HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HALL OF FAME

Here’s the Hopewell High School Sports Hall of Fame induction class of 2025.

The Hopewell Hall of Fame just announced its recent inductees, below is the announcement and bios they presented. Congratulations to all of the inductees and your remarkable accomplishments!

“Six inductees – five individuals and one team – will be inducted at the seventh annual Hall of Fame banquet on Friday, Aug. 15 at The Club at Shadow Lakes.

The 2025 induction class is a distinguished class that includes Alyssa Cosnek Walton, the late Paul Felinczak, Derek Hock, Dave McLaughlin, Don Short and the 2006 Hopewell girls basketball team.

The purpose of the Hopewell Sports Hall of Fame is to “celebrate and honor Hopewell men and women who through their outstanding contributions to sports have brought fame and recognition to Hopewell High School.”

The class of 2025 has done just that.

Following are short bios of this year’s inductees:

DON SHORT

A graduate of Aliquippa High School and Allegheny College, Don worked in the Hopewell school district for 35 years before his retirement in 2024. He first served as the Vikings’ athletic trainer. After earning his athletic trainer certification in 1988, he was hired by Hopewell in 1989. Thirteen years later, he took on added responsibilities as athletic trainer and athletic director. He served in both those roles until his retirement in 2024 although he did serve in a consultative role the past school year for the school’s athletic department.

During Don’s tenure at Hopewell, he supervised and coordinated four PIAA and 13 WPIAL team championships as well as numerous section championships.

One of his proudest accomplishments as athletic director was his involvement when the district renovated Tony Dorsett Stadium. From its conception to completion, Don was actively involved with coordination and overseeing the daily construction.

Don served as president of the Midwestern Athletic Conference from 2011-2013. His memberships include WPIAL Sports Medicine and Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors Association, as well as serving as a WPIAL game manager for many soccer, football and volleyball events. In 2021, Don was named the PSADA Region 4 Athletic Director of the Year.

ALYSSA COSNEK WALTON

A 2008 Hopewell graduate, Alyssa ranks among the best girls to ever play soccer for the Vikings.

She earned all-section honors three times and all-WPIAL honors twice. He was named team captain as a junior and senior and the team’s Most Valuable Player as a senior. She was the section’s MVP as a senior.

She led Hopewell in scoring as a sophomore, junior and senior, and held the school record with 85 goals when she graduated. She also had 67 assists during her career.

While at Hopewell, Alyssa was also a four-year letterwinner in gymnastics and track.

Alyssa continued her soccer career at the University of Iowa where she was a four-year starter and letter winner. In the Hawkeyes’ record book, she remains tied for third in most game-winning goals with nine and tied for 11th in most goals in a season at nine.

PAUL FELINCZAK

A 1970 Hopewell grad, Paul starred on the football team as a bruising fullback and inside linebacker.

He earned all-conference honors as a junior and senior, and was honorable mention all-state as a senior. As a senior on a team that finished 3-7, Paul was named Hopewell’s Most Valuable Player after leading the team in rushing (579 yards) and touchdowns (six) from his fullback position and leading the team with 98 tackles as a linebacker. In the summer of 1970, he was the first Hopewell football player to ever play in the Big 33 Classic.

Regarded as one of the best fullbacks in the state as a senior, Paul had scholarship offers from West Virginia, Duke, Kentucky and Tulane but ultimately chose to attend Pitt.

After playing on Pitt’s freshmen team in 1970, Paul became a starter and lettered in 1971 when he was the Panthers’ second-leading rusher with 313 yards. However, in 1972 he suffered a knee injury that ultimately ended his career.

Sadly, Paul passed away in 2014.

DEREK HOCK

A 2004 Hopewell grad, Derek is one of the few Viking athletes to earn WPIAL and state gold medals in two different sports.

When Hopewell won the WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A football championships in 2002, Hock was a reserve wide receiver/defensive back.

But it was in the swimming pool where he was at his best. He was a diver who earned several medals at WPIAL and PIAA championships.

As a sophomore, he placed fifth in the WPIAL and 16th at states.

As a junior, he won the gold medal at the Midwestern Athletic Conference Championships before earning the second-place silver medal at the WPIAL meet and the third-place bronze medal at states.

Then as a senior, he accomplished a gold medal trifecta by placing first at the MAC, WPIAL and state championships.

Derek then continued his diving career at the University of Maryland where he competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships for four years and made it to NCAA Zone competition.

DAVE McLAUGHLIN

A 1982 Hopewell grad, Dave ranks among the best pitchers to ever pitch at Hopewell.

After lettering as a sophomore and junior, Dave put together a spectacular senior season that continued while playing for Hopewell’s American Legion team.

For the 24-7 high school team that advanced to the WPIAL Class 3A championship game, Dave compiled a 11-1 record. Not only was he the team’s Most Valuable Player, but also MVP of Section 6-AAA. The MVP of Section 2-AAA that year was Beaver’s John Burkett, who would go on to pitch 15 seasons in the Major Leagues. Dave and Burkett faced each other when Hopewell and Beaver met in the first round of the 1982 playoffs. Both pitchers allowed only two hits, but Dave was the winning pitcher as the Vikings won 1-0.

In legion ball in the summer of ’82, Dave helped Hopewell win the Beaver County and Region 6 championships before advancing deep in the state playoffs. On a team that won over 30 games, Dave posted a 12-1 record.

Dave then went on to play college baseball at Ohio University where he lettered for four years and was a team co-captain as a senior. He then served as an assistant coach for two seasons with the Bobcats while he pursued his Master’s degree.

After college, Dave was a physical education teacher and multi-sport coach at Alexander High School in Albany, Ohio. His baseball teams compiled an overall record of 196-101, his softball teams went 103-30 with both winning conference championships. He earned Tri-Valley Conference Coach of the Year honors nine times (six baseball, three softball).

2006 GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM

Led by the dynamic duo of twin sisters Joyce and Becky Novacek, Hopewell’s girls basketball team celebrated its first state title by beating Allentown Central Catholic in the PIAA Class 3A championship game.

At the Giant Center in Hershey, the Vikings dominated with a 57-40 win as each of the 6-foot-2 “twin towers” recorded double-doubles. Joyce scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while Becky scored 13 points with 12 rebounds.

The win capped off a 30-3 season – those 30 wins set a single-season school record – that also included the program’s first WPIAL title.

Two weeks before the state championship win, Hopewell beat section rival Moon, 43-26, at the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center in the WPIAL final. Joyce Novacek scored a game-high 22 points.

Beside the Novacek twins, other starters included seniors Kayla McLaughlin and Dana Radulovich and junior Jordan Zuppe. Another junior, Sara Haluska, was the Vikings’ sixth man. The team was coached by Chris Raso.

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Tickets for the Hopewell High School Sports Hall of Fame banquet cost $50 per person. Anyone wishing to attend should call Mike Bires at 412-908-5858. Deadline is Aug. 9.

Also, the annual Hopewell High School Sports Hall of Fame golf outing will be held Sunday, Aug. 17 at The Club at Shadow Lakes. Shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. $500 for a foursome ($125 per golfer).

For more information, call Jeff Alexander at 412-977-2096.”