Local Legends Inducted at 50th Annual West Branch Valley Sports Hall of Fame Banquet
WILLIAMSPORT-Several local athletes were among sixteen people honored at the 50th Annual Awards Banquet of the West Branch Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday evening at the Williamsport Genetti Hotel. They included Gary Cook, Maria Morgan, Biff Walizer and the late Rodger Cook. Both Cook brothers (Lock Haven High) and Walizer (Bale Eagle-Nittany) made names in wrestling. Morgan was an outstanding basketball player and tennis star from Bucktail.
Two others – Rom Bowes and Rod Laub were recognized as “Volunteers of the Year.”
Over one hundred people gathered to honor these and several other Valley sports figures, They are Madiana Ali (basketball-Williamsport), Jen Allen (Soccer Coach- Warrior Run). Alan Eck (football and officiating- Williamsport), Tom Gravish football coach- Jersey Shore), Bobby Lynn (Football and officiating- LHU), Chris Masse (sports writer – Sun Gazette), and Gabe Sinicropi (contributor – Crosscutters). Tom Aber and Hal Spooner – both of Williamsport- were also honored for volunteering.
Rodger Cook’s nephew Trevor Smith accepted his award.
