Mercer HOF again honors top student-athletes

For 21 years, the Mercer County Hall of Fame has been honoring top student-athletes, not only in athletic endeavors but also in the classroom.
The Tom Burns Academic All-Star Awards are named in honor of the late Mercer County Hall of Fame president who was a strong supporter of youth sports activities in the county. He was also an educator, a coach, sports announcer and a friend of the Shenango Valley.
Nick Marnejon, awards chairman, announced the winners for 2004. They will each receive a $200 savings bond.
Including this year, a total of 532 Mercer County students have received awards worth $49,050, Marnejon said.
The awards are presented to the highest-ranking male and female athletes with the top grade-point totals in each graduating class of Mercer County's 14 high schools, including George Junior Republic.
History
The award was inaugurated in 1984 as the Mercer County Academic All-Star Award, with a $50 savings bond presented to the highest-ranking student at each school.
In 1986, another bond was added to insure the recognition of both male and female athletes. In 1988, the award was renamed in honor of Burns.
The $50 bonds were awarded until 1996. In cooperation with radio station WWIZ-FM 103.9 where Burns had worked, the awards were increased to $100 bonds.
In 2000, the bonds were increased to their present level of $200 per student, and George Junior Republic was added to the list of schools.
In 2001, the Hall of Fame lost WWIZ as a partner for the award. Since then, the Hall of Fame and its board of directors have assumed all financial responsibility for the awards.
The Tom Burns Academic All-Star Award winners for 2004 are: Alan Adzina and Carrie McConnell of Commodore Perry; Tom Cimoric and Holly Scarmack of Farrell; Terrance Roberts of George Junior Republic; Chris Manganello and Hillary Kosnac of Greenville; Nathan Moore and Katie Jo Sontag of Grove City; Justin Fike and Lauren Tabis of Hickory; Kevin Brown and Heather Lorigan of Jamestown; Elija Pearce and Maria Rodgers of Kennedy Catholic; Bradley H. Morneweck and Jennifer S. Montgomery of Lakeview; William Breese and Samantha Gathers of Mercer; Wilson Brown and Jacob Mihlo of Reynolds; Pat Oman and Shana Wilson of Sharpsville; Richard Holzworth and Shannon Baker of West Middlesex.
Golf scramble
While on the subject of the Mercer County Hall of Fame, the association will stage its annual four-man golf scramble on Wednesday at Tam O'Shanter Golf Course.
The tournament is one of the Hall's eagerly-anticipated events of the season. Monies go toward funding the savings bonds for the Tom Burns Academic All-Star Awards.
At last report, tee times were still available. Contact Jim Tamber in Hermitage.