.
I felt those local athletes also deserved to have their stories and accomplishments told, because those young (and not-so-young) folks had parents, grandparents, friends and schoolmates who cared and wanted to read about them.
As a homage to all those high school athletes, I did my best to compile the WPIAL and PIAA gold medalists who I wrote about. I apologize in case I missed anyone. Records over the first 10 years or so (late 1990s, early 2000s) are a bit sketchy, as is my memory of stories gone by.
Hopefully, you’ll have a similar reaction as I did when I compiled the list. Yes, that boy or girl was good or, perhaps, I completely forgot that individual was a gold medalist.
So, take a seat, relax and reminisce:
Golf: WPIAL, Bo Lustig (Belle Vernon), Belle Vernon boys team, Tom Barnhart (Laurel Highlands), Laurel Highlands boys team, Nixen Erdely (Frazier), Mya Morgan (Elizabeth Forward), Rachel Rohanna (Waynesburg Central), Emily Rohanna (Waynesburg Central), Olivia Zambruno (Greensburg C.C.), Lauren George (Uniontown); PIAA: Mya Morgan (Elizabeth Forward), Rachel Rohanna (Waynesburg Central), Olivia Zambruno (Greensburg C.C.)
Cross country: WPIAL, Kenny King (Connellsville), Ryan Pajak (Ringgold), Nate Edenfield (Uniontown), Chris Dugan (Southmoreland), Jolena Quarzo (Brownsville), Gionna Quarzo (Brownsville), Jade Bellotti (Uniontown), Julie Friend (Uniontown), Jennifer Locke (Brownsville), Jennifer Anthony (Southmoreland), Southmoreland girls team; PIAA, Jolena Quarzo (Brownsville), Chris Dugan (Southmoreland), Ben Bumgarner (Waynesburg Central), Ryan Pajak (Ringgold)
Rifle: WPIAL, Sheyann Watson (West Greene), Selena Phillips (Waynesburg Central)
Tennis: WPIAL, Gabriella Dusi (Belle Vernon), Sarah Shashura (Brownsville, California)
Track & field: WPIAL, Nathan Reese (Connellsville), Jolena Quarzo (Brownsville), Olivia Cernuto (Connellsville), Andrew Layton (Waynesburg Central), Dane Anden (Belle Vernon), Elizabeth Forward boys 1,600 relay, Mia Pierce (Laurel Highlands), Gionna Quarzo (Brownsville), Taylor Shriver (Waynesburg Central), Gabe McConville (Waynesburg Central), Waynesburg Central boys 1,600 relay, Jelani Stafford (California), Daniel Layton (Waynesburg Central), Scott Benco (Waynesburg Central), Brianna Spirnak (Elizabeth Forward), Brenna Cavanaugh (Bentworth), Ashley McIntosh (California), Cassie Phelan (Laurel Highlands), Andrew Bolton (Monessen), Raymond Sitton (Monessen), Maris Seto (Brownsville), Madison Wiltrout (Connellsville), Gianna Gaul (Belle Vernon), Dontay Jacobs (Laurel Highlands), Dellacia Francis (Uniontown), Kailyn Clancy (California), Matt Green (Belle Vernon), Jacob Hensh (Laurel Highlands), Marissa Kalsey (Waynesburg Central), Anthony Stevenson (Albert Gallatin), Hans Lubich (Jefferson-Morgan), Maressa Guynn (Laurel Highlands), Taylor Funk (Mount Pleasant), Abbey Way (pole vault), Nick Patton (Waynesburg Central), Breehana Jacobs (Laurel Highlands, Uniontown), Ian Wirth (Mount Pleasant), Emily Mathason (West Greene), Kenny King (Connellsville), Frank Bryan (Waynesburg Central), Travis Conklin (Waynesburg Central), Doug Patterson (Brownsville), Tim Fratto (Southmoreland), Christine Roadman (Connellsville), Tommy Brittain (Southmoreland), Nathan Freedman (Waynesburg Central), Derek Mears (Waynesburg Central), Jocelyn Lindsay (Waynesburg Central), Helen Higgins (Waynesburg Central), Melissa Beucher (Geibel Catholic), Shelby Wardman (Laurel Highlands), Chris Dugan (Southmoreland), Zach Cavalier (Southmoreland), Ashley Foley (Connellsville); PIAA, Chris Dugan (Southmoreland), Justin Rose (Connellsville), Jocelyn Lindsay (Waynesburg Central), Violet Michaux (Brownsville), Josh Roscoe (Waynesburg Central), Darrell Samuel (Laurel Highlands), Christine Roadman (Connellsville), Kenny King (Connellsville), Breehana Jacobs (Laurel Highlands, Uniontown), Abbey Way (Mount Pleasant), Jared Jodon (Laurel Highlands), Rodney Richter (Connellsville), Matt Green (Belle Vernon), Marissa Kalsey (Waynesburg Central), Kailyn Clancy (California), Madison Wiltrout (Connellsville), Brenna Cavanaugh (Bentworth), Ben Bumgarner (Waynesburg Central), Gionna Quarzo (Brownsville), Jolena Quarzo (Brownsville), Taylor Shriver (Waynesburg Central), Andrew Layton (Waynesburg Central)
Swimming: WPIAL, Mount Pleasant boys 200 medley relay, Henry Miller (Southmoreland), Joseph Gardner (Mount Pleasant), David Mutter (Mount Pleasant), Mount Pleasant girls 200 medley relay/200 freestyle relay, Lily King (Mount Pleasant), Kiersten O’Connor (Mount Pleasant), Mount Pleasant girls, Ella Menear (Mapletown), Maria Mrosko (Laurel Highlands), Heather Gardner (Mount Pleasant), Laurel Highlands girls 200 medley relay, Elizabeth Forward girls 200 freestyle relay, Ian Shahan (Belle Vernon), Robert Spekis (Belle Vernon), Emily Zimcosky (Geibel Catholic), Kaelyn McClain (Elizabeth Forward), Anna Vogt (Ringgold); PIAA, Lily King (Mount Pleasant), Ella Menear (Mapletown), Mount Pleasant girls team
Hockey: PIHL, Ringgold
Plus, a few notable top finishers (runners-up) over the years:
Golf: WPIAL, Ryan Bashour (Brownsville), Greg Franko (Uniontown), Daniel Sethman (Brownsville), Aaron Didjunas (Elizabeth Forward), Angus McHolme (Elizabeth Forward), Mike Kondratick (Charleroi), Waynesburg Central boys team, Claire Konieczny (Geibel Catholic), Meghan Zambruno (Greensburg C.C.), Ella Zambruno (Greensburg C.C.)
Cross country: WPIAL, Ben Bumgarner (Waynesburg Central), Ben Bickerton (Southmoreland), Grace Trimmer (Uniontown), Danielle Rhodes (Southmoreland), Brownsville girls team, Uniontown girls team
Tennis: Sarah Shashura (California, runner-up in boys final after winning girls title)
Swimming: Emily Zimcosky (Geibel Catholic)
I endured sideways rain (golf), ankle deep mud, snow, rain (cross country), snow, unseasonably cold temperatures, rain, oppressive heat (track & field), rain hard enough to get everything just wet but not strong enough to stop play (baseball, softball, track & field, cross country, golf), and the appropriately-named Ice Mine where, at times, it was warmer outside than in the arena.
There are so many moments and memories I’ve experienced over the years, but a few stand out (mainly because my graying brain remembers them).
Madison Wiltrout’s record-breaking throw in the javelin stands atop the list, not only because it was the furthest ever by a high school female but only one member of the media (along with his trusty photographer) witnessed the record. That member of the media was yours truly and my photographer was Holly Tonini. She snapped the shot of the throw (mine’s a little soft).
Madison’s way out there throw was at a WPIAL qualifier at Norwin High School in 2015. The throwing venue is down the hill from the stadium and the javelin area is the furthest away. But, as it turns out, the walk was worth the effort to see her javelin travel 185-8.
Chris Dugan’s attempt to double in the distances on a very hot Memorial Day weekend Saturday at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium in 1997 is another performance that comes to mind. Chris had set the 3,200 state record in the morning (a mark that still stands). He returned in the afternoon for the 1,600 and fell short of a double by finishing .31 seconds behind Scranton Prep’s Tom Zukoski. Chris removed his shoes as soon as he crossed the finish line as though his feet were on fire. (I managed to snap a photo of the moment.)
Watching Brenna Cavanaugh nearly miss qualifying for the state final after she clipped the final hurdle in the 100 high hurdle semifinals and tumbled over the finish line to grab the final berth into the finals, and then win the gold medal from Lane Eight stands out.
I have a memory of Ashley (Foley) Weishaar, a 2024 Fayette County Sports Hall of Fame inductee, not for her gold-medal winning performances, but my first interview with her and running mate Jenny Striner after they had a successful run in the county meet. Shy and fearful of “sounding stupid,” the pair was a bit leery of talking. I came up with a compromise and handed over my reporter’s notebook and pen, and let them write their responses. That broke the ice and allowed for easy interviews afterward.
(Side note, my sister Jennifer was the babysitter for Ashley, her sister Morgan and brother Whitney.)
The list also includes a large number of All-Americans (Kaitlyn Johson and Madison Wiltrout, among others) and national champions (Jared King, Mallory Sanner, and Marissa Kalsey come to mind).
I’ve also been privileged to relate the journeys of Olympic hopefuls, most recently Wiltrout’s bid in the javelin, Kalsey in the pole vault and swimmers King, Heather Gardner and Johnson at the 2024 trials. Kevin Polish took part in his third archery competition in this past summer’s Paralympics and just missed returning home with a medal.
I introduced my family in columns over the years. Hopefully, not in a self-serving manner, but as a way to share my life in sports and find common ground with you all.
I wrote a column 15 years ago when my father passed away, noting he passed his love of sports (namely baseball and basketball) to myself and my siblings. Well, moreso for my brother Pat and youngest sister Jennifer, and not so much with my sister Lori.
For those of you old enough to remember a time before TV remotes, my dad, like many of yours would set the channel (of the one TV set we owned) hours before the game lest one of the other four channels we had might lock and not be able to dial up the game. Then, of course, he would nod off, but a channel switch was an alarm that brought him back to a state of awake.
My nephew Brian Lohr found his way into the sports pages as a student at Holy Cross elementary school when he first correctly predicted the Rams’ Super Bowl XXXIV victory over the Titans, almost to the exact score, in our annual Super Bowl prediction column. His brother Jason and most recently, my great-nephew Collin Downey joined the prediction crew.
The family pets also became involved. Marvin, a beagle-basset hound rescue that was a Mother’s Day gift from my dad to mom, made his Super Bowl prediction by choosing one of two balls I’d roll along the floor. Pumpkin, a rescued kitten who sadly died this winter just short of 15 years with the family, could care less about the Super Bowl, but did watch hockey, especially as a kitten when the Penguins made their Stanley Cup run in 2009.
I sought to continue the tradition of Jim Kriek’s Christmas column, though with my own spin for a little holiday fun. I can tell you attempting to come up with the rhyming scheme set forth in Clement Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nick” is a daunting task.
Most every day my mom will say as she reads the daily newspaper, “I’m surprised this is still around.”
Funny thing, while the industry is dying a slow death with lack of interest and doubts of integrity, the daily publication still holds a place in most people’s lives. For example, after traipsing up Route 40 in another Mt. Summit Challenge, I also covered the race. I approached the two folks who were the top male and female finishers in the walk for a photo to add to the story. Both had the “My picture is going to be in the paper?” response, proudly smiling and sporting their trophies as I snapped away.
Laurel Highlands Athletic Director Mark John always made sure I was fed at the county track & field meet, and hydrated at the other events. I covered Belle Vernon AD Matt Humbert and Connellsville AD/interim superintendent Rich Evans, among others who now coach, as high school track stars. I think a hurdle photo of Matt was the first I snapped that someone purchased.
Mike Ciarochi took a flyer on me all those years ago and, for that, I am very appreciative. Pete Riddell taught me everything I needed to know about the inner workings of handling the scoreboard shift and doing agate. Dave Stofcheck, Rodney Schoener and current sports editor Rob Burchianti showed me the ropes on doing page layout.
My biggest thanks and appreciation is extended to all the athletic directors, coaches and athletes I’ve dealt with over the past four decades, notably the golf, cross country, track & field, swimming, rifle and hockey folks. I know I’m a bit biased, but they were all the best to work with.
The coaches patiently answered my questions on how things worked and made sure to report results so their athletes would get recognized. I was around so much the athletes felt comfortable to talk with me about their performance. Some (Uniontown’s Logan Voytish) even saw me as something of a good luck charm.
I had a bulletin board at my work space filled with some of my favorite photos and a couple lists of quotes to inspire me over endless nights in the office.
Long-time UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden had some of my favorites, including, “Just do the best you can. No one can do more than that.”
And, to close, a word to the wise from showman P.T. Barnum.
“He who is without a newspaper is cut off from his species.”