Set for induction
Uniontown HOF Class of 2026 includes Vaughns, Perno, McLee
When Tony Mercadante helped formulate the idea for a Uniontown high school hall of fame, he wanted it to be with a different twist.
“I checked around and most who had one had a sports hall of fame,” Mercadante said. “When we started this at Uniontown, I wanted to bring in other aspects besides sports. I wanted to include the whole school in different categories.”
So began the Uniontown Area High School Academics, Arts and Athletics Hall of Fame.
Now in its 14th year, the organization is still going strong.
“We averaged over 300 people for the induction over the last five years,” said Mercadante, Hall of Fame founder and Board Chairman. “I’ve got 286 tickets sold this year already.”
Other school districts have noted the success of the Uniontown Hall of Fame.
“We’ve had a dozen or so schools call us up about how we do this or go about this,” Mercadante said. “It’s been amazing to me the many different types of people who’ve been inducted, from all walks of life.”
The Class of 2026 was recently revealed and it includes Terrance Vaughns, Dana Perno and Darrin McLee in the Athletics category as well as the 2002 Red Raiders golf team.
Mercadante touched on the resume of each of those inductees.
“Terrance Vaughns is probably one of the most decorated basketball players to come out of Uniontown,” Mercadante said. “That team was WPIAL champion and second in the state (2002). Terrance was first-team all-state, all-time leading scorer, had great career at Clarion.”
Vaughns’ 1,721 points still ranks No. 1 on the school list and he also tallied 1,320 points at Clarion.
“People tell me he should’ve already been in,” Mercadante said. “But no one had ever nominated him until this year. We have other very deserving people who still haven’t been nominated. There are probably a lot that most people don’t even know about, that’s the sad part. If anyone wants to nominate someone like that they’re urged to do so.”
Perno was a two-sport star at Uniontown who went on to play basketball at West Virginia.
“Dana was an outstanding athlete, an all-state basketball player who played on a WPIAL championship team (1975), and was also a quarterback at Uniontown,” Mercadante pointed out.
“Darrin McLee was a 1,000-point scorer who was all-state twice, played under Lash (Nesser), then he went into the Navy,” Mercadante said. “The 2002 golf team went undefeated (14-0) and only lost one match in three years.”
That golf team was coached by Aaron Scott.
The Class of 2026 also includes Dr. Gene L. Theofori, Matt Hartley and Brandy L. King in the Academics category, Laura Frankhouser, Mary Ann Petro Grossman and Rev. Dr. Lindajo McKim in the Arts category, Josilyn M. Burnsworth in the Technical category, and Erik L. Friend in the Special Recognition category.
Inductees will be honored before kickoff of the Red Raiders’ football game against Ambridge at Bill Power Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4 and the brunch/induction is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Uniontown High School cafeteria and auditorium.
There are still plenty of worth candidates out there, according to Mercadante.
“Every year after the induction, I think what am I going to do for next year?” Mercadante said. “But we keep coming through with very strong, worthy classes of very deserving people.”
Tickets are $30 for the brunch/induction ceremony and can be purchased by contacting Mercadante at 301-643-1499 or via email at acmerc@msn.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.