I began my career here at WNEP-TV 16 in November of 1990 as the video coordinator for the 5pm news after graduating from Kutztown University. And branched out into shooting news and operating our KU Satellite trucks quickly thereafter.
I've covered the Democratic National Convention in New York City in 1992, and then made the trip to Woodstock NY in 1994.
I've also taken many flights in Skycam 16 with Jack Ruland, Dave Frey, and Randy Freeman over the years. We once flew into NYC to JFK to pick up a tape and flew over the Statue of Liberty.
In 1997 I switched departments and went from the news department over to sports when sports photographer Dave Bertram left for North Carolina with his family. Over the years I've had the pleasure to work with Jimmy Coles, Tim Karlsson, Jay Kristopher, Tom Tidey, Drew Mitchell, David Pingalore, Sharla McBride, Brian Sinkoff, Joe Zone, Paul Oles, Landon Stolar, Mike Cholko, Paul Grippi, Courtney Harrison, Ron Snyder and others.
I enjoy covering all the high-school sports that we have here in NEPA including the AAA RailRiders, the AHL Penguins, Penn State, and the other local colleges and universities.
I’m married now for 21 years to my beautiful wife Amy (who teaches 4th graders at ITE in the Scranton School District ) We have one son Zach who is 19 years old now. Zach is a pitcher now for the Wilkes Colonels baseball team. And 2nd Team All-Landmark Conference his freshman season. Going 62 innings pitched with a 2.88 ERA.
Some favorite sports moments:
(1) Bucknell Men’s Basketball Patriot League Championships with McNaughton and Muscala.
(2) The AHL 2001 Calder Cup Finals in Canada with the Penguins. Trip to New Brunswick Canada and St. John with Dennis Bonvie. Great food and the reversing falls.
(3) Gerry McNamara from Bishop Hannan hitting the game winning shot for Syracuse against Notre Dame in the Carrier Dome in front of 33,000 fans in attendance (2002)
(4) Brennan King of the SWB Red Barons in 2006 hitting for the natural cycle and ending it with a grand slam on his last at bat.
(5) Covering the Governor’s Cup 2008 championship in Durham, North Carolina with Paul Kielbasa-first title for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 20 seasons of minor league baseball. Field of Dreams shot there and ran into the Black Widow-World Billiards Champion Jeanette Lee.
(6) Best hitters I’ve see in SWB history are Chase Utley, Marlon Anderson, Shane Victorino, Jon Zuber, and Brett Gardner.
(7) Stories on the Pottsville Maroons. Such rich football history there.
(8) Meeting one the original Harlem Globetrotters at Lock Haven Univ-Jumpin Johnny Wilson. Mr Indiana Basketball in 1947.
(9) Jerry Rice, Randall Cunningham, Ted Williams and Pete Rose at Trexlertown Card Show 1987.
(10) Watching Judge, Austin, Sanchez, Teixeira Home Run derby at PNC Field summer of 2016 SWB RailRiders
I've been at WNEP now for 33 years. 8 full years in news and now my 25th in the sports department.
I love covering all of the high-school sports across our 19 county coverage area.
Best of luck to all of the athletes.
