Reiser

This is the third in a series of articles profiling the 2018 inductees into the Knoch High School Sports Hall of FameJEFFERSON TWP — Nick Reiser is about to complete a Hall of Fame hat trick.The 1993 Knoch graduate and former two-sport standout with the Knights will be inducted into the Knoch High School Sports Hall of Fame Sept. 14, prior to Knoch's football home opener against Highlands.Reiser is already a member of the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame and the Allegheny College Hall of Fame.“I appreciate them all,” Reiser said of his Hall inductions. “But I especially appreciate that it's a testament to family.“My mom, my dad, my brothers and sisters, my own kids ... It's a collective effort and everybody gets to enjoy it.”Reiser has eight children and is the youngest of eight children himself.Reiser was a three-time letter winner in football and basketball at Knoch. He was a running back-linebacker on the 1992 Knoch team that went 10-3, losing the WPIAL championship game to Blackhawk, 20-0, at Three Rivers Stadium.That season marked Knoch's first section football title since 1979 and was the first year the Knights played under the lights on Friday.“The kids on that team were tight and so were all the parents,” Reiser said. “Everybody banded together and, with the Knights Foundation, raised money to put lights in the stadium.“We used to play on Saturday afternoons. The group I was part of changed all that. It was a community thing that we're all proud of.”Reiser made third team all-state his senior season in football.A two-year starter at guard in basketball, Reiser played a scoring role. His team made the WPIAL playoffs his sophomore year, but fell short of postseason play the following two years.“I got to play for Les Shoop and he remains a good friend of mine today,” Reiser said. “I made all-conference my senior year. I don't remember individual stuff from my high school days.“It was all about team success and we had plenty of that.”That success continued at Allegheny College, where Reiser was part of a Gator football program that lost five games in four years. He made all-North Coast Athletic Conference at linebacker in each of his four seasons, was NCAC Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and was Allegheny College Male Athlete of the Year in 1996-97.“The Division III playoffs were set up regionally,” Reiser said. “We were ranked as high as No. 2 nationally, but also ran into Mount Union in the first round of the playoffs. The games were close, but they beat us every year, then would go on to win the national championship.“That was frustrating, but that was the system.”Reiser serves in a managing consultant role with Highmark today. He looks back on his athletic career with fondness.“I played on some great teams,” he said. “We developed some great friendships.”