Alums relish induction into Baldwin Athletics Hall of Fame

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, December 1, 2017 | 11:00 PM

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Brittney Edwards was a three-time WPIAL champion in high school.

And she was one of three individuals voted into the Baldwin High School Athletics Hall of Fame this year. The induction ceremony took place Sept. 29 at Baldwin Stadium during the Fighting Highlanders' varsity football game against North Hills

Edwards (track and field), David Adley (track and field) and Belma Nurkic (basketball) made up the 2017 hall-of-fame class.

A 2010 Baldwin graduate, Edwards was a WPIAL long jump champion as a junior, and won both WPIAL long jump and triple jump titles during her senior season.

“It is a great honor to be recognized by Baldwin High School,” she said. “They have an amazing athletic program, and have given me so much already — a great education and lifelong friends and connections. To be recognized by a place I already appreciate so much is an honor.

“I'd like to thank (athletic secretary) Nancy Petrichko and the athletic department for putting this event together. I had a great time with my family and the other inductees. It was a great opportunity to enjoy some good food and experience the Friday night lights again.”

Edwards holds the school record in the girls long jump event with a distance of 18 feet, 5 ¹⁄₂ inches,

“Brittany Edwards was one of the hardest working, focused athletes I have had the chance to be around,” said Ed Helbig, Baldwin's veteran track and field coach. “During the dual-meet season, she would compete in any event we asked her to. But her best event was the long jump. She was a two-time WPIAL champion and a PIAA finalist.

“As good as she was, she would always make time for her teammates, helping and encouraging them whenever she had the chance. She is a quality young lady.”

Edwards continued her athletic career as a 5-foot-9 jumping specialist at Duquesne. In 2012, she set the outdoor school record in the triple jump with a distance of 40-5.

Edwards was a business major in college, and a director of athletics' honor roll member. She graduated from Duquesne in 2014.

“My high school and collegiate track careers put me in a great position to have a promising future,” Edwards said. “I have been lucky enough to have had amazing coaches that have taught me great lessons about sports and life.”

The 25-year-old Edwards currently lives in Florida and works in the asset management department for a real estate/property management company.

“Work takes up a lot of my time, but I still enjoy being active and outdoors,” she said. “I participate in a kickball league, and spend time hiking and going to the beach.”

Adley, a 2008 Baldwin graduate, was a WPIAL cross country and 3,200-meter champion during his senior year of high school.

“We have had many outstanding distance runners here at Baldwin, and David Adley falls into that group,” Helbig said. “He was the WPIAL 3,200-meter champion his senior year. And he also would do anything he was asked for the team. During the WPIAL team championship meet his senior year, Dave ran on the winning 4-by-800-meter relay team, won the 1,600-meter and 800-meter events, then came back to win the 3,200-meter event. All of those races were against quality opponents.

“Dave is a quality young man. Dave and Brittany are well-deserving of this honor.”

Adley previously was inducted into the hall of fame as a member of two WPIAL-winning 3,200-meter relay units — with T.J. Hobart, Mike Meade and Chris Wolfe in 2006; and with Brandon Hahn, Hobart and Wolfe in 2007.

“David was unbeatable in the WPIAL. His only loss his senior year was at home to (teammate) T.J. Hobart,” said Rich Wright, Baldwin's veteran cross country and assistant track coach. “David's leadership and team-first attitude were outstanding. In track, he ran any and everything we asked. He finished fifth at states in the 1,600; we were the WPIAL runner-up in track. He moved into our record books in cross country in the 1,600, 3,200 and the 4-by-8.

“Danny Mazzaco (2002) may be the only one that impacted our program more in one season than David. Without question, David is one of Baldwin High School's best ever.”

Nurkic, a 2011 Baldwin graduate, was a four-year basketball standout in high school, and one of the WPIAL's leading players during her junior and senior seasons.

She ended her stellar high school career with 1,796 points — one of the highest point-totals in school history — and was a first-team all-state selection.

To be considered for Baldwin's Athletics Hall of Fame, a candidate must meet one of the following criteria: He or she must be either a WPIAL champion, PIAA champion, Big 33 Classic football selection, first team all-state honoree, high school All-American, NCAA or NAIA championship team member, Olympic participant or a professional athlete for a minimum of one year (in the highest recognized league in his or her sport).

Other individuals, including community members who have made significant contributions to Baldwin-Whitehall athletics, also may be eligible; and WPIAL and PIAA championship teams are considered.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Baldwin