MALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE & SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT What do George Reeves, Christopher Reeves, Dean Cain and Nick Sebes all have in common? They all portrayed SUPERMAN at one time in their lives. Sebes, this year’s male scholar athlete, picked up the moniker after his performance at the 1998 State Track and Field Championships. That weekend, Nick ran 9 races in 2 days, winning a silver medal in the 200 meters, an 8th place medal in the 100 meters and a silver in the 4 x 400 meter relay and led Mount Carmel Area to its first ever team State Championship. During his first 3 years as a member of the Tornado thinclads, Sebes has earned 5 state medals in the 100, 200, 400 (gold), 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meter relays as well as 8 District IV gold medals as his team has won three consecutive District IV AA titles. He holds school records in the 100, 200, 400, 4 x 1, 4 x 4 and all time regional records in the 100 (10.7), 200 (21,7) and 4 x 400 (3:23.9). With all of his track success, it may come as a surprise to know that Nick has achieved his greatest success as a football player. He has been named to the AP All-State first team in 1998 as a QB and in 1999 as a defensive back as well as Pennsylvania’s Player of the Year in 1998. Due to an injury during the 1999 season, Nick played flanker, split end, tailback, QB and free safety in helping his team to the state championship game in Hershey for the 2nd consecutive year. His versatility, as well as athletic ability, has earned him a full scholarship to Stanford University after turning down offers from Penn State, Virginia, Georgia, Syracuse, Notre Dame and others. Sebes finished his career at MCA with a number of top ten rankings including total yards – 5,149 (4th), total offense – 4, 114 (5th), kick return yards – 833 (10th), points – 236 (8th), TDs – 38 (7th), punt return yds – 415 (8th), passing yards – 2,129 (6th), completions – 156 (5th), INTs – 11 (10th). As if his athletic prowess wasn’t enough, Nick ranks 6th in his class with a 96.8 average and has scored near 1200 on his SAT’s. He is a member of the National Honor Society, SADD, Student Council, and Interact Club. Nick’s travels to the west coast will be followed by many in the Anthracite Region and will be assured that his SUPER efforts on the field and in the classroom will always make us proud. Nick is the son of Fran and M (Butch) Sebes of Mount Carmel Estates.

FEMALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE This year’s female scholar athlete is Ana Ditchey, Mount Carmel Area’s outstanding track and field and basketball athlete. Ana has been a four year letter winner and starter for coach Steve Lapotsky’s Lady Tornado basketball team. During the 1998 season, Ana helped the girls team to a 3rd place finish in the Dist. IV basketball tourney, the highest finish since the 1985 District Championship. During this past season, Ana became only the 7th girl in school history to surpass the 1000 point scoring plateau. As the only senior and Captain of this year’s squad, Ana has led the team into Dist. IV playoff competition once again by averaging 17 points per game and shooting over 70% from the foul line. In the spring Ana takes her talents to the Silver Bowl as a member of the Lady Tornado track and field team. She has won the Dist. IV javelin Championship in both her sophomore and junior campaigns and has finished 11th and 1oth at the State Track and Field Meets in 1998 and 1999. As a sophomore Ditchey broke the 20 year old Javelin mark held by Cheryl Kent and has since upped the marl to 138’9”, noted by Track and Field Magazine as the 6th best throw in the country in 1999. She is most proud of the fact that her teams have won three consecutive Schuylkill League Championships and have gone 24-0 during the past three season. Ana has extended her athletic versatility as the first ever female of the golf team at MCA, winning a letter in the sport in 1999. Ditchey has qualified for this honor by ranking 11th in her class and posting a 95.1 GPA. She has attained a 1070 in her SAT’s and has been recognized in Who’s Who Among High School Students. She presently serves as Senior Class Secretary, President of the Pep Club, and is a member of Student Council, SADD, Future Teachers of America and Interact Club. Ana is the daughter of Tootsie and Bill Ditchey, Mount Carmel and plans to attend either Susquehanna University or Penn State University.

INDUCTEE Steve has been recognized as the leader of the Tornado Red Death defense which many believe to be the best front seven in MCA history. Sinkovich led the team in tackles the past 2 seasons and finished his career with 347 – 3rd best in school history. Steve also played nose guard, tight end, fullback and tailback during his career as well as his linebacker position. Steve is also being recognized today for his winning the PIAA AA State Wrestling Championship in 1998 at 171 pounds. He is only the 5th athlete in MCA history to win a state title. An injury to his shoulder during the football season cut short his wrestling career however he has received a full scholarship to Hofstra University and will resume his wrestling career there.

INDUCTEE Jason has been a three year starter at defensive tackle for the Big Red and has been named to an all-state team for 3 consecutive years and first team in 1998 and 1997. Jason has been in on 292 tackles during his career, the 6th best total in MCA history and the most for a down lineman. His 14 QB sacks during the 1998 season established a new season record while hie 32.5 sacks in his career establishes a new career mark. With Jason anchoring the defensive line, the 1998 team, in giving up 533 yards rushing in 15 games, established an all-time mark for one season. Jason will continue his playing at Rutgers University.

INDUCTEE Big Jon has been the anchor of the Tornado offensive line for the past three years where he has started at center for 42 consecutive games. During Jon’s tenure, the Tornadoes have won 39 games and lost 3 while winning 2 State Championships in 1996 and 1998. With Jon at center, both the 96 and 98 teams have gained over 5000 yards in total offense, the only 2 teams in Tornado history to accomplish the feat. Else is one of 8 two-time all-state players in MCA history and was named Offensive lineman of the year by both the Reading Eagle and Bloomsburg Press Enterprise. Jon will continue his career at Lycoming, Susquehanna or Wilkes.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT Pete Dray has established himself as one of the best long distance runners to ever come out of Mount Carmel Area High School. During the 1998 cross country season, Dray went undefeated and established new course records on 10 different courses. Pete won the Schuylkill League Championship for the 3rd time and set a new standard with a time of 15:37. He won the Dist. IV championship after finishing second twice. He is a 3 time state qualifier, finishing 38th his sophomore year, 10th his junior year and just this past season placed third – the best finish ever for an MCA runner. Dray placed fourth at the 1998 state championship track meet in the 1600 meter with a time of 4:22.0. Peter has just concluded the indoor track season winning the state championship in the mile at Lehigh University with a time of 4:21.

INDUCTEES 30 years after they walked off the football field following their 47-6 thrashing of the Valley View Cougars in the Eastern Conference Championship game at the Silver Bowl, the 1969 football team remains the measuring stick by which all Tornado teams are compared. The Mount Carmel Area squad blew through the 69 season with a perfect 12-0 record and left little doubt that they were the premier team in eastern Pennsylvania. As August of 1969 rolled around, expectations were high coming into the season, since the Tornadoes were coming off an 11-1 season with the loan loss coming at the hands of Blakely in the Eastern Conference Championship in 1968. Led by their All-American running back, Gary Diminick, the Big Red handled their opponents with relative ease. The closest game during that year was a 19-6 win at West Hazleton followed by a 28-6 win against rival Shikellamy. The offensive machine scored over 40 points in 4 games and went over the 50 point mark in 4 others. Two 30 point efforts that year completed the scoring on the way to a 504 point season. The 42 point per game average still ranks as the nest in the 106 years of Mount Carmel Area football. The 64 rushing TD’s that season still ranks as the most ever while the 388 yards in total offense per game ranks as the second best in MCA history. Another indication of how good that football team was can be found in the fact that no less than seven players from the team were honored with Division One football scholarships as well as a number of other at D-2 and D-3 schools. The seniors on that team had only experienced three losses during their 4 years at MCA while winning an amazing 43 games. Under today’s system of state playoffs, its scary to think about how far they might have gone. Captained by Gary Diminick and Bob Churpinki, the team was lead by head coach Joe “Jazz: Diminick and assitants George Wrona, Ralph Evans, Joe Greco, Len Guarna, Al Santos and Steve Zarlinski. There is no doubt that the 1969 edition of Red Tornado football will always be included as one of the best teams to ever play the game in the history of Mount Carmel Area High School.

INDUCTEE Frank has coached wrestling for 30 years, including 25 years at Mount Carmel Area. He began when he introduced the sport at Susquenita in 1959 and produced 6 Sectional champions and coached the school’s first District champion. In 1964, Frank became Mount Carmel’s head coach and went on to compile the best winning percentage in school history. Frank’s teams posted a 75-21-1 record – 77.3% – and during wrestling’s “Golden Era” from 1967-69 managed a 37-3-1 record – 90.2%. During that time, Tornado wrestlers posted a 25 meet win streak at home and 20 consecutive dual meet victories overall. Impressive wins were posted over Shamokin – the Susquehanna Valley League Champ; Line Mountain – the Mid State League Champ; and North Schuylkill – the Tri County League Champ. Frank’s teams won the Northumberland County Team Championship in 1967, 68 and 69 and were Dist. IV Southern Sectional Champs in 1969 and 1970. His 1969 team placed third in Dist. IV out of 44 teams when there was only one classification. Frank coached one state champion in Bob Sacavage and had 13 Southern Sectional champions during his reign. In 1968, Frank became the first MCA coach to defeat Shamokin in 25 years and twice stopped North Schuylkill winning streaks at 23 in 1969 and 26 in 1971. Frank’s overall record of 98-48-3 was compiled against wrestling hall of fame coaches Larry Lachie – Shamokin, Larry Sinabaldi – Shikellamy, Dale Cochran – Milton, Joe Cesari – North Schuylkill and Paul Stehman – Line Mountain. Frank is married to the former Rose Marie Wojcik and has two sons, Joseph, Gettysburg and Frank, Mission Viejo and is the proud grandfather of four.

INDUCTEE Bob Parker was an athlete whose greatness was not appreciated or recognized until he had gone on to other things. He was an athlete at Kulpmont High School immediately before the Golden Era of Kulpmont sports from 1938 thru 1945. He was an outstanding track athlete for then Coach Glenn Menges and lettered for four years in both track and cross country before his graduation in 1935. After leaving Kulpmont, Bob enrolled at Bloomsburg State Teachers College where he repeated as a four year letter winner in both cross country and track and field. During 1937and 1938, he was a member of the Bloomsburg track teams which went on to win the Pennsylvania State Teachers College Track and Field Championship. The Bloomsburg team had also won the championship at the famed Penn Relays in 1938. He was one of five seniors on that team who had never lost a dual meet their four years on the team. Following graduation from Bloom in 1939, Bob returned to Kulpmont where he coached basketball for a number of years. During that time he was also an outstanding sandlot basketball player for a team know as the Imperials and also played basketball with the Mercuries. Bob later earned his Master’s degree from Columbia University before moving to Bucks County with his wife Helen. They eventually returned to his beloved cola region and retired in Denmar Gardens, Kulpmont.