The Carbon County Hall of Sports Hall of Fame committee will hold its 2026 induction dinner and program on Sunday, May 24, at the Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company hall.

The ceremony will honor 25 inductees from six Carbon County communities, along with Coaldale and Tamaqua, who were selected by committees representing each town.

Doors will open at 12:30 p.m., with the banquet set to begin at 1:45 p.m.

The inductees include:

Coaldale — Christa (Mantz) Evanko, John Molotzak and Dr. Karoline Vavra.

Jim Thorpe — Walt Schlenner, David Reese and Joe Rader.

Lansford — John “Jack” Steber, John Hackash Jr. and Jake Figner.

Lehighton — Glenn Neff, Jacen Nalesnik and Rick Kirkendall.

Nesquehoning — Dr. Mark Makovec, Mike Makovec, Ryan Richards and Mike Lopata.

Palmerton — Geno Roberts, Darryl Roberts and Jerry Snyder.

Summit Hill — Ed Shober Jr., Fred Cinicola and Victor Koshuta.

Tamaqua — Brayden Knoblauch, Emma Kuczynski and Amber Carroll.

Tickets to the event are available from the following: Dan McGinley, 570-325-3550; Vince Spisak, 570-645-4542; Jake Boyer, 610-751-6634; Trevor Lawrence, 570-645-4722; Bill Gardiner, 570-669-6564; Bob Gelatko, 570-645-7565; Evan Evans, 570-645-7716; Jeff Hager, 610-737-2577; and Brandon Heffelfinger, 570-273-5555 or 570-449-6664.

The inductees representing Nesquehoning are as follows:

Michael Lopata

Michael Lopata graduated from Panther Valley High School in 2000. His decorated athletic career and contributions to his teams’ success have made him one of the top football players in Panther Valley history.

Lopata was a four-year starter at center for the varsity football team and a two-way starter for three years, playing linebacker and defensive tackle. He also served as the defensive play caller and ranked among the team’s top two in tackles during each of those seasons. As a junior, he helped lead the Panthers to an Eastern Conference championship, and the team earned a District 11 playoff berth during his senior year.

Lopata was selected to the Times News and All-Schuylkill County all-star teams as a sophomore. As a junior and senior, he continued to receive recognition, earning first-team honors on several all-star teams, including the Times News, All-Schuylkill County, Morning Call All-Area, Standard-Speaker All-Area and Pottsville Republican teams. To cap his four-year career, Lopata earned first-team All-Anthracite honors, was named second-team AP All-State, and received first-team Sporting News All-State recognition as a senior.

In addition to football, Lopata played baseball and was a member of the Panther Valley track and field team, where he excelled as a thrower. As a senior, he was named a Times News Track and Field All-Star.

Lopata continued his football career at Lock Haven University, where he earned the Bob and Carolyn Perry Award for top academic achievement and graduated summa cum laude. After college, he began his professional career as a social studies teacher at Phillipsburg High School in New Jersey.

For more than a decade, Lopata coached varsity football at Phillipsburg, Whitehall, Bethlehem Catholic and Northampton. His coaching tenure included a North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 championship with Phillipsburg in 2005, and he later helped guide Bethlehem Catholic to an Eastern Conference championship in 2009.

In addition to football, Lopata spent 11 years on the Phillipsburg track and field coaching staff. Working with the javelin, shot put and discus, he helped the Stateliners win two North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 sectional titles (2005, 2014). He also mentored athletes who earned four medals at the New Jersey State Track and Field Meet. His impact remains in the school record books, as he coached the top four boys shot putters, the top three discus throwers, and three of the top four javelin throwers in program history, along with two girls throwers who rank among the top three all-time in their respective events.

Following his coaching career, Lopata continued his focus on education by earning a master’s degree and a superintendent letter of eligibility from Wilkes University. In 2015, he moved into administration, accepting a position in the Northampton Area School District, where he currently serves as principal of Northampton Area Middle School.

He resides in Northampton with his wife, Allison, and their two daughters, Hayden and Adelyn. Lopata remains active in coaching, supporting his daughters as they pursue field hockey, lacrosse and horseback riding.

Dr. Mark G. Makovec

Dr. Mark G. Makovec is a 1994 graduate of Marian Catholic High School in Hometown, where he was a multisport athlete, earning nine varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball and track.

He played football for the Colts from 1990-93, earning four letters; gained three letters in basketball from 1992-94; and lettered in baseball and track in 1991 and 1992, respectively.

During his freshman season on the gridiron, Makovec was the starting wide receiver and nickel back on Marian’s 1990 PIAA state championship team. Two years later, he was a member of the Blue and Gold’s Eastern Conference championship team and was named second-team All-State.

During his senior campaign, Makovec was selected as team captain for the squad that captured the 1993 District 11 title. He was later named first-team All-State and Times News Player of the Year. He also received recognition from several national recruiting publications, including Tom Lemming’s Prep Football Report, USA Today, G & W Recruiting Report and the National Recruiting Advisor.

In addition to his contributions to championship teams, Makovec earned local and regional honors from the Times News, Pottsville Republican, Standard-Speaker, Morning Call and Reading Eagle. Those honors included all-county, all-Anthracite, player of the year, male athlete of the year and offensive player of the year recognition.

On the basketball court, Makovec was a three-year varsity starter and, at the time of his graduation, ranked second on Marian’s all-time scoring list with more than 1,400 career points. He served as team captain as a senior and was named second-team All-State.

During his senior football season, Makovec received numerous Division I and I-AA scholarship offers and accepted a scholarship to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He earned four varsity football letters at Wake Forest. During his freshman and sophomore seasons, he started four games and contributed at outside linebacker and on special teams. His role increased as a junior, and as a senior, he started all 11 games at linebacker.

Makovec graduated from Wake Forest in 1998 with a bachelor of science degree in health and exercise science and earned a master’s degree in education the following year. He moved to Virginia Beach and began his career in education at Granby High School, where he taught history for three years and coached football and track. He later earned an education specialist degree from George Washington University in 2001.

He transitioned into administration as dean of students at Rosemont Middle School (August 2002–March 2004) before becoming an assistant principal at Granby High School (March 2004–August 2008) and Norview High School (August 2008–July 2012). While serving as an assistant principal, he continued his education and enrolled in the doctoral program at George Washington, earning his doctor of education degree in May 2008.

Makovec later served as principal of Northside Middle School (July 2013–July 2015) and Blair Middle School (July 2015–July 2019) in Norfolk Public Schools.

He has served as principal of Landstown Middle School in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools system since July 1, 2019.

He is the father of three sons: Mason, 23; Morgan, 19; and Mark Austin, 18. Mason played basketball at Lynchburg University and recently completed his MBA. Morgan currently plays collegiate volleyball at Tusculum University in Tennessee, and Mark Austin graduated from Kellam High School in June 2025 and completed the Virginia Beach City Public Schools Firefighter Academy in April 2026.

Mike Makovec

Mike Makovec, a Lake Hauto native, graduated from Marian Catholic High School in Hometown in 1991. He was a multisport letter winner, earning three letters in both football and basketball and four in track and field.

He was a three-year starter in football at quarterback, slotback and strong safety, and also contributed on special teams as a returner. He helped lead the Colts to the 1990 PIAA state championship with a win over Farrell in his senior year.

Makovec was named the 1990 Reading Eagle Defensive Back of the Year and received the Billy McHale Award as the area’s most outstanding athlete. He earned multiple all-star selections from the Times News, Reading Eagle, Morning Call and Standard-Speaker across his high school career, culminating in a third-team All-State selection as a senior.

In track and field, Makovec was a District 11 champion in the long jump and triple jump. He competed at the PIAA Track and Field Championships in the long jump, triple jump, 100-meter dash and as part of the 400-meter relay team.

He accepted a nomination to West Point, where he played for the Army Black Knights as a highly recruited quarterback. He earned the backup role as a freshman before rupturing his ACL the week prior to Army’s season opener.

Makovec rehabilitated the injury and earned the starting quarterback position as a sophomore. However, he suffered a second ACL injury in his second game that season against North Carolina. He continued to persevere through additional injuries over his final two years, earning several more starts despite time missed.

In 1994, Makovec received the Army Black Knights Coaches Award for his determination and leadership through adversity.

He graduated from West Point in 1995 as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He served more than nine years as a transportation and logistics officer, with assignments in Korea, Panama, Kuwait and various locations across the United States. He concluded his military career at Fort Hood, Texas, with the 13th Corps Support Command, where he commanded the 418th Transportation Company in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His unit supported the 4th Infantry Division during his command.

Following his tour in Iraq, Makovec was awarded the Bronze Star for his leadership in combat. He later resigned his commission with an honorable discharge to pursue a career outside the military.

Makovec currently works in health care for STERIS as a strategic account director.

He is married to the former Calyn McKee, and they have three children — Chance, Tavin and Kylah — whom he enjoys watching compete for the Tamaqua Area School District.

Ryan Richards

Ryan Richards is a 2010 graduate of Panther Valley High School, where he starred on the gridiron.

During his senior season in 2009, Richards led the team with 129 tackles from his linebacker position. He recorded 56 tackles as a freshman, followed by 79 as a sophomore and 94 as a junior. His 358 career tackles rank at the top of the Panthers’ all-time list.

Richards was also a co-captain of the 2009 team and was named the squad’s defensive most valuable player.

On offense, he played fullback for his first three seasons before moving to center as a senior. As a fullback, he rushed for 470 yards and six touchdowns.

Richards was named first-team Class 2A All-State at linebacker in 2009. He also earned first-team honors on all-star teams selected by the Reading Eagle, Morning Call, Standard-Speaker, Republican Herald and Times News.

As a team, the Panthers finished 9-3 in 2009 and advanced to the District 11 Class 2A semifinals, where they lost in three overtimes to eventual champion North Schuylkill.

Richards played for head coaches Anthony Russo as a freshman and sophomore and Frank Damian as a junior and senior, and he excelled under defensive coordinator Matt Davis.

He also competed in baseball and track and field before continuing his football career at Albright College, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in political science. During his time at Albright, the Lions won the ECAC Southeast Bowl in 2012 and the ECAC Southwest Bowl in 2013.

After graduating, Richards worked as a project grant coordinator for the Carbon County Planning Commission. He later relocated to Denver, where he worked for the City of Golden in the Parks and Recreation Department and at Fossil Trace Golf Club.

Richards currently resides in Hobart, Indiana, with his wife, Beth, and their daughter, Penelope. He works as a union millwright for Local 1076 in the central Midwest.