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Bergey, Bailey selected to Section VI HOF

OBSERVER File Photo Shown is Bill Bergey, a graduate of Pine Valley Central School and a former professional football player.

WEST SENECA — Three area natives will be will be inducted into the Section VI Hall of Fame later this year.

Football player Bill Bergey, administrator Cheryl Bailey and baseball coach Chuck Senn are among 14 people who comprise the Class of 2019. The induction ceremony will be held Dec. 6 at The Commons Banquets in Elma. The announcement was made Wednesday.

Bergey, a Pine Valley Central School graduate, was an All-American at Arkansas State University; and played professionally with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles where he was a five-time Pro Bowl linebacker and earned a place in both the Eagles and Philadelphia halls of fame.

Bailey, who is a Southwestern Central School graduate, is the former executive director of the National Women’s Soccer League; was the former general manager of the United States women’s national soccer team; and served as athletic director at Denison University; served in athletic administration at the University of Wisconsin; served as the chairman of the NCAA Division 1 Basketball Committee from 2001-04; and also served on the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Executive Committee.

Both Bailey and Bergey are also inductees of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2019 and 1989 respectively.

OBSERVER File Photo Shown is Cheryl Bailey, a Southwestern Central School graduate and a former administrator of the National Women’s Soccer League and of the US Women’s National Team.

Senn, meanwhile, retired this spring after 45 years as the baseball coach at then-Cattaraugus and now Cattaraugus-Little Valley central schools. Along the way he amassed more than 600 career victories, 26 Section VI semifinals and 11 championship games. Cattaraugus won sectional titles in 1986 and 1988 while the Timberwolves won in 2003.

Others inductees in the Class of 2019 are the late Robert Barczak (administrator, Sweet Home); Paul Borkowski (coach, Alden); the late Tommy Colella (athlete, Albion); J. Peter Dygert (contributor, BOCES); Fran Hagerty (athlete, Niagara Wheatfield); Joe Ehrman (athlete, Riverside); Dick Harvey (coach, Kenmore-Tonawanda); Ron Jaworski (athlete, Lackawanna); Hal Ruppert (administrator, Starpoint); William Stedman (administrator, Barker); and the late Janice Williams (coach, Akron).

The Section VI Hall of Fame was established to honor and recognize those, within its organization, who excelled in their roles as athletes, administrators, coaches, officials or contributors for their meritorious service.

The induction banquet will begin at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 6 with a cash bar and dinner, followed by the induction ceremony. Dinner reservations are $30 per person. Reservations must be made by Nov. 19 to pturski@e1b.org or to Pauline Turski at 821-7581.

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