McGuffey’s Fatigante wins top boys basketball coach award
Mike Fatigante broke a 15-year drought for McGuffey and Jason Cardillo went one-and-done at the Tri-County Athletic Directors Coach of the Year Banquet at the DoubleTree by Hilton Sunday night.
Fatigante won McGuffey’s first Boys Basketball Coach of the Year award since Ed Goetz won in the 2001-02 season.
Cardillo was named Wrestling Coach of the Year for the first time and a month after resigning as head coach at Canon-McMillan to spend more time with his young family.
Other coach winners were Tim Bruzdewicz of Canon-McMillan in baseball; Mike Bosnic of Washington in football; Bob Miles of Trinity in girls basketball and Bill Simms of West Greene in softball.
The baseball and softball awards were based on the 2016 season.
Canon-McMillan’s PIAA champion girls soccer team received the Observer-Reporter Sports Headliner award.
Frank Franio received the Meghan Canterna Memorial Award as Special Olympics Athlete of the Year.
The Bill Christy Memorial Award for Excellence in Officiating went to Sam Puglisi and Mike Larkin.
Linda Messich of Mapletown was this year’s selection for the Tri-County Athletic Directors’ Award.
Jim Matalik received the Roy Gillespie Memorial Special Award.
Emily Goodwin of West Greene was honored with the Bill Christy Sportsmanship Award.
Receiving plaques as Olympic Sports Coach of the Year were Dave Derrico of Canon-McMillan girls soccer, and Rick Tingle of Peters Township hockey.
The Tri-County Athletic Directors’ Scholarship Winners were Erin Confortini, Jefferson-Morgan; Marissa Rode, West Greene; Shannon Relihan, Fort Cherry; Alexandria Seto, Brownsville; Cheyenne Trest, Canon-McMillan; Daniel Florentino, Peters Township; Colin McCracken, Waynesburg; Brad McLaughlin, Burgettstown; Justice Rice, Monessen; and Spencer Terling, Chartiers-Houston.
Special Recognition went to Haley Altemus, South Fayette; Jaden Altomore, Monnessen; Chyna Beck, Canon-McMillan; Bailey Bennington West Greene; Sabrina Bryan Canon-McMillan; Brenna Cavanaugh, Bentworth; Kaitlyn Dittrich, Chartiers-Houston; Alexus Eicher, Frazier; Brendan Furman, Canon-McMillan; Bryce Gabelhart Peters Township; Garrett Geresti, Avella; Hannah Greene, Fort Cherry; Koryn Jozwiakowski, Fort Cherry; Mia Kness, Peters Township; Sierra Kotchman, Trinity; Madison Lampe, West Greene; McKenna Lampe, West Greene; Moriah McGuier McGuffey; Jonah Moore Canon-McMillan; A.J. Myers, Chartiers-Houston; Aideen O’Donoghue Canon-McMillan; Matt Popeck, Washington; Madison Renner, West Green; Justice Rice, Monessen; Linda Rush Canon-McMillan; Katie Tarr Burgettstown; Gavin Teasdale, Jefferson-Morgan; Dana Vatakis Monessen; and Alexa Williamson, Chartiers-Houston
Banquet sponsors are Advanced Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation; Morasczyk, Stopperich & Associates; Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi; the Observer-Reporter and Century Sports.