Hall of Fame - Class of 2004

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Bruce Bernhart  (1946-47; player)

  • Boyertown Class of 1947
  • Played quarterback in 1944 and 1946
  • Lettered in 4 sports (football, basketball, baseball, and track)
  • Won the co-athlete of the year award in 1947
  • Personal:
    > Married to his wife Virginia for 25 years with two children (Beth Ann and David)
    > Employed by Universal Concrete for 25 years
  • Best Boyertown Football memory: A 1947 game against undefeated West Reading; Boyertown missed two extra points and lost 14-12

 

Ralph Borneman (1952-54; player and coach)

 

  • Boyertown Class of 1956
  • Played quarterback, cornerback, kicker, and punter from 1953-1955
  • Lead team to 7-1 record as a junior in 1954
  • Named to All Berks and All Schuylkill Valley League teams as a senior in 1955
  • Also played basketball and baseball at Boyertown
  • Played football at Muhlenberg College (Division 1-AA at the time)
  • Played professional football in the Atlantic Coast Football League with the Harrisburg Capitals in 1964 and 1965
  • Coached football and baseball at Boyertown for 7 years
  • Personal:
    > Married to his wife Cheryl for 33 years with 3 children (Amy, Brad, and John)
    > Former teacher in the Boyertown School District
  • Best Boyertown Football memory: Playing in the first game ever between Boyertown and Pottstown in front of 7,000 people with both teams undefeated (Boyertown won 12-6);  Coaching the Boyertown team that defeated Coatesville 13-7 at Scott Field

 

Jack Lignelli (1961-1963; player)

 

  • Boyertown Class of 1964
  • Played quarterback from 1961 to 1963
  • Earned All Ches-Mont and All Berks honors in 1962 and 1963
  • Named as All State honorable mention in 1963 as a senior
  • Captain of 1962 Chest-Mont championship team
  • Passed for 5 touchdowns in a 1963 game against Muhlenberg
  • Lettered in 3 sports (football, basketball, and track) at Boyertown
  • Played quarterback and kicker at Villanova University
  • Personal:
    > Married to his wife Linda for 35 years and have a 3 children (Joanna, John II, and Julianne)
    > Is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon here in Boyertown
  • Best Boyertown Football memory: Come-from-behind victory on Thanksgiving in 1962 to clinch the Chest-Mont Championship

 

Jerry Merkel (1955-2000;  PA announcer)

 

  • "Voice of Boyertown Football" from 1955-2000
  • Also announced Boyertown basketball (40 years) and Boyertown wrestling (38 years)
  • Taught Safety Education in the Boyertown School District from 1953 to 1985 (32 years)
  • Personal:
    > Married to his wife Ethel for 35 years with six children (Greg, Cindy, Mark, John, Tom, and Greg) and seven grandchildren
    > Retired from Occidental Chemical as a senior operator
  • Best Boyertown Football memory:  Beating Coatesville at home; The Lyn Sorber coaching era; Winning the Ches-Mont Championship in 1962, 1967, and 1977
  • The two teams that finished number 1 in the area in 1989 and 1991 under Bob Hillegas

 

Vic Prutzman (1944-46; player)

 

  • Boyertown Class of 1947
  • Played right half back and defensive back in 1945 and 1946
  • Lettered in 4 sports his junior year (football, basketball, baseball, and track)
  • Personal:
    > Married to his wife Marie for 51 years with one son, Darrell
    > Retired from Schaeffer Floor Covering where he was a linoleum engineer
  • Best Boyertown Football memory: Beating arch rival Shillington; Thanksgiving Day against East Greenville when they flooded one half of the field and turned it into a sheet of ice

 

Cliff Reigner (1960-62; player)

 

  • Boyertown Class of 1963
  • Played offensive guard and defensive tackle from 1960-1962
  • Anchored both lines for the 1962 Ches-Mont championship team
  • Named All Berks and All Ches-Mont teams in both junior and senior years
  • Named All State Regional team as a senior in 1962
  • Named to Reading Eagle Team of the 1960s
  • Ran track for Boyertown (quarter mile and 800 meter) and broke the Berks County record for the 800 (1:58:09)
  • Personal:
    > Has 3 children (Barb, Doug, and Jason)
    > Retired from Occidental Chemical as a senior operator
  • Best Boyertown Football Memory: Come-from-behind victory over Spring-Ford on Thanksgiving in 1962 to clinch the Chest-Month Championship

 

Eugene Rothenberger (1949-51; player)

 

  • Boyertown Class of 1951
  • Player half back and safety from 1949 to 1951
  • Also participated in track (110 meter low hurdles and broad jump)
  • Still holds Boyertown record for 110 meter low hurdles
  • Still holds broad jump record (23'1") at Juniata College
  • Inducted into Juniata College Sports Hall of Fame
  • Personal:
    > Married to his wife Nancy for 50 years with two daughters (Tammy and Elizabeth)
  • Best Boyertown Football Memory: A 79 yard touchdown run (then school record); Playing Pennsylvania School for the Deaf during junior year

 

Laverne "Duke" Snyder (1951-53; player)

 

  • Boyertown Class of 1954 (President of his class)
  • Played half back and defensive back from 1951 to 1953
  • Named to All Berks team as a senior in 1953
  • Was captain of 3 sports teams his senior year (football, basketball, and baseball)
  • Personal:
    > Married to his wife Nancy for 49 years with one daughter (Denise)
    > Worked at the former Moreysville Body Works
    > Former owner of the Grill Shop in Boyertown
  • Best Boyertown Football memory: Senior year when team started 6-0 in the Schuylkill Valley League ( eventaully lost last 3 games); Duke wanted to thank all of his teammates because football is not a one-man game - it takes a team to win
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