Looking back at 2010's great moments and friends we've lost

From Keith Groller

Most folks take stock of their lives on New Year's Eve, or just before.

But New Year's Eve, in the midst of all the football, parties and parades, is more about looking ahead.

Christmas Eve for me is a time to look back and celebrate what we have in this world, treasure those around us, while also clinging in our hearts and minds to those we've lost.

In local sports, we sure have a lot to be thankful for.

Our athletes and coaches continue to excel on the playing field.

Teams like the Emmaus field hockey and Central Catholic football squads have attained the ultimate in their sports, but also impressed with their work ethic, class and respect for their sport and their opponents.

Individually, there were also sights we won't soon forget that took place in this past year . … Saucon Valley's Alyssa Lombardo flying her way to PIAA gold and a state record in the 400 meters. … Wilson's Kowan Scott hurdling his way to a state championship in the 300 meters. … Emmaus' Ryan Stahley splashing his way to swimming gold in the 50 meters. … Central's Catherine Rose diving her way to a third consecutive state championship, and many more moments of glory in all sports.

While things are far from perfect in high school athletics, and controversies all too often detract from the accomplishments, thankfully, the positives still outweigh the negatives.

Our kids, by and large, still reflect the best of what we're all about here in the Lehigh Valley. While Mack Trucks and Bethlehem Steel are gone, our athletes still maintain that blue-collar attitude, the 3-D foundation of success — dedication, determination and desire.

As a sportswriter for this newspaper, I've been blessed for three decades now to chronicle the exploits of many of these fine athletes, teams and coaches.

While there are some days when a mere peek at my e-mail inbox can sour my mood, I do consider myself quite fortunate to have had a front-row seat for so many terrific events and to be in a position to salute our kids.

In 2010, it's true that I got to witness both Roy Halladay's postseason no-hitter and the "Miracle of the New Meadowlands" in person. I even got to sit alongside Mike Ditka at a banquet; so close that he even offered me his filet mignon.

But the best moments are those that involve local kids, like being on the field Friday night in Hershey and seeing the sheer joy of Central Catholic as it realized all of its hard work had come fruition in the form of a state championship.

Indeed, while there were moments to be cherished in the past year, there were also many that brought us sorrow.

In the sport of basketball alone, we lost five giants in the community — Patti Heffner, Al Senavitis, Bob Gilbert, Mario Donnangelo and Gary Spengler.

Each had a very different way of touching our lives, but they had the common thread of caring — caring about their sport, caring about the community, and most importantly, caring about people, especially kids.

If you believe in heaven, you can just picture those five sitting at a table up above with Heffner preparing a practice schedule, Gilbert giving her a detailed scouting report on the next opponent, Senavitis and Donnangelo cracking a few jokes and telling stories from an earlier era to lighten the mood and Spengler blowing a whistle to keep them all in line.

They were terrific people who, in their own way, touched dozens, hundreds, even thousands of lives.

We lost so many other gems this past year, like one of my newspaper mentors Jack Lapos, iconic Phillipsburg coach Harold Bellis, feisty former Northampton football coach Teko Johnson, local baseball booster Lee Higgins and Allentown High star and Slatington High football coach Fritz Snyder.

Some people were not as well known, but through family, they made their own mark in local sports — people like Denise Cramsey, sister of former CCHS quarterback and current New Hampshire offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey; Kathy Rems, the mother of championship-winning Allen and Lehigh softball pitcher Nina (Rems) Delong; and Evelyn Frantz, mother of Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club president Chuck Frantz.

Speaking of the Yankees, a good friend of Frantz and all area baseball fans, Fred "Freddy Sez" Schuman, died in the past year as did Phillies icon Robin Roberts, a close friend of Egypt native Curt Simmons.

But perhaps no death devastated us more than the passing of Owen Thomas, a former Parkland football star who took his own life while attending the University of Pennsylvania and serving as captain of the Quakers team. Owen was just 21.

He reminds us of the other young people we've lost much too soon in recent years, great kids like Nicole Sheriff, Bo Tkach, Courtney Diacont, Jeff Dailey, Michael Cummings, Jennifer Jacksits, Derek Kehoe, Justin Sheftel, Krysta Hankee, Mallory Bomboy and others.

In the midst of your fun, food and festivities tonight, give them all a toast or at least a fond thought.

And think, too, of our colleagues Larry O'Rourke and Andre Williams.

Larry, like our friends Donna (Spence) Katcher, the former Parkland High softball star, and Brett Snyder, the ex- Northwestern and Lehigh football great, is battling ALS with courage and an unyielding spirit.

Andre is continuing his recovery from a major health setback suffered back in the spring.

Keep him in your thoughts, too, as you hold close all those near and dear to you on this special night.

Merry Christmas.

http://www.mcall.com/sports/mc-groller-column-1223-20101223,0,1246195.column