VALLEY SPORTS HISTORY
2014
• Sunday – no paper
2004
• Horrendous rains hit the area in the wake of Hurricane Ivan. The Belle Vernon Area-Laurel Highlands game was one of only three games of the 56 contests scheduled to be played in the torrential rain. With only 50 die-hard fans in the stands the players struggled on the sloppy fields to score. The final score in the muddy contest was just 6-0 in favor of the Leopards.
• Most high school basketball standouts like to play the waiting game when choosing a college. Not so with Geibel High’s Rob Ramsey. Ramsey, a 6-1 senior and a 1,000-point scorer will sign with Cal U in November. Ramsey, who started his career at Belle Vernon Area before transferring to Geibel, said, “I don’t want to play anywhere else but California. I’ve always had a good relationship with Coach Bill Brown. I attended two of his basketball camps and I always followed California as a kid.” Ramsey scored 993 points in two seasons at Geibel after scoring 213 points in ninth grade with the Leps.
1994
• The Charleroi boys soccer team finally put one in the win column, but it wasn’t easy. The Cougars upended Bentworth, 8-6, in a Section 12 contest. Charleroi jumped out to a 6-1 lead at half-time. Facing the danger of a rout, Bentworth mounted a strong comeback including three goals in the fourth period. Charleroi coach Tom Villella said, “We made some mental mistakes in the second half which should not of happened.
Josh Gray had a big game for Charleroi, scoring a four goals and two assists. Eric Large and Deiter Laskey each had two goals for Charleroi.
• Ringgold High senior Ryan Casciani qualified for the WPIAL regionals to be held at Cedarbrook Golf Course after sharing medalist honors at Norvelt. Casciani had rounds of 37 and 39 to finish tied for first with Greensburg Salem’s Kevin Fajt (40-36). Other area golfers to advance to the regionals were Yough’s
Ryan Sikora (41-41) and Bentworth’s Nick Armenini (44-60).
