The Tamaqua Area High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee will induct its 23rd class into the Hall of Fame which will include six new individuals, and one team. The induction ceremony will take place today at 6:40 p.m. at the Tamaqua High School Sports Stadium prior to the Panther Valley-Tamaqua football game.

The inductees will receive a plaque with their name, year of graduation, and some biographical information along with a photograph of their choice. They will also have their names prominently displayed on a plaque in the high school which has all Hall of Fame members’ names and dates of induction on it.

The following is biographical information on the members of the 2018 Tamaqua Area High School Athletic Hall of Fame:

JEAN FREED

COACH

*Jean was a Tamaqua head coach in girls swimming, girls tennis and boys tennis for a total of 29 seasons.

*She was head girls swim coach from 1971-1976 and again from 1979-1982. Her teams were Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne League champions and recorded undefeated seasons in 1973, 1974, 1975.

*Jean was the head girls tennis coach from 1998-2008 (11 seasons) and the head boys tennis coach from 1998-2007 (10 seasons).

*Coach Freed was recognized by the Schuylkill County Women’s Athletic Association as a pioneer coach.

*She is a 1967 Blue Mountain graduate; 1969 graduate of Virginia Intermont College; and a 1971 graduate of Tennessee Technological University with a BS in Health and Physical Education.

*Coach Freed was a Health and PE teacher at Tamaqua HS from 1971-1976 and again from 1983-2008 before retiring in 2008. She was also head of the PE department.

*Jean’s late husband, Jim Freed, was inducted into this Hall of Fame in 2004.

*Her and her husband, Bill Stoltz, volunteer and serve as members of the Board of Directors for the Tamaqua Historical Society. They reside in West Penn Township. Jean has two daughters, Jamie Freed, who resides in London, and Jody Freed, resides in Philadelphia. Jean has two grandchildren, Jaxon and Carly.

ADRIAN BUMBULSKY

CLASS OF 2007

*Adrian is a 2007 graduate who was a three-sport standout in cross country (2 years), swimming (4 years) and track (2 years).

*In swimming in the 500 freestyle, she was a two-time District 11 champion; a three time state qualifier; and in her senior year a state finalist. She also earned a District 11 silver in the 100 butterfly her senior year.

*At one time she held records in the 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, and 100 backstroke. She still holds the 500 freestyle record with a time of 5:21.42.

*She was also part of the 200 IM relay, 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay record teams.

*She recorded her 1,000 career swim point on Dec. 14, 2006 against Schuylkill Haven.

*After high school, she went on to Kutztown University where she majored in elementary education and was also a member of the KU swim team. She was also chosen as a scholar athlete at Kutztown.

*After college, she returned to Tamaqua, where she was an assistant swim coach for two years.

*Adrian lives in Hometown and is a fifth grade teacher in the Panther Valley School District. She is the daughter of Jim and Roseanne Bumbulsky.

JESSICA BENSINGER HALABURA

CLASS OF 2009

*Jessica is a 2009 Tamaqua graduate and was a two sport standout in soccer and softball, earning eight varsity letters.

*In soccer, she was selected to the PA All-State team in her senior year, becoming the first Tamaqua female soccer player to be recognized with such an honor.

*She was also named to the Schuylkill League first team as a center midfielder, along with the league Most Valuable Player.

*Jessica was captain of the 2008 team that was District 11 champions, defeating Minersville 3-2 in overtime. This team went on to defeat Delco Christian 3-2 in the first round of the PIAA State Playoffs – becoming the first girl’s Schuylkill League soccer team to win a PIAA State playoff game, a mark which still stands today.

*In softball, she was a standout catcher. She was a three-time first team All-Area by the Pottsville Republican.

*Jessica went on to Delaware Valley College where she graduated with a bachelors degree in Animal Science/Equine Science in just three years.

*She was a four-year member of the DVC softball team, where she was named to the All-Academic team for the Middle Atlantic Conference. In her three years, she played in 79 games, starting 74. She had a .350 batting average and a .978 fielding average.

*She is the daughter of Margaret and David Bensinger. She is married to Travis Halabura and they live in Orwigsburg. They have a daughter, 1-year-old Lyla Rae.

*They own and operate Open View Acres, which specializes in Free Range Brown Eggs and Cage Free white eggs, which sell locally.

ERIC HERTZOG

CLASS OF 2013

*Eric is a 2013 graduate and was a four-year letter winner is soccer and track.

*In soccer, he was a three-time all-league selection; two of which were first team.

*On the track, his specialty was in the 110 high hurdles. He was a three-time league champion; a District 11 champion and two-time District 11 silver medalist. He was a three-time state qualifier in the event, capturing two PIAA state medals; fifth place his senior year and eighth place his junior year. He still holds the Tamaqua 110 HH record with a time of 14.1.

*Eric was also a member of the two-time Schuylkill League champion and PIAA state qualifying 400M relay team.

*He was a two-time indoor national qualifier in the 60 and 110M hurdles.

*He went on to Shippensburg University and earned a Bachelor’s degree in history. He was a three year member of the Red Raider track team. He earned PSAC All-Conference honors in 2014.

*Eric is the son of Rick and Mary Hertzog. He resides in Shippensburg and works for AT&T.

KAILEE ROTTET LAKITSKY

CLASS OF 2013

*Kailee is a 2013 graduate and excelled in soccer, earning a varsity letter all four years. She also earned one varsity letter in track and field.

*Kailee is a two-time All-State player in soccer. She was captain for two years. At the time of her graduation, she held the school soccer record (for both boys and girls) with five goals in a game.

*She holds the school record for goals in a season (38) and goals in a career (100).

*She was two-time Pottsville Republican Co-Player of the Year, and four-time first team All-League.

*After graduation, she attended Kutztown University, where she played soccer for one year. She majored in Secondary English Education, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2015. She finished a four-year degree in 2.5 years.

*Kailee is currently working on her Master’s Degree at KU in Library and Learning Technology.

*She is currently a ninth grade English teacher at Commonwealth Charter Academy. She is also a PIAA Soccer official.

*Kailee is the daughter of Tom and Kim Rottet and is married to TAHS Hall of Famer and the school’s only PIAA State wrestling champion – Garth Lakitsky. In December, they will be residing in Andreas.

CHRISTINE STREISEL

CLASS OF 2013

*Christine is the third member of the Class of 2013 to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

*She is one of the most decorated athletes to graduate from Tamaqua. She was a four-year letter winner in both basketball and track and field. She was also a two-year letter winner in soccer.

*Christine was a member of the 2010-11 District 11 champion girls basketball team that is being inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame. She currently ranks 30th on the girls basketball all-time scoring chart with 629 career points.

*She was one of the best track athletes in TAHS history. She accumulated six PIAA state medals, including a state championship; she was a three-time Schuylkill League and District 11 champion in the javelin, and two-time league and district champion in the shot put.

*At the PIAA State Championships in the javelin in 2010, she earned a fifth-place medal (136-3) and she was the 2011 PIAA state champion (143-11); 2012 – silver medal (149-2); 2013 – silver medal (144-11).

*At the PIAA State Championships in the shot put, she placed sixth in 2012 (39-7 ½) and 2013 (39-12).

*Christine still holds school records in the shot put (39-7 ½) and the discus (117-10)

*She is a two-time Penn Relays champion in the shot and discus.

*Christine continued her academic and athletic careers at Duke University. She scored in all three of her Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championships, finishing in the top eight. She also earned All-ACC honors twice when she placed fourth and fifth in the javelin. She qualified for the East Regional meet in 2017 — placing 18th — and was Honorable Mention All-American. She was named to the All-ACC Academic honor roll all four years.

*She has just begun her first year at Duke’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy program.

*Christine is the daughter of Mark and Maura Streisel, and resides in Durham, North Carolina.

2010-2011 GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM

*The 2010-11 girls basketball team, coached by Joe Berezwick, is regarded as one of the best teams to come through Tamaqua in school history - compiling a 28-1 overall record. This team was the third of three-consecutive District 11 Championship teams; earning the District 11 3A championship with a 46-42 overtime win over Allentown Central Catholic. The girls then went on to defeat Scranton Prep in the first round of the PIAA state playoffs, before falling to Oley Valley in the second round.

*This team was also back-to back Schuylkill League champions for the first time in school history.

*The 28 straight wins to start the season is the best in school history.

Team members were: Kayla Hope, Amy Zehner, Ashley Walker, Allison Updike, Caitlin Trainer, Kori Kabilko, Maria Streisel, Christine Streisel, Jordan Fucci, Cassie Eroh, Janelle Cinicola, Alex Wagner, Taylor Urban, Stacey Wallace, Nichole Slivka, Amanda Solt, and Jaclin Valasek. The student managers were: Brianne Wittig, Carly Sassaman, Emily Pratka, Vanessa Solt, Amy Gardiner and Joey Berezwick. The coaches were: Joe Berezwick (Head Coach), Tom Scheitrum, Bud Wagner and Kyle Berezwick. The scorekeeper was Joan Nowak.