ASHLAND – After a four-year wait since its last induction class, the Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame is set for a banner event on Saturday at Ashland University’s John C. Myers Convocation Center.
The biennial induction banquet will mark a few large milestones for the ACSHOF. This represents the 20th induction class and comes 40 years after the hall of fame was established under the direction of the late Bill Mills.
Due to the COVID pandemic, no event took place in 2022, so this marks the longest break between induction ceremonies since the event began in 1984.
All tickets to Saturday’s ceremony were pre-sale only, so there will be no tickets available at the door.
“I’ve been doing this since it all started, but every time we have an induction, I look at the athletes and look at their resumes,” ACSHOF president Dave Gray said. “I’m always impressed with the people who are coming in.
“It’s hard to say this was the best class that we’ve ever had, but it’s one of the better classes that we’ve had.”
The ACSHOF accepts nominations for all Ashland County high schools (Ashland, Hillsdale, Loudonville and Mapleton), as well as Ashland University. Information on all the previous induction classes and honorees can be found at www.ashlandcosportshof.org.
This year’s group, specifically, ties the 2020 class for the largest to enter the hall of fame since it began.
There will be 11 individual inductees, in addition to Trustee Achievement Award winners Robert M. and Janet L. Archer, and the 1990 Loudonville football team as this year’s Great Team of the Past.
Gray said nearly 50 people will be attending who were tied to that state runner-up squad as either players, coaches or family members of the team.
“The Great Team of the Past – which is something we added (in 1998) – this Loudonville football team went the furthest of any football team in the county, making it to the state championship game,” Gray said.
Mike Warbel, the head coach of that Redbird ballclub, was individually inducted in 2014. The only other Ashland County teams to make the state Final Four in football were the Redbirds in 1983 and 1988, and Ashland in 2007.
Gray also noted his excitement to include the Archers in this year’s class – two people he said have sacrificed so much of their time and financial support to the Ashland area.
“The Archers have given so much to this community in many, many ways,” Gray said. “We’re very proud and honored to honor them.”
Individually, this year’s class represents athletes in a variety of sports, with multiple inductees going in as golfers, runners, wrestlers and football players. Two others represent all-around athleticism from Ashland and Loudonville.
The following is a brief look at each member of the 2024 Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame class, with information provided by the ACSHOF.
Bobby Castor
- Graduate of: Ashland HS (2000), Duke University (2004), Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (2007).
- Four-year letterman for AHS golf team, including state-qualifying teams from 1997-99.
- Individual Division I state runner-up in 1998 when the Arrows won the state title.
- Individual Division I state champion in 1999 when the Arrows were state runner-up.
- Two third-place finishes in Ohio Junior Championships, multiple national and regional tournament qualifications.
- Four-year letterman, two-time captain at Duke.
- Ashland Golf Club champion in 2000 and 2001, US Open sectional qualifier in 2001.
Marcus Gordon
- Graduate of: Mapleton HS (2002), Ashland University.
- Two-time state champion in wrestling, along with runner-up and sixth-place finishes.
- Undefeated as a Mapleton senior (44-0), when he also was named Most Valuable Wrestler at the state tournament.
- High school career record of 188-12.
- Two-time national qualifier at Ashland University.
- Head coach for seven years at Bloomsburg University after assistant coaching jobs at Ashland University and Bloomsburg.
Taylor Housewright
- Graduate of: Ashland HS (2008), Ashland University.
- As quarterback, led AHS football to a perfect regular season and AP Division II state poll in 2006 and to the Division II Final Four in 2007.
- One of just three AHS football players ever named first-team All-Ohio in two seasons, finishing with 67 passing touchdowns and more than 6,500 passing yards in his career.
- In basketball at AHS, a four-year letterman who scored 953 career points and was three-time all-conference.
- At AU, a three-time starting quarterback who finished as the GLIAC Player of the Year and a Top 5 finalist for Division II Player of the Year as a senior.
- As a college football coach, has held positions at Miami (Ohio), Wittenberg, Ashland, Wyoming, Mississippi State, Oregon, Montana State and Georgia Southern.
Justin Kerr
- Graduate of: Mapleton HS (1994), John Carroll University.
- State champion in wrestling as an MHS senior.
- High school wrestling All-American and sixth-place finisher at nationals.
- Three-time All-American wrestler at John Carroll, where he ranked as high as No. 1 in the country in his weight class.
- Named three-time Most Outstanding Wrestler at John Carroll and OAC Most Outstanding Wrestler, graduating with JCU records in pins, tech falls and dual points.
- Finished with 106 wins for his college career.
Shaina Corbin Kidd
- Graduate of: Ashland HS (2011), Arizona State University.
- As a runner, still holds AHS records in the 1,600 (4:58.28) and as a member of multiple relay teams.
- Three-time AHS track MVP (2009-11), two-time All-Ohioan, two-time OCC Runner of the Year.
- Running cross country for the first time as a senior, posted the second-fastest time in AHS history (18:33.7).
- At Arizona State, competed in the PAC-12, as she performed in the steeplechase (placing as high as ninth in the PAC-12 Championships) and in cross country, advancing to the regional meet.
Tom Marquette
- Graduate of: Ashland HS (1978), Ashland College
- In track at AHS, held school records in the long jump and triple jump and was an All-Ohioan.
- In basketball at AHS, was named All-Ohio and team MVP for an Arrows squad that was district runner-up.
- Played varsity basketball at both the College of Wooster and Ashland College and also competed in track at Ashland, where he was team MVP and won a league title in the triple jump.
- Fast-pitch softball player for state and national teams including Abbott Labs, Ashland ESS and Faultless Rubber.
- High school coaching positions in track, basketball, football, baseball and golf while a teacher at Northwestern HS, and led the Ashland HS girls golf program from 2019-2022, guiding the Arrows to three straight appearances at the state tournament.
Matt Paullin
- Graduate of: Ashland HS (2000), Youngstown State University.
- As a cross country runner at AHS, was a four-time state qualifier – the first AHS athlete in any sport to qualify to state four years in a row – and a two-time All-Ohioan.
- Led AHS cross country to four straight Ohio Heartland Conference titles, winning the individual title once and earning All-OHC honors four times.
- In track, was a four-time All-OHC runner in both the 3,200 and 1,600 meters, winning both events as a senior and qualifying to state in the 4×800 relay.
- At Youngstown State, competed in cross country and track, running the second-fastest 10k time in program history on grass (32:25).
- Has competed in 26 full marathons and has placed in the top 1% of the field at the Boston Marathon seven times.
- At the age of 42, he surpassed 100,000 lifetime miles run.
Dan Priest
- Graduate of: St. Francis DeSales (1973).
- A golf lifer, Priest has been a PGA member since 1980.
- Has been the PGA professional or assistant golf pro at courses including the Country Club of Ashland, Westbrook Country Club, Elyria Country Club and Ashtabula Country Club.
- Ran the North Central Golf Center from 2014-16 and is a five-time NOPGA Tournament winner who also made the Ohio Cup team in 2008.
- As Ashland High School boys golf coach since 2019, has led the Arrows to three OCC titles and three state tournament berths – the longest streak since AHS made four in a row from 1997-2000.
Dana Riffel
- Graduate of: Loudonville HS (1986), University of Dayton, Grand Canyon University.
- At Loudonville, was a four-year letter winner in volleyball, basketball and softball.
- In softball, helped lead the Redbirds to the 1985 state Final Four and held LHS career records in RBIs (96), runs (102) and steals (67).
- In basketball, graduated with the program record for career points (1,197) and, as a senior, led the Ashland area in points and steals per game while also scoring 41 points in a game.
- In volleyball, helped lead LHS to the 1983 state Final Four and the 1984 regional finals, and was named an honorary team captain.
- At Dayton, was a four-year letter winner in softball, where she was a team captain and led the Flyers at different times in RBIs, steals and fielding percentage, also claiming Midwestern Collegiate Conference first-team honors.
John Saccomen
- Graduate of: Hubbard High School (1969), Miami (Ohio) University.
- Has left his mark in the Ashland area as a coach who has spent decades at both Ashland High School and Ashland University.
- Arrived as a coach at AHS in 1976, helping guide the football (1976-1982, 2005-2012), wrestling (1984-1990) and track and field teams during his time with the Arrows.
- While at AHS, the football program made five trips to the playoffs, won four league titles and advanced to four regional finals.
- At AU, he joined the staff of Fred Martinelli in 1983, eventually spending 33 seasons with the Eagles, as his 341 games with AU through last season trailed only Martinelli in program history.
Chris Yoder
- Graduate of: Ashland High School (1999), Wake Forest University.
- Key cog of the AHS powerhouse golf teams of the 1990s, where he had the team’s low stroke average all four seasons and still holds the program’s record for stroke average (35.8).
- District champion two times, state runner-up in 1997 and fourth in the state in 1998 when the Arrows won the Division I team state title
- Ranked the No. 19 junior golfer in the nation by GolfWeek upon graduation, claiming five Top 5 finishes in AJGA events his final two years.
- At Wake Forest, was a four-year letterman who placed as high as 11th in the ACC Tournament and helped lead the team to three NCAA Championship appearances.
- Was associate men’s golf head coach at Ohio State before becoming a longtime instructor at Scioto Country Club.
- Currently known as one of the top junior golf coaches in the world, becoming the first to guide both the Ohio Junior Champion (Tyler Sabo) and the Ohio Amateur Champion (Max Watson) in the same year in 2021.
Trustee Achievement Award
Robert & Janet Archer
- Settled in Ashland 50 years ago, raising three children through the Ashland High School system.
- At AHS, contributed the lead gift for the construction of the auditorium and major gifts for the fieldhouse and baseball field.
- At Ashland University, helped fund new baseball/softball complex, soccer field improvements, library, seminary and Ashbrook Center.
- In Ashland County, have been large contributors for YMCA renovations, the Ashland Theater, Foundations Community Childcare Center, Salvation Army water park, renovated Associated Charities building and Davy McClure Outdoor Education Center.
- Members of area boards including YMCA, Ashland University, Ashbrook Center, Ashland Symphony, Ashland County Community Foundation, United Way and Rotary Club.
Great Teams of the Past:
1990 Loudonville High School Football
- Only Ashland County football team to ever play in state championship game, falling in Division IV to Versailles, 29-26.
- Finished 13-1 with Mohican Area Conference championship.
- Area Coach of the Year: Mike Warbel
- Player of the Year: Dan Weber
Scholarships
Gray also noted that the Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame Bill Mills Scholarships are awarded annually. Six were awarded to county student-athletes who graduated with the class of 2024.
Those individuals included Ashland’s Jenna Hartson, Hillsdale’s Kailyn Moneer, Loudonville’s Aidan Neibert and Mapleton’s Brock Durbin, Emma Roar and Kyle Sloter.
“We’ve had some real nice donors in the last few years who have helped us with raising that donation towards a scholarship for these student-athletes,” Gray said.