RAY SWANSON \ Keystoner 11 will join Mercer Athletic Hall

The Mercer County Athletic Hall of Fame will hold its 59th banquet Jan. 21 at The Radisson in Shenango Township, where 11 people will be inducted, bringing the total to 430.
Lanny Frattare, Pirates' radio and television announcer, will serve as toastmaster.
This year's inductees are:
Mickey Alexander (Sharon High) -- one of the Shenango Valley's top amateur golfers, Alexander was captain of the Sharon High team where he carried a low actual average (74) in the WPIAL his senior season. He was a four-year letterman at Slippery Rock and was captain. He was second in the Pennsylvania State Teachers Tournament in 1960 and won the Punch McDowell Tournament twice. He has scored six holes-in-one and has coached the Sharpsville High team for 29 years.
Steve Banjak (Farrell High) -- in gymnastics, he won the Senior Sokol Competition in 1957 and was awarded the Milan Getting Scholarship from Sokol USA in 1956. He competed on the University of Iowa gymnastics team from 1955-60 and was the traveling coordinator for the National Sokol Program from 1960-63. Banjak served as coach at West Mifflin High from 1964-67 and then served as a professor and coach at Slippery Rock from 1968-84. He was named the 1975 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Gymnastics League coach of the year.
John Bolivar (Greenville Penn High) -- excelled in football and basketball and was a punter and running back for the district champions. He was named all-county his junior and senior years in basketball. He joined the Marine Corps for 30 months during World War II, then attended Thiel for one year and played on the undefeated 1946 football team. He also lettered in basketball and tennis and then transferred to YSU on a football scholarship. He played defensive end and was a punter and played tennis where he recorded a 42-0 mark. His senior year he played in the doubles nationals with Joe Pickering and lost in the semifinals to Tony Trabert and his partner in three sets.
Mike Connell (Sharon High) -- he was a national runner-up in the Punt, Pass & amp; Kick contest in 1970, then at Sharon was a three-year letterman and captain, where he averaged 43.3 yards. He kicked 20-of-22 extra points and 8-of-14 field goals (with a long of 47 yards). In baseball, he struck out 22 in 12 innings in a 5-3 victory over New Castle, leading Sharon to consecutive league championships in 1973-74. He was a four-year letterwinner at Cincinnati and at one time held seven school punting records. He still holds the highest career average (43.1) and longest punt (78 yards). Drafted by the 49ers, for whom he played two years before signing with the Redskins for two seasons.
Terry Karsonovich (Sharpsville High) -- captain of the 1973 Sharpsville team that won the Mercer County crown with a 21-1 record. He was first team all-county, averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds per game. At Alliance College, he was a second team Erie Big Five his junior year and first team as a senior. He was the first player from Alliance to lead the Erie Big Five in scoring. He then played in the European Professional League and with the Pittsburgh Gunners. He coached Sharpsville and Conneaut Lake for 17 years.
Nick Marnejon (Farrell High) -- coached football and basketball before serving as commissioner of the Keystone Football League. He was athletic director at Sharon and a charter member of the Pennsylvania Athletic Directors Association. He also has been a member of the Mercer County Hall of Fame board of directors for 30 years.
Keith R. Miller (Hickory High) -- competed in wrestling and football and was a team captain in both sports. He was a two-time section champion and PIAA runner-up in wrestling his junior year. In football he was all-conference at center and tackle. Wrestled four years at Clarion then coached at Lakeview High and was section coach of the year three times.
James Morrison (Grove City High) -- competed in football, basketball and track in high school. He scored 989 career points in basketball, leading Grove City to a county co-title in 1957. He scored 24 career TDs in football and was undefeated in the 100 and 220 as a junior and senior.
Sally Ward (Slippery Rock University) -- an outstanding athlete who competed in swimming, softball and track and field. She was a long-jump finalist in the 1964 Olympic Trials and won three times at the International Meet in Mexico City. She also ran in the 400 relay in the Millrose Games. She played basketball and softball at Slippery Rock and was inducted into that school's hall of fame in 1995. She later coached track and field and basketball at Hickory for over 20 years.
Dale Redfoot (Mercer High) -- a basketball and football standout in 1949-50, helping his team to the playoffs both years. The 1950 team defeated Kane to become the first Mercer team to make it to the state regional finals. He designed and organized the construction of the Sharpsville Little League Complex.
Marion Lampkins (Farrell High) -- an outstanding player for Coach Eddie McCluskey, leading his 1950 team (23-2) to the District 7 championship game. He earned a scholarship to St. Francis College but was drafted into the armed forces where he began his boxing career with the 164th Infantry Division.