Ten new members headed to the hall
Ten new members inducted into Phoenixville Sports Hall of Fame
Ten people were enshrined in the Phoenixville Area School District Sports Hall of Fame during a luncheon to honor the Class of 2016 on Oct. 8 in the Phoenixville Area Middle School cafeteria.
Members of the Class of 2016 include Diane Ahern, Mark Cagle, Jaime (Matty) Ciarlello, Jack Dietrich, Alex Gojkovich, Steve McGovern, Marian (Ambrose) Potts, Charles Shaffer, Thomas R. Stoltz and Shira Thornton.
The group of inductees included two deceased men, four women and four men.
DIANE AHERN>> Phantoms’ Class of 1982, was a member of the tennis, basketball and lacrosse teams at Phoenixville. She won the Genuardi Award for excellence as a senior before moving to West Chester University. She also coached youth and scholastic lacrosse. A retired police-- man by occupation, Ahern also became a gold medalist and senior national age group champion in the new sport of pickleball.
MARK CAGLE >> With the Class of 1977, starred in wrestling at Phoenixville and then at Division I West Chester University at the collegiate level. He rose to All-American status. He is already a member of the West Virginia University Hall of Fame. Cable became a college and high school coach as well as a wrestling official. Cable was a fouryear starter at West Virginia and became a two-time NCAA qualifier as well as an All-American in 1979. He held the Mountaineers’ pins recorder many years. JAIME (MATTY) CIARLELLO >> With the Class of 1998, played field hockey, basketball and lacrosse. She was named allleague in field hockey and lacrosse. She moved on to Ursinus College and was selected as an ECAC All-Star as well as a Brine IWLCA ll-American. She is also amember of the Ursinus College Sports Hall of Fame. Ciarlello established assists record with the Bears and the Centennial Con-- ference.
JACKDIET RICH>> With the Class of 1980, played baseball and football. He won the Detwiler (football) and Bodine-New (baseball
awards) and moved on to the University of Alabama. He played all nine positions in the same game on March 26, 1985. ALEX GOJKOVICH >> The late Mr. Gojkovich served as a soccer coach at PAHS and in the community. He was instrumental in starting organized youth soccer in the Phoenixville area and in the Phoenixville Area School District.
STEVE MCGOVERN >> With the Class of 1978, became a standout in wrestling as a PIAA state medalist, finishing as a state runner-up one year in his weight class. He had the honor and distinction offing chosen as a High School All-American. He proceeded to continue his career at the University of Maryland. More recently, McGovern has worked as a Maryland State Wrestling Official for more than 20 years. MARIAN (AMBROSE) POTTS
>> With the Class of 1980, focused on track & field and field hockey at PAHS. She holds many school records as a star in the hurdles and sprints. She medaled at the PIAA Championships and went on to attend West Chester University. Her Phoenixville coach, Steve Ruby, started the girls’ track and field program at Phoenixville. Potts also developed a keen interest in golf and became quite successful at that sport, too, following her high school years.
CHARLESS HAFFER>> The late Mr. Shaffer was a member of the PAHS Class of 1958. He played and coached basketball and served as a community coach and mentor for more than 40 years. He also became a volunteer YMCA and high school basketball official. THOMAS R. STOLTZ >> With the Class of 2004, became a five-sport letterman in soccer, football as a placekicker, wrestling, tennis and track & field while winning the prestigious Genuardi Award. Stoltz won a District One championship in the javelin throw and was awarded a scholarship to the University of Tulsa, where he established new records.
SHIRA THORNTON >> With the Class of 1988, played field hockey basketball and lacrosse while earning allleague honors in three sports. She was named a High School Lacrosse All-American and moved on to Temple University, where she remains among the career leader in assists.
NOTES >> Judy Wolstenholme serves as chairman of the PASD Sorts Hall of Fame, which has been in existence since 2011. ... Dr. Alan Fegley, PASD Superintendent, gave opening remarks. ... Leo Scoda, retired tennis coach and re- tiredmayor of Phoenixville, served as master of ceremonies and introduced the Class of 2016. The inductees received their awards from Fegley and Dr. Craig Parkinson, PAHS Principal. ... Former inductees who returned for this year’s luncheon included Dot Harrop, Lonny Moore, John “Doc” Kennedy, Margaret (Tomlinson) Pinchock, Scoda, Jack Kraynak, Bill Thornton, Mary Lozier, Barbara Isanski, three more Thornton sisters, Aamina, Amara and Yasmin, and Peirson. ... Ahern could not attend the festivities because she is living in Florida and could not get a flight here due to Hurricane Matthew damages. ... Tom Stoltz, who is now living in Dallas, Texas, is the son of Carl Stoltz and the late Jane Stoltz. Carl Stoltz was a longtime track & field coach at Great Valley High School who also officiated football, wrestling and track from 1972 through 2015 (44 years) before retiring last December. ... Shaffer was represented by his widow, Sally Shaffer, and longtime working partner Jill Peirson, whom the Shaffers felt was like a daughter to them. ... Mr. Go- jkovich was represented by his son, Alex Gojkovich Jr. ... Phantom TV broadcast the awards ceremonies.