WHITEHALL HALL OF FAME NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT

It has been hard to fill up a gym for any high school game this season, but I will be hugely disappointed and shocked if Whitehall's gym is not filled up next Friday night when the Zephyrs play Central Catholic.

That's because it's Whitehall's Hall of Fame Night and there's a star-studded cast entering the HOF headed by Super Bowl champion Dan Koppen of the New England Patriots and former Penn State basketball star Pete Lisicky.

Here's the release just sent out by AD Bob Hartman:

The Athletic Hall of Fame Committee in the Whitehall-Coplay School District is proud to announce its Athletic Hall of Fame for the Class of 2010. Five individuals will be honored at the Induction Ceremony, which will take place on Friday, January 29, 2010 at Whitehall High School. The ceremony will be prior to the Varsity Boys’ Basketball game between Central Catholic and Whitehall, at approximately 6:45 p.m. The Hall of Fame Class of 2010 includes:




JEFF GERHARD DAN KOPPEN GINA LINDENMUTH MILLER
PETE LISICKY TOM LUKISH

Jeff Gerhard, Class of 1974, was a two-sport athlete, excelling in both football and baseball. In football, Gerhard was 1st team Lehigh Valley League Defensive Back in 1972 and 1st team Lehigh Valley League Running Back in 1973. Gerhard earned Honorable Mention All-State honors as a senior while leading the entire Lehigh Valley in scoring. In baseball, Gerhard had an outstanding high school career both on the mound and in the outfield. His career was highlighted by pitching two no-hitters in the same season. He ended his high school pitching career with 15 wins and 136 strikeouts.

Dan Koppen, Class of 1998, was a three-sport athlete, who has had a distinguished career in football. Koppen was a Big 33 selection in 1998, following AP All-State and Prep Star All-American honors. He continued his football career at Boston College where he was a 3-time 2nd Team All-Big East Center and a finalist for the Rimington Award. He was drafted on the 5th Round by the New England Patriots and has started 116 of 117 games he’s been on the active roster for in his 7 year NFL career. Koppen made the Pro Bowl in 2007 and was 2nd team All-Pro that same year. He is a two-time Super Bowl Champion, three-time AFC Champion and six-time AFC East Champion.

Gina Lindenmuth Miller, Class of 1986, has made her mark as an outstanding softball pitcher at both Whitehall High School and Bloomsburg University. As a high school pitcher, Gina earned over 50 career wins as a 4 year starter. She was an all-EPC performer twice during her career. While at Bloomsburg, Lindenmuth was an All-American pitcher during her junior and senior seasons. She finished with 55 career wins and an ERA of 0.80. She was named the Bloomsburg University Female Athlete of the Year in her senior year. She is a member of the Bloomsburg University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Pete Lisicky, Class of 1994, had a distinguished basketball career at Whitehall and Penn State. Lisicky is the all-time leading scorer at Whitehall with 1,974 points. Lisicky was two-time EPC MVP, two-time Morning Call Player of the Year, and two-time AP All-State. He helped lead Whitehall to three EPC Championships and two District XI Championships. While at Penn State, Lisicky became the all-time three point leader at PSU and in the Big Ten Conference. Lisicky made the Big Ten All-Conference Team 3 times during his career. An Honorable Mention All-American in 1996, Lisicky also made the USA Under-22 National Team during his collegiate career. Lisicky played professionally for 11 seasons in Europe.

Tom Lukish, Class of 1954, was a three sport athlete at Whitehall, competing in football, basketball, and track and field. In football, Lukish started for three seasons and was All-League and Honorable Mention All-State in his senior season. In basketball, he was 2nd team All-League and in track and field, Lukish set two school records in Pole Vault and High Jump. Lukish continued his education at the United States Naval Academy, where he participated in football. Lukish was a member of the 1958 Cotton Bowl Championship team that defeated Rice University. Upon graduation, Lukish became a Navy Pilot and participated in the Cuban Blockade in 1962.


The Hall of Fame Committee is also soliciting additional nominees to be considered for the Hall of Fame. A nomination form can be found at the Athletic link of the Whitehall-Coplay School District website, www.whitehallcoplay.org or by contacting Athletic Director Bob Hartman at Whitehall High School.

Keith Groller