×

OVAC Hall of Fame Banquet coming Saturday

WHEELING — The Ohio Valley Athletic Conference will honor its own once again Saturday when the 15th-annual OVAC Hall of Fame Ceremony takes place with the induction of the Class of 2018.

WesBanco Arena is once again the site of this year’s OVAC Hall of Fame Banquet — which is sponsored by the Robinson Auto Group.

A total of 19 individuals associated with the conference will take their place among the elite who have helped make the OVAC — embarking on its 76th year — one of the premier high school athletic leagues in the nation.

This year’s inductees include:

¯ OVAC Family — Ron White

¯ OVAC Contributor — Earl Haberfield

≤ Media — John Simonson

¯ Coaches — Jack Berger (Shayside) and Bob Montgomery (John Marshall)

¯ Official — Steve Kish

¯ 1940s Athlete — Bob Plotz (Martins Ferry)

¯ 1950s Athletes — Geno Sessi (St. Clairsville) and Robert Pritchard (Wheeling)

¯ 1960s Athletes — Don Osby (Steubenville) and Bob Tucker (Weir)

¯ 1970s Athletes — Ron Lee (Bellaire) and Keith Vrotsos (Martins Ferry)

¯ 1980s Athletes — Georgia Dawson (Bellaire) and Ron Stephens (Linsly)

¯ 1990s Athletes — Eric McGhee (Wheeling Central) and Kelly Shields (Edison)

¯ 2000s Athlete — Zach Collaros (Steubenville) and Adam Hoppel (Beaver Local)

Five Legends of OVAC Member Schools also will be recognized at the banquet, including Dominic “Mac” Cara (Bellaire), Dail Harper (Caldwell), Bob Henderson (Cambridge), Eddie Sterling (Martins Ferry) and Kim Tullis (Jewett-Scio).

The legends category recognizes athletes and coaches who competed prior to the inception of the OVAC in 1943 or while their schools were not members of the conference.

A special distinguished service award will be presented to Ron Miller of Wheeling.

Plaques of the OVAC Hall of Fame inductees are on permanent display in the outer concourse at WesBanco Arena as part of the OVAC Museum.

The OVAC Hall of Fame selection committee includes Tom Rataiczak, executive director of the OVAC; Jeff Harrison, sports editor of The Daily Jeffersonian in Cambridge; Doug Huff, retired sports editor of The Intelligencer in Wheeling; Robert “Bubba” Kapral, executive sports editor of The Times Leader/The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register; Ron Mauck, longtime OVAC wrestling championship director; Kelly Rine, athletic director at St. Clairsville High School; Tom Tisher, teacher/coach at Magnolia High School; Dick Wolf, East Liverpool City Schools Board of Education member; Don Zinni, former OVAC football commissioner; Seth Staskey, sports editor of The Times Leader in Martins Ferry; Bob Koch, director of the OVAC Rudy Mumley All-Star Football Game; and Joe Dunlevy, athletic director at Indian Creek High School.

John Sorrenti, former sports director of WEIR-AM, will again serve as master of ceremonies while Vince Monseau offer the invocation and benediction.

Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m.

The induction ceremony starts at 6:30 p.m.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today