Local athlete featured in Sports Illustrated

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October 23, 2009

BY MIKE MASTOVICH The Tribune-Democrat Fri Oct 23, 2009, 08:39 AM EDT

JOHNSTOWN — The latest issue of Sports Illustrated probably will be a big seller in Johnstown.

Word traveled quickly that Bishop McCort standout running back/return man Josh Seidel was featured in SI’s popular “Faces in the Crowd” in the Oct. 26 issue. Subscribers received the magazine on Thursday. Other local football fans searched various newsstands or bookstores hoping to grab a copy.

Even Seidel had yet to see his face in the crowd as of Thursday evening because he had football practice and then attended other McCort athletic events.

“I was surprised when I heard about it,” said Seidel, who leads the undefeated Crushers with 1,042 rushing yards and

20 touchdowns. “I think it’s an honor. It’s a big thing. I’m still shocked about it.”

Sports Illustrated noted that the senior running back “set a school single-game rushing record (327 yards) in a 69-35 win over Richland and also tied the McCort single-game touchdown record (six) held by his father, Dave, who died of cancer in August. In a win against Westmont Hilltop, Josh scored on an 80-yard kickoff return and a 67-yard punt return.”

Seidel’s record-breaking performance against Richland was an emotional milestone for Seidel and the Crushers coaching staff. Dave Seidel had been an assistant coach at Bishop McCort throughout head coach Ken Salem’s entire tenure. Dave Seidel had scored six touchdowns for McCort in a 1981 game against Ligonier and later was a star at IUP.

“We’re just excited for Josh that he’s had an opportunity to come out and have an outstanding year,” Salem said.

“We know in the back of his mind he’s working as hard as he can to make his dad proud. I’ve also been very pleased with the support that Josh and Dane Domonkos have both received from the community and their teammates. That’s helped them through this tough time and enabled them to be great performers for us.”

Domonkos’ father Dave died in May.

Dane Domonkos, like Josh Seidel, is having an outstanding season despite adversity most players never encounter during their scholastic careers. Two weeks ago he broke Pete Duranko’s 48-year-old McCort scoring record.

“The main thing, it was hard to get through everything at first,” Josh Seidel said. “All of my teammates are there for me. They help me keep my head on straight. We kept working hard as a team and as an individual. It’s all paying off now.”

Salem said Bishop McCort did its best to spotlight Seidel’s record night.

“Brett Reaman, one of our assistant coaches, sent out the information to the national media,” Salem said. “Sports Illustrated contacted us two weeks ago and told us they were considering Josh for “Faces in the Crowd,” and they asked us for a report after the Westmont game.

“When they saw the kickoff return for a touchdown and the punt return for a touchdown they notified us a few days later that he was going to be in the Oct. 26 issue.”

The phones began ringing Thursday afternoon at The Tribune-Democrat sports department as people wanted to make sure the local media knew about Seidel’s recognition.

Seidel also has been fielding his share of calls.

“I’ve been getting a lot of calls from my family,” he said. “They said they were all trying to buy the magazine. People have been congratulating me.”

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