Well deserved
B-C’s versatile Amon earns one of Washington-Greene HOF top scholar-athlete awards
Luke Amon wasn’t one to breeze through his senior year at Beth-Center.
The 18-year-old son of Robert and Shannon Amon not only participated in five different sports but played a key role on each team, all while maintaining a sparkling 4.319 GPA that ranks first in his class. He’s also the 2025 Class President.
When the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame Washington-Greene County Chapter announced its Scholar-Athlete winners for 2025, Amon found out he was a well-deserving recipient of the second-place monetary award of $3,000 along with a certificate of accomplishment.
“When I first found out about it through my AD I was jumping up and down in school,” Amon said. “The first thing I did was call my parents and thank them.”
The other five top awards went to Chartiers-Houston’s Ella Richey (first, $4,000), Trinity’s Andrew Palm (third, $2,000), Canon-McMillan’s Abby Tucker (fourth, $1,750) and Fort Cherry’s Kathryn Blickenderfer (fifth, $1,500).
A group of six other Scholar-Athletes who will each receive a $100 award and certificate includes Payton Gilbert of West Greene, Ali Jacobs of Carmichaels and Alex VanSickle of Waynesburg Central.
Charleroi’s Matthew Burkholder, Bentworth’s Lucas Burt and Washington’s Bo McCartney round out the group.
All award recipients will be recognized at the 2025 Hall of Fame banquet, 4 p.m. Sunday, June 8 at the Hilton Garden Inn at Southpointe.
Amon’s resume includes being a three-year PJAS participant with several first-place awards, all-section honors in baseball and soccer, including being named a Herald-Standard Goalkeeper of the Year, and all-academic honors in basketball.
Amon is currently a starter on the Bulldogs baseball team and was a sixth-man for B-C’s boys basketball team in the winter. He was busiest during the fall as a member of the football, boys soccer and boys golf teams. He was a wide receiver/defensive back/kicker for the Bulldogs in football.
Amon has earned four letters each in baseball, soccer and golf, three letters in basketball and two in football for an incredible total of 17.
“I have a great support system around me,” Amon said. “My teachers are all awesome. They’re very understanding with all I do, especially in the fall.
“My fall season is three sports, soccer, football and golf my junior and senior year. Right after school for seven hours straight it was just practice, practice, practice for all these sports. I couldn’t come to the actual golf practice because I had football but my golf coach entrusted me to get my practice in. I would go down right after soccer practice and play in my backyard and on a weekend I would go to Chippewa, Southpointe or whatever club would let me in that day and just practice my game.”
Amon wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“I’ve loved my time at Beth-Center, and I lover every sport I play,” Amon said.
His mother kept his priorities straight throughout high school and all the sports he’s been involved in.
“My mom has always stressed to me, take care of my grades first and then worry about the athletics later,” Amon said. “And I’ve always done that.”
Of the five sports he’s played, Amon has chosen baseball as the one he’d like to pursue in college.
“I’m still in talks with their coach and I’m going down to a Washington & Jefferson game next week to talk some more but I’m pretty set on baseball at W&J,” Amon said. “Baseball is pretty much my best sport and my favorite sport, with golf second.”
Injuries have ravaged the Bulldogs baseball team this season. Beth-Center, which is currently without its starting catcher and top pitcher among others, is 1-6 in Section 1-2A and 2-7 overall, despite the fact Amon got off to a red-hot start with a .570 batting average.
Amon has done what he can to help his team.
“Going into the year I was just expecting to start at shortstop but I’ve had to move to catcher and also pitch some relief innings,” Amon said. “We’re pitcher-by-committee right now until we get some guys back.”
Amon intends to stay involved in other sports through coaching at high school.
“I’m going to help coach basketball at Beth-Center next year while I’m a freshman in college,” Amon said, “and hopefully I’ll be able to come back and help coach golf, too.”
Following are capsules on the three other local scholarship recipients:
Payton Ann Gilbert, West Greene – Gilbert is a four-year letterwinner in softball, a two-year letterwinner in basketball and cheerleading, and a one-year letter-winner in rifle. An all-state, all-section pitcher and standout infielder on West Greene’s perennial power softball team, she entered her senior year with 23 career wins, and 247 strikeouts in 220.1 innings along with a .396 batting average. Gilbert, a three-time GCADA honoree with a 4.1 GPA, will continue her softball and academic careers at PennWest California. She is the daughter of Robert and Jennifer Gilbert of New Freeport.
Ali Lynn Jacobs, Carmichaels — Jacobs is a four-year letterwinner in softball and basketball. A two-time all-state and all-section first baseman who is one of top power hitters in the WPIAL and PIAA, Jacobs helped Carmichaels reach the 2024 PIAA Class A state championship game and WPIAL semifinals. She has a 4.17 GPA and will continue her academic and softball careers at Salem University with designs on being a physical therapist. She is the daughter of Jeff and Melanie Jacobs.
Alexander Jace VanSickle, Waynesburg Central – VanSickle is a three-year letter-winner in baseball and basketball. During his 2024 junior year, VanSickle, a standout infielder, earned first-team all-state honors from the Pennsylvania State Baseball Coaches Association. He was also selected as the MVP of the 2024 Todd Kalivoda Holiday Baseball Showcase in Toronto, Ohio. A three-time all-section infielder who has earned Greene County Player of the Week accolades in baseball and basketball, Alex is a 3.8 GPA student who will continue his academic and baseball careers at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is the son of Scott and Corey VanSickle of Waynesburg.
For more information about the June 8 banquet, contact Linda Messich, treasurer, at 724-998-1150 or messich.linda@segsd.org , Tammy Mandich, banquet coordinator, at 724-255-9078 or wvufootball@comcast.net or Dan Alderson, president, 724-825-9059 or dan.alderson@chartiers-houstonsd.com