2011 Inductees
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Top:
Dave Pucka, Geoff Alexander, Bob Wolford, Tony Bonura
Bottom: John Schmeck, Jim Ryan, Marilyn Bott, Amy
Williams-Scheuneman |
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 Geoff
Alexander,
class of 1981
Geoff Alexander lettered in three
sports football, wrestling and track all three years of High
School. Geoff was first team all conference his junior
and senior years with over 3000 yds. rushing in his high
school career. His wrestling career he had 89 wins and 9
losses and was Plum's first WPIAL Champion. He accepted a
scholarship at Clarion University where he played football
and wrestled. Geoff graduated from Clarion University in
1985 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business
Administration. In 1987 he started in his own Health Club business called Alexanders Athletic Clubs and has been in
business for almost 25 years. Geoff has been married for 23
years to his wife Vicki and they have four children
Geoffrey, Justin, Jenna and Josh they live in the Fox Chapel
school district.
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 Tony
Bonura,
class of 2001
Tony Bonura was a four year letter winner in football three
year in track and two year in wrestling.
He was voted
athlete of the year and most athletic by his peers in 2001.
At graduation he owned several school records in football
that include, most career passing
yards, the longest play
from scrimmage of 99 yards. He was also a two time All
Conference selection and Terrific Twenty member , and
captain for the mustang football team. Tony also had success
in wrestling as a two
time WPIAL qualifier and a two time
section place winner. As a member of the track and field
team Tony had much success in javelin as he was a two time
WPIAL place winner with a 7th place finish in 2000 and the
WPIAL runner up in 2001. He was also a state qualifier in
track, placing ninth in 2001. Tony also holds the Plum
school record with a 203’4” throw. After graduating from
Plum Tony attended The University of Pittsburgh where he
became a four time Big East qualifier, three time regional
qualifier, two time Big East Champion, two time NCAA All
American, and the
University of Pittsburgh record holder
of 71.50m. Being a captain of the Pittsburgh track team Tony
also has the second farthest throw in Big East history. In
2006, he had the 4th farthest throw in the entire nation.
After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, Tony
went to the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis where he got his
3rd All American honor with a 7th place finish. In the same
year,
he qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials. He did
not compete due to injury. Tony now resides in Plum Borough
with his wife Matti and new son Luke.
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 Marilyn
Bott
Educator -
Sponsor - Coach
1962 - 2001
A
graduate of Penn High School, Marilyn lettered in basketball
and participated in all sports made available to girls. She
attended Slippery Rock State College and
Colorado State College where she
majored in Health, Physical Education, French and Science
and lettered in basketball and field hockey. In college, she
served as president of Delta Psi Kappa (a national honorary
fraternity for women in physical education); vice president
of Women’s Athletic Association; and was a member of Kappa
Delta Pi (an honorary education fraternity). She taught
health and physical education at Penn Hills for 3 years and
Plum for 36 years as well as teaching
for Penn State Extension and the Allegheny Intermediate
Unit. Her coaching career included tennis and track and
field and was also interim coach for volleyball, soccer and
softball. During this time she also sponsored cheerleaders,
majorettes, Pep Club,and colorguard. Marilyn started the
Girls Leaders Association (GLA)and led them in their service
projects each year. The club grew to a membership of 300 and
participated in 80 yearly projects of service to those in
need in the school and community. Her retirement has been
filled with hobbies of stained glass projects, dog obedience
training, pet therapy and book club.
Her career
highlights included:
• encouraged and developed the sports
program to include
varsity teams for the girls
• initiated a 5 day-a -week Health and
Physical Education program
• choreographed/sponsored Gym shows
from 1963-1976.
• coached an undefeated track season
(10-0) in 1979.
• was selected Plum Borough Citizen of
the Year in 1996
• in 2001 GLA was the USA Weekend Make
a Difference Day winner
• served 5 years on the Plum Sports
Hall of Fame board
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 Dave
Pucka, class
of 1998
Plum’s all-time
leading football rusher, Pucka earned
all-conference
honorable-mention honors as a sophomore and first-team
recognition as a junior and a senior. He ended his Plum
varsity football career with the most career touchdowns.
Pucka landed on various other local all-star teams and was
selected to play in the 1998 Foothills Football Classic
all-star game. After graduation from Plum, Pucka attended
Duquesne University and played football for the Dukes. The
success continued, as he played for four Metro Atlantic
Athletic Conference championship teams. Duquesne went
34-10-1, including a 24-3 mark in MAAC play, in Pucka’s four
seasons. Pucka was a three-year starter at safety, and he
started 34 consecutive Dukes games to finish out his
collegiate career. He made 201 career tackles (134 solo),
and his 15 career interceptions rank second in school
history only to nine-year NFL veteran Leigh Bodden. Pucka’s
219 career interception return yards rank fourth all-time.
His six interceptions in 1999 rank tied for fifth on
Duquesne’s all-time single-season list, and he was one of
just 16 NCAA I-AA players with six or more interceptions
that season. Pucka earned second-team All-MAAC honors in
1999 and 2001. He graduated from Duquesne with a degree in
elementary education and a master’s in curriculum and
instruction from Gannon University. Pucka is a fifth-grade
teacher at Holiday Park Elementary. He coached running backs
and defensive backs on the Franklin Regional 2005 state
championship football team. Pucka served as a Plum varsity
girls basketball assistant from 2008 to 2010 and was the
head seventh-grade basketball coach in 2010.
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 Jim
Ryan, class
of 1952
Jim was captain of the
football team as a senior in 1951. Sports were limited in
schools when he attended. Plum High had football,
basketball, baseball, track and golf. He participated in
three – football, baseball and track. As a tackle,
he played both offense and defense for
four years, and was chosen two years as an all conference
tackle in 1950 and 1951. In 1951 he made the all WPIAL team.
Their football team was two time conference champs in 1950
and 51. As a utility player in baseball his junior year,
their team won the section champion ship and qualified for
the WPIAL playoffs. Jim participated on the track team his
senior year – shot put and discus – and this team won the
Class “B” championship at Pitt Stadium. He qualified for the
PIAA in the shot put at Penn State that year. He received a
full scholarship to play football at the University of
Maryland, where as a freshman they went to the Orange Bowl.
During spring drills his sophomore year he sustained a
career ending injury. After he served his country in the US
Army, Jim finished his education at Slippery Rock
University. While serving in the Army and going to Slippery
Rock he continued to be involved in the coaching of
football, and participated in softball while in the Army. He
was also selected to the Alle-Kiski Hall of Fame in 1993. He
became a teacher and a coach which proved to be a great
choice for him as he has many fond memories and friendships
which developed over the years. While coaching at
Plum with Leo Cackowski, they coached
the last game at the old field and the first one at the new
field. Jim is married to Dorothy and is the father of four
children and grandfather of six. |
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 John
Schmeck,
class of 1975
John was one of those
athletes who possessed many “intangibles”: teamplayer,
competitor, desire to win and proven leader. John was
captain of the 1975 football team, a 3yr lettermen and 3
year starter as Quarterback. John also was a 3-year starter
on the Baseball Team. However, he was a standout for the
Plum Championship Football Team. John was awarded 1st team
quarterback in the Keystone Conference and also recognized
as the single most valuable player for the entire
Conference; named the “MOST VALUABLE Offensive Back.”
John was also recognized in 1975 at the Western Pennsylvania
YMCA – Man of the Year Banquet along with Johnny Majors and
other Western Pennsylvania standout student athletes. After
participating in sports John also coached. At the age of 20
he was selected to coach the Plum Baseball Association’s
First Traveling Colt League Team. He also coached 8th grade
basketball at Plum Jr. High and that same year ran and
organized the elementary basketball program. From 1981 -1983
John coached Football at Burrell High School. In 1983
John left education/coaching and entered the Food Service
Industry and also began a Public Service career for his
community. John served Plum as an elected official for 22
years. 1984 he was elected to the Plum School Board serving
14 years, four of which he served as President. John
initiated the hiring of an Athletic Trainer for the football
program, which in turn grew the next year for all sports. He
also served 8 years on the Eastern Area School Board for
Special Needs Children, of which 2 years were as President.
In 1998 John was elected Mayor of Plum Borough for which he
was elected to serve for 8 years. John resides in Plum along
with his wife and 3 children. He’s never lost those
intangibles he learned growing up in and playing for Plum:
teamwork, competition, winning, and leadership. Mayor John
Schmeck believes that Plum is a great place to raise a
family and he is proud to call Plum Borough his home.
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 Amy
Williams-Scheuneman,
class of 1999
Amy Scheuneman was
voted “Most Athletic Female” by her peers for valid reasons.
In her tenure at Plum HS she earned 14 varsity letters (4
SOC, 3 CC, 4 Ind.TRACK, 3 Out.TRACK). Amy was named to the
All-Section and Advanced Leader Elite Eleven Soccer Teams
all 4 years and as captain her senior year she led her team
to the playoffs for the first time in 10 years and was named
to the All-WPIAL Team. While playing soccer, Amy was also a
member of the Cross Country Team and earned the honor of
“Freshman of the Year” in 1995. She was a multi-event
athlete for the Indoor and Outdoor Track teams and was a
member of the 4x100 relay which held the school record for a
period of time. For her efforts, Amy received a dual
scholarship to play soccer and run track at Robert Morris
College.
While
at Robert Morris, Amy was a four year starter and team
captain her senior year for the Colonials’ Women’s Soccer
Team earning 4 varsity letters. In track, Amy earned another
4 varsity letters as a pole vaulter for the Colonials during
their North East Conference Indoor Championship in 2000.
After graduation, Amy became the youngest Athletic Director
in the WPIAL with her
position at Avonworth High School. She
continued to make history when she took the same position at
Bethel Park High School in 2006 and became the first female
athletic director at a Quad A school in the WPIAL. Amy
continues to promote and advance Interscholastic Athletics
as a member of the District 7 Athletic Director’s Executive
Committee and WPIAL Soccer Steering Committee. In 2008, Amy
was honored with the “Administrator of the Year
Award” by the EAIFO Association and
also received the “Extra Mile Award” from Bethel Park that
same year. Amy is married to Paul Scheuneman and currently
resides in Robinson Township, PA.
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 Bob
Wolford,
class of 1987
The three-sport athlete
earned seven varsity letters at Plum - three for football,
two for basketball and two for baseball. Wolford was a team
captain for all three sports and was voted Plum’s most
valuable athlete in 1987. He earned all-conference honors in
football, was named to several all-star football lists and
held Plum’s career receiving record with 76 catches. Wolford
earned a football scholarship to the University of Delaware
and lettered three seasons there. He was an All-Yankee
Conference linebacker in 1990 and was a preseason
All-American candidate in 1991. Wolford was a captain of the
1991 Delaware team, and he finished with the sixth-most
tackles (232) in the history of the football program.
Delaware won the Yankee Conference championship, qualified
for the NCAA I-AA playoffs and finished with a top-15
national ranking in both 1989 and 1991. After his collegiate
playing days, Wolford served as a graduate assistant coach
in the Delaware football program. He has coached high school
football since 1993, and currently is the head football
coach at Conrad High School in Wilmington, Delaware.
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