WPIAL Hires, Resignations and Commitments

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, July 18, 2012 | 3:48 PM

Even though the school doors are locked and the student-athletes are preparing for a new school year, there has been plenty of news in the first couple weeks of July with athletic directors and coaches on the move as well as players making D-I verbal agreements.

Butschle Steps Down at Sto-Rox

The 2011 WPIAL Class A runner-up is looking for a new coach just one month before training camp officially opens up. Ron Butschle's second stint as head coach at Sto-Rox has ended when he resigned due to personal reasons.

Butschle, who led the Vikings to an undefeated regular season last fall and a berth in the district title game, hopes to coach again some day, but a family situation has forced him to step away at least for the 2012 season.

Butschle was the head football coach at Sto-Rox from 2000-2003 before leaving to take over as head coach at Seneca Valley. He returned to Sto-Rox in 2010.   

The search for the new coach has begun.

Waskowiak Commits to Duquesne

One of the top girls high school basketball players coming into the 2012-2013 season will be staying close to home to play her college ball.

Bishop Canevin senior Erin Waskowiak made a verbal agreement to play for Suzie McConnell-Serio at Duquesne University.

The soon to be four-year starter averaged over 20 points per game a year ago in leading the Crusaders to the 2012 WPIAL Class AA title game where they lost to rival Seton-LaSalle.

The 5-10 Waskowiak has turned into one of the WPIAL’s most versatile players. She can handle the ball like a point guard, but also go inside and post up defenders. 

Waskowiak already has more than 1,400 career points. She is also a rare three-time member of the MSA Sports Girls All-Netters Team.

Clairton Hires Two New Hoop Coaches

While the football team looks to build on the longest winning streak in WPIAL history and prepare to Drive for Five in their quest for a fifth straight district football title, come winter the boys and girls basketball teams will have new coaches.

The Clairton City School District hired Matt Geletko as the new boys basketball coach and Charles Shealey as the new girls basketball coach.

Geletko is a 1992 graduate of Serra Catholic high school where he also served as an assistant coach under Bob Rozanski for 18 years. He takes over for Von Pitts.

Shealey is a Schenley graduate who takes over for Remondo Williams.

Grayson Back in the Saddle

A familiar name to long time WPIAL basketball fans is back in the saddle again.

Elizabeth Forward High School as hired Gerald 'Puddin' Grayson to take over as the new boys head basketball coach.

He becomes the fifth boys basketball coach for the Warriors in the last six years.

Grayson coached the McKeesport Tigers girls basketball team from 1985 through 1998, including the 1998 team that won the WPIAL championship led by Swin Cash.

He later coached the girls hoops team at Duquesne. Grayson hasn't coached basketball in six years.

New Coach for the Canes

The New Castle Red Hurricanes have a new girls basketball coach, but not without some controversy in the hiring. Scott Dibble, the former coach at Villa Maria Academy in Erie was tabbed for the post by a 7-0 vote at a special meeting. The board had wanted to name a coach in June, but decided to have interested candidates go thru the application and interview process again this month. The position opened when former coach Jason Rankin resigned after taking the head boys coaching position at Sharon.

Dibble made four trips to the PIAA championship game during his twelve year stint at Villa Maria with a 267-55 record, including winning back to back state titles in 2009-10. The coach was forced to resign just before the start of the 2011 playoffs, when the Erie Times-News published an article detailing Dibble having two protection from abuse orders filed against him in 2003 and 2010. At the time of the resignation, Villa Maria officials said they were aware of the 2010 incident but had no knowledge of the 2003 filing.

New Castle board president Allen Joseph said the past issues were alarming but that Dibble impressed the board with his sincerity during his second interview and that the coach deserves a second chance.

The Red Hurricanes have won three WPIAL titles in the last six seasons and have made the playoffs in nine consecutive seasons. New Castle returns five players who started at some point in the 2012 season, however New Castle plays in the same section as WPIAL finalists Hopewell and Blackhawk, both who return key members of their teams.

Dibble told the New Castle News that he is not sure what style of offense or defensive scheme he will employ as he has little knowledge of the strengths and weakness of his returning players. He said he expects his players to have their academics come first. The New York native and current Pittsburgh resident added that he was very open and honest with the board and he was grateful to New Castle for giving him the chance.

The Athletic Director Shuffle:

New AD's for the upcoming school year…or old AD's switching addresses:

Pine-Richland – Josh Shoop

Seneca Valley – To Be Determined

Knoch – Mike King

Ambridge – Shawn Besong

Monessen – Gina Naccarato

Sto-Rox – Bill Minear

Peter Mathis – Clairton

Tags: Bishop Canevin, Clairton, Elizabeth Forward