I readily admit it. I wear my emotions on my sleeve from time to time.
Those emotions came rushing out on three occasions in the past week.
Shock, sadness and outright sorrow overcame me last Saturday when I received word of the senseless shooting death of former Rock football linebacker Zach Sheridan. Immensely talented and intense on the football field, Zach was always very respectful in our personal contacts, which came frequently and give me strength as I remember him in that light, not in the darkness emanating from the tragedy that took his life.
As the priest said last Wednesday during Zach’s Mass of Christian Burial, anyone who knew Zach wasn’t surprised to learn he had laid down his life to protect a friend.
Rest in peace, Zach. You will be missed, but never forgotten. We refuse to allow the perpetrator of this tragedy steal away the wonderful memories we have of our interaction with you.
A closing thought on this situation: It’s always great to see a large group of former student-athletes gathered in the same place and sharing warm embraces, but those moments should be at weddings and homecoming/alumni gatherings, not at funerals, especially for young men and women who only recently completed their college careers.
• It was only fitting, I guess, that on the day Zach was buried police arrested three suspects in the senseless death of Tim McNerney. Another football student-athlete taken from us at an early age with whom I had the distinct pleasure of coming to know, albeit from a distance, Tim played his high school career at Knoch High School in southern Butler County before moving on to Washington & Jefferson College. So it was bittersweet for me, as it was for all Tim’s family and friends, to hear that case is now coming to a close.
• My third emotional moment came last Sunday when I watched Marine Corps Sgt. Doug Vitale, who was severely injured by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan, return to western Pennsylvania.
As the son of a World War II Army veteran who was injured in battle and eventually died as a result of those injuries, I take great pride in the efforts and dedication of our military personnel. I share the joy of their safe return home, I ache when I see the wounded warriors return home to begin to piece their lives back together and I mourn the loss of those who pay the ultimate price to protect and serve us.
Sgt. Vitale’s welcome home by members of VFW Post 764 in McMurray, the Patriot Guard and local fire companies hit a special cord when I was reminded Sgt. Vitale is a former SRU student, who met his wife, Alexis, while they were enrolled here at SRU.
I salute the members of the VFW Post and all those who have and will pitch in to raise $500,000 to build a smart home for Sgt. Vitale and his wife. This the kind of noble venture around which someone like me can wrap their proverbial arms.
On more positive notes, an upside to my job is the opportunity to report good news and notes about past and present Rock student-athletes. Here is the latest installment in an ongoing series of shoutouts:
• Congratulations to Rock cross country and track and field standout
Stephanie Case on her recent first-place finish in the 20th annual Star Trax 5K Night Run in Salem, Ohio. Case won the women’s division title with a time of 19:07.15.
• Former Rock standout pitcher Lou Trivino got a no-decision in his most recent start with the Vermont Lake Monsters, the short-season Class A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Trivino currently owns a 2-2 record with a 2.97 earned run average. He has struck out 32, walked 15 and hit seven batters while allowing 32 hits in 39.1 innings pitched as a rookie right-hander in the New York-Penn League.
• Rock baseball shortstop Will Kengor tied for the league lead in bases on balls with 32 and had the second-highest batting average in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League with a .354 mark. The Rock’s senior All-American had 11 doubles, three triples and one home run with 13 RBIs in 44 games for the Rockville Express.
Kengor was joined on the Rockville roster by Rock teammates Kevin Jovanovich and John Kovalik. Jovanovich, a senior catcher-first baseman, batted .226 with four doubles and 15 RBIs. Kovalik, a senior right-handed pitcher, had a 4-1 record with a 1.98 ERA, picked up seven saves, struck out 17 and walked 11 in 22.2 innings pitched. Kovalik ranked third in the league in saves.
• Rock redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Geoff Sanner compiled a 2-1 record with a 3.77 ERA, 20 strikeouts and 13 walks in 31 innings pitched for Shelter Island in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League.
And now it’s time to segue from baseball to football.
The Pirates are inching closer by the day to locking up a playoff berth and, in the process, ending 21 seasons of losing-season misery for all Black and Gold hardball fans. But football season has already started. The first NFL preseason games are in the books and preseason camps are underway, or shortly will be, for college teams. Rock gridders report next week.
One of the greatest to ever wear the Green and White, Brandon Fusco, will be in action tonight (Friday) as the starting right offensive guard and backup center for the NFL Minnesota Vikings, who take on the Houston Texans at Mall of America Field in Minneapolis.
In closing, let me say, I am so much more comfortable watching and writing about the successes of our past and present student-athletes than their deaths. Here’s hoping we have bucket loads of the former and few, if any, of the latter.
That’s all for now, Rock Nation. Until next time …
GO ROCK!!
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
