New Castle made history this season, becoming the first WPIAL boys team in 31 years to go through a basketball season undefeated.
Now, New Castle coach Ralph Blundo is a history-maker.
Blundo has been selected the Post-Gazette coach of the year for the second consecutive season. Since the P-G started the award in 1993, no coach had won before in back-to-back years. New Castle was 31-0 this season.
Blundo, 41, has been New Castle's coach for four seasons, has three WPIAL titles, and one PIAA title. His record is 107-10. Blundo is a former standout guard for the Red Hurricanes.
Coach of the year two years in a row. What gives? First of all, it's an honor and it really speaks to the players. Anyone who thinks you win without good players doesn't know anything. Secondly, you have to have a great staff. I'll never understand why these things aren't coaching staff of the year awards.
Where does this team belong in WPIAL history? People enjoy talking about this, but there are too many variables to say this team is the greatest or that team is the greatest. So many things sometimes are about matchups. It's how you measure great teams. This team had toughness, played together, was timely, had great composure.
When you started four years ago, what was the thing you wanted to establish most? Culture. A culture of toughness and togetherness. Any T-shirt we have or words in the locker room, the word together is everywhere. We wanted the team name on the jersey to be the most important thing to these young men. I think before you can think about being good, you have to create a culture of toughness with intangibles and represent your school the right way. If we were going to win, we were going to win the right way.
First Published: April 6, 2014, 2:48 a.m.
