WEST PITTSTON — The Wyoming Area Football Alumni Association will induct four members into the Wyoming Area Ring of Pride during the Friday, Sept. 23 game against Scranton Prep.
The following former players will be recognized: Matt Williams, Larry Marianacci, Mike Birosik, Chris Towns and Marty Pepe. Along with recognizing the Ring of Pride inductees, Wyoming Area will also honor the 50th anniversary football team from 1966.
Prior to the game, a luncheon will be held at noon at Marianacci’s for the 2016 inductees, current Ring of Pride members, and members of the 1966 team. At 6 p.m., all members will gather in the Wyoming Area locker room. The Ring of Pride ceremony and the recognition of the 1966 team will be held at halftime. An after-party will be held at Sabatini’s in Exeter.
Homecoming for Wyoming Area will be held at the Friday, Oct. 7 game against GAR.
Matt Williams
Williams graduated from Wyoming Area in 2003 and was a four-year letterwinner for the Warriors. He won the Carmello Falcone MVP in 2001 and was captain of the baseball and football teams. In 2002, he helped the Warriors to the Eastern Conference title and won the Al Ciampi Memorial Scholarship.
Williams currently resides in Texas and is the vice president for JP Morgan Chase.
Larry Marianacci
Larry Marianacci is a 1978 graduate of Wyoming Area. He was a Times Leader All-Scholastic First Team Linebacker and was named the 1977 Wyoming Area Most Valuable Player. He was named honorable mention all-state in 1977. Marianacci was named MVP of the final Pittston Area-Wyoming Area Thanksgiving game played.
Marianacci graduated from Penn State University in 1982 with a degree in business administration and participated in the Penn State Ski Club and Penn State Tennis Team.
Marianacci resides in Dallas with his wife, Jill, and two daughters, Sarah and Katharine.
Chris Towns
A 1998 graduate of Wyoming Area, Towns was a three-year letter winner for the Warriors on the football field. In three of his seasons, the Warriors won the district championship. In his senior year, the Warriors margin of victory was 26.6 points per game. Towns was named all-conference and all-regional.
He received a full scholarship to the University of Connecticut. Towns would leave UConn to pursue his academic career at Johnson College. He received a degree in architectural drafting and design. He currently serves as the chief event coordinator for Mountain Sky Music and Arts Festival.
Towns is the son of Lynda Savinski and grandson of Barb and George Hetro. He and his wife, Ariana, have a daughter named Christyana. They live in Wyoming.
Marty Pepe
Pepe graduated from Wyoming Area in 1991 and was named first-team all-conference in his senior year. He lettered in football in 1990 and 1991, while lettering in track and field from 1989 to 1991. He played in the 1991 Unico Game.
At Shippensburg, Pepe was second-team all-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in 1994 and 1995. Both years, he was selected as the team’s defensive MVP. He was team captain in 1995. Pepe’s 428 career tackles are fourth all time at Shippensburg. His 83 solo tackles in 1995 are second all time.
Pepe currently lives in Mukwonago, Wisconsin with his wife Amy. The couple has two children, Reagan and Jackson. He works for Lincoln Financial Group as an account executive. Outside of work, Pepe is involved with the Ronald McDonald House of Milwaukee, and Habitat for Humanity of Milwaukee.
Honoring 1966 team
Outside of inductee these four members into the Ring of Pride, Wyoming Area will also honor its first football team from 1966. In that first season, Wyoming Area finished 7-4 while holding opponents to just 14 points per game. The Warriors had wins over Dallas, Forty-Fort, Hanover, Nanticoke, Plains, Plymouth and GAR.
Along with the Ring of Pride members, the Paul Marranca-coached team will be honored at halftime.
