Saturday, July 22, 2006
Sam Jankovich, who played at Farrell High and Youngstown State, was known as a competitor , the kind of guy who could determine the outcome of any game.
He was an excellent rebounder and a pure shooter, an exceptional player for both the Farrell and YSU teams. His effort and exciting style of play did not go unnoticed. He will be one of seven former standouts inducted into the Youngstown State University athletic Hall of Fame Oct. 21, in ceremonies that will take place prior to the Penguins' homecoming football game against the University of Northern Iowa at Stambaugh Stadium.
I first met Sam years ago at one of the local golf courses. Johnny Pepe, former sports editor of The (Sharon) Herald, introduced us and we've been friends since. Sam is now a regular at the VFW Golf Course in Hermitage and if you want to know if Sam is still a competitor, just ask his golfing buddies.
They still talk about the game in Youngstown when the Penguins knocked off one of the strongest basketball teams in the nation, the Explorers of LaSalle, who were powered by four-time All-American Tom Gola, and his teammate Norm Grekin, who went on to play in the NBA. At the time of the meeting, the Explorers were ranked 19th in the nation.
Jankovich leads the way
Jankovich was unstoppable and he thrilled the local contingent with a game-high 22-point performance as the Penguins upended the high-flying Explorers, 68-57. To this day, in Penguin basketball history, that win was the only victory over a ranked Division I ball club.
He played for the Penguins from 1948-52 with his performance against Gola and the Explorers coming in his senior year in 1951-52.
Jankovich scored 663 points at YSU, doing most of his scoring from the outside, thus his nickname "Mr. Outside." He wound up in second place in scoring in both his junior and senior years. He was one player who was pleasing to watch perform, one who was a competitor.
Being inducted along with Jankovich this fall will be Sandy Stieber (Pressler) a volleyball standout from 1988-91; Tim Jackson, a basketball standout from 1987-91; Jeff Gergel, football; Terry Dittmer, football; Becky MacFadden, swimming, and contributors Marilyn and Robert O'Leary.
Hogg scores ace
Jason Hogg, a West Middlesex High graduate, recently scored a hole-in-one at Rolling Hills Golf Course near New Castle.
Hogg's hole-in-one was very special ace. It was believed to be the first ace ever recorded on No. 6, a 300-yard, par 4 hole. He boomed a driver and that's an understatement.
"I knew when I hit, that it was a good shot. You can't see the green, from the tee," explained Hogg. "All you can see is the top of the flag. I hit a beautiful drive and when we went up to the green, there it was in the hole."
Jason is the son of John and Sherry Hogg of West Middlesex.
Jason's playing partners were Steve Bowers and Josh Sweeney.