Wheeling Central Welcomes 2021 Hall of Fame Class
Trending
WHEELING -- As a young kid, I read the sports page every morning.
Sports was all I cared about, really. Scores, stats, trades or just anything involving sports -- I could find it right there in the morning paper.
One name I remember seeing nearly every day was the great Nick Bedway, former Executive Sports Editor at The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register from 2000-2005. Whether it was football, golf or Wheeling Nailers hockey, I always enjoyed reading what he had to say.
On Saturday, I heard what he had to say.
Bedway, along with James E. Altmeyer Sr., was honored with The Distinguished Service Award at the Wheeling Central Hall of Fame Banquet.
Eleven Maroon Knight legends were selected to this year's class and Bedway made his way to the podium to start the show. He recalled how he covered each and every one of them in their glory days at Wheeling Central.
After years of shining the spotlight on the kids, it was his time to shine.
The stories he told in the newspaper and while standing behind that podium will stand the test of time.
Bedway got the ball rolling. Every inductee's speech was different in its own unique way, which made for a riveting event.
The Distinguished
Service Award
James E. Altmeyer, Sr.
Chairman of Altmeyer Funeral Homes Inc., Altmeyer was a 1961 grad of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was in the service until 1972. He left the army with a rank of Major. He is also currently a member of the Chambers Foundation of Wheeling and is on the Wheeling Hospital Board of Directors.
Heather
Contraguerro-White
The first athlete to speak tallied 1,500 points in her high school hoops career at Central. Contraguerro-White was the first female athlete to be named first team all-state in two different classes (Class AA as a junior and Class A as a senior. She was part of the 1995 class and played under Penn Kurtz during his first year as coach of the Knights. Funny enough, she spoke about how her daughter, Hannah White, played for Kurtz in his final year as the coach and was named second team all-state.
Kristen Hetzel
This class of 1998 graduate not only represented her school but has been proudly sporting her nation's colors for the past two decades. Hetzel placed seventh in the Duathlon World Championships in Australia and was the No. 1 American runner in that event. She's won 28 races throughout the world and brought home a bronze medal at the ITU Duathlon World Championships in Spain. Her next endeavor will be in Switzerland as she tries to bring home the gold.
Fritz Braunlich
A two-sport athlete, this 1983 graduate was an all-state linebacker and a two-time state champion on the wrestling mat. He also captured a pair of OVAC titles to go with his 100 mat victories. He spoke about family, community and institution. Wheeling Central is all three.
Bernie Shalvey
A standout at Penn State and a member of Central's 1975 class, Shalvey brought a well-decorated crowd with him to the ceremony. Ohio Valley legend Lance Mehl looked on as Shalvey recalled Central's 26-0 triumph over Mehl and the Big Reds in their playing days. Shalvey was an all-stater and All-American at Central and played for Joe Paterno at PSU and played alongside Heisman Trophy runner-up Chuck Fusina, who was also on hand to celebrate Shalvey.
Ray Powell
This 1963 Central graduate was named all-state in 1962 after leading the Knights to their first Catholic Football Championship as a lineman. He was a captain on the team as a junior and senior. He delivered the shortest speech of the day but spoke of 'togetherness.'
Bobby Reasbeck
This 1987 Central grad was named all-state and bucketed over 1,000 points on the court and led the Knights to a state title.
Albert Salvadori
Hands down the tallest inductee sat next to me at the ceremony and spoke of times where he would stay at practice so late he would have to hitchhike home afterward. Salvadori was crucial in the perfect 23-0 1962-63 season for the Knights. The 6-foot-8 center played college ball at South Carolina and was drafted by Baltimore in the NBA.
Mike Smith
This 1965 versatile grad of Central shined brightest in football as he went on to star at North Carolina in an upset victory over No. 7 Florida where he was named National Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance. Smith was a four-sport letterman at Central.
J. Matt Hohman
First team all-state in 1991, Hohman spoke about how football is the one sport where you get knocked down on every play only to rise again. He had no trouble doing that in his playing days as he started in 42 straight games.
Ed Cihy
The coach. Cihy has been a part of the Central softball coaching staff for 32 years and has seen the squad win 12 state titles in those years. Twelve of those years Cihy was the head coach and he won five state crowns under his leadership.
Michael Stiglich
The only Knight to claim all-state honors in back-to-back years of hoops while the school was part of Class AA. The Class of 1986 standout averaged 18.6 points and 13 rebounds as a senior.
Bobby Reasbeck
This 1987 Central grad was named all-state and bucketed over 1,000 points on the court and led the Knights to a state title. He spoke of his children who are current high school standouts in Wheeling and thanked his sisters for putting up with his basketball activity in the living room as a kid.