Girls' Nights Out

This article appeared in the Feb. 26, 1956, edition of The Derrick. Katie Koontz is believed to be the first girl from Venango County to make an All-America team. This was during a period when high schools didn't field teams. She starred on the Tartans with Sis Mooney, Margie Danzer, Mary Walentosky and Mary Burchanowski among others. Bob Tidwell was coach but the team was founded in 1953 by Beverly Lauffer (later Suhr). Koontz was also an outstanding tennis player and swimmer and was a cheerleader for OCHS.

The Tartans  were special guests of a reunion planned by Jodi Gault and teammates in July 2024 at Hasson Park.

On-again, off-again saga of girls hoops

Girls have done better at the next level of hoops than boys once they leave Venango County. See what Cranberry's Susan Blauser and Carrie Melat and Franklin's Hillary Hager have done on the Division I level. Jodi Gault, one of the first stars of the "modern era" went on got become a big winner at Pitt-Johnstown.

Girls basketball has a checkered past in Venango County. Pictured here are the 1939 Cranberry Berries. Franklin was winning big by 1918, and VC and Cranberry all have won state titles.