Fr. Rick Tomasone
Father Rick, a Warren (Pa.) High graduate, made his mark in Mercer County as a coach at Kennedy Christian High School, where he led the only local girls basketball team ever to win a PIAA state title.
He started as a teacher at Kennedy Christian (now Kennedy Catholic) in 1980 and coached freshman boys basketball and JV baseball. He was reassigned to St. Mark's, Erie, and was basketball coach there. He returned to KC as assistant boys basketball coach from 1983-85 under legendary Coach Ed McCluskey. In 1985 he was named varsity girls basketball coach and the rest is history. He posted an overall record of 371-86, second most wins among Mercer County girls coaches. His teams won 15 Mercer County Athletic Conference Championships, 7 District 10 titles (6 runners-up), one Western Regional crown (two other appearances) and one state title. The Class A state crown came in 2000-01 season when the team posted a 29-3 record. In the PIAA final the Lady Golden Eagles defeated 2-time defending champ Pottsville Nativity BVM, 48-46, on a layup by Erin Frankovich with 3 seconds left.
Three times he was named The Sharon Herald Coach of the Year and was also honored as WWIZ Coach of the Year. In the 2000-01 season, he was honored as the Associated Press Small School Coach of the Year.Later he was assigned to St. John the Baptist Parish in Erie and he coached Mercyhurst Prep JV girls basketball for three seasons.
Father Rick was also a former outstanding softball player with St. Joseph's in the Shenango Valley Church Softball League.
He was also inducted into the Warren County Sports Hall of Fame.