Selinsgrove Area High School Sports Hall-of-Fame
The Sports Hall-of-Fame was created in order to give the alumni an opportunity to acknowledge the athletic accomplishments and achievements of those who passed through the halls of Selinsgrove Area High School.
The Alumni Association encourages alumni and friends aware of graduates who have excelled and/or supported athletics during and after high school to make a nomination.
The Sports Hall-of-Fame was designed to complement the existing Distinguished Alumni Recognition, but with a different focus.
Some Examples of a Deserving Candidate Might Include:
Portrayal of Individuals character while attending or post SAHS
Academic/ Disciplinary standing while attending or post SAHS
Excellence in athletics achieved while attending or post SAHS
Excellence in advancement of athletics through non-athletic activities achieved while attending or post SAHS
Demonstrated personal leadership and positive role modeling in athletic/non-athletic actions while attending or post SAHS
Nominate a player, coach, or team to the 2024 Selinsgrove Area High School Sports Hall-of-Fame
2023 Selinsgrove Area High School Sports Hall-of-Fame
We were thrilled to announce Josh Beddall, Class of 2001, Marshall Dauberman, Class of 1960, Danica Deckard, Class of 2009, Mike Fahnestock, Class of 1977, Cathy (Leitzel) Keiser, Class of 1977, Jack Keller, Class of 1950, Rose Ann Neff, Class of 1969, Steve Rutkowski, Class of 1993, Bill Scott, Keli Smith Puzo, Class of 1997, and Marlin Van Horn, Class of 1976 as our
2023 recipients.
Josh Beddall – Class of 2001
Josh Beddall, class of 2001, put up some incredible numbers when he was a 3-sports star at Selinsgrove Area High School. In football, Josh was all-conference at both linebacker and tight end. The Central Susquehanna Conference chose him as receiver of the year and defensive player of the year. In basketball, Josh is one of only 4 male athletes to score over 1,000 points in a career. He was twice named MVP. The Daily Item chose him as their player of the year. Josh was named to the Big School All-State team. His teams won 3 championships and advanced further than any other basketball team in state competition in Selinsgrove's history.
In baseball, Josh put up unbelievable numbers. After 23 years he still holds 6 school records. Single season batting average .565 40 hits in a single season. 48 RBI in a season. 91 RBI in a career. 25 home runs in a career. His record of 16 home runs in a season was the most home runs in the state that year. He was also named as an All-State baseball player. For his senior year, 2000-2001, the Reading Eagle named Josh the male athlete of the year.
Currently, Josh lives in Lewisburg with his wife, Courtney, and his 3 sons. He is a teacher in the Shikellamy School District. Josh is a highly respected basketball referee and President of the local officials chapter. Former basketball coach, Ray Moyer said about Josh "If I could have a team with his attitude, I would win league titles every year. Josh Beddall is the most competitive person I have ever coached".
Marshall Dauberman – Class of 1960
A 1960 graduate, Marshall Dauberman was a highly regarded student and athlete at SHS. He was elected President of the Future Farmers of America and President of the Senior Class.
He was also voted Best Personality of the Senior Class and Male Athlete of the Year. As a great football player and wrestler, his crowning achievement in his athletic career at Selinsgrove came in 1960, when he became the very first state wrestling champion in school history. Marshall went on to a very successful wrestling career at the University of Maryland, where he was a three-time Atlantic Coast Conference Champion and a two-time NCAA tournament qualifier. In 1964 he placed 4th in the 180-pound weight class and was named All-American.
Marshall began his teaching career at Sherwood High School in Montgomery County, Maryland, and from 1966 through 2002 he coached wrestling at Sherwood and later at River Hill High School in Howard County, MD. As head coach, Marshall's teams accumulated 235 dual meet wins, and his program produced 11 state champions, 5 County Dual Meet champions, 4 County Tournament Champions, and they were State Dual Finalists in 2001. Seven of his wrestlers went on to wrestle at Division I schools and two became Division 1 All-Americans. Thirty-five of Marshall's wrestlers won individual County Championships.
As a very successful and highly regarded man, Marshall's post-career honors are many. He was inducted to the River Hill High School Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania District IV Wrestling Hall of Fame, National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Maryland Public Schools Secondary Athletic Association Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was also named to the Atlantic Coast Conference 50th Anniversary Wrestling Team in 2003.
Michael J. Hogue, a long-time friend and colleague of Marshall's, sums up his teaching and coaching career as follows, "I have known Marshall Dauberman for 39 years as both a teaching colleague and a friend. During my career of 32 years, I cannot think of many teachers or coaches who have earned the respect of their students, athletes, fellow coaches, parents, community members and fellow teachers as much as Marshall Dauberman has.
Marshall instilled in his students and wrestlers the highest standards of sportsmanship, academic achievement, and ethical and moral standards as members of the school community and as participants in the community at large." Congratulations to Marshall Dauberman on his induction to the Selinsgrove Area High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Danica Deckard – Class of 2009
Danica Deckard graduated from Selinsgrove Area High School in 2009. At that time, she held at least one school record in each of the 3 sports in which she participated. She accumulated 12 Varsity 'S' letters and Eleven District Championships (team and/or individual) during her tenure at Selinsgrove.
In high school field hockey, which many believed was not her strongest sport, Danica excelled and was a strong offensive force on the team. The team's record during her tenure was 92-6-1. She was part of the longest undefeated streak in SH history in 2006, 2007, and 2008. She set the school record for 'Most Assists' and remains in the top 7 all-time for 'Most career goals' and ranks second in 'Most Assists'. She was named 2nd team All-State in 2008. She was a captain who led by example, and her competitiveness inspired her teammates.
In Basketball, Danica captained the team for 3 years and 2 of those 3 years her team went undefeated in conference play. She reached the 1,000-point milestone in her junior year and went on to set Selinsgrove's all-time scoring record for boys and girls her senior year. Her scoring record still stands at 1,742 points. Danica was awarded 3rd team All-State two years in a row, which made her among the top 17 AAA players in the state. She was a 3-time Susquehanna Valley Player of the Year and Co-winner her sophomore year. She was also a Daily Item Player of the Year multiple times. Danica is known for her three-quarter court, buzzer-beater shot in her Senior night game, which can be viewed on YouTube.
In Track, Danica was a three-time league and District 4 individual champion in the high jump and state qualifier all 4 years. She set the school record by jumping 5%", which still stands today. Danica was named the Daily Item Female Athlete of the Year in her senior year.
Although Danica was recruited by college coaches in all 3 sports, she accepted a scholarship to play field hockey for The Ohio State University. At Ohio State Danica was a 4-year letter winner and named captain her senior year. She helped the 2010 Buckeyes win a Big Ten Regular Season Championship and reach the Final 4 in the NCAA tournament. She led the team in points in her junior and senior years. Danica is currently ranked in the top 10 all-time in various offensive categories. She was named to the NFHCA All-Region First Team as a senior after also earning her second-straight All-Big Ten Second Team honor. She also earned all-region second-team honors as a junior.
Off the field, Danica was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, a three-time OSU Scholar-Athlete, and a 2010 NFHCA National Academic Honoree. After graduating from Ohio State with a degree in Education and Human Ecology, Danica continued her academic career at Temple University where she became the Graduate Assistant Field Hockey coach and earned her Master's Degree in Sports Business. Following that, the spent 6 years at Drexel University as Assistant Field Hockey Coach in addition to coaching for the Main Line Mayhem Field Hockey Club.
Danica is currently Assistant Director of Alumnae Engagement at The Baldwin School, where she also coaches the Varsity field hockey team. She resides in Springfield, PA with her fiancée. Molly, and their dog Blue. Congratulations to Danica Deckard for her induction into the 2023 Selinsgrove Area High School Sports Hall of Fame!
Mike Fahnestock – Class of 1977
A 1977 graduate, Mike Fahnestock was a talented 3-sport athlete with a positive attitude and an exceptional work ethic. He collected many accolades throughout his athletic career at Selinsgrove High School, but he remained a humble and hardworking three-sport athlete.
In Football, Mike set records as the team's all-time leader in career rush yards, with 3,569. He also set the single season rushing record with 1,541 yards. In his junior year, Mike set the school record for average rush yards per carry, with 9.7. He made all-conference every year he played and was named to the Big 33 checklist in his Senior Year. He was also chosen for the Daily Item and Reading Eagle All All-Star Football Teams. In Track, Mike set state records in the 120 High Hurdles and the 330 Intermediate Hurdles. He won three individual state championships and accumulated 6 state medals. Mike's efforts helped fuel the 1976 Seals Track & Field team to the AA State Championship. At West Point, Mike made a big splash in his very first game as a freshman, when he caught an NCAA record 3 touchdown passes. He went on to collect 10 varsity letters during his career at Army. Four in football, four in outdoor track and two in indoor track.
On the gridiron, Mike was named All-East, and he played in the 1980 Blue-Gray Game. He was named the team's most valuable player and received the Col. James B. Gillespie Memorial Award for his performance, dedication, and contribution to the football team. Mike is ranked second all-time at Army with 97 receptions and 1,726 receiving yards. He caught 13 touchdown passes over his career and set the single season record with seven touchdown grabs in 1980, a record that still stands. Mike was the first player with five 100-yard receiving games in a season and he went on to set the single game reception record 186 yards against Lehigh. He was named All-American honorable mention that year.
As a member of the track and field team, Mike finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1981 ICA track championships and set a school record in the 110 hurdles in the Army-Navy meet, a mark that stood for 15 years. Twice, he placed second in the 110 hurdles at the Heptagonal Championships and was selected as the Fred. E. McAniff Memorial Award as the outstanding member of the men's track team. Congratulations to Mike Fahnestock for his selection to the Selinsgrove Area High School Sports Hall of Fame!
Cathy (Leitzel) Keiser – Class of 1977
A 1977 Selinsgrove graduate, Cathy Keiser was a three-sport athlete who excelled in field hockey, basketball, and softball, earning varsity letters in grades 10 through 12. Her senior year Cathy was named MVP of the field hockey and softball teams. She was named Women's Sports High School All-American in 1977 and the Selinsgrove Area High School Outstanding Female Athlete of 1977. After graduating from Selinsgrove Cathy went on to Williamsport Area Community College and then transferred to Lock Haven University. She walked-on to the very powerful Lock Haven University Field Hockey team, became a two-year starter and helped the Bald Eagles win a national championship in 1981. Cathy graduated from LHU with a degree in Health and Physical Education.
After college, Cathy returned to Selinsgrove and became the head coach of the SAHS Field Hockey team. She coached the Seals for 34 seasons, from 1984 through 2017. During her final season, Cathy became only the 12th high school field hockey coach in U.S. history to achieve over 600 wins! She finished her career with an impressive total of 619 wins. Cathy's teams also achieved the outstanding mark of winning 25 district championships during her 34 years as head coach. Four years her hockey teams made it to the state quarterfinals with the 2009 team being the silver medalists. In her final year, the Seals won their 13th consecutive district championship and finished the season ranked 21st in the nation.
The academic performance of Cathy's field hockey players is perhaps even more outstanding than their athletic accomplishments. During her tenure as head coach, Cathy's players were named to the Pennsylvania All-Academic Field Hockey Team a total of 41 times! Another exceptional achievement is the fact that Cathy's Field Hockey teams received the Pennsylvania All-Academic Field Hockey Team Award, given to teams achieving GPA 92% or above, over 20 times! Congratulations to our very own Cathy Keiser for being named to the first Selinsgrove Area High School Sports Hall of Fame class!
Jack Keller – Class of 1950
A 1950 graduate, Jack Keller was an outstanding three-sport athlete, competing in football, basketball and baseball. He was captain of both the basketball and baseball teams. At the class of 1950 graduation commencement, he was recognized as the top graduate in athletics, and received the Glenn R. Hollenbach Memorial Award. Jack was also recognized as, "one of the greatest athletes in Selinsgrove High School history," by Bill Toland, the long-time sports editor of The Sunbury Daily Item. Jack was a strong student who went on to Gettysburg College and was a star player for the Bullets in both basketball and baseball. He was a three-year letter winner in both sports.
After college, Jack was drafted by the New York Yankees and played for the Bristol Twins during the 1954 season. He was elected to the minor league All-Star team that year. He played only one season in the pros, deciding to join the marines as a Lieutenant. In 1956 and 1957, Jack was a player on the Marine Champion basketball and baseball teams. Jack's baseball team was said to be the greatest team in the history of Marine baseball.
Jack left the service and in 1960 and became a Phys Ed teacher in Kensington, Maryland. That year, he coached his freshman basketball team to the county championship. He then moved to Albert Einstein High School and became a premier baseball coach in the State of Maryland, winning championships in 1965, 1967 and 1969. He moved on to Springbrook High School and won baseball championships in 1971 and 1973. In 1972, Jack was honored with the "Service to Youth" award by the Montgomery County MD, Press Association. During his introduction, Jack was described by one writer as, "the most fair and even-handed baseball coach I have ever seen, and one who had earned extraordinary respect from his players."
In 2006, the inaugural year of the Albert Einstein Athletic Hall of Fame, Jack was posthumously inducted for coaching. He was lauded by many players as the best coach they ever had, and his fine leadership and passion for the game of baseball were passed on to his many athletes and students. Congratulations to Jack Keller for his contributions to sports and youth through his playing, teaching and coaching the sports he loved! We welcome you to the first ever Seals Hall of Fame class!
Rose Ann Neff – Class of 1969
A 1969 graduate, Rose Ann Neff has an incredible record of achievement as a student-athlete at Selinsgrove Area High and beyond. On the Basketball court, she was a varsity starter for four seasons, the team captain for three, and leading scorer during her junior and senior years.
For her basketball prowess, she was twice selected MVP and the team captured the SVL District Championship during the 1967-68 and 1968-69 campaigns. In Softball, Rose Ann was in total control on the pitcher's mound.
Not only did she pitch every game from her freshman year on, but she also earned the sport's MVP award four times, as well as being chosen team captain for two years. The 1967 and 1969 softball teams went undefeated and won the district championships those same years.
Rose Ann's athletic dominance is memorialized in this quote from Mr. David Faust, her 1967 high school softball coach: "A memorable event occurred during Rosie's sophomore year on the softball team. At an away game against Mifflinburg, the team faced a pitcher who intimidated some of her teammates with the windmill style of pitching fast balls. Rosie was the lead-off batter, and, after watching a pitch or two, she hit the next pitch over the center fielder's reach and then circled the bases for a home run. On her next at bat, she was issued an intentional walk. It didn't matter because she stole second, stole third and then, for good measure, she stole home on an exchange of the ball between the catcher and the pitcher. Rosie led her team to victory that day by example. She pitched every game that year and won all of them thanks to the excellent support of her teammates."
Rose Ann attended Lock Haven University from 1969-1973, where she became a four-year starter on the Basketball and Field Hockey teams and a three-year starter on the Lacrosse team. Leadership continued to be a hallmark of Rose Ann's athletic career in college, as she was elected captain of all three teams multiple times. Likewise, she led both teams in scoring for several years. In 2015, Rose Ann was inducted into the Lock Haven University Athletics Hall of Fame as a charter member.
After finishing at Lock Haven University, Rose Ann was selected to several regional all-star teams, but she reached the pinnacle of Lacrosse competition when she was named to the U.S. National to crosse Team in 1974. She competed at that level for three years. In 1975, Rose Ann was selected to the US Lacrosse Touring Team to Great Britain.
For the first time ever, a U.S. Lacrosse Team beat Great Britain on their own soil to come home undefeated, with a perfect 13-0 record, a feat yet to be duplicated. In 2018, US Lacrosse honored the 1975 Touring Team the prestigious Team of Distinction Award. Rose Ann's athletic gifts also landed her on the national stage in yet another sport. In 1975 and 1976 she was selected to the U.S. National Field Hockey Squad.
While Rose Ann excelled in many sports, she also shined in her academic pursuits. She was a National Honors Society member for three years and Salutatorian of her high school graduating class. When pursuing her two advanced degrees at Penn State University, she achieved summa laude distinction in her Master's and PhD programs. Fittingly, Rose Ann received the LHU Alumni Achievement Award in 1977 and the SAHS Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016. Our congratulations go out to an unusually well-rounded and outstanding friend, Rose Ann Neff, a true Seals legend!
Steve Rutkowski – Class of 1993
Steve Rutkowski, Class of 1993, lettered in four sports his junior and senior year. Football, Basketball, Bowling, and Baseball. In his senior year, Steve received a most valuable player trophy and all league recognition in all four sports. Steve's teams won a league championship bowling a district championship in both football and baseball. 30 years later, Steve still holds the record for pitching victories in a career with 23 wins. Steve continued his baseball career at Bucknell University where he achieved Academic All-American status both his junior and senior years. He helped Bucknell to its first appearance in the Division 1 World Series subregional in Florida. Steve led his college team with a 372-batting average his senior year. Steve earned scouting's highest award, eagle scout while a student at Selinsgrove. He has coached over 20 youth baseball, softball and basketball teams.
As a deacon and youth advisor in his church, Steve continued to prioritize his faith in God and family. In a quote from his former basketball coach, Jim Beddall, "Steve was the ultimate teammate and an outstanding leader ... a tremendous person who would make everyone around him a better individual. Steve epitomized the model of student-athlete to the highest degree."
Bill Scott
Bill Scott came to Selinsgrove in 1972 and spent 36 years as the Head Football Coach. Through the years Coach Scott achieved the mark of being the winningest football coach in Selinsgrove Area High School history with 267 wins. Coach Scott also had 34 wins at Warrior Run and Elkton, Maryland, High Schools, which gave him a career total of 301 total wins.
Coach Scott's Selinsgrove teams amassed a total of 14 league championships and 9 District 4 championships (which did not start until 1987). His teams also made 6 PIAA playoffs appearances. Coach Scott was very well respected by his peers, as he was a 2002 inductee to the Pennsylvania State Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Most people will site wins when judging a football coach, but Bill Scott's legacy goes far beyond that. For 36 years, Bill Scott built a program that had everything it needed to produce some of the best football teams in the state of Pennsylvania. While most coaches see value in scheduling and accumulating wins, Coach Scott took the road less traveled. He consistently scheduled the toughest teams in the state to fill the Seals Football schedule. Bill Scott's success was due, in part, to his philosophy that his Selinsgrove teams will play the best competition in the state and will be successful. This philosophy vaulted the Seals program to many championships, and it created the big game atmosphere that we all experienced again and again at Harold L. Bolig Field.
Bill Scott did not just have a positive effect on the football program, but all sports at Selinsgrove, as he pioneered the very first Power Weights Program for all athletes at Selinsgrove Area High School. In its day, Coach Scott's Power Weightlifting Program was a state-of-the-art developmental program that had universal appeal for all Seals athletes, as almost all male and female athletes were able to take it throughout their years at SAHS. This resulted in ALL Selinsgrove athletic programs being bigger, faster, stronger and better, and our athletes were better able to prevent injuries and get this vital part of their training done during school hours. Congratulations Coach Bill Scott, for your induction to the Selinsgrove Area High School Hall of Fame!
Keli Smith Puzo – Class of 1997
Keli Smith Puzo, a 1997 graduate of Selinsgrove Area High School excelled in Field Hockey, Basketball and Track and Field; having been named MVP and Captain in all three sports. Kelly is the top goal scorer in SH history with 124 goals. She received numerous League district honors and was a three-time All-State honoree. Her senior year she was named Selinsgrove's Outstanding Female Athlete, Daily Item Player of the Year; as well as PIA Outstanding Female Athlete for 1997. Keli also received high school All-American Honors.
Upon graduation, Keli received an athletic scholarship to the University of Maryland, where 1997 she started and played in every game during her college career. She captained the Terps for three seasons and helped to secure three ACC honoree and a three-time All-American. In 2021, she was inducted into the University of Maryland's Hall of Fame. A member of the ACC All-Academic team, Keli graduated with a BS in Communications; as well as a BS in Psychology.
After graduating from the University of Maryland, Keli continued her passion for Field Hockey by competing on the national and international level. From 2000 to 2012, Keli played Field Hockey on six continents while competing on the National Team, The World Cup team and two Olympic teams. During those 12 years Keli not only played Field Hockey all over the world; she coached at Georgetown University, American University, and the University of Virginia. She founded her business Field Hockey Life, married Inako Puzo, and gave birth to her son's, Xavi and lan. While pregnant with lan, Keli received her 150th cap, while competing in the four nations tournament in Argentina. After lan's birth, Keli moved to California with her two sons to train for the 2012 London Olympics. With the support of her husband, family, friends and teammates she finished her field hockey career at the London Olympics while earning her 179 cap. After she retired from international competition in 2012, she focused on her family. She assisted her husband Inako, Head Coach for Miami of Ohio for several years and concentrated on being a mom to her sons. She dedicated some of her time to her Field Hockey Life business she founded in 2008. Keli recently founded a program entitled Happy Hockey, a community-based field hockey program to inspire confidence, teamwork and leadership qualities. Congratulations to our very own Olympian and new member of the Selinsgrove Area High School Sports Hall of Fame, Keli Smith Puzo!
Marlin Van Horn – Class of 1976
A 1976 graduate, Marlin Van Horn moved to Selinsgrove in 8th grade and very quickly became a notable three-sport athlete. He excelled in Football, Wrestling, and Track. Marlin had very early success when he broke the freshman national high school javelin record with a throw of 210 feet 7 Inches As a result, he was featured in the "Faces in the Crowd" section of Sports Illustrated magazine that year! Marlin went on to have an outstanding athletic career at Selinsgrove Area High School, culminating in being the only person in school history to be awarded the Outstanding Athlete of The Year twice, in 1975 and 1976. In track, Marlin collected 7 state medals, including a state championship in the javelin, 4 silver medals in the shot put and javelin, and two 4th place medals.
From his sophomore year through his senior year, Marlin was the only AA athlete in District 4 to win gold medals in any of the three throwing events, as he won all of them and amassed 9 district championships in 3 seasons! When Marlin graduated, he held school records in the Javelin and Shot Put. In football, Marlin was a record-setting linebacker, toppling school records in solo and total tackles for a single season and career. He also topped the charts in career sacks. Marlin was All-Conference every year and he was the Seals Defensive MVP his junior and senior years. In 1975, Marlin was named to the Scholastic Magazine All-American Football Team, and he was named Second Team All-State at linebacker. In addition, he achieved the ultimate PA high school football honor when he was selected to play on the Big 33 Football Team in 1975. In wrestling, Marlin's career record was 58-12-1. In 1975 and 1976 at Heavy Weight, Marlin's record was an outstanding 27-2. In 1975, Marlin placed second at the PIAA State Championships. In 1976, Marin was selected to wrestle for Team USA on the world stage against the Polish National Team. In 2012, Marlin was inducted to the District IV Wrestling Hall of Fame. Marlin accepted a football scholarship offer from Coach Jerry Claiborne at the University of Maryland where he became one of only three Terps in school history to play in four bowl games. Marlin lettered all four years in football and was Captain of the 1980 team. He broke many records in Tackles for Loss, Tackles for Loss Yardage, and Sacks Per Season. 1980 was a big year for Marlin at Maryland, as he was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Team as a Defensive Lineman, and he received Honorable i the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Team as a Defensive Lid Captain of the 1980 Terps Football Team and he lettered in Track & Field that year, throwing the Javelin. Marlin graduated from the University of Maryland in 1981 with a B.S. in Computer Science. In 2013, he was inducted into the District 4 Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Marlin Van Horn for his induction to the Selinsgrove Area High School Sports Hall of Fame!
