Longtime Moon Area Athletic Director Remembered

A former Moon Area High School athletic director and football coach died December 28 in his Moon Township home. He was 87 years old. 

William "Rip" Scherer lead Moon's athletic program for two decades, marking just one accomplishment on the retired educator's lengthy career in athletics. 

He served as the director of physical education and athletics at Moon Area High School from 1969 to 1991, also coaching the school's varsity football team from 1969 to 1974. 

Prior to his career in Moon, the North Side native served as a running back for Penn State during the inaugural Cotton Bowl in 1948.

He went on to receive Pittsburgh's Dapper Dan award for outstanding achievment in 1959 and began his coaching career at Millvale, Norwin, North Catholic High School and Southern Regional High School in New Jersey. 

In his off-time at Moon, Scherer coached weekend and summer football camps at Penn State and served as a player personnel evaluator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

After retiring from the school district, Scherer accepted a position as a full-time player personnel scout for the Indianapolis Colts, retiring in 1996, and was added to the Moon Area High School "Wall of Fame" in 1995.

Scherer was a parishioner at St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Church in Moon. Funeral services were held Sunday. Interment will be at North Catholic Cemetery. 

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, June Scherer, and seven children: William and Michele Scherer; Cynthia Scherer; Connie and Steve Shipp; Scott Scherer; Christine Scherer; Sandy Scherer and Myles Nelligan; and June and Michael Matt, according to obituary information provided by Huntsman Funeral Home in Moon Township. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the North Catholic High School Scholarship Fund in his name, according to the funeral home.