Area Coaches get Honored
Posted: December 28th, 2006, 1:18 pm
Salem, Stahl honored as area’s premier coaches
Andy Stahl and Ken Salem started the football season with their teams at opposite ends of the expectation spectrum.
Meyersdale came into the year touted as the team to beat in the West-PAC while Bishop McCort had lost "25" seniors to graduation from the 2005 squad and appeared to be in a rebuilding mode in the very competitive Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference.
The Red Raiders and Crimson Crushers both finished with sensational seasons, winning "11" straight games before being eliminated in the P.I.A.A. playoffs.
Accordingly, Stahl of Meyersdale and Salem of Bishop McCort, have been selected as The Tribune-Democrat’s Co-Coaches of the Year.
“I believe this: As head coach, you’re part of the system,” Stahl said. “This honor is a tribute to the kind of kids and the coaching staff that I was surrounded with at Meyersdale. The end product speaks for itself. We paid our dues in the past couple years and it’s a tribute to the kids, coaches and program, and nothing that I’ve done myself.”
Salem also had high praise for his coaching staff and his team.
“It’s special to receive this honor, but this is an honor as much for our coaching staff and our team as it is for me,” the Crushers coach said. “They were a big part of why we had so much success this season. Our kids were proud that they broke a lot of team records this year. We had no stars. Our players worked hard in practice and got better every week.”
Bishop McCort, which finished 11-2, opened with an overtime loss against Bedford, then won 11 straight games, including claiming its first LHAC crown and knocking off Tyrone in the District #6 Class (AA) title tilt, before falling to Wilmington in the P.I.A.A. playoffs.
“This team started with a lot of adversity this season. Our kids had to work to replace so many starters and find their roles on this team,” Salem said. “Most importantly, in every week, the seniors and underclassmen worked together to continue to improve. The players believed in the coaches and practiced hard and progressed.”
Meyersdale (11-1) finished with a perfect 9-0 regular season that included wins over Windber and Portage, then claimed its first District #5 Class (A) title, downing the Ramblers for the second time in the season in overtime.
The Red Raiders’ year concluded in the P.I.A.A. playoffs against W.P.I.A.L. champion Clairton.
“We went from an 0-9 team two years ago and then hit a high note this season,” said Stahl, who retired from coaching after the loss to Clairton. “I believe there are coaches who win year in and year out such as at Windber and Portage. All ends of the peaks and valleys make it a worthwhile experience. Adversity is a good teacher, as is success.
“This is the way I sum it up: I hate statistics and records. The only things that matter are wins and losses and how you go about doing it. I had a bunch of highs and lows in a five-year span.”
This marks the third time that co-coaches have been selected.
In 1993, Forest Hills’ Don Bailey and Laurel Valley’s Jerry Page were chosen.
In 1995, Central Cambria’s Ken Bussard and Ferndale Area’s Kevin Marabito shared the honor.
Andy Stahl and Ken Salem started the football season with their teams at opposite ends of the expectation spectrum.
Meyersdale came into the year touted as the team to beat in the West-PAC while Bishop McCort had lost "25" seniors to graduation from the 2005 squad and appeared to be in a rebuilding mode in the very competitive Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference.
The Red Raiders and Crimson Crushers both finished with sensational seasons, winning "11" straight games before being eliminated in the P.I.A.A. playoffs.
Accordingly, Stahl of Meyersdale and Salem of Bishop McCort, have been selected as The Tribune-Democrat’s Co-Coaches of the Year.
“I believe this: As head coach, you’re part of the system,” Stahl said. “This honor is a tribute to the kind of kids and the coaching staff that I was surrounded with at Meyersdale. The end product speaks for itself. We paid our dues in the past couple years and it’s a tribute to the kids, coaches and program, and nothing that I’ve done myself.”
Salem also had high praise for his coaching staff and his team.
“It’s special to receive this honor, but this is an honor as much for our coaching staff and our team as it is for me,” the Crushers coach said. “They were a big part of why we had so much success this season. Our kids were proud that they broke a lot of team records this year. We had no stars. Our players worked hard in practice and got better every week.”
Bishop McCort, which finished 11-2, opened with an overtime loss against Bedford, then won 11 straight games, including claiming its first LHAC crown and knocking off Tyrone in the District #6 Class (AA) title tilt, before falling to Wilmington in the P.I.A.A. playoffs.
“This team started with a lot of adversity this season. Our kids had to work to replace so many starters and find their roles on this team,” Salem said. “Most importantly, in every week, the seniors and underclassmen worked together to continue to improve. The players believed in the coaches and practiced hard and progressed.”
Meyersdale (11-1) finished with a perfect 9-0 regular season that included wins over Windber and Portage, then claimed its first District #5 Class (A) title, downing the Ramblers for the second time in the season in overtime.
The Red Raiders’ year concluded in the P.I.A.A. playoffs against W.P.I.A.L. champion Clairton.
“We went from an 0-9 team two years ago and then hit a high note this season,” said Stahl, who retired from coaching after the loss to Clairton. “I believe there are coaches who win year in and year out such as at Windber and Portage. All ends of the peaks and valleys make it a worthwhile experience. Adversity is a good teacher, as is success.
“This is the way I sum it up: I hate statistics and records. The only things that matter are wins and losses and how you go about doing it. I had a bunch of highs and lows in a five-year span.”
This marks the third time that co-coaches have been selected.
In 1993, Forest Hills’ Don Bailey and Laurel Valley’s Jerry Page were chosen.
In 1995, Central Cambria’s Ken Bussard and Ferndale Area’s Kevin Marabito shared the honor.