Mahanoy Area inducted five members into its Athletic Hall of Fame Thursday evening, , recognizing their accomplishments as athletes, coaches and educators.
The 2026 class included David Holland, John Minalda Sr., John Minalda Jr., Tyler Cavenas and Robert “Bob” Killian.
Their contributions span football, basketball, golf, and track and field. Several of the honorees also spent decades teaching and guiding student-athletes at Mahanoy Area and other Schuylkill County schools.
Mahanoy Area Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2026
David Holland — Class of 1971
David Holland was a 1,000-point basketball scorer at Mahanoy Area before continuing his playing career at Holy Cross.
He went on to a lengthy teaching and coaching career at Minersville, Pine Grove Area and Nativity BVM. Holland remains involved in basketball through coaching and individual shooting instruction.
John Minalda Sr. — Mahanoy City Class of 1957
John Minalda Sr. was honored posthumously for his contributions as a football player, coach and educator.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Minalda returned to the community in 1967 to teach chemistry at Mahanoy Area. He also coached the Golden Bears’ offensive and defensive lines through the 1985 season.
John Minalda Jr. — Class of 1983
John Minalda Jr. entered the Hall of Fame alongside his father. He was a quarterback, defensive back and scholar-athlete for the Golden Bears.
Minalda has coached football for more than three decades, including stops at several Schuylkill County schools. He returned to Mahanoy Area as offensive coordinator in 2025.
Tyler Cavenas — Class of 2014
Tyler Cavenas excelled in football, basketball, and track and field at Mahanoy Area, earning All-State football recognition and district championships in multiple sports.
He continued his football career at Lehigh University, where he helped the Mountain Hawks win two Patriot League championships.
Robert “Bob” Killian — Class of 1976
Robert “Bob” Killian led the Schuylkill League in basketball scoring during his senior season before returning to Mahanoy Area as a teacher and coach.
His more than 35 years of service to the school’s athletic programs included coaching football, basketball and golf.
Complete Hall of Fame Biographies
Complete biographies and additional details about each inductee’s accomplishments are available in Skook News’ earlier preview of the Mahanoy Area Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2026.