NEW WASHINGTON (Crawford County Now) — Buckeye Central’s athletic excellence is arguably unrivaled among small schools in Ohio.
Five individual honorees and one team, producing stellar careers spanning six decades, were honored during the Buckeye Central Athletic Hall Of Fame Class of 2026 induction here Saturday afternoon. They also were recognized at halftime of the boys varsity basketball game that evening.
1981 Buckeye Central football team
The squad completed the regular season with a record of 10-0. It is one of only three BC football teams to finish with an undefeated regular season.
During the regular season the Bucks dominated most of their opponents, recording six shutouts while outscoring their opponents 277-33.
The team’s defensive average of 3.3 points per game during the regular season and 6.5 ppg overall are still school records.
Buckeye Central competed in Division V, at that time the smallest division in Ohio. That team was the first football team in school history to qualify for the state playoffs — at a time when only the top two teams in each region qualified for the playoffs.
The Bucks had the misfortune of facing defending state champion Tiffin Calvert on their home field. Calvert prevailed, 39-6, and went on to win its second straight state title.
“We made a few mistakes and they played phenomenal,” said head coach Bill Pierce, who resides in the Rochester, New York area.
“Our kids were tough. We were close in 1979 and were 7-3. We had a great team coming back; but we lost several players, two tailbacks and our right guard. We go 7-3 again.”
Pierce said his players worked hard in the off-season and came back in ’81 ready to win.
“I had great coaches. Our kids worked hard and our defense was outstanding. We had speed. Our slowest guy on the field was (tackle) Karl Mahaffey and he was running like a 4.8-4.9 40. That was running back speed back then,” he said.
“We had a lot of kids who weren’t playing who probably could have played for anyone else in the county. We had 53 kids on the team, but we were still the smallest school in the conference.”
Chet “Jet” Johnson, star running back, also spoke and became emotional recalling playing with his teammates, including those who have passed away.
He also talked about a tough 6-2 win at Carey.
Teresa (Teri) Riedel Casperson
She was a pioneer in girls’ sports locally.
During her high school years, the Girls Athletic Association (GAA) promoted school sports for girls which included intramural “activity days” as well as some volleyball and basketball games informally scheduled against area schools. She was active in GAA and a key player on the volleyball and basketball interscholastic teams.
In two reported basketball games, Riedel led scorers with 25 points against Galion, and she scored 24 points in a 45-28 victory over Bucyrus.
“We were just happy to play sports,” Casperson said. “When you see the guys out there competing against other teams you say, ‘You know, we can do that.'”
She competed in sprints, sprint relays, and hurdles as a member of the first girls track team which was formed in 1969.
“I was also involved in the band at Buckeye Central. We played the drum set in the pep band. We started the track team on our own. In basketball we got to go out and compete, and it was really good.”
Casperson was a four-year starter on Capital University volleyball and basketball teams and also played one season on the women’s tennis team. A registered official in basketball and volleyball, she officiated contests at both the high school and collegiate levels.
She later served a year as Athletic Department administrative assistant for women’s sports, assistant basketball coach for three years and one year as head women’s basketball coach.
“That was before Title IX and the NCAA came through; we were back there for a while … couldn’t be in the guys’ gym for a while. So we went through all of that. I started the first girls tennis team in the early 70s.”
Scott McDougal
McDougal is a 1993 graduate of Buckeye Central. He was a three-sport athlete earning three letters in football, two in basketball and four in track and field.
Though he earned All-NCC awards (1991, 1992), as well as district and all-Ohio honors (1992) in football, he found his most significant achievements in track.
“There are so many great athletes here. I was a small-town kid starting off in athletics and playing, along with my friends,” he said. “For it to culminate in something like this, it’s just amazing.”
As a junior, McDougal placed first at districts, fourth at regionals and finished fourth at the state meet. His senior year, he placed first in both the shot and discus at the NCC meet, at Districts he placed first in both events, at Regionals he placed first in the discus and second in the shot-put.
He ended his career with a third place showing in discus at the state meet and twice earned All-Ohio honors.
After graduation, he received a scholarship to attend Miami University where he competed for four years with his primary events being the hammer throw, discus and the 35-pound weight throw. He was a four-year letter winner and was an NCAA provisional qualifier in both the hammer and discus.
McDougal’s marks in all three events stayed in Miami’s top ten for more than 15 years.
Like the other recipients, he thanked all his coaches from elementary school through college.
“We were all multi-sport athletes. You were a team, but as track it was individual recognition,” McDougal said.
“I had coaches and mentors who just gave you that extra nudge, made you a little uncomfortable. At the time you hated it, but you realize looking back that hard work paid dividends later on in the season and in your career.”
His wife, Missy (Heydinger) McDougal, was inducted as part of the Class of 2003.
Sam Shafer
As the only Buckeye Central male athlete to earn four All-Ohio honors, Shafer dedicated his high school years to perfecting his abilities, earning him a preferred walk-on roster spot with The Ohio State University baseball team.
His primary skills continue to be memorialized by his 15 BC baseball records.
During his 2011 senior year, he held a .453 batting average with 5 home runs, 34 RBI and 36 runs scored. He started 11 games, earning an 8-1 record with 2 shutouts, seven complete games, and one save.
Shafer pitched 69 innings with 116 strikeouts and a 1.01 ERA. He was named District 9 Player of the Year and was first team all-Ohio.
In football, he is best remembered for intercepting four passes, catching five long receptions and scoring a touchdown to help defeat a daunting Ontario team in 2011.
He earned third team all-Ohio honors his senior year as a defensive back.
Having lived elsewhere, Shafer appreciates New Washington’s culture.
“It’s truly a special place and it’s hard to explain to somebody who hasn’t been here,” he said. “It’s a true family and everyone is so quick to lend a hand and expect nothing in return.”
Shafer continued his athletic career at The Ohio State University before partially tearing his ulnar collateral ligament in 2013. He transferred to Ashland University where he re-birthed his collegiate athletic career on the nationally ranked track and field team throwing javelin.
He continued playing baseball for the Santa Barbara Men’s Adult Baseball League, often featuring ex-college and pro players. He threw 100-plus innings over five seasons and closed out the ninth inning of his first and only baseball championship in 2021.
When he wasn’t pitching, he played all over the field and even assisted in coaching the team.
Grant Loy
Loy distinguished himself as one of the most accomplished multi-sport athletes in school history, earning 12 varsity letters over four years in football, basketball and baseball, an elite achievement held by only two other Buckeye Central student athletes.
In football, Loy started several games at quarterback as a freshman. He suffered a significant back fracture injury that cost him his entire sophomore season before returning to lead the team as the starting QB his junior and senior years.
He threw for 17 touchdowns and 1,884 yards as a senior. He set a school record for most completions in a game with 22, a mark that stood for many years. A team captain and two-time MVP, Loy earned first team N10, all-county and all-North Central Ohio Football Coaches Association team in 2015. Loy also represented Buckeye Central in the 2016 North Central Ohio Football Classic All-Star Game.
On the basketball court, he was a two-year starter and two-time team captain. Loy averaged 18 points and 10.5 rebounds his senior year, earning multiple post-season honors.
In baseball, Loy was a four-year starter at multiple positions, compiling a .370 career batting average (9th in school history), highlighted by a .438 senior season. He still holds the school record for stolen bases in a career (80).
Loy was chosen first team all-Ohio recognition (one of only five players in school history) and the only player from Buckeye Central to earn both first team All-Ohio and Academic All-Ohio.
His father, athletic director Phil Loy, presented Grant for induction. He also coached Grant and Max.
“It was awesome. It makes me think back to when I was a little kid running around in the gym, probably causing a little bit of trouble,” he said.
“But I got to see how it was to do everything the right way. I wanted to set an example as he did.”
Though drawing interest from Division II and III colleges for basketball, Loy wanted to play football. Late in the recruiting process, he turned down junior college offers for a spot as a preferred walk-on at Bowling Green State University where he earned a full scholarship after his first season.
He had 1,478 passing yards and rushed for 664 yards in three seasons. In his first start, Loy led the Falcons to an upset victory over rival Toledo.
Loy is the only quarterback in the Bowling Green modern era history to throw and rush for more than 100 yards in a game. He threw for a career-high 250 yards with 1 TD pass in a game against Ohio University. He earned Academic All-MAC honors for three straight years at BG.
He transferred to Auburn and played two seasons in the SEC, serving as a backup quarterback in 2020 and 2021. He’s the only player in school history to play Division I football at the quarterback position.
Jenna Karl
Karl stands among the most accomplished multi-sport athletes in school history, earning eight varsity letters in volleyball and basketball from 2014–2018 and leaving a legacy defined by excellence, leadership and team success.
In volleyball, she recorded over 1,224 career kills and more than 1,000 digs, ranking second all-time in kills and fourth in kills per set in school history.
Her senior season was particularly memorable, as she helped lead her team to league, district, and regional championships, resulting in a state Final Four appearance.
“I was speechless when I found out,” Karl said. “Never did I ever think this would become reality. I’m so humbled and so grateful to be on this wall.
“Growing up you walk through the halls and see the Missy McDougals and my mom (Tracy) was on here for her state team. Those are teams you admire and hope to live up to.”
Karl was equally dominant on the basketball court, scoring 1,546 career points to rank second all-time while finishing as the program’s career leader in rebounds with 849. She also totaled 656 assists and 413 steals, placing her among the school’s all-time leaders in both categories.
Individually, she earned repeated first team all-league, all-district and All-Ohio honors, along with League Player of the Year and District Player of the Year recognition.
Beyond the accolades and records, she was recognized as a humble, unselfish and respected teammate. Her relentless work ethic and team-first mentality were key reasons her teams consistently competed at a high level.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better senior year going to state in volleyball and then going in basketball that same year. It was 1992 since Buckeye went to state in girls basketball, so that was the best experience.”
Principal Dr. Mike Martin served as master of ceremonies. Honorees and guests enjoyed dinner after the induction.