Five individuals and two teams will be inducted in the Tamaqua Area High School Athletic Hall of Fame prior to tonight’s football game against Schuylkill Haven.

Members of the class of 2019 include, John Zimardo, Glenn Comisac, Amber Carroll, Caroline Kanaskie, Joann Butkus, the 1993-94 boys basketball team, and the 2000-01 boys swimming/diving team.

Hall of Fame ceremonies will take place on the field beginning at 6:40 p.m. The game between the Blue Raiders and Schuylkill Haven gets underway at 7 p.m.

Following is biographical information regarding this year’s class:

JOHN ZIMARDO, CLASS OF 1981

• John was an outstanding athlete for the Blue Raiders as he was a four year member of the football, basketball and track and field teams.

• In football, John was selected to the All-County team and was awarded a Division 1 football scholarship to Lehigh University.

• In basketball, he was a varsity starter for three years and team captain. He scored 206 points in his senior year. The 1980-81 team was 23-10 losing in the Schuylkill League finals to Pottsville. They went on to win the District 11 Championship, defeating Marian 63-56. They qualified for the PIAA state tournament making it to the Eastern Finals, losing to Unionville, 60-53.

• In track and field, he competed in the discus and the high jump. Upon his graduation he set the school record in the discus. He also qualified for the PIAA state championships in the discus.

• He is married to Anna Johansson and they reside in Swampscott, Massachusetts They have two sons, John and Brian.

• He is the Director of Global Supplier Quality for Entegris Corporation and has a B.S. Materials Engineering from Lehigh University and a M.B.A. University of New Haven

GLENN COMISAC, CLASS OF 1985

• Glenn was a standout member of both the football and track and field programs where he was a four-time letter winner in each.

• He was a member of the 1983 playoff football team. He was a three year starter in the secondary and as a tailback.

• He earned a Division 1 football scholarship to play at Lehigh University where he was a four year starter.

• On the track team, he was the third leg of the District 11 Championship 4x100 meter relay team.

• He resides in Maryland with his wife Sherry. They have two children, Evan and Morgan, who are currently attending Lehigh University.

AMBER CARROLL, CLASS OF 2012

• Amber is one of the best runners to come out of Tamaqua as she was a three-time state qualifier in both cross country and track.

• In cross country, she was Schuylkill League champion as a freshman; 2nd as a junior, 3rd as a senior. She was also a four-time All-League all-star.

• In Districts, she was runner up as a freshman and senior; and sixth as a sophomore.

• At the PIAA State championships, Amber earned state medals as a freshman (18th) and as a sophomore (12th).

• On the track, she won back-to-back Schuylkill League titles in the 1600 and 3200 in her sophomore and junior years and was a runner-up as a senior.

• Amber was a three-time District 11 champion in the 3200; two time District XI champion in the 1600 along with a runner up finish.

• At the PIAA state championships, she was a three-time qualifier in the 1600 and 3200 and qualified once as a member of the 3200 relay team. She finished 7th at states in the 3200 as a junior.

• She attended Bucknell University where she was a member of both the cross country and track and field programs. The Bucknell cross country team were Patriot league champions in 2015 and 2016. She earned a bachelor of science degree in biology in 2016. She is currently in her second year at Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry pursing a degree in dental medicine. She will graduate with her DMD in 2022.

• Amber is the daughter of John and Jeannine Carroll.

CAROLINE KANASKIE, CLASS OF 2013

• Caroline was a four-year letter winner with the girls swim team where she was a 1,000-plus point scorer. She was team captain her senior year.

• She was a two-time PIAA state swim meet qualifier; In 2012 in the 200 free style and in 2013 as a member of the 400 free style relay team.

• The Blue Raider swim teams she was on were two-tme Schuylkill League Champions (2012 and 2013). She was a two time Republican Herald All-Area swimmer.

• Caroline currently holds two school records in the 200 free style (2:00.55) and as a member of the 400 free style relay team (3:44.01).

• After graduation she attended Dickinson College where she graduated in 2017 with honors in Environmental Science. She minored in Biology. She was a member of Dickinson’s 2014-15 swim team where she was named to the 2014-15 Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll.

• Caroline just received her master’s degree at the University of New Hampshire in Natural Resources and the Environment.

• She currently lives in Dover, New Hampshire and is pursuing her PhD in Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science at the University of New Hampshire.

• Caroline is the daughter of Renee and Paul Kanaskie.

JOANN BUTKUS, CLASS OF 2014

• Joann was also a four-year letter winner as one of the most accomplished swimmers in school history. She recorded over 1,000 career points; was a four-year PIAA state qualifier and broke seven school records; currently still holding six.

• At the PIAA state championships she qualified in:

- 100 free style finishing in 18th as a freshman and 24th as a sophomore

- 50 free style – finishing in 24th as a freshman 14th as a junior and 12th as a senior

- 100 butterfly – finishing in 20th as a sophomore

• The teams she was on were three-time Schuylkill League champions and the 2013-14 team was District 11 runners-up.

• Joann currently holds six school records: 50 free style (24.48); 100 butterfly (1:00.85); 100 free style (54.56); 100 breast stroke (1:07.58); member of the 200 free style relay (1:42.35) and member of the 400 free style relay (3:44.01).

• After graduation she went on to swim at Susquehanna University. During her career at SU, she was recognized as a two-time High Point winner; the 2017 Most Valuable Swimmer; 2018 Outstanding Senior Female Athlete Award, Landmark Conference Senior Scholar Athlete Award, and NCAA Woman of the Year nominee.

• Joann graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with a minor in Spanish. She is currently attending Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University pursuing her Doctor of Medicine.

• She is the daughter of Diane and Pete Butkus.

1993-94 BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM

• The 1993-94 Boys Basketball team, coached by Head Coach Jim Woodring, finished the season with an overall mark of 16-7, winning Division 1 of the Schuylkill League and the overall Schuylkill League championship. In the Schuylkill League playoffs, Tamaqua defeated Mahanoy Area in the semifinals and won the championship over Marian, 54-50.

• In the District 11 playoffs, the Blue Raiders finished third, defeating Bethlehem Catholic and losing to Allentown Central Catholic; They qualified for the PIAA State Championships, losing in the first round to eventual state champion Academy Park.

• Team members were: Ben Augustine, Joe Benny, Dan Bingaman, Brian Boyer, Drew Everhart, Tom Ferry, Chris Ferry, Steve Kropp, Tom LeMasters, Joe Ligenza, Jim Murphy, Brad Novey, Mike Rascavage. Head coach Jim Woodring, assistant coach Ed Titus, assistant coach Joe Berezwick, statistician Mike Polyak.

2000-01 BOYS SWIMMING/DIVING TEAM

• The 2000-01 Boys Swimming and Diving team, coached by Eric Lech, was the first and still only Tamaqua boys team to win a District 11 title in school history.

• The team went 11-2 overall and 5-1 in the Schuylkill League. This team broke school, league and D-11 records in the 200 free relay (Mike Runk, Nick Weschler, Alec Troxell and Nich Emerich) and the 400 free relay (Mike Runk, Paul Nevenglosky, Alec Troxell and Nich Emerich).

• The 200 free relay team qualified for the PIAA state championships, finishing 10th. The 400 free relay team qualified for the PIAA state championships, finishing 14th.

• Team members were: Nich Emerich, John Henne, Matt Jones, Mike Kane, Andrew Keer, Craig Krause, Dan MacDonald, Ian MacDonald, Paul Nevenglosky, Mike Runk, Torrey Schmidt, Alec Troxell, Nick Weschler, Head coach Eric Lech, assistant coach Kim Rodgers.