26 — Saturday, September 19, 2015
Pete Norman
Gary Allison
The Holmes County Hub Shopper
Lisa Patterson
Holmes Sports Hall of Fame to induct three The 18th biennial Holmes County Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Carlisle Village Inn in Walnut Creek. Tickets for the event are available at Rodhe’s IGA in Millersburg and at Gospel Book Store in Berlin. Ticket prices are $20 for adults and $10 for children (3-11). The deadline for ticket sales is Oct. 1. This year’s Hall of Fame class includes Lisa Patterson, Pete Norman and Gary Allison. The 2000 state championship Hiland Lady Hawks, who went 28-0 en route to the Div. IV title, will also be honored at the event. The following is a capsule look at the Hall of Fame inductees. Gary L. Allison Allison was an outstanding athlete for Glenmont High School. He started playing basketball in the fourth grade at Glenmont School. In the sixth grade he was asked to play on the seventh and eighth grade team. They won the league championship in basketball that year. Allison played for Glen-
mont High School all four years (1952-1955). He played point guard in basketball; pitcher and third base in baseball; linebacker, running back and quarterback in football. He lettered all four years in each sport and at that time it was a six-man football team. During Allison’s junior year, he was named Honorable Mention on the Holmes County Basketball All-Star Team, and was a first-team All-County selection in basketball his senior year. Teams were from Clark, Killbuck, Nashville, Big Prairie/Lakeville, Millersburg, Berlin and Walnut Creek. Allison led his team to a county runner-up trophy during the 1954-55 season. He also led his baseball team to a championship trophy in the spring of 1955. Allison was presented the MVP Award by radio station WWST and Roy Bates. He was recognized for his attitude, example and ability as a basketball player during that season. He was chosen to receive the Maibach MVP Award for the 1954-55 season. After high school gradu-
ation, Allison had the opportunity to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals. Then he entered into the U.S. Army in 1956. He made both the basketball and baseball teams while he was stateside. While stationed in Germany, Allison continued to play basketball and baseball for the Army Team and played throughout Germany at military bases. After returning home, he played Independent League Baseball for TriCounty (Knox, Coshocton, Holmes). He also played basketball and fastpitch softball for local teams. Allison also coached Little League baseball in Holmes County. Allison lives near Glenmont and is retired from American Electric Power. He has five children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He enjoys his retirement traveling, playing golf and hunting. Peter J. Norman Norman was third-team all-state in football player at West Holmes High School his senior year, then in the spring, was a two-time state placer in
The 2000 Hiland Hawks will be honored at the Oct. 17 Holmes County Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The team went 28-0 en route to winning the Div. IV state championship. Team members included (front, from left) managers Esther Mast, Amber Schrock, Lindsay Stuckey, Renee Hershberger, Krista Beechy, Lydia Miller; (middle) Alisha Strother, Autumn Kandel, Kristin Stutzman, Kimberly Mast, Alisha Yoder, Melissa Miller, Erica Mishler, Maggie Wengerd; (back) head coach Dave Schlabach, assistant Rob Moser, Kimberly Slabach, Jamie Kline, Jonie Miller, Erin Hostetler, Jill Yoder, Tara Brand, Michelle Ling, assistant Pam Oswald and assistant Don Hall. track, finishing fourth in the discus and sixth in the shot put. Norman was a state qualifier in shot put as a junior, and is still the only athlete in the county to place in the state in both throwing events in the same season. Norman played one year of football at the University of Toledo, while in high school, he earned a total of eight varsity letters. Norman had a stellar high school career in which he was a member of the first undefeated football team in West Holmes history, playing both sides of the ball as a tight end and defensive tackle. It was in track and field, he has the oldest record on the books at West Holmes, with his heave of 56-8 3/4 in 1983 still the school’s best ever. Norman has spent his entire adult life working with youth. He spent four years as Little League director and also spent four years as Director of Cobra Youth Football. He spent parts of 10 years coaching at various levels for the West Holmes football program, including being the offensive coor-
dinator. Norman has also spent many years and is still currently working with the varsity track and field team at West Holmes as a throws coach. He has coached several throwers onto the podium at state, including a state runnerup in the girls shot put. Norman lives in Millersburg with his wife Teri and is employed by WKLM Radio in Millersburg.
eral years and then later coached both volleyball and basketball at West Holmes Middle School. Patterson was hired as the varsity girls basketball coach nine years ago. Her teams have earned a 20135 win-loss record over those nine years, which includes four consecutive state appearances and one undefeated season in winning the state championship. Having been chosen as Ohio Cardinal Conference COY six times, District 5 COY four times, AP Eastern District COY 3 times, Ohio COY and Ohio Basketball Coaches Association COY one time, Patterson finds more satisfaction and pleasure in her teams’ accomplishments. The West Holmes Lady Knights, in Patterson’s nine seasons, have been Ohio Cardinal Conference champs seven times and appeared in many sectional, district, and regional championships. Patterson credits her coaching staff, family, friends, former players and families for their support and direction in helping to lead the Lady
Lisa Patterson Lisa Patterson is a lifelong resident of Holmes County. She attended West Holmes High School where she participated in varsity volleyball and basketball. In playing for legendary basketball coach Jack Van Reeth, she played on two state championship teams. Patterson went on to play basketball for Walsh College for two years. Returning to Holmes County upon graduation, Patterson has been employed by West Holmes Middle School as an Intervention Specialist for the past 22 years. She served as the freshmen volleyball coach for the Lady Knights for sev- See Pg. 29 — THREE
Knights a solid second in OCC By ELLIOTT SCHREINER Special to The Hub Shopper WOOSTER — The West Holmes and Wooster girls tennis teams got together for a match yesterday. But all the talk was about Lexington. The Knights and Generals took part in the annual Ohio Cardinal Conference regular season activity of jockeying for second place behind Lady Lex, the team that’s won the league every year since the OCC’s inception in 2003. The Knights came away with the best chance at being second best in
the league, topping Wooster 4-1 to improve to 12-2 overall and 5-1 in the league. “Now it’s all about the tournament,” said West Holmes coach Jason Otto, whose team still has Lady Lex on its regular season schedule. “If we can get points off Lexington, it will help us with Ashland (who beat the Knights earlier in the season). “But the seeds are already determined.” The Knights took home wins everywhere but third singles. Natalie Molnar led the way with a 6-3, 6-3 decision over Wooster’s Izzy Rico, while Erin Stitzlein fol-
lowed suit at second singles, topping Wooster’s Olivia McCory 6-2, 6-0. The Knights also took home both doubles slots. Kate Rodhe and Cassidy Mohler earned their win in three, topping Hanna Morgan and Emma Strong 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 at first doubles. And Maty McCauley and Samara Galion also were in a battle, topping Esther Hart and Mary Grace Gorman 6-4, 2-6, 7-6. “We knew West Holmes was tough coming in,” Wooster coach Jon Zeltman photo/www.buydrphotos.com Stan Burris said. “We wanted to Natalie Molnar from West Holmes smacks a foremake sure we competed all the way hand during her first singles win over Wooster’s through. Izzy Rico Tuesday on the Generals’ courts, where the Knights pulled out a 4-1 Ohio Cardinal ConSee Pg. 29 — KNIGHTS ference tennis victory.