Vactor, 11 others to be inducted into Wash-Greene Sports Hall of Fame
Not only was Norris Vactor an incredible multi-sport athlete at Washington High School, he accomplished a rare feat in college football.
Vactor scored six touchdowns in six different ways over six games while playing at Parsons College.
Vactor is one of 12 inductees this year into the Washington-Greene County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
Vactor joins Dan Alderson of Chartiers-Houston (baseball); Tim Bennett of Fort Cherry (football); the late Richard Devore of Trinity (softball); Michael Ferrari of Trinity (wrestling); Nikki Gasti of Carmichaels (softball); Robert Patnesky of Canon-McMillan (wrestling); the late Charles Ream of Washington & Jefferson College (football); Maria Gemma Ross (youth service); Chris Tarr of Washington (wrestling); Travis Thomas of Washington (football) and Michael Vernillo of Fort Cherry (football) in this year’s group.
Coleman Scott of Waynesburg was originally included in this group but because of a wrestling commitment can’t attend and will be inducted in 2016.
Ceremonies will take place June 12 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Meadow Lands. Tickets are $45 apiece and can be purchased by calling 724-678-4320.
The following is brief bio of the final six inductees. The first group was presented in a previous edition of the Observer-Reporter.
Vactor was a starting running back for three years at Wash High (1961-63). In his senior season, he was named All-Western Conference, All-WPIAL and Big 33 Honorable Mention.
His coach, Dave Johnston, also a Washington-Greene Hall of Fame member, said Vactor was, “pound-for-pound, the best athlete I ever coached.”
In track, Vactor ran the 880-yard run and was on the 440 relay. He made All-WPIAL in 1963.
In basketball, Vactor averaged 20 points a game as a junior and senior and made All-Conference and All-WPIAL.
Patnesky was a standout in wrestling at Canon-McMillan, finishing as a state runner-up once and as a fifth-place finisher twice.
He was a WPIAL champion and three-time section champion.
Patnesky was a three-time Junior Nationals All-American and National Finalist, a NHSCA high school nationals runner-up, a NWCA academic All-American, a two-time Cadet Nationals All-American and Junior Olympic state champion.
At West Virginia University, he had more than 100 victories, including a sixth-place finish at the Midlands Championships. He was an Eastern Wrestling League champion and three-time NCAA qualifier.
He is currently the third-winningest coach in Davidson history and coached two of the seven Southern Conference champions from Davidson.
The late Charles K. Ream coached football at Washington & Jefferson from 1960-72 and guided the Presidents to their first Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship in 1970.
He developed several All-Americans and players selected to the Senior Bowl and signed by the NFL.
Ream coach track and wrestling at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind, developing an apparatus to allow blind athletes to run track.
He coached WPIAL track champions at Wilkinsburg High School.
He coached lacrosse at Dickinson College, producing two All-Americans.
Maria Gemma Ross has given of her time for the past 40 years to organizations throughout Washington. Starting in 1972, she volunteered her time to the grade school and high school football, baseball and wrestling teams with all three of her children.
She helped organize and fundraise to assist with all costs to team uniforms, awards and banquets. As she continued to assist with the football, baseball and wrestling teams, she volunteered her time in 1976 to the cheerleading squad, making uniforms, assisting and organizing fund-raising events.
These achievements continued through 1986 as the last of her children moved to high school.
She continued to provide support to Brownson House concessions.
From 1976 to the present, she has volunteered her time to W4 Band and Pony World Series, assisting in raising money to fund many projects at Washington Park.
Ross volunteers at many church events, food banks and helps Moose Lodge 32 with children’s parties while helping to raise money for the lodge.
At Washington High School, Chris Tarr had a 112-19-1 record and was a PIAA runner-up in 1993 and 1994. He won a WPIAL title in 1994 and was a two-time runner-up in the regional and section.
In 1994, Tarr wrestled for Pennsylvania Team in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic against the USA Team. Tarr finished his wrestling career as a three-time champion in the Burgettstown and Keystone Oaks tournaments.
Tarr received a scholarship to wrestle at Lock Haven University and won a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete Award.
He later transferred to Washington & Jefferson College in 1996 and was named team MVP. Tarr ranks on the all-time list at W&J for career takedowns and takedowns in a season.