Pittston Area softball team honored at school board meeting

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The Pittston Area softball team was honored by the school board at Wednesday night’s monthly meeting.

The team’s 2024 season ended with a loss in extra innings to Thomas Jefferson in the PIAA Class 5A state championship game. The program’s success over the past half-decade, under the leadership of Frank Parente, has won the Lady Patriots much praise in the Pittston Area community. The school board can now be added to that list of admirers.

“We came up a little short this time around,” said superintendent Kevin Booth, “but we’re still extremely proud of all the accomplishments of the girls — their hard work.”

Pittston Area Senior High School Principal Christopher Lazevnick presented each member of the team with a gift of recognition from the school board.

Special recognition was given to 2024 graduate Gianna Adams, whose career accomplishments and statistics account for multiple school records. Booth announced at the meeting that Adams’ number 16 jersey will not be worn by another Pittston Area softball player, thereby retiring the number in her honor.

Parente spoke to those at the board meeting about the 2024 team’s accomplishments and their devotion to the program.

“I’ve never had a group of girls, from the years I traveled with travel softball to now … that never complained about the three hours practices, never complained about the long days or the heat,” Parente said. “All they wanted was more.”

The board also:

• Approved a refund of $24.31 in taxes to Raymond R. Kasa Jr.

• Approved “the partial and therapeutic educational agreements between the school district and Children’s Service Center.”

• Appointed Samuel J. Marranca Construction Consulting Inc. for interior and exterior repairs to the high school and primary center buildings. Projects listed among the impending repairs include sidewalk, exterior lighting and the carpet replacement projects.

• Appointed the following to extra-curricular positions: Dwane Downing, varsity football coach; Charles Duddek, volunteer boys soccer coach; Gianna Adams, volunteer varsity softball coach; and Stacy Draus Christmas, volunteer junior high school volleyball coach.