Central Columbia High School

Inductees to the Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2005

Don Engle

Don Engle, a long time teacher, dean of students, athletic director and coach started teaching at Central Columbia in 1968. Don , a Juniata College graduate, where he played football, basketball, and baseball, became the head baseball coach at Central Columbia in 1969 and retired as the head coach 29 years later, compiling a career record of 555 and 114. His teams won 15 league titles, 10 District IV titles, and a state championship in 1991. His 1979 team finished 6th in the state, his 1980 & 1993 teams finished 4th in the state & his 1982 team was state runner up.

Don was also an assistant football coach for 9 years and the head coach for one year, 1975; where his team went 8 and 2, setting a school record for number of wins at the time. Don was the assistant athletic director for 3 years and the athletic director for 15 years before retiring. Don was selected as one of the Press Enterprise's Top 50 Greatest Sports Figures of the 20th Century.

Don has served as an assistant baseball coach for the past two years and is a member of the Central Columbia Educational Foundation. Don lives in Mifflinville, PA, with his wife Judy. They have two daughters, Susan & Tracy, both graduates of Central Columbia and two grandchildren.

Emil Novak

Emil Novak is a 1982 graduate. He played football and baseball during his career at Central Columbia. In football he was a member of the 1981 Eastern Conference - South Division C-II championship team which also won the overall Eastern Conference Class C championship. Emil was the team's leading rusher and scorer both his junior and senior years. He was a Susquehanna Valley League All Star his junior and senior years and made the All Anthracite football team his senior year.

In baseball Emil was a member of the 1979 District IV Championship team that went on to finish 6th in the state, the 1980 District IV team that went on to finish 4th in the state, the 1981 team which won the Columbia County League & District IV, & the 1982 team which won the Columbia County League & District IV & went on to finish 2nd in the state. He was a Columbia County League All Star 3 Years. Emil holds the school records for most hits, runs, RBI, and doubles in a season and hits, runs, RBI and home runs for a career. He held at the time of graduation the state records in hits and RBI.

Emil went on to graduate from Delaware Valley College where he played two years of football, before hurting his knee and four years of baseball. In baseball Emil was team MVP three years, All Middle Atlantic Conference all four years, Middle Atlantic Conference MVP three years, and an Academic All American. He was elected to the Delaware Valley Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. Emil is presently a supervisor for Stewart's Industrial Maintenance and lives in Hetlerville, PA, with his wife, Kelly, a former Central Columbia graduate , and their two children, Megan and Adam.

Tim Gardner

Tim Gardner is a 2000 graduate. He swam & ran track all four years of his career at Central Columbia. Tim won three District IV 50 & 100 yard freestyle championships along with two 50 yard freestyle state championships and a 100 yard freestyle state championship. Tim set school records in the 50 yard freestyle, 100 yard freestyle, 100 yard breast stroke, and was a member of the school record setting 200 & 400 yard freestyle relay teams.

Tim was a member of the Central Columbia Varsity Club & National Honor Society, a CCHS scholar athlete, selected Press Enterprise Athlete of the week six times, Fox 56 Athlete of the week in March of 2000, the 2000 Central Columbia Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year & the 2000 District IV Outstanding Male Athlete. Tim was also a three time Northeast PA Swimming & Diving League first team All Star selection, the 2000 District IV & PA Swimming Coaches Association Male Swimmer of the Year & was selected a National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association All American two times. Tim also received All State honors 14 times.

Tim graduated from Penn State in 2004, was on the Dean's list 5 semesters and was a 2003-2004 recipient of the Keystone Kiln Scholarship award. Tim works for Ballie Lumber Company. Tim is married to Stephanie Jeanne Treven, a 2001 Central Columbia graduate. They live in Sherburne, New York.

1981 Football Team

The 1981 football team coached by the late Bob Rohm who was assisted by Don Engle, Dick Michael, Fred Lenig, and Bob Quick, compiled a record of 12 & 1, winning the Eastern Conference - South Division C - II title & the overall Eastern Conference Class C Championship. During the regular season they defeated South Williamsport, 40-6; Northwest, 21-0; Southern Columbia, 13-0; Line Mountain, 29-14; West Hazleton, 29-12; Selinsgrove, 7-6; Weatherly, 41-8; Bloomsburg, 20-6; Freeland, 34-0; & Columbia Montour Vo-Tech, 29-0. Their only lost was to Danville 7-6, during the 8th week of the season. In the semi-finals they traveled to Susquehanna and won 17-14. In the finals they traveled to Schuylkill Haven and won 23-6.

Team members were Dave Sitler, Mark Campbell, Dave John, Emil Novak, Ben Shultz, Barry Oxenrider, Mike Markowski, Steve Kriner, Scott Cole, Bill Spoule, Tony Creveling, Rick Kutchi, Joe Norton, Marvin Kline, Matt Zoppetti, Ed Sanders, Ric Shellenberger, Bill Comstock, Jeff Church, Don Robbins, Bill Perkins, Mark Williams, Robert Sweppenheiser, Chris Mingrone, Dave Hufnagle, Joe Ruth, Tom Vines, Jim Kline, Warren Boyer, John Moyer, Scott Fuehrer, John Comstock, Rob Rohm, Matt Sanders, Steve Novak, , Keith Bissinger, Bill Giovino, Jeff Bachman, Ted Benza, Tom Church, Garry Oxenrider, Tony Hirneisen, Mark Heinly, and George Kinney.

1982 Baseball Team

The 1982 baseball team coached by Don Engle who was assisted by Jerry Devlin, compiled a record of 31 & 2, winning the Columbia County League & District IV, going all the way to the state championship game. They won 26 in a row before being upset by Benton in the Columbia County League Shaughnessy playoffs. They then defeated Sayre & Wyalusing in the in District IV playoffs. In the state playoffs they defeated Wyomissing, Meyers, & Catasauqua before losing the state championship game to Northgate, 5-4.

Team members were Mark Campbell, Scott Cole, Doug Gordon, Steve Kriner, Kelly Young, Emil Novak, Tom Church, Jeff Brunozzi, Tony Creveling, Ric Shellenberger, Arlin Thrush, Rick Ezzyk, Steve Novak, Robert Sweppenheiser, Marc Pollina, Doug Fisk, Jeff Church, John Delp, Bill Giovino, Warren Boyer, Mike Fisher, Tony Hirneisen, Mark Richie, Jeff Bachman, John Comstock, Mike Sands, George Kinney, Ed Sanders, Jim Kline, Joel Novak, and Roger Mowery.