Newton Reash
Newton "Newt" Reash was one of the top all-around athletes ever produced at Commodore Perry High School. He was a four-year letterman in baseball, basketball and track.
In basketball, he was a starter on the 1959-60 team that lost in the Class C state championship game to West Reading. He was a leader on the '60-61 squad that won the District 10 "C" title, but lost in the western regional championship tilt.
Newt scored 308 points that 1959-60 season, teaming with another Mercer County Hall of Famer, Dave Cook, and others to make Panthers history.
In track, he was state runner-up in the javelin toss, after winning county and District 10 titles in the javelin and 440-yard dash. He was also a member of the mile-relay team that qualified for state in 1960. Newt helped the CP baseball team to the county crown in the fall season in 1959-60.
He played independent baseball in the Pymatuning and Crawford County leagues for many years. He played softball on the J.T. Adams team that won the 1984 ASA Class B modified state championship, serving as player-coach.
He played basketball in Army service leagues and then competed in independent basketball in the Greenville Rec summer and winter leagues for three decades.
Newt was an assistant basketball coach at Commodore Perry in the 1980s and still helps as a volunteer. He coached T-ball and Little League.
He supervises the Commodore Perry High weight room three nights a week when it's open to the community.