When sports fans think of Chuck DeVenzio,
they automatically call to mind the magical, unbeaten 1967 Ambridge
High School state championship basketball team. And why not? Many
believe that the 1966-1967 Bridgers remain the greatest high school
basketball team in Beaver County history. After graduating from
Coraopolis High School in 1938, Chuck moved on to Geneva College,
where his career had two different stages (1940-43 and 1946-47) due
to a three year stint in the Navy. As a basketball player for the
Golden Tornados, Chuck started four seasons as a forward, earning
honorable mention All State honors three years, and leading the tri
state area in scoring for two years. After college, Chuck began an
exceptional career as a high school basketball coach, accumulating
over 650 wins at such places as North Lima (OH), Springdale,
Ambridge, and North Allegheny and at a private
school in Charlotte, North Carolina. Still, it is the Ambridge state title
team that remains the highlight of Chuck's career, a team that went a perfect 27-0
and won the state championship
game by 32 points. Chuck joined four other
members of that hallowed team in the Beaver County Sports Hall of
Fame: his son,
Dick DeVenzio (1985);
Dennis Wuycik (1983);
Frank Kaufman (2001);
and Walt Ostrowski Jr. (2003).
When sports fans think of Chuck DeVenzio,
they automatically call to mind the magical, unbeaten 1967 Ambridge
High School state championship basketball team. And why not? Many
believe that the 1966-1967 Bridgers remain the greatest high school
basketball team in Beaver County history. After graduating from
Coraopolis High School in 1938, Chuck moved on to Geneva College,
where his career had two different stages (1940-43 and 1946-47) due
to a three year stint in the Navy. As a basketball player for the
Golden Tornados, Chuck started four seasons as a forward, earning
honorable mention All State honors three years, and leading the tri
state area in scoring for two years. After college, Chuck began an
exceptional career as a high school basketball coach, accumulating
over 650 wins at such places as North Lima (OH), Springdale,
Ambridge, and North Allegheny and at a private
school in Charlotte, North Carolina. Still, it is the Ambridge state title
team that remains the highlight of Chuck's career, a team that went a perfect 27-0
and won the state championship
game by 32 points. Chuck joined four other
members of that hallowed team in the Beaver County Sports Hall of
Fame: his son,