One of the biggest sports events of the year has been scheduled for March and organizers are promising not only to have a big-name speaker, but to once again have a top flight event. On Monday, March 20, the 34^th Annual Frank Loria Awards Banquet hosted by the Clarksburg Columbian Club will once again take place in Bridgeport.

 

Festivities begin at 6 p.m. at the Bridgeport Conference Center.

 

“This will, once again, be a great event,” said Chairman of the banquet Mike Romano. “We hope to make it a night to remember and, as always, we plan to have a top-flight speaker.”

 

As of now, a speaker has not been secured. Annually, the speakers are among the highlights of the event – including a recent appearance by now retired Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer who played with Loria.

 

Regardless of who speaks, the event is a premier event honoring the first-team selections to the all-Harrison County football team. The all-county team is chosen by the sports staff led by Chris Johnson at the Exponent-Telegram. It is done to honor the effort of those student-athletes and the memory of Loria who was a coach for Marshall University and was on the plane that crashed and killed everyone on board.

 

As a player, Loria was nearly unstoppable during his high school days at Notre Dame and then for the Hokies. He stood 5’7 and weighed 172 pounds.

 

If that’s all anyone knew of Loria they would find it hard to believe that he was a Division I college football player. Those same folks would then probably also find it hard to believe that Loria not only was a Division I football player at Virginia Tech, but he was the Hokies’ first consensus All-American in the 1960s in the secondary. Romano said what family and friends are even more proud of is that he was also an academic All-American.

 

“We make sure to emphasize how serious he took his studies. Frank Loria was such a role model for his peers and contemporaries and that’s the reason those same peers and contemporaries continue this event to keep what he accomplished alive for the student-athletes of today,” said Romano. “In an era where some kids look only at material things and don’t take advantage of their situation, they can look at how Frank Loria took advantage 100 percent of the abilities God gave him.”

 

The highlight of the banquet is the presentation of the Frank Loria Award. The award goes to the top player in Harrison County as voted on by members of the media and the six high school coaches. The Frank Loria Lineman of the Year award, and the Loria Academic Player of the Year will also be presented along with the Columbian Club/Frank Loria Academic Achievement Award and the Harrison County Coach of the Year.

 

There will also be a presentation of a $1,000 Frank Loria Memorial Scholarship.

 

Twenty-six all-Harrison County first-team selections will be honored this year. Bridgeport, who fell in the Class AA semifinal game inovertime, had more players than any other school.

BHS had nine first team picks. Offensively, those chosen include lineman Jimmy Allison, running back J.T. Harris, quarterback Gordon Swiger and kicker Koby Kiefer. Defensively is where the rest of the picks resided. The linebacking group of Mackenzie Holmes, Brice Haines and Seth Friel were all-county selections, while defensive back John Merica and lineman/defensive end Chapin Murphy were also chosen.

 

Romano said coaches and athletic directors have been advised of the event. Within the next few weeks, invitations will be going home with the students to their families.

 

For the last few years, the event has been open to the public at a cost of $20 per individual. However, Romano advised that once the tickets go on sale that seating is limited and on a first come, first serve basis.