Saucon Valley to honor six special individuals and a special team with first Hall of Fame class

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FROM KEITH GROLLER

The Saucon Valley athletic department is proud to announce its Inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame Class. The Inaugural Class of 2012 will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at Saucon Valley's end of the year awards program on June 6, 2012 at 6:30pm in the High School Auditorium. Six individuals and one team from Hellertown High School and Saucon Valley High School make up this year's selections.

In addition, the schools asks that any member of the 1976 State Championship Wrestling team contact the Saucon Valley Athletic Office at 610-838-7001 ext. 2720 for information concerning this year's induction.

Here are the honorees:

Robert R. Hoppes (Baseball & Soccer)

Robert R. Hoppes was instrumental in bringing athletics to Hellertown High School for the first time in 1918. Robert was Hellertown’s first Head Baseball coach from 1918-1934 winning three league championships in 1932, 1933, and 1934. In 1927, Coach Hoppes brought Soccer to Hellertown High School, again as their Head Coach from 1927-1945 winning two League Championships in 1931 and 1939. In addition to his coaching career, Robert was a well respected teacher in the district from 1916-1958.

William A. Szabo (Soccer, Basketball, & Baseball) Hellertown High School Class of 1942

William A. "Muggsy" Szabo was a four year athlete in Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball and part of Hellertown’s 1939 Soccer League Championship team and 1939 and 1941 Basketball League Championship teams. During the 1941-1942 Basketball Season, Bill was Hellertown’s leading scorer. From 1943-1946 Bill proudly served his country as a member of the Marine Corps. From 1949-1952 Bill was a Class "B" professional baseball player in Washington Senator’s Organization. After his professional baseball career Mr. Szabo returned to the Hellertown-Lower Saucon School District for a long career as a teacher and administrator.

F. Nicholas Diehm (Baseball & Soccer)

Nick Diehm spent 37 seasons as Hellertown/Saucon Valley High School’s Head Baseball and Soccer coach from 1965-1984. Nick won six League Baseball Championships in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, and 1979, three League Soccer Championships in 1972, 1976, and 1977, and one District XI Soccer Championship in 1972. In addition to serving his country in the Army, Nick spent 34 years at Hellertown/Saucon Valley District as its first Elementary Physical Education teacher.

Charles E. Bartolet, Jr. (Wrestling)

Responsible for the introduction of wrestling to Hellertown High School in 1960, Mr. Bartolet spent the next 25 years as the program’s Head Coach. From 1960-1985, Mr. Bartolet’s wrestlers accrued 86 team and individual championships including 32 individual District XI Champions, 30 Southeast Regional Champions, 9 PIAA State Champions, 12 League Team Championships, 2 District XI Team Championships, and Saucon Valley’s only Team State Championship as the 1976 AAA PIAA State Champions. In 1972 Coach Bartolet was named the Pennsylvania State Coach of the Year and is also a member of the District XI Wrestling Hall of Fame. In addition to his 25 years on the mat, Mr. Bartolet has served the Hellertown/Saucon Valley School District for over 50 years as a teacher, administrator, and school board director.

Don Rohn (Wrestling) Saucon Valley High School Class of 1972

An outstanding wrestler at the High School and Collegiate level, Don helped lead Saucon Valley Wrestling into what would become a dominant decade for the Saucon Valley Wrestling program. Don’s accomplishments include:

3 Time District XI Champion 3 Time Southeast Regional Champion 2 Time PIAA State Champion 1972 High School All American 4 Time PSAC Champion – Clarion University 3 Time NCAA Division I All American 1973 Division I NCAA Champion – Clarion University Member of the District XI Wrestling and Lehigh Valley Sports Hall of Fame

In 2011 Don returned to Saucon Valley as an assistant wrestling coach after almost 400 victories as a Head Coach at both Hazelton and Northampton High Schools.

Thea Ackerman (Track & Field) Saucon Valley High School Class of 1979

An accomplished Track athlete in multiple events, Thea set records at both the District XI and PIAA State level. Her record jump of 5’10" in the 1979 High Jump remains the PIAA State record 33 years later. Thea’s accomplishments at the High School and College level include:



2 Time PIAA State High Jump Champion 1979 State High Jump Champion & State Record of 5’10" 2 Time High School All American 4 Time Mason Dixon Conference High Jump Champion – Mt. St. Mary’s 1981 NCAA Division II Champion – High Jump – Mt. St. Mary’s 1981 & 1982 NCAA Division II All American – Mt. St. Mary’s Member of the Mount Saint Mary’s Athletic Hall of Fame

1976 Saucon Valley High School Wrestling Team

Competing in Class AAA as a AA school, Saucon Valley’s 1976 Wrestling team’s goal was to compete with the largest schools in the state of Pennsylvania. By the end of the 1975-1976 season, Saucon Valley had placed gold medals on three individuals and had captured the 1976 PIAA AAA Team Wrestling Championships at Penn St. University. Saucon Valley’s only PIAA State Team Championship in any sport.