Decades Of Greatness Celebrated
By IAN HICKS Staff Writer
POSTED: August 17, 2008
WHEELING - Six decades of athletic greatness in the Ohio Valley were celebrated Saturday as the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame inducted its Class of 2008 at WesBanco Arena.
The OVAC Hall of Fame's fifth class includes 16 people who made their mark on the area's high school sporting scene in various ways - as athletes, coaches, officials and sportswriters. The Hall of Fame also honored five new "Legends of the OVAC" - people whose contributions came prior to the conference's genesis in 1943.
The 2008 inductees are:
- Bob Hedmond, Follansbee High School Class of 1948 - In his high school days, Hedmond lettered in four sports: football, track, basketball and baseball. Despite suffering a knee injury in the 1948 OVAC Charity All-Star Football Game, he went on to play fullback and defensive end for Shepherd College following a 21-month military stint. He was named the first head football coach at the consolidated Brooke High School in 1969. After taking the helm at Steubenville High School in 1981, he led that squad to its first two post-season appearances since Ohio adopted a playoff format in the 1970s. He also served as head coach at East Liverpool, and enjoyed success as a track and wrestling coach throughout his career.
- Jimmy Stewart, Triadelphia High School Class of 1918 - Described by his presenter Doug Huff as "a quiet, unassuming man who shunned the spotlight but was proficient at what he did," Stewart spent nearly 50 years as a local sportswriter, beginning with the Wheeling News and The Register, which were separate at that time. He served as sports editor of the Wheeling Telegraph from 1921-29 before becoming sports editor of the Wheeling News-Register. In addition to providing news coverage, Stewart contributed to the OVAC by keeping detailed standings and record books. His columns became some of the most widely read throughout the area.
- Bill Thomas, Bellaire High School Class of 1952 - Thomas was a high school standout in track, football, basketball and baseball but is best known for his 48-year career as an OVAC track official. During that time he has served as the meet referee for almost every major championship in the valley. He received the Cal Giffin Award in 1983 for his service to the sport of track and field. In addition to his officiating, Thomas also held coaching positions at Bellaire, St. Clairsville, Barnesville and Union Local. Upon his induction Saturday, Thomas remarked, "It's nice to be remembered."
- John Craig, Follansbee High School Class of 1967 - Presenter and former coach Ron Mauck said Craig was a "diamond in the rough" when he asked Mauck to give him a chance to wrestle for him during his senior year at Follansbee High School. Despite having no background in any sport whatsoever, Craig went on to letter three times at West Liberty State College where he earned three championships and two MVP honors. His 26 years as head wrestling coach at Steubenville Big Red and Indian Creek High School netted him six OVAC championships, seven divisional titles and five OVAC Wrestling Coach of the Year honors.
- Bob Kettlewell, Linsly Military Institute Class of 1947 - Kettlewell spent 20 years as head football coach at Wintersville High School, where he posted a 143-40-10 record. He coached three undefeated teams as well as seven others which only suffered a single loss. Indian Creek's football facility was renamed "Bob Kettlewell Memorial Stadium" in his honor. Presenter Dennis Montgomery said of Kettlewell, "He could motivate anyone, and he motivated a lot of different ways. My face mask was bent on several occasions ... but 10 minutes later, his arm was around your shoulder."
- Tom Keane, Linsly Military Institute Class of 1944 - Keane's brother and "Legends of the OVAC" inductee Jim Keane said of him, "He was the best all-around football player I ever saw." Tom Keane earned All-OVAC honors in both basketball and football, but his greatest talents manifested themselves on the gridiron. After lettering at both Ohio State and West Virginia University and serving in the U.S. Navy, Keane was drafted by the NFL's Los Angeles Rams in 1948. He played eight seasons for the Rams, Dallas Texans, Baltimore Colts and Chicago Cardinals. He was a two-time All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 1953. He played in three NFL championship games, winning a title in 1951 with the Rams. He later spent many years as an assistant coach in the NFL, serving as a defensive backs and special teams coach for the 1972 Miami Dolphins - to date the only undefeated, untied season in league history.
- Nick Mumley, Wheeling High School Class of 1955 - Mumley was a three-sport athlete at Wheeling High, excelling in football, basketball and track. He garnered first team All-State, All-OVAC and All-City honors as a two-way end and the same accolades in basketball. He also won two state shot put titles. He was the 51st overall selection in the 1959 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles; however, he chose to sign with the New York Titans of the fledgling American Football League. He played 42 games for the Titans, who eventually became the New York Jets, over three seasons.
- Tom Yakubowski, Adena High School Class of 1958 - In his high school days Yakubowski served as team captain in football, basketball and baseball, earning 10 total letters. He earned All-OVAC honors in football and All-East Ohio Athletic League honors in basketball. As a pitcher-infielder in baseball, he once threw two one-hit shutouts in a three-day span and tossed 32 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings in tournament play. After earning a football scholarship to Purdue University, he lettered for the Boilermakers his sophomore and senior years. He later had a tryout with the Buffalo Bills and went on to a 38-year career in education.
- Bill Kennedy, Warwood High School Class of 1967 - As a prep star with the Warwood Vikings, Kennedy led his team to state Class AA playoff appearances his junior and senior years. In 1967, he helped Warwood earn its first OVAC title in 21 years while averaging 26.2 points per game. He also excelled as a high jumper on the school's track team. In college, he led the West Liberty Hilltoppers in scoring his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to Arizona State, where he proceeded to pace the Sun Devils in scoring during his two seasons there, as well. He decided to make a career as a basketball official despite being drafted by Memphis's American Basketball Association franchise. Kennedy currently serves as a Pac-10 basketball referee. Presenter Jack Schuetz on Kennedy: "Ability is what gets you to the top, but its character that keeps you there."
- Bob Rieves, Wheeling High School Class of 1969 - When it comes to Rieves' high school sprinting career, presenter Doug Huff said, "The stopwatch says it all." In his senior year, Rieves broke two state records at the state championship meet. His mark of 44.7 seconds is still the fastest 440-yard performance in West Virginia history. In honor of his accomplishments, Wheeling High retired Rieves' track jersey. His endeavors earned him a track scholarship to West Virginia University, where he competed two seasons for the Mountaineers.
- Mike Kovalick, Bellaire High School Class of 1975 - Kovalick was a "tough, shy, determined, extremely approachable and very intelligent kid," according to presenter Dennis Bowman. Kovalick, son of the legendary coach George Kovalick, boasts state wrestling championships on both sides of the Ohio River, as he spent three years as a Weir High School standout before transferring to Bellaire for the 1975 season. A two-sport standout, Kovalick was an all-star lineman for both the Red Rider and Big Red football squads. He went on to wrestle for Arizona State in college and was later inducted into Bellaire High School's Hall of Fame.
- Joe Pettini, Brooke High School Class of 1973 - Pettini never sat the bench during his four years as a baseball star at Brooke High School, said presenter Doug Huff. He led the Bruins to a state title and earned the role of captain of the All-Valley and All-OVAC teams during his senior year. After a successful college career at Mercer University, Pettini was signed by the Montreal Expos before being traded to the San Francisco Giants, where he played four seasons. He then entered the professional coaching ranks, eventually hired by St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa as the team's bench coach in 2002. Pettini, who won a World Series championship ring with the Cardinals when they defeated the Detroit Tigers in 2006, still holds that position today.
- Connie Doutt, Buckeye Trail High School Class of 1981 -Connie Doutt was one of the first females in the Ohio Valley to excel in three sports - basketball, volleyball and softball. She shined brightest on the hardwood, however, becoming Buckeye Trail's all-time basketball scoring leader. She led her team to four consecutive Ohio High School Athletic Association tournaments, taking home the title as a sophomore in 1979. Doutt also lettered all four years in volleyball and softball and was inducted into Buckeye Trail's Hall of Fame in 1996. Doutt went on to become the first out-of-state female in the University of Michigan's history to earn a basketball scholarship.
- Jay Peterson, Cadiz High School Class of 1980 - A four-sport athlete, Peterson's greatest accomplishments at Cadiz High came on the football field. During his career he set a single-game,Ohio Valley-record by rushing for 377 yards against Mingo. On two occasions, Peterson carried the ball to paydirt six times in a single game. His jersey number was later retired by the school. He was also a standout track athlete in addition to playing basketball and baseball. On the diamond, Peterson earned All-Valley honorable mention as a menacing hitter and speedster on the basepaths. He went on to become a four-year letter winner at Miami (Ohio) University before serving as an assistant coach both on the high school and collegiate levels. He is currently the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator/linebackers coach for Eastern Michigan University.
- Mark Cisar, Magnolia High School Class of 1994 - Cisar excelled in both football and baseball during his high school career. He was a multi-way talent on the gridiron, playing quarterback, safety, kicker and punter for the Blue Eagles under his father, head coach Dave Cisar. Cisar once played an entire season with a broken thumb, managing to throw for over 2,000 yards that year. His greatest successes, however, came on the baseball diamond. After garnering three-time All-West Virginia Class AA, All-OVAC and All-Valley honors as a pitcher, he earned a baseball scholarship to Charleston Southern University in South Carolina. In 1998, Cisar was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and was named Red Sox Rookie League Pitcher of the Year that season. After bouncing around the minor leagues for several seasons, Cisar is currently a teacher at the Belmont Career Center and serves as head football coach at Union Local High School. He led the Jets to their first-ever state playoff berth in 2007.
- Suzie Dailer, Wheeling Central Catholic High School, Class of 1991 - In high school Dailer proved herself a capable athlete in both basketball and volleyball, but found the basketball court to be her true calling. During her career, Central posted a 77-17 record and won three straight Class AA titles. Dailer went on to star at St. Bonaventure University, where she lettered and started all four years. By the time she was finished there, she was the school's fifth all-time leading scorer. For good measure, she added a Division I Women's Basketball National Three-Point Shooting championship to her resume in 1995. She was inducted into St. Bonaventure's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.
The five new members of the "Legends of the OVAC" are: Ernie Bell, John Blatnik, George "Puck" Burgwin, Kenny Griffith and Jim Keane.
Member Comments
View Comments: | 1-3 | Post a comment
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Katabatic
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08-17-08 3:42 PM
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And John Craig was an NAIA All-American wrestler at West Liberty State College, multiple times.
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Thoughtful
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08-17-08 2:00 PM
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Where is Carter Howell Flushing High School Graduated 1955. Possibly the greatest basketball star from the Ohio Valley !!!!!!!!!!
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cu1234
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08-17-08 12:19 AM
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Mark Cisar does not work as a teacher at Belmont Career Center. He serves Union Local as its Athletic Director and before that he was a special education teacher at Union Local.
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