Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame announces Class of 2024

The Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame will celebrate its 40th anniversary in June with a class that features two of the finest football players in area history and a pair of former U.S. Olympic team athletes. The class also includes outstanding athletes in field hockey, martial arts, figure skating, wrestling, running, swimming and football.

The induction is set for June 9 at Mohegan Pennsylvania, Plains Township, with festivities beginning at 3 p.m. with a cocktail hour, followed by dinner at 4 p.m. and the induction ceremony. Tickets are $65 for adults and $25 for children 12 and under.

Tickets and program advertisements are only available through the organization’s website, luzernecountysportshalloffame.com.

The inductees are:

Ismail brothers

Raghib “Rocket” Ismail and his brother, Qadry Ismail, were two of the most electrifying players in the history of Wyoming Conference football for the Meyers Mohawks..

Rocket’s exploits took him to Notre Dame where he was twice named all-American and was the winner of the Walter Camp Award as the nation’s top college player as well as being named Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1990.

As a freshman he helped the Irish capture the National Championship in 1987, scoring a touchdown in the win over West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl. Following his 1990 season, he finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

He started his professional career with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, helping the Argos win the Grey Cup in 1991. In the NFL, he played with the Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

Qadry went from setting football and track and field records at Meyers to a being a two-sport all-American at Syracuse University, the first two-sport athlete since the legendary Jim Brown.

He had an outstanding NFL career, starting with the Minnesota Vikings, followed by stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens and joined Jimmy Cefalo as one of only two Wyoming Valley players to catch a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl.

Sara Silvetti and Jayson Terdiman

Former Crestwood great Sara Silvetti and Berwick native Jayson Terdiman headline the Olympic athletes.

Silvetti was a three-time all-state selection for the Lady Comets and powered the Big Red Machine to the 1999 state championship. That season she was named the WVC’s most valuable player. She matriculated to the University of Maryland where she garnered All-American honors which led to her selection to the USA National Team which participated in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

Terdiman was introduced to the sport of luge at the age of 10 and that culminated with his competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in the doubles competition. His team finished 11th is Sochi, and then 2018 Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, his team finished just short of the medals in fourth place. He is the only U.S. Athlete to win World Cup medals with three different teammates. He is currently the coach of the USA Luge Youth National Team.

Amanda Faust

Another field hockey standout joining the class is Amanda Faust, a Wyoming Valley West state champion and Bucknell University grad. Her exploits on the field earned her a place on the Patriot League’s 25th anniversary team and in Bucknell’s Hall of Fame.

Sam Hyder

One of the finest martial arts competitors both nationally and internationally, Sam Hyder, also joins the inductees. A multiple Hall of Fame artist and ranked competitor, Hyder has achieved his greatest acclaim as an instructor.

Fritz Bleich

The name Fritz Bleich is synonymous with Hanover Area High School wrestling. A three-time Hooper Award winner under coach John Carr (LCSHOF Class of 2017), his state championship in 1976 was the first for a Wyoming Valley Conference wrestler in more than a decade.

Frank Baur

Like Rocket Ismail, local audiologist Frank Baur once graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. After a splendid high school career at Wyoming Valley West, Baur took his talents to Lafayette College where he led all NCAA divisions in passing efficiency and was named Player of the Year in the Patriot Conference in 1988.

Sean Robbins

For nearly three decades, Sean Robbins has been a dominant force in the local running scene. An Ironman triathlon specialist, he has completed the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run 15 times. He recently placed fourth in the 2023 Back Mountain Triathlon.

Ed Zawatski

Ed Zawatski never lost a scholastic swimming event while a member of the Wyoming Valley West Spartans. The state medalist took his talent to Purdue University and was selected to compete in the Olympic Trials in 2016.

Taylor Lillian Dean

Taylor Lillian Dean has taken figure skating to some of its highest levels. A graduate of Crestwood High School and Boston University, she won a Junior World Championship, along with collegiate individual and team gold medals. She is currently on track to work the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics representing USA Rugby as a senior communications manager.

Ray Yakovonis

Rounding out the 2024 class is former Hanover Area football standout Ray Yakovonis. “The Big Yak Attack” as he was known at East Stroudsburg University, was the first Warrior to be drafted by the NFL when the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the sixth round (148th overall) of the 1980 draft. The Kodak All-American and All-East selection, had a five-year career in the NFL.