Marcolivio and team recognized

Of all the coaches I've played for during my competitive years, and there have been quite a few, one stands head and shoulders above the rest. He had a way about him that made you want to play for him, give 100 percent regardless of the odds.
That man was Jim Marcolivio and most of his former players to this day say they still hold him in high esteem and will their remaining days on Earth. Jim was not only an excellent basketball coach but he was like a father to many. They respected him for his knowledge, his earnestness and the way he handled his players. There was no favoritism in his book and he treated each player as an individual and worked with him on his shortcomings.
Looking back
I had Jim as a coach when he was at Sharpsville where he headed up the junior varsity basketball team. He left Sharpsville to become head coach at West Middlesex High, where he led the Big Reds to the Class C state championship in 1954. The Big Reds finished at 22-4 that season, defeating Mount Joy, 74-58, in the state title game at Westminster College. Marcolivio accomplished all this in just four short years at West Middlesex as he guided the Reds to one of their finest seasons ever.
The starting unit for the Big Reds that season included John Jones, Charles Ruffo, Fred Mild, Dave Palmer and Bob Felesky. The rest of the roster was Bill Landsdowne, Dan McQuiston, Pete Cefrick, Richard Red, Haydn Davis, Dick Addicott, Jake Zagger, Blaine Rummel and Howard Bowser.
The community of West Middlesex was scheduled to roll out the red carpet to this outstanding team, coaches, managers and cheerleaders at halftime of the West Middlesex vs. Conneaut Lake football contest last Friday evening. A parade was to precede the football game.
To Coach Marcolivio and his band of Big Reds we take our hats off to commemorate one of the best moments in Mercer County basketball history. It was a tremendous ride.
Big night for Lou
'Tis the season for lauding Mercer County coaches.
Lou Falconi is 56 years old. Twenty-five of those years he has been coaching Farrell High football. And last weekend, Falconi reached a coaching milestone in Mercer County football history when he nailed down his 200th coaching victory as the Steelers ran roughshod over adversary Avonworth, 36-15, at Farrell High Stadium.
The amazing thing about Falconi's outlook is the fact that every season he sets his goals high. In fact one may say, he's shooting for a state crown, regardless of his talent, every season and maybe that's the way to go. His Steelers, if not in the title chase, are usually not too far out of it. He owns a pair of back-to-back state championships in the mid-1990s.
The Steelers are running hot again this season and are right in the thick of things in the Big Seven title chase.
In winning his 200th victory, Lou became only the third coach in Mercer County football history to join the "200 Club." Greenville coach Bob Stone reached that milestone earlier this season to become the winningest coach in Mercer County football history, while Jim Wildman, former Sharon High coach, also broke the barrier.
As for Falconi, he's always been a gem of a guy besides being a great mentor. Way to go, coach!