The doors to the Charleroi Area High School Soccer Hall of Fame opened for Vince Russell and George Watkins on Tuesday, October 3.

Russell and Watkins, both 1991 graduate of CAHS, were inducted in ceremonies at halftime of the WPIAL Class A Section 4 men's varsity game between the Cougars and Connellsville Geibel at Cougar Stadium.

"Vince and George are most deserving of this recognition," Tom Villella, assistant coach at CAHS  who helps coordinate the Hall of Fame program, said. "They have distinguished themselves as soccer players and in life."

Russell was a four-year letter winner in soccer at Charleroi Area and also participated in varsity basketball. He co-captained the Cougar booters as a junior and senior and broke the school's single season scoring record with 23 goals in 1989. He finished his career with 58 goals in helping lead the Cougars, who were guided by head coach Ed Corona and his assistant, Tom Villella, to four successive WPIAL Class AA playoff berths.

For his efforts, Russell was a three-time All-WPIAL selection and received All-State (PIAA) honors as a senior. He also was selected twice as the Most Valuable Player in his section, played in the annual North-South All-Star game as a senior, was named to the Post-Gazette's Finest 12 WPIAL players in 1990 and was recognized as an Athlete of the Year by the Downtown AC in his senior year.

In addition to playing high school soccer, Russell also distinguished himself as a youth performer with the Beadling Soccer Club from 1985 to 1991. He led Beadling to the Eastern Region finals in Niagara Falls in 1989 and 1990. He also was selected to the Region 1 All-Star Camp in 1989 as one of the top 50 players from 10 eastern states.

Russell was graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management in 1985. He completed his soccer career at CMU as a four-year varsity letter winner and as the school's all-time career assist leader with 39, a mark that still stands, and posted 14 goals. He started every game during his college career and was an All University Athletic Association (UAA) selection as a senior, when he helped CMU gain its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

Russell is a vice president at Mead, Adam & Company, an investment management firm headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. He and his wife Maria and the parents of two children, Vivian and Vito, and are expecting their third child in April 2007. Russell is active in the community as a trustee of the YMCA of Greater Dayton and the Big Brother, Big Sisters of the Miami Valley. He also has coached youth soccer.

Watkins, a resident of McMurray, earned two varsity letters as a goalie at Charleroi Area High.

He co-captained the Cougars as a junior and senior, posted 12 career shutouts and earned All-Section honors in 1989 and 1990.
Watkins also earned varsity letters in soccer and rugby at Valley Forge Military Academy, where he was graduated in 1993. He captained the VFMA soccer team in his second season and was chosen team MVP two consecutive years.

Watkins has worked for several years as a sales representative for Merritt Medical and also as a soccer coach on the high school level. He was an assistant at Charleroi Area High for four years and is now in his sixth season as head coach of the varsity men's team.

In addition, Watkins continues his playing career as one of the top goalies on the senior men's level in the region. He is currently playing for the Norwin Internationals in the West Penn Adult Soccer Association's Over-30 League. He previously played for the Highway Appliance Dunlevy Redbirds, who won the Greater Pittsburgh Soccer League championship, in 2003, as well as Penn's Forest, Monongahela, Beadling, and Straub's Mon Valley United as a youth and adult player.

Watkins and his wife, the former Corrie Sukla, are the parents of two children, Alyssa, 10, and Kayla, 3.

As this year's inductees, Russell and Watkins joined the following as members of the CAHS Men's Soccer Hall of Fame:


1989 -- Jon Kruczek, Reno Cheti
1990 -- Mike Borelli, Cal Montgomery
1991 -- Jack Shannon, Jack Jacobs
1992 -- Dennis Laskey, Pete Gialames
1993 -- Dave Paterline, Oliver E. Shoemaker
1994 -- Lou DiBernardi, Robin Rossi
1995 -- Cliff (Kip) Harosky, Larry Antonucci
1996 -- Danny Haywood, Chris McCrory
1997 -- Pete Labrasca, Bill Marraccini
1998 -- Mark Tuccelli, Bill Marsich
1999 -- Jeff Heino, Randy Powell
2000 -- Ed Corona, Dan Pieri
2001 -- Tom Villella, Dave King
2002 -- Ron Lupori, Keith Conte
2003 Bobby Urwin Jr., Chris Paglia
2004 Jason Miller, Dave Colditz
2005 Darrin Lupori, Luke Paglia