Those participating in the Pittston Area/Wyoming Area fundraiser are, from left: Tommy Wysokinski, PA Football Alumni, co-chair; Geoff Baumes, PA Football Booster Club; Rob Lopata, RJRK Sports; Ricky Joseph, RJRK Sports; Mike Kivak, RJRK Sports; Tucker Musinski; Rich Musinski, WA Football alumni and current coach; Melia Bohn, WA Football Booster Club; and Mike Crane, WA Football Booster Club.
Submitted photo
PITTSTON — For the third consecutive year, the Pittston Area (PA) alumni squared off against the Wyoming Area (WA) alumni in a fund-raising battle on Facebook to help raise money for their program’s booster clubs.
Two weeks before the annual rivalry PA/WA football game in Oct. 2024, a school challenge was set between the two schools to raise money for each respective program by auctioning off a signed football helmet from one of their former players.
Sports Memorabilia & Collectibles, PA alumni and Facebook group, as well as RJRK Sports Group suggested if each school could provide a team football helmet to auction off, they would organize and promote the fundraiser and challenge on their group’s Facebook page.
This year’s fundraiser pitted signed helmets of former WA standout and UMass alum, Jimmy Pizano versus former PA product and Brown University alum Tim Cotter in a head-to-head battle.
Pizano, a 1994 WA graduate, had an illustrious career on the gridiron for the Warriors.
He was named Wyoming Valley Conference MVP in 1993, Scranton Tribune Regional Player of the Year in 1993 while also taking home two Carmen Falcone Awards in the PA vs. WA Rivalry Game during his playing career.
Jim then received a full scholarship to the University of Massachusetts where he continued his playing career until graduating in 1998.
Cotter, a 2002 PA graduate, achieved success both on and off the field who was named the 2002 Sunday Dispatch Player of the Year while also participating in the 2002 Unico Football Game before continuing his athletic and academic career at Brown University until graduating in 2006.
Every dollar raised during this 14-day event was donated to each of the school’s football booster programs last month.
WA won this year’s event collecting a check for $7,673 while PA received a check for $5,494 for their program.
RJRK Sports has now raised over $28,000 in total for the two schools during the three years of this fundraising event.
