The Trojan's Spear - Derry Area Alumni Association

04/07/2026

We Are Now Accepting Nominations! 🎉

Do you know an outstanding alum who deserves recognition? We're accepting nominations for the Alumni Hall of Fame!

📅 Deadline: May 29, 2026
🔗 Nomination Info & Criteria: https://thespear.dasd.us/hall-of-fame

Help us celebrate the incredible achievements of our alumni—submit your nomination today! 🏆

12/03/2025

🌟 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 🌟

👇 Check out how 2021 alumnus David McElfresh is giving back and making a positive impact on our current Trojans!

We love seeing our alumni continue the tradition of leadership, service, and Trojan pride! 💛💙

10/21/2025

🎉 Missed our Hall of Fame Ceremony in September? Don’t worry—you can watch the entire event on YouTube! 📺✨

Relive the unforgettable moments, inspiring speeches, and well-deserved honors right from the comfort of your home. 🏆🎤

On September 13, 2025, we invited Derry Area School District Alumni to join us for our 3rd Annual Hall of Fame Ceremony.

09/21/2025

🌟 A huge THANK YOU to all of our incredible hole sponsors! 🌟

Your generosity and support made this event possible, and we couldn’t have done it without you. 💛 💙

⛳ Here’s to making a difference — one swing at a time! 🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♀️

09/19/2025

💙💛 Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Blue and Gold Social following the Hall of Fame Ceremony!

The laughter, memories, and fellowship shared made this weekend truly special — exactly what it’s all about. 🥂✨

Here’s to celebrating our amazing Alumni and Friends and the connections that last a lifetime!

09/17/2025

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for our 3rd Annual Hall of Fame Ceremony! 🙌💛 It was a truly special evening celebrating individuals who have made a lasting impact on Derry Area School District and our community.

Let’s give one more big round of applause to this year’s amazing inductees, honored for their outstanding achievements in:
🎓 Academics
🏅 Athletics
🎭 Fine Arts
🏆 Lifetime Achievement
❤️ Humanitarian Efforts
💼 Business & Entrepreneurship

Your legacy continues to inspire and set an example for current and future generations of Derry students. 💙

09/15/2025

✨ Thank you to our amazing Alumni and Friends for making this a weekend to remember! ✨

We kicked things off with a day full of events, and we’ll be sharing photos throughout the week so you can relive all the fun.

To start, here’s a look at the incredible golfers who teed off bright and early Saturday morning for our 3rd Annual Alumni & Friends Golf Outing! ⛳️

Stay tuned — more memories are coming your way! 💙💛

09/11/2025

🎉 It’s almost time! Alumni and Friends Weekend kicks off Friday, September 12 at 7:00 PM at Trojan Stadium as our Trojans take on the Burrell Buccaneers under the lights! 🏈💙💛

But that’s just the beginning — Saturday, September 13 is packed with events you won’t want to miss:

⛳ Golf Outing
7:30 AM Registration | 8:30 AM Shotgun Start
Mannitto Golf Club, 41 Bush Road, New Alexandria, PA 15670

🎵 Alumni Band Concert
2:00 PM
Derry Area Middle School Auditorium
Celebrate the musical legacy of Derry Area with an unforgettable concert featuring talented alumni musicians spanning decades!

🏆 Hall of Fame Ceremony
5:30 PM
Derry Area Middle School Auditorium
Join us in honoring the 2025 Derry Area School District Hall of Fame Inductees as we celebrate their outstanding achievements and lasting legacy within our school community.

✨ Blue & Gold Social
Immediately following the Hall of Fame Ceremony (approx. 7:30 PM)
Rosemary’s Country Kitchen, 324 Pittsburgh Street, Derry, PA 15627
An evening of fellowship, fine food, and fun as we reconnect and reminisce.

Come out for a weekend full of Trojan pride and tradition! 🙌

09/03/2025

🌟 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 🌟

🏐 Athletic Team Award – 1995 Derry Area Boys’ Volleyball Team

Coming off a PIAA silver medal season in 1994, the 1995 Trojans were ready to take the next step—and they did it in dominant fashion.

The team competed in five invitational tournaments, claiming three championships and finishing runner-up in the other two. Their most notable win came at the 20-team York Panther Classic, a tournament featuring many of Pennsylvania’s top-ranked programs.

In section play, Derry was unstoppable, posting a perfect 14-0 record and an incredible 42-2 overall game mark. 💪 In the WPIAL playoffs, the Trojans swept Upper St. Clair and Penn Hills before falling to rival North Allegheny in the title match.

🔥 With their sights set on state gold, the Trojans powered through the PIAA playoffs:
✅ Straight-set regional wins over Cochranton and Cambridge Springs
✅ Another win against Penn Hills to reach pool play
✅ Swept District 11 Parkland and District 1 Souderton
✅ Defeated North Allegheny in a thrilling three-game rematch (15-9, 8-15, 15-7)
✅ Battled past Warwick in the semifinals

In the PIAA State Championship, Derry delivered a dominant performance, cruising past Baldwin (15-9, 15-5) to capture the state crown. 🏆

Despite being the smallest school in the PIAA tournament field, the Trojans proved that heart, determination, and teamwork can overcome any obstacle.

👏Join us in celebrating the 1995 Derry Area Boys’ Volleyball Team, our 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee – Athletic Team Award!

📅 The Hall of Fame Ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 13, at 5:30 PM.

09/02/2025

🌟 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 🌟

🏐 Athletic Team Award – 1994 Derry Area Boys’ Volleyball Team

In an era when all high school boys’ volleyball teams competed in one classification, the 1994 Derry Area Trojans etched their place in history with a remarkable postseason run.

The season began with solid performances, including second-place finishes at the North Allegheny and Derry Area tournaments. After an early section loss to powerhouse Penn Hills and a tough showing at the competitive York Tournament, the Trojans found their stride. Led by Hall of Fame coach Rich Schall, they surged to an 11–1 match record and an outstanding 34–3 game record.

🔥 In the playoffs, Derry opened with a win over Shaler before falling to Penn Hills in the semifinals. Facing elimination, the Trojans battled back with a hard-fought victory over Baldwin in the consolation match to punch their ticket to the PIAA State Tournament.

On the state stage, the Trojans proved they belonged among the best:
✅ Swept through pool play with 3 victories
✅ Defeated District 1 champion Pennsbury in the quarterfinals
✅ Stunned District 7 champ North Allegheny in an unforgettable semifinal match (15–13, 13–15, 15–11)

The dream run ended in the championship against perennial power Hempfield (District 3), where the Trojans finished as State Runners-Up with scores of 8–15 and 11–15.

Coach Schall reflected on the season with pride:

“At the beginning of the season, very few people would have predicted a state runners-up finish, but a very determined group of young men made that a reality.”

The 1994 Trojans not only left their mark as one of the greatest teams in program history but also set the stage for the continued success that followed in 1995 and beyond.

👏 Join us in honoring the 1994 Derry Area Boys’ Volleyball Team, our 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee – Athletic Team Award!

📅 The Hall of Fame Ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 13, at 5:30 PM.

08/30/2025

🌟 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 🌟

🤼‍♂️ Athletic Individual Award – Ken Hackman, Class of 1984

Ken Hackman’s journey is a true testament to dedication and drive. Remarkably, he didn’t begin wrestling until 9th grade, yet quickly rose to success—winning Jr. High Section I and Area III titles in his very first season. By the end of his 3-year Trojan career, Ken had earned 95 wins, 2 Section Championships, a County Championship, a WPIAL title, and PIAA 3rd place at 185 lbs. He also excelled on the football field, helping Derry capture the Keystone Conference Championship and earning all-section honors as a senior.

Ken’s wrestling career only grew stronger in college. He started at the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned Freshman All-American honors at 177 lbs. before transferring to California University of PA. At Cal U, Ken became one of the program’s all-time greats:
🥈 1987 Div. II National Runner-Up (All-American)
🥇 1988 NCAA Div. II National Champion at 190 lbs. (Cal U’s first-ever national champion & Derry’s first)
🥇 1989 Div. II National Champion & PSAC Champion

He closed out his collegiate career with an incredible 101–10 record, multiple All-American honors at both Div. I and Div. II, and induction into the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame (1996), Div. II National Hall of Fame (2003), and the Western PA Wrestling Hall of Fame (2024).

Ken’s impact extended well beyond his own career. As Derry’s head wrestling coach (1993–2000), he led the team to the 2000 AAA Section I Championship and coached Mike May to become Derry’s first PIAA Wrestling Champion (1999). More recently, from 2022–2024, he guided the Jr. High team to an outstanding 40–3 record.

For 32 years, Ken has also given back in the classroom, teaching Social Studies and Technology Education at Derry Area. He and his wife, Melissa, reside in Derry Township and are proud parents of two daughters, Maya and Grace.

👏 Please join us in celebrating Ken Hackman, a trailblazer on and off the mat, as a 2025 Derry Area Hall of Fame Inductee!

📅 The Hall of Fame Ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 13, at 5:30 PM.
🔗 Read more about Ken here: https://thespear.dasd.us/hall-of-fame/featured-inductee