A pair of former NFL players, a former Pittsburgh Pirate and a WPIAL basketball hero in part headline an impressive, special 50th-anniversary 2025 induction class into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame.
Aliquippa’s Jonanthan Baldwin and Rochester’s Derek Moye had memorable careers as wide receivers at Pitt and Penn State, respectively, en route to the NFL. Former Geneva star quarterback David Girardi, a New Kensington native, is currently in the league — and he’s won three Super Bowl rings — as quarterbacks coach for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Baldwin is just one of the legendary Aliquippa players to star under longtime coach Mike Zmijanac, who 13 times guided the Quips to a WPIAL title game — winning six in addition to the 2003 PIAA title.
Beaver Falls’ Lance Jeter is the most accomplished basketball player in the class, which will be formally inducted during a banquet 4:30 p.m. Saturday at The Club at Shadow Lakes in Aliquippa. Jeter famously hit 3-pointers at the buzzers of regulation and the third overtime in front of a packed Palumbo Center at the 2005 Class AA championship win against Aliquippa.
Also a football star in high school, Jeter ultimately had a pro career after starting for two seasons in college at Nebraska.
Josh Sharpless pitched in 20 games for the Pirates in 2006-2007 after standout prep and college careers at Freedom High School and Allegheny College.
Coaches Larry Milosh (Central Valley, golf) and Jeff Nixon (NFL, college football) also are part of the class. Nixon, who grew up in New Brighton, played running back at both West Virginia and Penn State.
Adam Liberatore and Brian Omogrosso made it to the major leagues as pitchers after starring at Blackhawk High School.
A posthumous induction is set for Joe Palumbo, a native of Beaver who was all-America at the University of Virginia.
