IN Peters Township August/September 2019 | Page 51

As director of athletics for 20 years, Maize helped lead
an athletic program that included 22 high school varsity
programs—12 for boys and 10 for girls—and a middle school
program of nine sports and two club sport programs—boys
hockey and boys lacrosse. “I believe one of my greatest
accomplishments as the athletic director, with the help of our
building principal at the time, Tom Hajzus, was to convince our
superintendent and Board of Education that girls lacrosse must
be included in our athletic program as a fully funded varsity
sport,” says Maize. “We became the only public school at that
time to sponsor girls lacrosse as a varsity sport.”
While serving as athletic director and head baseball coach,
Maize became involved in many of the organizations that help
promote athletics in Washington, Greene and Fayette counties.
Over the years he served as the president, vice president and
secretary of the Tri-County Athletic Directors Association. He
also held leadership positions in the Big 10 and Big 8 Athletic
Conferences. In baseball, Maize helped with the organization
of the WPIAL Baseball Coaches Association and served as vice
president, having gotten involved with the WPIAL by serving
on its Soccer Steering Committee, of which he’s been a member
since 1986 and chairman since 2012. Maize has also served on
the WPIAL Hall of Fame Committee for the past three years.
“I have really enjoyed working in these various organizations
and committees while representing Peters Township
athletics,” he says.
Maize was an excellent coach, not only leading PT baseball
to many championships and accolades, but also taking the time
to instill values in the players. He talked with his team about
respecting the game, the uniform and ball cap they were wearing,
their teammates, opponents and the umpires. Sportsmanship and
respect were a must in Maize’s program.
He couldn’t be more proud of what his baseball coaching staff
has accomplished in the past 35 years. “Rudy Pokorny has been
with our program for 26 years, Jack Kerekes for 25 years, Andy
Manion for 15 years and Jake Orend for three years,” says Maize.
“We had two coaches who volunteered hundreds of hours to help
our players get better–Jim Rider and Mike Dilucia–and have
been important members of the coaching staff. All of these men
love the game of baseball, enjoy teaching the game and working
with our high school student athletes.”
“We have won two WPIAL Championships and a silver medal
in a third championship game,” Maize recounts. “We participated
in the WPIAL and PIAA state playoffs for many years and our
team played for a PIAA State Championship in 2004 and 2005—
earning silver medals in both of those finals. Our teams have won
422 games during that time with a winning percentage of .664.”
“I hope when people think about Peters Township HS
baseball, they compare us to athletic programs in the WPIAL
that are well-respected and have been successful on a continuous
basis,” he continues. “I hope we have gained the same respect as
some of the most successful programs in the WPIAL.”
Maize has had eight players who wore the Indians jersey
move on to sign professional baseball contracts, and three of
those alumni have made it to the major leagues—Chris Peters,
Brian Simmons and Jordan Jankowski. Seven of the players
were drafted by a Major League team after they went on to play
college baseball. One player, Justin Bianco, signed a contract with
the Arizona Diamondbacks right out of high school. Maize has
helped more than 100 players reach their goal of playing baseball
at the collegiate level.
He felt the timing was right for retirement at the end of this
year’s successful season. “There’s really so much I will miss about
being Peters Township’s head baseball coach,” says Maize. “Of
course, I will miss the players who, especially this year, have been
a great group of young men who I couldn’t be more proud of—
truly excellent leaders. I’ll also miss talking to members of the
media, from newspapers to magazines and television reporters.
I’ll without a doubt miss my coaching staff, and I’ll even miss the
umpires I’ve worked with!”
This season, Maize was voted Big 56 Conference Section 3
Coach of the Year by his peers. He was recognized at the Big
56 banquet that was held in Monroeville in May. In previous
years, Maize received Tri-County Coach of the Year, Tri-County
AD Association Coach of the Year, WPIAL Baseball Coaches
Association Coach of the Year and more.
“Through all of the years I’ve had the privilege of being the
head baseball coach at Peters Township High School, the greatest
satisfaction I have received is when I run into one of my former
players who has returned to live in the township,” says Maize.
“They introduce their sons to me and tell them that I was their
high school coach. All of them have told me that they hope their
kids can play for me when they get older.”   ■
SUCCESS OF THE 2019 PTHS
BASEBALL TEAM
The 2019 team had a successful regular season
record of 13-6 with a 9-3 record in section play—
once again qualifying for the WPIAL playoffs.
Three players received All-Conference First Team
recognition and three players received Second
Team recognition. The First Team selections were
Dom Campagna, C; Tom Colcombe, P; and Jackson
McCloskey, OF. The Second Team selections were
Sam Quinn, 1B; Dax Ploskina, SS; and Mark Lehman,
OF/P. Head Coach Joe Maize was voted by his peers
in 6A Section 3 as 2019 Coach of the Year.
PETERS TOWNSHIP
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