North Hills Sports Hall of Fame to add 5 alumni Sept. 10

Five North Hills School District alumni make up the 20th class of inductees to the North Hills Sports Hall of Fame.

William Knoch, Class of 1960; Vince Sebal, Class of 1983; Rhonda Caye Vorndran, Class of 1980; Tim White, Class of 1969; and Rich Esswein, Class of 1981, will be honored at a banquet Sept. 10 and at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 before the start of the North Hills football game at Martorelli Stadium in West View.

Founded in 1995, the hall — a community program not affiliated with the school district — recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in athletics at North Hills High School and the former West View High School and beyond.

Chelle Zimmerman, the school district's activities coordinator, said the hall has 103 members, including former NFL star LaVar Arrington and North Hills High School football coach Pat Carey.

The deadline for banquet reservations has passed.

William Knoch

After starring in baseball at North Hills, Knoch, 73, of Ross spent nine seasons in the Pirates organization as a pitcher, rising to the Triple A level, one short of the major leagues.

He led North Hills to the WPIAL baseball semifinals his junior and senior years and also played football and basketball in high school.

Knoch, who is married and has two sons and a daughter, plans a short acceptance speech at the induction ceremony.

“You have to be sincere, be brief, (then) be seated,” said Knoch, who retired from a global sales and marketing company he founded.

Vince Sebal

Sebal, a football and track and field standout at North Hills, said he was honored just to be nominated.

“Being selected was very humbling,” said Sebal, 50, who lives in Doylestown, Bucks County, and heads a video and electronic-media services company.

“When I think back on my accomplishments, I know that none of it could have been possible without all the fantastic people around me: my family, friends, teammates and especially coaches.”

Sebal, who is married and has two sons, played for the University of Louisville in Kentucky after helping the North Hills football team to a WPIAL title in 1982. He also was a WPIAL high-jump champion.

Rhonda Caye Vorndran

Vorndran, who also played basketball and volleyball, shined in softball. As a junior, she hit over .500 for an Indians team that won the section championship.

She batted over .300 and led North Hills to WPIAL and state titles as a senior.

An outfielder, she went on to play for Clarion University.

Vorndran, 53, of Pine said the call informing her of her induction triggered memories.

“It's nice to be remembered,” said Vorndran, who is married, has two college-age daughters and works as a tester for a food company.

“As you grow older, you forget (about your athletic career),” she said.

Tim White

White, 64, of Manteo, N.C., said things he learned playing baseball and basketball for North Hills have helped him as a person.

“(Sports teaches you) how to respect other people and other ideas,” he said.

He was an outfielder on the baseball team that won section titles and made the WPIAL playoffs in 1968-69 and was a standout guard on the North Hills basketball team.

White began his college basketball career at the University of Arkansas before transferring to Appalachian State in North Carolina.

He became an assistant basketball coach and then head coach at Manteo High School in North Carolina and was part of two teams that made it to the state semifinals.

Married, White has two children and is the public-services director for Dare County, N.C.,

Rich Esswein

Esswein, 52, of Ross, is entering the hall as a community contributor for his many efforts to support the North Hills sports program over the years.

He started supporting young athletes early. The North Hills varsity wrestler coached youth wrestlers as a student at North Hills.

Esswein, who competed at the University of Pittsburgh, works as a sales engineer for a building products company, said he is “extremely honored” to be inducted to the hall.

“We joke in my family about the deep roots we have in the North Hills (School District),” said Esswein, adding his wife also is a North Hills graduate.

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer for Trib Total Media.