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Nicolella eager to tackle AD duties
Joe Nicolella spent the past 19 boys basketball seasons as the main assistant for Ron Faust at Washington High School.
At the end of the school year, Nicolella will replace Faust, just not at the position most would expect.
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"Post-practice, we'd be drinking coffee and talk strategies but (Faust) also talked to me about all the components of being athletic director," Nicolella said. "I got interested principally from talking to him."
Since Nicolella's hire, he and Faust have gone over some of the intricacies of the position - from schedule-making to paperwork.
One of Nicolella's first official duties, which begin following the completion of the 2008-09 school year, will be hiring Faust's replacement as basketball coach.
Nicolella, who has taught English for the past 31 years in addition to serving as yearbook advisor, hasn't ruled out applying for the position or working a 28th year as an assistant basketball coach, though it's unlikely.
"Basketball is kind of up in the air. I haven't made up my mind," Nicolella said.
Nicolella's involvement with the yearbook also led to his interest in the athletic director position.
"I had a close association with all the teams and developed a rapport with all of them," Nicolella said. "That was definitely a factor."
Midgley leaves
Fort Cherry
Brad Midgely, who spent the past two years as the Fort Cherry boys basketball coach, was hired this week by Franklin Regional for the same position.
Midgely, a former player at Duquesne University, guided the Rangers to a fourth-place finish in Section 3-AA, which produced WPIAL champion and PIAA runner-up North Catholic. Fort Cherry was 14-8 and lost to West Shamokin in the preliminary round of the playoffs.
Franklin Regional finished 15-8 and in third place in Section 2-AAAA. Midgely replaces Doug Kelly.
Staying fresh
With the story of winning the WPIAL Class AA boys doubles tennis championship gaining momentum, Chartiers-Houston sisters Karli and Tanya Timko are preparing for the upcoming state tournament by playing singles.
Karli Timko, a senior and Marshall University signee, is the Bucs' top singles player. Tanya Timko, a junior, plays second singles as Chartiers-Houston competes in the team tournament. The Bucs advanced to today's semifinals versus Mt. Pleasant with a 3-2 victory over Hampton.
The match begins at 3 p.m. at Trinity Middle School.
The PIAA singles and doubles tournaments take place May 22-23 in Hershey.
"We've been playing in the team playoffs all this week but we're supposed to get a couple hours of doubles practice in," Tanya Timko said.
The first girls to win a WPIAL boys doubles title, the Timkos previously won WPIAL and PIAA doubles championships in 2007.
"Winning the boys was harder," Tanya said. "In the finals, we were playing really well."
Smith resigns at Ringgold
Luke Smith has resigned as varsity wrestling coach at Ringgold High School because of obligations at home. Smith and his wife are about to become parents and Rams athletic director Lloyd Price said Smith told him he didn't think he would have the time to devote to the job.
Ringgold finished last season with an 18-10 record and earned a spot in the WPIAL Class AAA Team Tournament in Section 4B. Smith, a Ringgold graduate, had coached at his alma mater for four seasons.
Smith helped the Rams snap a seven-year drought from qualifying for the team tournament.
Good Luck Mr. Nick : 5/8/2009
After 30 years of dedication Mr. Nicolella is finally getting a well deserved promotion. He is assuming the duties held by a legendary WPIAL coach (Mr. Faust) but will undoubtedly assume his duties with competence and confidence. As a former athlete (marginal at best) at Wash High I am sad to see the state of affairs of the overall student-athletes. Hopefully the hiring of an "old school" type educator will show some of Wash High's potential athletes that being a disciplined, classroom friendly student-athlete can lead to better things down the road (as opposed to the negative paths many of these young men and women take). Do your best to restore credibility and pride in all of the Wash High programs Mr. Nicolella - you deserve this opportunity.
