LV FLASHBACK
A look back at Lehigh Valley sports stories over the years from March 25.
2003: Gatorade names Aaron Gray of Emmaus, a 6-11 senior center, its state player of the year after Gray averages 20 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and four blocks a game for the Green Hornets. Gray is the fourth area athlete honored by Gatorade, joining Central Catholic’s Billy McCaffrey (boys basketball, 1989), Parkland’s Greg DeLong (football, 1990) and Central Catholic’s Michelle Marciniak (girls basketball, 1991). Four days later Gray is the first Emmaus player ever named to the Associated Press’ firstteam all-state squad.
1993: Julie Amato scores 23 points and pulls down 12 rebounds to lead Notre Dame to a 59-43 win over Northeast Bradford and into the PIAA Class A girls basketball East semifinals. Bethlehem Catholic gets 26 points and 12 rebounds from Tiffany Bedics in a 76-43 win over Unionville to reach the Class 3A East semis.
1988: Stacy Paukovitz scores 29 points and Catasauqua (28-2) drubs Bishop McCort of Johnstown 58-42 to win its first PIAA
Class 2A girls basketball championship. Rough Riders coach Patti Heffner also becomes the first woman to win a state championship as both a player (Dieruff 1975, 1976) and coach. Heffner later coaches Parkland to a state title in 2006.
1983: Tamaqua’s bid for a PIAA Class 2A boys championship comes up short when the Blue Raiders drop a 71-64 decision to Sto-Rox (32-1).
1975: Moving cross-town from Fred Dunlap’s staff at Lehigh, Barry Fetterman is approved as Liberty’s new head football coach.