Press release and Staff report
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When the roll is called for the Wyandot Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2014 it will include a Wynford state champion.
Amber Rall of Wynford will join Upper Sandusky’s legendary Dave McClain, Rebecca (Putnam) Hawkins of Carey, Andrea Weininger of Mohawk, Riverdale’s Kourtney Kin, and Ed Young of Upper Sandusky as well as the 1954 Sycamore baseball team.
Rall’s athletic career at Wynford ended in 2003 but not before she captured a state long jump title, literally on one leg, at the University of Dayton. Rall earned All-Ohio honors seven times at Wynford – three times in basketball and four times in track in addition to being a volleyball standout. As a senior, Rall helped lead the Lady Royals to an undefeated regular season record and a berth in the state tournament. Rall went on to an All-American career in basketball at Ashland University and became the program’s all-time leading scorer.
Hawkins, a 1977 Carey High School graduate, qualified for the state track and field meet in four events in the first three years it was held for girls. She was an All-Ohioan in basketball and an All-North Central Conference first-team pick in volleyball as a senior.
Weininger, a 1989 Mohawk High School graduate, was a two-time All-Ohioan in both softball and basketball and a first-team All-NCC selection in volleyball while earning letters in all three sports all four years. She went on to play basketball and softball at Muskingum College, where she was inducted into its hall of fame in 2010.
Kin, a 2006 Riverdale High School graduate, was a two-time All-Ohioan in basketball and a one-time first-team All-NCC pick in volleyball. She went on to play basketball at Wilmington College, where she earned All-American honors as a senior and is the school’s fifth all-time leading scorer.
Young, a 1982 graduate of Upper Sandusky High School, was a two-time All-Ohioan in basketball. He went on to play basketball at the University of Dayton and entered the school’s hall of fame in 2003. He played on the USA Select Team in the Jones Cup, winning a gold medal, and played professionally in Europe.
McClain, a 1956 graduate of USHS, played both football and basketball for the Rams and went on to play quarterback and safety for Bowling Green State University. He then began a coaching career, which included leading Ball State University and the University of Wisconsin. He died at 48 years old in 1986 but the Big Ten honored him by naming its coach of the year award after him.
The 1954 Sycamore Wildcats baseball team finished as state runner-up in Class B in 1954, finishing 20-1 with a 2-1 loss to Waverly in the state championship game. The Wildcats had three different pitchers throw no hitters and scored 13 shutouts. Many of the same players also were on the basketball team that was 27-0 before losing in the district championship game the winter before.
The Calss of 2014 will be honored April 19 at a banquet at the Master’s Building on the Wyandot County Fairgrounds. Tickets for the induction banquet are $20 and will be on sale soon.
In addition, the WSHF announced it now will be honoring one boy and one girl from Carey, Mohawk, Riverdale, Upper Sandusky and Wynford with scholarships. The organization previously awarded one athlete from each school. Proceeds from the banquet help to support the scholarships.
For more information, contact president John Knickel at 419-722-0559 or visit www.wyandotsportshof.org.