The Mercury’s Top 10 stories of 2020
The Mercury’s year-end Top 10 stories list is traditionally a review of the greatest local sports triumphs of the past year. Unfortunately, ‘triumphant’ is not a word to describe 2020.
It was a trying year in and out of the sports world. The COVID-19 pandemic affected all parts of the local sports landscape from March to year’s end. The year was not without on field excellence, but the limited seasons were at times overshadowed by departures – some in retirement, some unfortunately in deaths.
These are the Mercury area’s top 10 most notable stories of 2020:
10. Larry Glanski retires from Perkiomen Valley
After 34 years in the Perkiomen Valley School District, the last 16 as high-school athletic director, Larry Glanski headed off into retirement on Oct. 30. His departure closed the door on a career that offered both challenges and fulfillment within the growing Montgomery County school district.
During his time at PV, the alumnus of Owen J. Roberts High School (1981) and Kutztown University (1986) experienced life at the head of a classroom and as overseer of the high school’s athletic programs and facilities. He was also on the football team’s coaching staff of head coach Scott Fuhrman, track and field for 12 seasons and wrestling for five.
Glanski was lauded for his work ethic and connection to the PV youth. His tenure as athletic director came at a time when the Perk Valley district experienced considerable population growth. It went from being a Class AA school to Class AAAA/AAA over the years, and it currently has the fourth-largest enrollment in the Pioneer Athletic Conference. ficially announced the cancellation of the winter sports championships April 8 ending those state playoff runs prematurely.
Led by a pair of All-State seniors, center Jeff Woodward and senior guard Erik Timko, Methacton finished the season 28-2 after a third straight Pioneer Athletic Conference championship. Head coach Jeff Derstine ended his 10-year tenure guiding the Warriors after the season.
The Golden Panthers were led by All-State selections Justin Green and Drew McKeon and coach Brendan Stanton was chosen Class 4A Coach of the Year after going 21-6, setting a program record for wins in a season and reaching the state’s final eight for the first time.
4. Spring-Ford girls tennis wins PIAA championship
The Spring-Ford girls tennis team won its first-ever District 1 team tournament match against West Chester Henderson Oct. 17 and didn’t stop reeling off program firsts.
The Rams won their first ever District 1 title Oct. 20 against Wissahickon and capped off their season with a trip to the Hershey Racquet Club where they defeated District 11 champ Southern Lehigh 4-0 in their semifinal round and District 7 champ Greater Latrobe in the PIAA Class 3A championship for the Rams’ first state crown.
Spring-Ford’s title run was led by freshman Mercury All-Area Girls Tennis Player of the Year Mia Matriccino, junior Isabel Mejia sophomore Cady Krause, seniors Lucy Olsen and Emily Tiffan and freshmen Alexis Luo and Evelyn Mejia.
3. James Develin retires from NFL
One of the great professional football underdog stories came to its conclusion on April 27 when Boyertown graduate James Develin announced his retirement from the NFL.
The Gilbertsville native and 2006 Boyertown graduate became a three-time Super Bowl champion and fixture in the New England Patriots’ backfield. Develin retired due to concerns over a neck injury that ended his 2019 season.
An Ivy League defensive lineman standout at Brown, Develin’s remarkable road to the NFL went through the Arena Football League, United Football League and practice squads of the Cincinnati Bengals and Patriots before finally joining the New England roster in 2012. After being added to the Patriots’ 53-man roster during the 2012 season, Develin appeared in 83 games with 31 starts at fullback.
Develin was a Pro Bowl selection in 2017 and became the Mercury area’s most decorated NFL player with his three Super Bowl wins and four appearances.
“My whole football career has been a million to one shot, so to sit here today and even have the ability to write these words I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to have been able to pursue a dream I’ve had since I was a boy,” Develin wrote in his retirement announcement.
2. Standout wrestler Carbajal dies in tragic car crash
In the early hours of Monday, Aug. 10, the Spring-Ford and Owen J. Roberts School District communities were rocked by a horrific automobile accident that involved four recent graduates, including two standout wrestlers.
The accident occurred in the 1200 block of South Hanover Street in North Coventry Township. Occupants of the vehicle were Louie Carbajal, a star wrestler at Spring-Ford, and OJR grapplers Connor Quinn — The Mercury All-Area 2020 Wrestler of the Year — Ben Bulich and classmate Daniel Benasutti. They all sustained injuries from the single-car accident, Carbajal and Quinn most seriously.
Sadly, Carbajal died one week later (Aug. 17) from injuries suffered in the crash. Having won a state-level medal at the PIAA Class AAA Individual Tournament in March — the first and only time he reached that level of individual competition — Louie’s future plans were to attend Kutztown University to continue his academic and athletic careers, and to enlist in the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
The tragedy was heightened as Quinn, driver of the automobile, faced numerous charges — among them, homicide by vehicle while DUI — in November. A three-time state qualifier and regional champion and Pa. fifth-place medalist as a senior, Quinn was committed to attend Appalachian State University.