The 2015 football season kicks off for the Jeannette Jayhawks at noon Saturday, but the campaign to reach 700 wins this year is well under way.

Jeannette, which enters the season with 698 wins, will be the first team in Westmoreland County to reach the 700-win mark and just the second team in Western Pennsylvania to earn that honor. New Castle earned its 700th victory in 2012.

The Jeannette Varsity Football and Cheerleaders Parents Club and the school district's athletic department has several plans to celebrate this milestone.

This spring, the club held a contest to solicit local artists to design a logo representing the team's 700th win and Diane Rinier answered the call.

Rinier, a lifelong resident and 1969 Jeannette graduate, often enters artistic contests. Her mother, Ursula Sollecchio, is an artist and they often created together. Her father is the late Vincent Sollecchio.

She's planning to enter the Jeannette Arts Council logo design contest that is currently under way.

Her winning design features a Jayhawk kicking a football — which has flames shooting out the back — through the goal post. The football says “700 wins” and the picture is framed by the words Jeannette Jayhawks.

“It just kind of came to me,” Rinier said, who added that the Jayhawk and the goalpost was where her vision began. “I'm pleased with how it turned out and I'm proud to be a part of this. I haven't comprehended it yet.”

Rinier, retired from Jeannette Hospital and Excela Health, and her husband, Tony Rinier, a retired teacher, still attend a lot of Jeannette football games. Their son, Shaun, played for the Jayhawks and their daughter, Brooke, was a cheerleader. At one time, Rinier was president of the parents' club.

The big celebration planned to mark the 700th win is set for Sept. 25, the home game against Wilkinsburg.

Part of that celebration calls for former players, cheerleaders and band members to wear special shirts indicating the years they represented Jeannette (see sidebar).

Shaun, who is now a teacher at Penn-Trafford, and Brooke, who is now a marketing director at Duncan Financial in Irwin and mom to 4-year-old Gia, plan to attend the festivities.

“They already have their shirts,” Rinier said, with a big smile.

The shirts for alumni to wear that night must be ordered by next Thursday.

“It's a tradition — going to games.

“You see people you know, it's really something. The Steelers are to Pittsburgh as the Jayhawks are to Jeannette.”

Reserved season tickets will be on sale from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at McKee Stadium's upper ticket booth.

Season tickets are $20, covering four regular season home games.

In her free time, Rinier enjoys painting and visiting thrift stores in search of pieces to redo and upcycle.

“My mother was detailed in her artwork and I can't do the abstract stuff,” said Rinier, who is considering joining the Jeannette Arts Council. “My granddaughter inspires me. ”

Rinier spends a lot of time babysitting Gia and the two like to work on art projects together, just like Rinier and her mother.

“When we had kids, (my mother) had them all over for craft day,” Rinier said, joking that every day is craft day for Gia.

Kristie Linden is an editor for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at klinden@tribweb.com or 724-838-5154.

---

Copyright ©2026— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---