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The Ross Local School District will induct eight new members into its Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026, honoring athletes, educators, community leaders and an OHSAA state championship team for their lasting impact on the school and community.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for April 18. Tickets can be purchased at rossrams.com/boxoffice.

2009 Softball State Championship Team — The 2009 Ross softball team became the first “Ramball” squad — and just the second team in school history — to win an OHSAA state championship, capping a dominant postseason run with a 4-2 win in the state final. Led by seniors Brittany Berry, Rachael Connaughton, Hannah Ellinghausen, Heather Freeman, Kaitlyn Strunk and Nell Wilson, the Rams went 18-7 in the regular season and claimed the program’s 23rd straight league title. Behind junior pitcher Brittany Fernandez, Ross recorded six shutouts in its first seven postseason games, including three 1-0 victories. The team finished 26-7 under coaches Paul Fernandez, Bob Walton, Gary Weitzel and Jim Kernohan.

Richie Herrmann (Class of 1989) — A standout in both football and track and field, Herrmann earned first-team All-League, All-District and All-County football honors as a senior and was named County Player of the Year. He also received Special Mention All-Ohio recognition. In track, Herrmann still holds Ross records in the 110-meter high hurdles and 300 hurdles. He continued his career at Ashland University, competing in both sports and becoming a track and field All-American in 1993. He served as team captain for three seasons.

Brandon Jones (Class of 1994) — Jones excelled in Concert, Jazz and Marching Band before beginning a 25-year career as an educator, author and performer. A former band director in Princeton City Schools, Jones earned his doctorate from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. At Wittenberg University, he served as Professor of Music, Coordinator of Instrumental Music and department chair, directing multiple ensembles. He is a contributing author to the acclaimed Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series and is an active performing guitarist around Cincinnati.

Dana and Martha Mehl — The Mehls founded the Ross Community Foundation in 2022 with a mission to strengthen and support the Ross area. Since its creation, the foundation has distributed more than $90,000 in grants to local organizations and expanded its service by providing training and resources for nonprofit groups. The foundation, district officials said, embodies “hope, connection and possibility,” reflecting the couple’s vision of a unified and thriving community.

Al Gross — A longtime Ross Middle School educator, Gross inspired generations of students through rigorous academics, hands-on learning and mentorship. He launched the school’s Garden Club, where students grew flowers, maintained a greenhouse and enhanced campus landscaping. Gross also created the popular “Ram Bucks” program — an incentive system that rewarded positive behavior and leadership, often supplemented with items he purchased himself. His influence continues through the many teachers and students he guided.

Larry Hutson (Class of 1991) — A three-sport athlete, Hutson earned eight varsity letters in baseball, basketball and football. On the gridiron, he set school records for most passing yards and touchdowns in a game and ranks second in both categories for a season. He earned first-team All-League and All-County honors in 1990. In basketball, Hutson helped Ross win two FAVC championships while scoring more than 500 career points. He continued his athletic career at Thomas More University, serving as a three-year starting quarterback and a four-year starter in baseball as a shortstop and pitcher. After college, he played one season of professional football in Germany for the Bremen Bravehearts.

Danny Gray (Class of 1975) — Gray graduated as Ross High School’s all-time leading scorer in boys basketball, once pouring in 42 points in a single game. He earned All-District and All-State MVP recognition, was named First Team Player of the Year, and received Golden Triangle and American Legion Buckeye Boys State honors. He capped his senior year by being named a 1975 High School All-American.

Bob Ward — Ward coached the Ross girls basketball program for 19 seasons, compiling 217 wins — the most of any basketball coach in Ross history, boys or girls. His 1986–87 team went 19-2 and captured the league title. Before leading the girls program, Ward served as varsity assistant for the boys team, helping guide squads that won three league titles, two district championships, one regional championship and the 1980 state championship. He coached eight Hall of Famers during his tenure.

(Photo by Kristen Grant)

Riding a dominant ground attack and a three-touchdown performance from senior Anthony Valenti, Valley View powered past Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy 31-15 in a Division IV regional semifinal on Friday night.

Valenti scored on runs of 5, 52 and 5 yards, finishing with 76 yards on only five carries to help the Spartans seize control after a 14-7 halftime lead. Valley View rushed for 246 yards and never turned the ball over, while holding the Eagles to just 35 rushing yards and dominating time of possession 31:58 to 10:23.

Valley View struck first midway through the opening quarter when Valenti capped a drive with a 5-yard touchdown run to give the Spartans a 7-0 lead.

CHCA responded early in the second quarter when Griffin Ridner-Richard scrambled in from 12 yards out, tying it at 7-7 with 7:58 left in the half. But the Spartans answered less than five minutes later as Brodie Hopkins punched in a 12-yard touchdown run for a 14-7 advantage at the break.

Valley View imposed its will in the third quarter, blowing the game open on Valenti’s long 52-yard touchdown sprint with 7:20 remaining, then adding another 5-yard score just over two minutes later for a 28-7 lead.

Gavin Phillips added a 24-yard field goal early in the fourth to push the margin to three possessions.

CHCA scored late to close the gap, finishing with 118 passing yards but committing three turnovers, including two interceptions. Ridner-Richard, one of three quarterbacks used, rushed for the Eagles’ lone score and finished with 34 passing yards, while Nolan Lum led the aerial effort with 78 yards and a touchdown.

The Spartans, who averaged 5.9 yards per carry, also received 79 rushing yards from Tristan Smith and 43 from quarterback Brody Gibbs, who completed 4 of 10 passes.

Valenti wasn’t just an offensive star — he also hauled in two receptions for 51 yards and snagged an interception defensively.

Valley View faces Indian Hill in a regional final on Friday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. at Fairfield Alumni Stadium.

(Story by Rick McCrabb/JournalNews)

Alex Collins has all the traits of a record-setting running back, his coach said.

The standout back has quickness, size, toughness and field vision, said Josh Koogle, in his second season as football coach at Carlisle High School.

No wonder the Indians are enjoying one of their most successful seasons.

Koogle is a big reason for Carlisle’s success this year.

Collins, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound sophomore, has rushed 155 times for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns in 10 games. He was injured and missed the Waynesville game.

The leading rusher in the Southwestern Buckeye League, he has 400 yards more than the second-place rusher.

In the 10 games this season, he has two 200-yard games and five 100-yard games.

Koogle said Collins is having “a big year” for the Indians.

In Carlisle’s easy victory over West Liberty Salem, Collins rushed 18 times for 211 yards and three scores. Carlisle raced to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and never looked back.

“They wanted that one,” said Koogle, a 2011 Carlisle High graduate who spent eight seasons as assistant coach at Preble Shawnee before being hired two years ago to lead the Indians. “It went the way we hoped it would.”

Collins’ journey to becoming one of the best backs in the area has taken a few detours. He grew up in Carlisle, then his family moved to North Carolina.

There he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in eighth grade playing football, then tore the same ACL the next year wrestling.

He doesn’t think about damaging his ACL again.

“I just run,” he said.

He has healed from those injuries and is enjoying playing football again in his hometown.

“It’s good to be back with my big offensive line,” he said.

When Collins scores a touchdown, he looks at the fans and thinks: “I did something for the community to make people proud of me.”

He plans to play college football, but that’s two seasons away. Right now he doesn’t want his sophomore season to end.

“I have a really good feeling about this season,” Collins said.

(Story and photo by Steven Wright/Dayton Daily News)

The journey began in January and ended in November.

The end of the cross country campaign for the Oakwood girls team was a fitting example of the dominance it displayed throughout the season. The Jills were able to pull off school history in the process.

Oakwood won its first ever OHSAA Division III State Cross Country Championship on Saturday at Fortress Obetz in Columbus.

“We’ve had really good teams in the past,” senior Delaney Cahill said. “With like really good runners. So finally to get that victory for our team is, like, just crazy. Our coach and team have worked so hard for it.”

The Jills scored 71 team points to beat best runner-up Huron by 39. The team had all of its scoring placers finish within one minute of one another in all three postseason races.

Jills freshman Evelyn Reinoehl had the best finish for Oakwood. She placed 10th with a time of 18 minutes, 38.59 seconds. Senior Delaney Cahill was right behind her by fewer than three seconds in finishing 11th.

Senior Riley Meador (28th), and juniors Isa Dunlap (40th) and Sylvia Gallagher Yerman (44th) all scored points. Juniors Katherine Erin (45th) and Anna Peters (97th) were other contributors to the state team.

“We train how we race,” Cahill said. “We’ll be in packs, like Evelyn, Riley and I are all in packs and we all try to run together, so that really helps when we’re racing. Just that we know what it’s like and how it’s going to be like.”

The team finished as runner-up in 2020 and have produced multiple individual champions over the last decade-plus. This was an accomplishment everyone was striving to achieve.

Saturday did not go to plan, according to Sanford, as he expected his runners to finish in a different order of support. He said the runners ability to step up when the race called for them to perform at their best shows their tenacity to reach their goal.

“Our six actually ran really well,” Sanford said. “You never know which girl is going to step up.”

Oakwood’s runners mainly stayed in the middle of the pack until roughly the mile mark of the race. Reinoehl fell short after the race began, but still managed to get a top-10 finish.

As their plan to run down those in front of them played out as it has successfully in the past, there was little doubt the rest of the field were running for second.

“I’m so excited,” Cahill said. “Season’s over and we ended on a high note. So it’s just amazing.”

The top-24 placers in each division made the podium and were awarded medals.

Valley View senior Addy Abner (9th) was the area’s top finisher in D-III.

Talawanda senior Abra Mills finished ninth in the D-II race.