Clarion Athletics

Don Stemmerich was an outstanding two-sport athlete, but is probably best remembered as a leader on the outstanding 1952 basketball team at Clarion. Stemmerich helped the team to a 17-0 regular season record that year and two wins in the NAIB District 30 Playoffs, including Stemmerich's last second shot to defeat Millersville 50-49 in the NAIB District 30 Championship game which sent Clarion to the NAIB National Tournament. Clarion lost in the first round to Utah State, but posted its best ever season by percentage at 19-1. Don held the career scoring record at 1,200 points (1950-53). plus the single game record of 38 points in the l952-53 season, a season he captained. Don also earned letters in baseball at Clarion and was team captain his senior year. He also was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma, the Outdoor Club, and the Varsity C Club at Clarion. A 1953 graduate in math-science, the Wilkinsburg, PA , native played baseball in the NY Yankee arm system at Oneonta, NY, the summer after graduation. He was also drafted by the Baltimore Bullets of the NBA, but entered the army for two years. Don has been employed at Union High School (Rimersburg, PA) for 36 years and has coached boys' basketball since the 1955-56 season. Recently Don notched his 600th career win at Union.