Jul 8, 2025
Photo courtesy of RANDY ZOOK TRUST Tom Shearer (far left) and Travis Zook (far right) represented the Randy Zook Scholarship Trust, which awarded scholarships to five Mifflin County High School athletes this year: Mara Gallo (front left) and Morgan Grimm; and back: Mila Pavlova, Hunter Tipton and Ethan Plank.
LEWISTOWN – It’s been 24 years since Randy Zook passed due to cancer in 2002. Since that time, Zook’s legacy for sportsmanship and hard work has lived on through annual athletic scholarships that are awarded in his memory.
Last year, six Mifflin County High School athletes received a total of $6,000 in scholarships from the Randy Zook Scholarship Trust.
“When we started this scholarship back in 2002, we gave out one award, this year the Zook family gave out six awards,” said youth and high school coach Brian Heckert, who was an assistant coach when Zook played football and basketball at Indian Valley High School.
Heckert is also one of the organizers for the golf tournament that bears Zook’s name, Randy Zook Scholarship Golf Open, to be held at the Lewistown Country Club, 306 Country Club Road in Lewistown at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 26.
The entry fee for a foursome is $300 or $75 per individual golfer. Fees include the cost of a cart and post-tournament meal. The registration deadline is Tuesday, July 22. The open will use a shotgun start.
“The golf tournament is the sole fundraising event for the scholarship. Randy’s spirit can be felt on this day of the tournament every year,” Heckert added.
Company sponsors are also still needed for the golf open, which costs $450 and includes a tournament banner as well as four entries to the tournament. Company hole sponsors cost $125, which feature the company name on the tee and green.
This year’s recipients included Mifflin County athletes Mila Pavlova, Hunter Tipton, Ethan Plank, Mara Gallo and Morgan Grimm. Each recipient received $1,500 for a total of $7.500. Educator Travis Zook represented the Zook family during the awarding of the scholarships as did Tom Schearer.
Ray and Joann Zook said the scholarships given in memory of their son would not be possible without the generosity of the Juniata Valley. “We want to thank the community for all the years of support,” Joann said.
The 6-5, 260-pound Zook loved a lot of things about life, but the game of football topped his list. A two-way lineman at Indian Valley, Zook earned Mountain League honors for his play.
At Division III Susquehanna University, Zook became a three-year starter and all-Middle Atlantic Conference first-team pick in each of those seasons. He also garnered plenty of accolades at Susquehanna: team captain; honorable mention All-America honors twice; and 2000 Middle Atlantic Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year by the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Touchdown Club.
Zook was inducted into the Susquehanna University Sports Hall of Fame in 2014, and the football team’s Most Valuable Player Award bears his name.
For more information, call (717) 935-2334, (717) 250-8822 or (717) 350-8401, e-mail randyzooktrust@gmail.com or find the Randy Zook Trust page on Facebook.
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