Coaches, athletes honored at annual CYO banquet
Jefferson-Morgan head coach Tony Barbetta advises Brooke Diamond before her turn at bat during the game against Smethport.
Following a dramatic season filled with emotion and success, Tony Barbetta enjoyed some of the spoils.
Barbetta, who led the Jefferson-Morgan High School softball team to its first WPIAL title and the first PIAA win in the program’s history, won the Softball Coach of the Year award at the Tri-County Athletic Directors Coach of the Year Banquet at the DoubleTree by Hilton Sunday night.
Other coach winners were Rick Chaussard of South Fayette in wrestling; Nick D’Amico of California in baseball; Mike Steeber of Frazier in football; Ron Faust of Washington in boys basketball; and Matt Bacco of South Fayette in girls basketball.
The baseball and softball awards were based on the 2015 season.
Luke Blanock, who played baseball last season for Canon-McMillan while battling a rare form of bone cancer, received the Observer-Reporter Sports Headliner award.
Jean Urbas received the Meghan Canterna Memorial Award as Special Olympics Athlete of the Year.
The Bill Christy Memorial Award for Excellence in Officiating went to Paul Lancaster and Ken McWilliams.
Joe Nicolella of Washington was this year’s selection for the Tri-County Athletic Directors’ Award.
Royce Kotouch received the Roy Gillespie Memorial Special Award.
Camryn Dugan of Jefferson-Morgan was honored with the Bill Christy Sportsmanship Award.
Receiving plaques as Olympic Sports Coach of the Year were Larry Fingers, Canon-McMillan boys soccer; Rob Eldridge, South Fayette boys soccer; and Dave Kuhn, Peters Township golf.
The Tri-County Athletic Directors’ Scholarship Winners were Morgan Simkovic, Jefferson-Morgan; Maris Seto, Brownsville; Delaney Elling, Trinity; Elizabeth Klingensmith, Uniontown; Katie Demi, McGuffey; Cody Dobbin, Avella; Cory Lent, Brownsville; Joey Townsend, McGuffey; Chad Livingston, Laurel Highlands and Jordan Smith, Canon-McMillan.
Special Recognition went to Emily Anderson, Erica Burns, Mike Carr, Kaitlyn Dittrich, Mary Dunn, Delaney Elling, Mitch Ford, Olivia Gray, Aaron Harris, Hunter Hayes, Kassie Kesneck, Mia Kness, Mike Kondratik, Sierra Kotchman, Madison Ludrosky, Darton McIntire, Dwight Moore, Justice Rice, Lavalle Rush, Linda Rush, Christian Snatchko, Nick Sodini, Katie Tarr, Gavin Teasdale, Dana Vatakis and Tony Welsh.
Banquet sponsors are Advanced Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation; Morasczyk, Stopperich & Associates; Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi; Dr. Anthony Canterna; the Observer-Reporter and Washington Health System Sports Medicine.