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Final Trio Announced For Martins Ferry Athletic Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023

By Jeff Harrison 5 min read

The Martins Ferry Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2023 is complete.

The final three selections all come from the early 2000s - Trevor Bruney (Class of 2004), Ryan Church (Class of 2005) and Kayla Lewis (Class of 2008).

Previously announced selections for the HOF Class of 2023 were Bill Padgelek (Class of 1965), Mike Deaton (Class of 1969), Bob Krone (Class of 1970) Margie Kunze (Class of 1981), Brad Rinderer and Barry Voytecek (Classes of 1981 and 1982) and Jack Becker (Class of 1995).

These individuals will be inducted on Friday, Sept. 2 at a luncheon for family at the MHFS cafeteria in the afternoon and they'll be introduced at halftime of the Purple Riders' home football game that evening against Tuscarawas Valley.

Next week, the four selections for the Wall of Honor will be announced followed in two weeks by this year's Teams of Distinction.

Here's a look at the bios of the final 2023 Hall of Fame selections:

Trevor Bruney

Class of 2004

A running back in football and relay sprinter in track, Bruney is the latest in a long line of talented performers one of Ferry's storied football families.

In football, he was a three-year letterman and co-captain as a senior. The 5-11, 185-pounder led the area in rushing as a senior with 1,804 yards along with 12 touchdowns. Bruney helped lead the Purple Riders to the school's first-ever playoff victory against Proctorville Fairland before they lost to Coshocton in the second round to finish with a 9-3 record.

Bruney was named first team AP all-Ohio Division IV; first team all-Eastern District Division IV and the Offensive Player of the Year; and first team all-OVAC Class 3A. He was also the 12th member of the Bruney family to participate in the OVAC Rudy Mumley All-Star Football Game.

As a junior, he was a member of the Riders' team that finished unbeaten in the regular season and 10-1 overall, falling to Coshocton in the first round of the playoffs. MF also won the OVAC Class 3A championship that year.

In track, Bruney was a four-year letterman who was a mainstay in relay events.

As a junior, he was on the third place 4×100-meter relay team that finished third in the OVAC (44.62) and also had several other top five finishes including second at the Union Local Invitational (44.75), third at the Shadyside Relays (44.94) in the 4×100 and fifth in the Bellaire Relays in the shuttle hurdles (1:02.9).

As a senior, Bruney and the Riders were first in the OHSAA Division II District Meet and a Regional qualifier in the 4×100 (44.10 and first in the OVAC (44.62) and placed in three big meets in the shuttle hurdles - fourth at the Shadyside Relays (1:02.1), fourth at the OVAC (1:01.83) and sixth at the Wheeling Park/Dick Dei Classic (1:02.48).

He continued his gridiron career at the University of Mount Union, lettering all four years despite battling injuries. His career rushing totals included 95 carries for 474 yards and two TDs; 19 catches for 271 yards and 2 TDs; and five kickoff returns for 59 yards.

He was a member of three NCAA Division III championships teams and as a senior was the lead blocker for college football's all-time rushing record-holder (all divisions) - Nate Kmic.

Ryan Church

Class of 2008

The 6-3 Church came up big on both the football field and basketball court for the Purple.

In football, he was a two-year letterman who became the starting quarterback in the second game of his junior year, earning honorable mention all-OVAC Class 3A on a team that posted a 9-3 record, losing in the first round of the OHSAA playoffs to Coshocton.

As a senior, he was the signal-caller for the Riders who went unbeaten (9-0) in the regular season and advanced farther than any MF team had in the OHSAA playoffs ever, winning the Division IV, Region 15 championship by defeating West Muskingum, Bellaire and New Albany. Ferry lost to Youngstown Cardinal Mooney in the state semifinals, finishing the year with a 12-1 record and outscoring its opponents by a whopping 466-111 margin.

Church earned first team all-Ohio Division V accolades; was first team all-Eastern District and the Offensive Player of the Year; and first team all-OVAC Class 3A.

In basketball, he scored 1,024 career points, averaging 22 points per game as a senior.

He was named to the all-Ohio Division III third team and was first team all-Eastern District Division III, all-District 12 Division III, all-OVAC Class 3A and all-Valley.

As a junior Church received first team all-District 12, second team all-Eastern District and all-OVAC and was honorable mention all-Ohio.

Kayla Lewis

Class of 2008

One of the best softball players to wear the Purple & White, Lewis was a four-year letterwinner who was team captain and MVP as a senior.

Lewis batted a lofty .438 as a senior with 35 hits, one home run, nine doubles and 27 RBI. For her career, she hit .430 and had a whopping 101 RBI.

She was named to the OHSFCA Division III All-Ohio first team three times and was also a three-time first team all-Eastern District D-III selection, named the district "Player of the Year" as a senior. She also received first team All-OVAC Class 3A all four years; was a two-time All-Valley selection and a two-time All-Times Leader team captain.

Following her senior year, she played in the OVAC Softball All-Star Game.

She was a key member of the 2007 Lady Riders softball team that posted a 21-4 record, winning both the OVAC Class 3A and Buckeye 8 championships.

Lewis also was a two-year letterwinner in volleyball.

She went on to play softball at Kentucky State University. As a junior, she batted.353 (41-of-116) with 10 doubles, 7 home runs and 29 RBI while as a senior, she hit .322 (38-of-110) with 13 doubles, 3 home runs and 36 RBI. At KSU, she received a student-athlete award for Outstanding Achievement in Political Science.

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