A Review of the Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet 2019
by Kenny Wright
MOVSHOF Holds 22nd Induction Banquet
By Kenny Wright
The Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame inducted their 22nd class of inductees at the Grande Pointe Conference and Reception Center in Vienna last Saturday evening.
Rod O’Donnell, track coach at Parkersburg High School and the President of the Hall of Fame committee, gave opening remarks and welcomed everyone for attending.
Tyler Hartline got the program started by singing the National Anthem. Larry Butcher, former coach at St.Marys High School, then gave the invocation, followed by the dinner.
Opening the program with the introduction of the two Bob Zide scholarship winners was Alan Haught, member of the committee and longtime Mayor of Harrisville. Alan Haught then introduced the current Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame committee members that were present.
Buddy James, former Parkersburg High football coach, introduced prior inductees that were in attendance.
Jim Wharton, sportscaster of WTAP introduced the media attending and then began introducing the new inductees. Each inductee gave their acceptance remarks.
Ron Haught was the third inductee introduced. Haught was a local inductee, having graduated from Harrisville High School in 1961. The Harrisville High graduate was a three-sport athlete while in high school. He played quarterback on the Gator football team and was invited to play in the LKC All Star Football Game. The 1961 graduate also was a pitcher in baseball. As a junior he hit his stride in basketball. As a senior he was named all conference in basketball and was the leading scorer in the league with 401 points. He scored 47 in his highest scoring game. Haught also found time to teach himself tennis, so he could teach his kids how to play.
Another inductee with some Ritchie County ties was Tim McCartney. McCartney began his teaching and coaching career at Pennsboro High School. The former Glenville State College football player married a former Harrisville High graduate, Kyle Wilson. Tim taught math at Pennsboro High and was an assistant coach in football. If you know McCartney very well, you would know that he would add some humor to his remarks and they were true stories that happened while coaching at Pennsboro and Parkersburg South. Following his few years in Ritchie County, he and his wife accepted teaching positions at Parkersburg South High School.He coached football, track, and wrestling at South. He said he was really shocked when wrestling Coach Paul Jackson came to him and said you are going to be my assistant in wrestling next year. He said he knew nothing about wrestling. He later took over as head wrestling coach of the Patriots. As head coach he became one of Wood County’s all time winningest coaches, winning five AAA state championships. He later was named Principal of Parkersburg South from which he retired after 31 years at South but finds time to substitute when needed.
When you talk running in St.Marys one name pops right out at you. That name is Taylor. One of the best Taylor runners was Larry Taylor. He had an outstanding cross country and track career. While at St.Marys High, from where he graduated in 1980, he was a four time all conference selection and a three time MVP in cross country. He was the high scorer in the LKC Track Meet twice. Following graduation he attended Glenville State College and put the track and cross country programs in high gear. He led Glenville to three cross country titles and their first ever track title in 1984. But listening to one of his great feats at GSC tells what he is all about! During one conference meet he ran the 800, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000. The first day of the meet, he won the 5,000. The next day he won the 800, 1,500 and 10,000. Since graduating from Glenville he has had a successful career in road races, of which some were 15 miles long. He was inducted into Glenville State College Curtis Elam Hall of Fame in 2015.
If you know anything at all about track and cross country, you certainly know the name Andrew Benford. Yes, he was one of the best ever at Ravenswood High School. While at Ravenswood he won back to back A-AA state cross country titles in 2004 and 2005. Altogether he claimed nine state titles in track and cross country. He had the state’s best time both of those years. Ravenswood won four state championships in cross country while he was attending the Jackson County School. Following high school he attended the University of Richmond. While at Richmond he was a nine time Atlantic 10 all conference performer and a five time champion. He has competed all over the world, from Japan to Italy.
Jeff Deem, who now lives in Ripley, earned his stardom at Williamstown High School and West Virginia University. While he was at Williamstown High School he was an outstanding fullback and linebacker and following graduation he was offered a scholarship by Don Nehlen to play football at WVU. He saw limited time as a freshman but as a sophomore Deem was one of the Mountaineer’s leading tacklers, with 87 tackles and two interceptions. One of his interceptions came from a pass thrown by Dan Marino. He was dominating in the Peach Bowl when WVU beat Florida 26-6. After making 51 tackles in his junior year, he went down with a career ending knee injury. Deem is going through some health problems and was unable to attend. WCHS sports director Mark Martin spoke for the former Williamstown star.
If you like automobile racing you probably recall the name Steve Shaver. The stock car driver was an outstanding running back for Parkersburg High School. Following graduation from the Dudley Avenue School; he enrolled at West Virginia University. But after being there for just one year, he decided to embark on a racing career. He thanked his parents for supporting his decision. He was a two-time winner of the North/South 100 in Florence Kentucky and also a five time winner of the East Bay Raceway Park’s Winter Nationals in Tampa, Florida. Closer home he won ‘The Big Kahuna’ at Allegheny Motor Speedway in Cumberland and won the Hillbilly 100 once. He also won the West Virginia State Championship at I-79 in Shinnston and a two time winner of the Mark Balzano Memorial in Mineral Wells. Shaver was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 2018.
From Washington County Ohio came Don Strahler. Don coached several different sports and had 36 years of coaching, with 24 of them at Fort Frye High School. Many also remember him as an excellent baseball umpire, umpiring games in Ohio and West Virginia. At Fort Frye he was an assistant football coach, head girls’ basketball coach and head softball coach. His softball teams won a total of 119 wins, compared to 34 losses, winning four Pioneer Valley Conference titles, three sectional and three district titles. He coached the girls’ basketball team for 18 years and helped lead them to a record of 292-95. The likeable Strahler was named the Ohio High School Coach of the Year in girls’ basketball in the 1993-1994 season. It is a family affair for the Strahlers as wife Becky is already a member of the MOVSHOF.
Folks in Wood County and friends who knew her were shocked, a few years ago, with the unexpected passing of Pam Reeves, highly respected tennis coach at Parkersburg High School. Pam was recognized nationally by the National Federation of State High School Association Coaches Association in 2012 by receiving the National Tennis Coach of the Year Award. She also was Tennis Coach of the Year in the Mountain State Athletic Conference in 2010 and 2015. While coaching tennis Pam won 10 state championships, five with the boys and five with the girls. The boys won in 1990, 1991, 2001, 2002 and 2003. The girls claimed state titles in 1991, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2010. Coaching volleyball at Jackson Junior high she won 11 county championships from 1987-2007 and also won two more at Hamilton Middle School. Her family gave a short poster presentation thanking the committee for her induction.
From Ohio came Connie (Sanford) Richardson, an outstanding high school volleyball and softball player at Caldwell High School. She earned All Conference honors four times in softball and three times in volleyball. But her real stardom came in basketball. Caldwell did not have girls’ basketball her freshmen year but was outstanding her final three years of high school.
During her three-year career she scored 1,254 points and pulled down 693 rebounds. Her senior season she averaged 22.7 points, 13.6 rebounds and shot 65 percent from the floor. Following high school she played at Heidelberg University, where she was a four year starter and led the Ohio Athletic Conference in scoring and rebounding. She was 1st team All-American in 1985 and 1986 and was All-OAC the same years.
Donna J. Newberry was also a deceased inductee. Her brother gave an inspiring speech on her behalf. Donna was a 1969 graduate of Parkersburg South High School. She attended Glenville State College and Ohio University before embarking on a highly successful softball and basketball coaching career at Muskingum University. She coached at Muskingum for 36 years, winning 907 softball games, more than any NCAA Division III coach in the nation. Newberry’s teams won 18 conference titles, made 18 appearances in the Division II postseason and went to the college world series 8 times. In 2001 Muskingum won the D-III national championship. She also coached basketball at Muskingum for 26 years. Newberry’s 1991 basketball team was national runner-up. Newberry was Coach of the Year 14 times and NCAA Regional Coach of Year seven times. She was the first coach to win National Coach of the Year Awards in two sports.
Banquet chairman, Don Ullmann, presented Sam Gwinn and his wife awards for service to the organization. Sam was member of the Hall of Fame Committee for approximately 20 years and is resigning from the committee this summer. Ullmann praised Gwinn for his faithfulness and dedication while a committee member.
By Kenny Wright
The Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame inducted their 22nd class of inductees at the Grande Pointe Conference and Reception Center in Vienna last Saturday evening.
Rod O’Donnell, track coach at Parkersburg High School and the President of the Hall of Fame committee, gave opening remarks and welcomed everyone for attending.
Tyler Hartline got the program started by singing the National Anthem. Larry Butcher, former coach at St.Marys High School, then gave the invocation, followed by the dinner.
Opening the program with the introduction of the two Bob Zide scholarship winners was Alan Haught, member of the committee and longtime Mayor of Harrisville. Alan Haught then introduced the current Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame committee members that were present.
Buddy James, former Parkersburg High football coach, introduced prior inductees that were in attendance.
Jim Wharton, sportscaster of WTAP introduced the media attending and then began introducing the new inductees. Each inductee gave their acceptance remarks.
Ron Haught was the third inductee introduced. Haught was a local inductee, having graduated from Harrisville High School in 1961. The Harrisville High graduate was a three-sport athlete while in high school. He played quarterback on the Gator football team and was invited to play in the LKC All Star Football Game. The 1961 graduate also was a pitcher in baseball. As a junior he hit his stride in basketball. As a senior he was named all conference in basketball and was the leading scorer in the league with 401 points. He scored 47 in his highest scoring game. Haught also found time to teach himself tennis, so he could teach his kids how to play.
Another inductee with some Ritchie County ties was Tim McCartney. McCartney began his teaching and coaching career at Pennsboro High School. The former Glenville State College football player married a former Harrisville High graduate, Kyle Wilson. Tim taught math at Pennsboro High and was an assistant coach in football. If you know McCartney very well, you would know that he would add some humor to his remarks and they were true stories that happened while coaching at Pennsboro and Parkersburg South. Following his few years in Ritchie County, he and his wife accepted teaching positions at Parkersburg South High School.He coached football, track, and wrestling at South. He said he was really shocked when wrestling Coach Paul Jackson came to him and said you are going to be my assistant in wrestling next year. He said he knew nothing about wrestling. He later took over as head wrestling coach of the Patriots. As head coach he became one of Wood County’s all time winningest coaches, winning five AAA state championships. He later was named Principal of Parkersburg South from which he retired after 31 years at South but finds time to substitute when needed.
When you talk running in St.Marys one name pops right out at you. That name is Taylor. One of the best Taylor runners was Larry Taylor. He had an outstanding cross country and track career. While at St.Marys High, from where he graduated in 1980, he was a four time all conference selection and a three time MVP in cross country. He was the high scorer in the LKC Track Meet twice. Following graduation he attended Glenville State College and put the track and cross country programs in high gear. He led Glenville to three cross country titles and their first ever track title in 1984. But listening to one of his great feats at GSC tells what he is all about! During one conference meet he ran the 800, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000. The first day of the meet, he won the 5,000. The next day he won the 800, 1,500 and 10,000. Since graduating from Glenville he has had a successful career in road races, of which some were 15 miles long. He was inducted into Glenville State College Curtis Elam Hall of Fame in 2015.
If you know anything at all about track and cross country, you certainly know the name Andrew Benford. Yes, he was one of the best ever at Ravenswood High School. While at Ravenswood he won back to back A-AA state cross country titles in 2004 and 2005. Altogether he claimed nine state titles in track and cross country. He had the state’s best time both of those years. Ravenswood won four state championships in cross country while he was attending the Jackson County School. Following high school he attended the University of Richmond. While at Richmond he was a nine time Atlantic 10 all conference performer and a five time champion. He has competed all over the world, from Japan to Italy.
Jeff Deem, who now lives in Ripley, earned his stardom at Williamstown High School and West Virginia University. While he was at Williamstown High School he was an outstanding fullback and linebacker and following graduation he was offered a scholarship by Don Nehlen to play football at WVU. He saw limited time as a freshman but as a sophomore Deem was one of the Mountaineer’s leading tacklers, with 87 tackles and two interceptions. One of his interceptions came from a pass thrown by Dan Marino. He was dominating in the Peach Bowl when WVU beat Florida 26-6. After making 51 tackles in his junior year, he went down with a career ending knee injury. Deem is going through some health problems and was unable to attend. WCHS sports director Mark Martin spoke for the former Williamstown star.
If you like automobile racing you probably recall the name Steve Shaver. The stock car driver was an outstanding running back for Parkersburg High School. Following graduation from the Dudley Avenue School; he enrolled at West Virginia University. But after being there for just one year, he decided to embark on a racing career. He thanked his parents for supporting his decision. He was a two-time winner of the North/South 100 in Florence Kentucky and also a five time winner of the East Bay Raceway Park’s Winter Nationals in Tampa, Florida. Closer home he won ‘The Big Kahuna’ at Allegheny Motor Speedway in Cumberland and won the Hillbilly 100 once. He also won the West Virginia State Championship at I-79 in Shinnston and a two time winner of the Mark Balzano Memorial in Mineral Wells. Shaver was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 2018.
From Washington County Ohio came Don Strahler. Don coached several different sports and had 36 years of coaching, with 24 of them at Fort Frye High School. Many also remember him as an excellent baseball umpire, umpiring games in Ohio and West Virginia. At Fort Frye he was an assistant football coach, head girls’ basketball coach and head softball coach. His softball teams won a total of 119 wins, compared to 34 losses, winning four Pioneer Valley Conference titles, three sectional and three district titles. He coached the girls’ basketball team for 18 years and helped lead them to a record of 292-95. The likeable Strahler was named the Ohio High School Coach of the Year in girls’ basketball in the 1993-1994 season. It is a family affair for the Strahlers as wife Becky is already a member of the MOVSHOF.
Folks in Wood County and friends who knew her were shocked, a few years ago, with the unexpected passing of Pam Reeves, highly respected tennis coach at Parkersburg High School. Pam was recognized nationally by the National Federation of State High School Association Coaches Association in 2012 by receiving the National Tennis Coach of the Year Award. She also was Tennis Coach of the Year in the Mountain State Athletic Conference in 2010 and 2015. While coaching tennis Pam won 10 state championships, five with the boys and five with the girls. The boys won in 1990, 1991, 2001, 2002 and 2003. The girls claimed state titles in 1991, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2010. Coaching volleyball at Jackson Junior high she won 11 county championships from 1987-2007 and also won two more at Hamilton Middle School. Her family gave a short poster presentation thanking the committee for her induction.
From Ohio came Connie (Sanford) Richardson, an outstanding high school volleyball and softball player at Caldwell High School. She earned All Conference honors four times in softball and three times in volleyball. But her real stardom came in basketball. Caldwell did not have girls’ basketball her freshmen year but was outstanding her final three years of high school.
During her three-year career she scored 1,254 points and pulled down 693 rebounds. Her senior season she averaged 22.7 points, 13.6 rebounds and shot 65 percent from the floor. Following high school she played at Heidelberg University, where she was a four year starter and led the Ohio Athletic Conference in scoring and rebounding. She was 1st team All-American in 1985 and 1986 and was All-OAC the same years.
Donna J. Newberry was also a deceased inductee. Her brother gave an inspiring speech on her behalf. Donna was a 1969 graduate of Parkersburg South High School. She attended Glenville State College and Ohio University before embarking on a highly successful softball and basketball coaching career at Muskingum University. She coached at Muskingum for 36 years, winning 907 softball games, more than any NCAA Division III coach in the nation. Newberry’s teams won 18 conference titles, made 18 appearances in the Division II postseason and went to the college world series 8 times. In 2001 Muskingum won the D-III national championship. She also coached basketball at Muskingum for 26 years. Newberry’s 1991 basketball team was national runner-up. Newberry was Coach of the Year 14 times and NCAA Regional Coach of Year seven times. She was the first coach to win National Coach of the Year Awards in two sports.
Banquet chairman, Don Ullmann, presented Sam Gwinn and his wife awards for service to the organization. Sam was member of the Hall of Fame Committee for approximately 20 years and is resigning from the committee this summer. Ullmann praised Gwinn for his faithfulness and dedication while a committee member.
