MIKE LAROSA: WELCOME TO THE 46TH ANNUAL BUDDY LAROSA'S HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY.
THIS YEAR'S INDUCTEES ARE TERRILL BYRD, THE 1954 ELDER FOOTBALL TEAM, THE 2000 MASON GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAM, AND MVP'S: WITH YOUR HOSTS: NOW HERE'S DENNIS JANSON.
DENNIS JANSON: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE, THAT THE LAROSA'S HALL OF FAME INDUCTION PROGRAM COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED ONLINE VIA ZOOM AND COMPUTER LINKS.
WELL, THEY WERE WRONG.
WE HAD A TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH TO THIS NEW NORMAL LAST YEAR.
AND THEN WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES TO FEND OFF THE SCOURGE OF COVID-19.
OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, WE ONCE AGAIN ASSEMBLED OUR HONOREES VIRTUALLY, AND WE'LL PROCEED ONLINE AND ON AIR TO HONOR THE BEST OF TODAY AND YEARS PAST.
THE DRIVING FORCE, AS ALWAYS, BEHIND OUR GATHERING IS THE LAROSA FAMILY.
THIS IS THE 46TH YEAR THAT GREATER CINCINNATI'S PREEMINENT PURVEYOR OF PASTA PERFECTION, AMONG OTHER DELICACIES, HAS ROLLED OUT THE RED CARPET IN RECOGNITION OF ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE.
WITH THAT, I WILL TURN TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE LAROSA'S ORGANIZATION, MR. MICHAEL LAROSA.
MIKE.
MIKE LAROSA: THANK YOU, DENNIS.
ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE AT LAROSA'S, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE 46TH ANNUAL BUDDY LAROSA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HALL OF FAME.
AND, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T BE TOGETHER AGAIN THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID RESTRICTIONS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR VERY BEST TO, YOU KNOW, HONOR OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR TEAMS AND OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
YOU KNOW, THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY IS REALLY A CENTRAL FOCUS OF OUR COMPANY.
AND WE'RE GLAD TO BE ABLE TO TO PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF MEANINGFUL RECOGNITION HERE TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE YOU TO JUST SIT BACK, RELAX AND ENJOY THE SHOW.
NOW BACK TO DENNIS.
THANK YOU.
DENNIS JANSON: THANKS MUCH, MIKE.
ONE OF MY MORE PERSONAL REGRETS ABOUT HAVING TO PROCEED VIRTUALLY IS THAT I DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE DAIS WITH ONE OF THE TRI-STATE'S MOST RESPECTED SPORTS PERSONALITIES, NOT TO MENTION THE MOST AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS.
WE USUALLY JOUST BACK AND FORTH ABOUT OUR LOYALTIES TO MOELLER AND ELDER RESPECTIVELY, BUT THAT WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER TIME.
IN THE HERE AND NOW, TO GET THINGS STARTED WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOL MVP'S AND TEAM HONOREES, PLEASE WELCOME THE LEGENDARY PLAY BY PLAY VOICE OF THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES, MR. PAUL KEELS.
PAUL.
PAUL KEELS: THANK YOU, DENNY.
AND IT'S GREAT TO BE INVOLVED AGAIN THIS YEAR.
AND EVEN IN THESE CHALLENGING TIMES, THE SOUTHWEST OHIO AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY REGION CONTINUES TO PRODUCE AN ARRAY OF STAR STUDDED ATHLETES, INCLUDING NUMEROUS STATE CHAMPIONS, ALL AMERICANS, FUTURE OLYMPIANS, AND TALENTED STUDENT ATHLETES WHO WILL TAKE THEIR SKILLS TO THE NEXT LEVEL, COMPETING IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ALL ACROSS THE NATION.
AND SO TODAY, WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE THE BEST OF THE BEST STUDENT ATHLETES IN THE 2020 AND 2021 SCHOOL YEAR.
WITH ALL OF THE EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT ATHLETES WHO COMPETED THIS PAST YEAR, YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT IT WAS AN ARDUOUS TASK INDEED TO SELECT FROM A VERY DEEP TALENT POOL JUST ONE MALE AND ONE FEMALE MVP OF THE YEAR.
WE'D LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE YOU TO THE TWO VERY GIFTED STUDENT ATHLETES WHO WERE CHOSEN AS THE LAROSA'S HIGH SCHOOL MALE AND FEMALE MVPS OF THE YEAR.
FIRST THE 2020-2021 LAROSA'S FEMALE MVP OF THE YEAR IS KAILYN DUDUKOVICH FROM LAKOTA WEST, A SOCCER STAR OF THE CLASS OF 2021.
LAKOTA WEST SENIOR KAILYN DUDUKOVICH IS A SOCCER HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN, AN INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION, AN OHIO STATE CHAMPION, AND A PLAYER THAT THE GIRLS SOCCER NETWORK CALLED ONE OF THE TOP FIVE HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER PLAYERS IN THE NATION IN THE 2021 CLASS, WHILE TOP DRAWER SOCCER RATED HER AS THE NUMBER THREE SOCCER FORWARD IN THE NATION IN THE 2021 CLASS.
DURING THE FIREBIRDS HIGH SCHOOL SEASON TO REMEMBER HER JUNIOR YEAR, KAILYN HAD ONE OF THE GREATEST HIGH SCHOOL SEASONS EVER, HELPING THE TEAM TO A 22-0-2 RECORD AND AN OHIO STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
KAILYN CAME THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH WITH TWO GOALS IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, INCLUDING THE GAME WINNER WITH 13 SECONDS TO GO TO SECURE A 2-1 VICTORY OVER ANTHONY WAYNE.
SHE SCORED A REMARKABLE 50 GOALS DURING THE SEASON, A LAKOTA AND GMC SINGLE SEASON RECORD.
SHE ALSO CHIPPED IN 9 ASSISTS, SO FOR THE YEAR SHE ACCOUNTED FOR 109 POINTS, ALSO A SCHOOL AND CONFERENCE RECORD.
PLUS SHE HOLDS AT LEAST A HALF A DOZEN OTHER SCHOOL OR CONFERENCE RECORDS.
HER SENIOR SEASON, KAILYN HELPED LEAD HER TEAM TO THE REGIONAL SEMIFINALS, SCORING ALL THREE OF HER TEAM'S GOALS IN THAT GAME TO SECURE A 3-2 VICTORY OVER MOUNT NOTRE DAME.
SHE ONCE AGAIN LED THE LEAGUE IN GOALS WITH 46 AND POINTS WITH 99.
SHE MANAGED TO BREAK ALL EXISTING SCORING AND POINT TOTAL RECORDS FOR THE LAKOTA SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH A TWO YEAR TOTAL OF 96 GOALS AND 208 POINTS.
KAILYN HAS WON NUMEROUS HONORS FOR HER STELLAR PLAY.
DURING HER EXCEPTIONAL VARSITY CAREER SHE WAS TWICE NAMED A SOCCER ALL-AMERICAN.
SHE WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE MISS OHIO SOCCER AND GATORADE OHIO SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS.
AND TWO TIMES SHE WAS NAMED OHIO DIVISION I SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR, SOUTHWEST OHIO DISTRICT PLAYER OF THE YEAR, GMC PLAYER OF THE YEAR, AND FIRST TEAM ALL STATE.
SHE WAS ALSO NAMED BY THE CINCINNATI.COM SPORTS AWARDS HER JUNIOR YEAR AS CINCINNATI SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR, AS WELL AS THE GIRLS OVERALL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR.
IN 2018, KAILYN WAS A MEMBER OF THE USA UNDER 16 GIRLS NATIONAL TEAM, HELPING LEAD THE TEAM TO AN INTERNATIONAL TITLE IN ITALY.
KAILYN WILL PLAY HER SOCCER COLLEGIATELY AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.
A SUPER STUDENT WITH A 4.76 GPA AND A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, SHE'S VERY ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ALSO PLAYS FOR THE OHIO ELITE SOCCER CLUB.
KAILYN WAS ALSO AN ALL STAR BASKETBALL PLAYER FOR THE FIREBIRDS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HERE IS THE LAROSA'S 2020 AND 2021 FEMALE MVP OF THE YEAR, SOCCER ALL-AMERICAN KAILYN DUDUKOVICH.
KAILYN DUDUKOVICH: THANKS, PAUL.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY TO RECEIVE THE PRESTIGIOUS AWARD OF BUDDY LAROSA FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR.
DUE TO CLUB SOCCER COMMITMENTS, I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER MY FRESHMAN OR SOPHOMORE YEAR, SO MY FIRST YEAR WAS MY JUNIOR YEAR.
THOUGH AS A TWO SPORT ATHLETE, I WAS ABLE TO PLAY VARSITY BASKETBALL FOR WEST MY FRESHMAN THROUGH JUNIOR YEAR.
I'VE PLAYED BASKETBALL SINCE BEFORE I CAN EVEN REMEMBER, AND THROUGH LAKOTA WEST BASKETBALL, I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY WITH AND AGAINST SOME AMAZING ATHLETES AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
THOUGH MY HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER CAREER WAS BRIEF, IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS OF MY LIFE TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE FOR AND REPRESENT MY SCHOOL.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY AND IT WAS TRULY AMAZING TO ULTIMATELY BRING BACK A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE TO MY COMMUNITY.
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS BROUGHT ME SOME OF MY FAVORITE MEMORIES AND ALSO TAUGHT ME SOME AMAZING LESSONS.
SOME HUGE TAKEAWAYS FROM LAKOTA WEST ATHLETICS WERE THE IMPORTANCE OF HARD WORK, DETERMINATION, SACRIFICE, THE UNWILLINGNESS TO LOSE, AND A CONSTANT DRIVE TO IMPROVE.
IF IT WEREN'T FOR THESE FIVE STAPLES IN BOTH THE SOCCER AND BASKETBALL PROGRAMS, I WOULDN'T BE NEAR THE ATHLETE AND PERSON THAT I AM TODAY.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU ACHIEVE, THERE IS STILL INFINITE ROOM TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND GROW.
I HOPE TO BRING ALL OF THESE THINGS ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER OF MY JOURNEY WITH ME AS I MOVE ON TO PLAY SOCCER FOR OHIO STATE THIS FALL.
FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS HELPED ME ALONG THE WAY.
I FIRST WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO FOR ME.
THEY ARE MY ROCKS AND WITHOUT THEM I COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANY OF THIS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL OF MY COACHES AND TEAMMATES, MY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, AND THE ENTIRE LAKOTA WEST COMMUNITY.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK BUDDY LAROSA AND THE BUDDY LAROSA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HALL OF FAME FOR THIS AMAZING AWARD.
I'M SO HONORED TO BE INCLUDED AMONG THE NAMES OF ALL OF THE EXTREMELY TALENTED AND SUCCESSFUL WINNERS FROM THE PAST, AS WELL AS THOSE TO COME IN THE FUTURE.
IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME AND I'M SO GRATEFUL.
PAUL KEELS: THE 2020-2021 LAROSA'S MALE MVP OF THE YEAR IS COREY KINER FROM ROGER BACON HIGH SCHOOL, A FOOTBALL STAR OF THE CLASS OF 2021 IN HIS INCREDIBLE VARSITY CAREER, THINGS STARTED PRETTY FAST FOR ROGER BACON'S COREY KINER, ONE OF THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL RUNNING BACKS IN THE NATION IN THE CLASS OF 2021.
AS A FRESHMAN IN JUST HIS SECOND VARSITY GAME, COREY SET A NEW SCHOOL SINGLE GAME RUSHING RECORD, RUNNING FOR 302 YARDS AND 5 TOUCHDOWNS IN A 47-12 WIN AGAINST WESTERN HILLS.
HE FINISHED THE SEASON RUSHING FOR 1,226 YARDS AND 15 TOUCHDOWNS, AND HE WAS JUST BEGINNING.
FOR THE NEXT THREE FOOTBALL SEASONS COREY KEPT ON RUNNING AND KEPT ON SETTING RECORDS.
HE HOLDS ELEVEN SCHOOL RECORDS AND WAS ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER COLLEGE RECRUITS IN GREATER CINCINNATI.
HE WAS ON SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN WATCH LIST.
HIS NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING.
HIS 7,130 CAREER RUSHING YARDS RANKS HIM 10TH IN OHIO HISTORY, HIS 116 RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS IS 3RD IN OHIO STATE HISTORY, AND HIS 125 TOTAL TDS AND HIS 772 POINTS SCORED ARE ALSO BOTH 3RD IN OHIO HISTORY.
COREY HAS WON AN ENTIRE TROPHY CASE FULL OF AWARDS, INCLUDING HIS SENIOR YEAR WHEN HE WAS NAMED OHIO MR. FOOTBALL, GATORADE OHIO PLAYER OF THE YEAR, SOUTHWEST OHIO DISTRICT V OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, CINCINNATI DIVISION 5 AND 6 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, AND SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICAN BY MAXPREP'S.
COREY IS ONLY THE THIRD PLAYER EVER FROM CINCINNATI TO WIN THE MR. OHIO FOOTBALL AWARD SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1987.
COREY WAS ALSO A TRACK COMPETITOR FOR ROGER BACON, AND THIS SEASON WAS ON THE DIVISION II 4X100 RELAY TEAM THAT FINISHED AS DISTRICT CHAMPIONS IN 44.12 AND WENT ON TO TAKE 3RD IN THE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 44.63.
AN HONOR ROLL STUDENT WHO IS VERY ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE, COREY, DURING HIS FREE TIME ENJOYS DRAWING, GRAPHIC DESIGN, FISHING, TRAVELING WITH HIS FAMILY, AND ATTENDING SPORTING EVENTS AT ROGER BACON.
COREY WILL PLAY FOOTBALL COLLEGIATELY AT LSU.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE 2020-2021 LAROSA'S MVP OF THE YEAR, OHIO MR. FOOTBALL, COREY KINER.
COREY KINER: THANKS, PAUL.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BUDDY LAROSA'S HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HALL OF FAME FOR SELECTING ME TO RECEIVE SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD.
IT REALLY IS A BLESSING TO BE NOTICED AS ONE OF THE GREAT ATHLETES TO HAVE PLAYED IN THE CINCINNATI AREA.
AS A KID GROWING UP, WE ATE A LOT OF LAROSA'S PIZZA, SO IT DEFINITELY MEANS A LOT TO WIN THIS AWARD, AS I LOVED THE RESTAURANT AND ALL THAT THEY DO.
SECOND, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE TEACHERS AND STAFF FROM SAN CLEMENTE AND ROGER BACON SCHOOLS, YOU HAVE ALL GIVEN ME A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT WHERE I CAN LEARN AND MAKE LIFELONG FRIENDS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE COACHES AND MENTORS THAT I'VE HAD THROUGHOUT MY LIFE IN THE MULTIPLE SPORTS THAT I PARTICIPATED IN.
YOU HAVE MADE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE THAT HAS HELPED SHAPE ME INTO THE MAN THAT I AM TODAY.
I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO COACHES MIKE BLAUT, DAVE KATHMAN, SALOMON TENTMAN, AND THE REST OF THE RB STAFF.
YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO BE A SPARTAN ON AND OFF THE FIELD.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY TEAMMATES FROM RODGER BACON HIGH SCHOOL.
I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT YOU ALL ARE MY FAMILY AWAY FROM HOME.
WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT TOGETHER AND WE HAVE TURNED AROUND THE ROGER BACON FOOTBALL PROGRAM.
I WANT TO GIVE THANKS TO ALL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS, FROM MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TO MY AUNTS, UNCLES, AND COUSINS FOR BEING THE BACKBONE IN MY LIFE.
YOU HAVE ALL SUPPORTED ME IN EVERYTHING THAT I'VE DONE.
TO MY MOTHER, FATHER, AND GRANDPARENTS, I HOPE THAT ONE DAY I CAN REPAY YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE IN MY LIFE.
YOU HAVE RAISED ME TO BE A LOVING AND RESPECTABLE YOUNG MAN, SO I LOVE YOU FOR IT.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME EVERYTHING THAT I NEED TO SUCCEED IN LIFE.
I CAN HONESTLY WRITE A WHOLE ESSAY ON WHY I LOVE YOU, BUT I WANT TO KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE.
SAYING THANK YOU DOESN'T REALLY DESCRIBE HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU.
I LOVE YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
PAUL KEELS: IN ADDITION TO THESE TWO OUTSTANDING STUDENT ATHLETES, WE ARE ALSO INDUCTING TWO OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS FROM THE PAST INTO THE LAROSA'S SPORTS HALL OF FAME.
TODAY'S INDUCTEES ARE LEGENDARY HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS WHOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF TIME, CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS SO EXCEPTIONAL THAT THEY ARE STILL THE GOLD STANDARD TODAY AND REMAIN AN UNBRIDLED SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THEIR SCHOOLS, THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THEIR CITY.
THE FIRST NEWLY INDUCTED HALL OF FAME TEAM IS THE ELDER PANTHERS 1954 FOOTBALL TEAM COACHED BY VIRGIL SCARDINA WITH A RECORD OF 10-0.
OF ALL OF THE GREAT ELDER FOOTBALL TEAMS, THE 1954 PANTHERS TEAM IS THE ONLY TEAM IN SCHOOL HISTORY TO GO UNBEATEN AND UNTIED THROUGHOUT AN ENTIRE SEASON.
COACHED BY VIRGIL SCARDINA, ELDER FINISHED A PERFECT 10-0 THAT SEASON, OUTSCORING ITS OPPONENTS 319-65 WHILE SETTING SCHOOL RECORDS FOR RUSHING YARDS, 2,721 YARDS, AND RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS WITH 39.
THE PANTHERS WERE LED BY QUARTERBACK, 1980 LAROSA'S HALL OF FAME DICK SELCER, WHO WENT ON TO PLAY AT NOTRE DAME AND LATER FASHIONED A COACHING CAREER THAT SAW HIM BECOME THE HEAD COACH AT XAVIER UNIVERSITY.
HE LATER WORKED AS THE LINEBACKERS COACH FOR FOUR NFL TEAMS, INCLUDING THE BENGALS.
ELDER USED THE SPLIT TEE OFFENSE, WHICH SELCER RAN TO NEAR PERFECTION.
ALSO ON THE TEAM AS KEY COMPONENTS WERE 2014 LAROSA'S HALL OF FAMER DANNY JAMES, A CENTER, AND SPEEDY HALFBACK PAUL KELLY, WHO LED THE TEAM WITH 12 TOUCHDOWNS AND 75 POINTS.
THE ELDER DEFENSE POSTED THREE SHUTOUTS, INTERCEPTED 14 PASSES, AND RECOVERED 17 FUMBLES.
SELCER, JAMES, AND TACKLE DICK ROYER ALL RECEIVED ALL STATE RECOGNITION.
JAMES PLAYED AT OHIO STATE AND LATER FOR THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS AND THE CHICAGO BEARS IN THE NFL.
AND JOE SCHAFFER WAS A THREE YEAR STARTER AT DEFENSIVE TACKLE FOR TENNESSEE AND PLAYED BRIEFLY FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS.
KELLY PLAYED BASEBALL AT OHIO STATE.
THE LATE TOM BALLABAN, A COACHING LEGEND IN HIS OWN RIGHT, ONCE CALLED THE 1954 ELDER TEAM, "THE GREATEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM I'VE EVER SEEN DEVELOPED IN CINCINNATI."
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ACCEPTING THE AWARD ON BEHALF OF THE UNDEFEATED 1954 ELDER PANTHER FOOTBALL TEAM IS LAROSA'S HALL OF FAMER DICK SELCER.
DICK SELCER: AS A PLAYER ON THE 1954 ELDER HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM AND A MEMBER OF THE COACHING PROFESSION FOR 41 YEARS, IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO REPRESENT OUR TEAM AS IT IS BEING INDUCTED INTO THE BUDDY LAROSA HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME.
67 YEARS IS A LONG TIME AND MANY OF OUR TEAMMATES AND COACHES ARE DECEASED.
I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS HONOR TO THOSE TEAMMATES AND COACHES AS WELL AS TO THE ELDER COMMUNITY, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT.
I ALSO WISH TO THANK MR.
BUDDY LAROSA, MR. MIKE LAROSA, CEO MR. MARK LAROSA, AND THE ENTIRE LAROSA FAMILY AND ORGANIZATION FOR THIS OUTSTANDING HONOR.
THE STORY OF THE 1954 ELDER FOOTBALL TEAM BEGAN IN THE EARLY 1950S.
IT WAS AN UNUSUAL AND DIFFICULT PERIOD FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF ELDER FOOTBALL.
MR. BABE BARTLETT, A 1979 INDUCTEE INTO THE LAROSA HALL OF FAME, BECAME ILL AND WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE TEACHING AND COACHING AFTER 25 YEARS OF SERVICE.
MR. VIRGIL SCARDINA, A NEW ONE YEAR ASSISTANT, WAS ELEVATED TO THE POSITION OF HEAD FOOTBALL COACH.
HIS FIRST YEAR, 1953, OUR ELDER TEAM WENT 4-5-1.
AFTER THE 1953 SEASON AND PRIOR TO THE 1954 SEASON, COACH SCARDINA MADE A STRATEGIC DECISION.
HE CONTACTED BUD WILKENSON AT OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY AND ASKED FOR INFORMATION AND FILM ON THE WISHBONE OFFENSE, WHICH OKLAHOMA WAS USING SO EFFECTIVELY IN THE 1950S.
THEY WERE NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION.
COACH SCARDINA MADE THE DECISION TO INSTALL THE WISHBONE BASED ON OUR PERSONNEL GOING INTO THE 1954 SEASON.
HIS DECISION WAS CORRECT, AS THE WISHBONE WAS THE IDEAL OFFENSE FOR OUR PERSONNEL.
WE HAD OUTSTANDING SPEED AND ATHLETIC ABILITY AT THE TWO HALFBACK POSITIONS.
PAUL KELLY WAS OUR LEADING SCORER WITH 75 POINTS, AND FRANK BIRRI, A JUNIOR WITH GREAT SPEED AND SUPERIOR ATHLETIC ABILITY WAS OUR OTHER HALF BACK.
AT THE FULLBACK POSITION, THE STARTER WAS EITHER PETE BOEING OR MIKE HAROLD, A JUNIOR.
BOTH POSSESSED POWER AND EXCELLENT BLOCKING ABILITY.
I ADDED SOME RUNNING ABILITY TO THE QUARTERBACK POSITION.
THE OFFENSIVE LINE WAS ANCHORED BY BIG DAN JAMES AT CENTER AT 240 POUNDS WITH EXCELLENT FEET AND QUICKNESS.
PAUL KELLY: WE WERE A GROUP OF QUALITY GUYS THAT PLAYED TOGETHER AND HAD EACH OTHER'S BACKS.
WE HAD GOOD PLAYERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL.
DICK SELCER: WE ALL KNEW EACH OTHER SOCIALLY AND FROM GRADE SCHOOL ATHLETIC COMPETITION.
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS STRENGTHENED AS WE CAME TOGETHER IN ELDER HIGH SCHOOL.
ELDER PROVIDED THE IDEAL HIGH SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR SUCCESS BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY.
THE FACULTY AND STUDENTS FORMED A CLOSE KNIT RELATIONSHIP THAT GENERATED UNITY AND ATHLETIC SUCCESS.
IN 1954, COACH SCARDINA WAS CORRECT.
THE ENTIRE SQUAD OF SENIORS AND JUNIORS WHO MADE UP OUR TEAM BOUGHT INTO THE SYSTEM.
THEY WERE UNSELFISH, DEDICATED, INTELLIGENT, AND DRIVEN TO SUCCEED.
WE HAD EXCELLENT ATHLETIC TALENT.
WE AVOIDED INJURIES AND FOCUSED ON EACH OPPONENT.
FOOTBALL IS IMPORTANT TO EACH TEAM MEMBER AND EVERY PLAYER TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN PLAYING FOR CINCINNATI ELDER HIGH SCHOOL.
FIVE PLAYERS FROM THE '54 TEAM CONTINUED PLAYING AT DIVISION I UNIVERSITIES, AND TWO OF THOSE PLAYED IN THE NFL.
TWO ADDITIONAL PLAYERS ATTENDED OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ON BASEBALL SCHOLARSHIPS: PAUL KELLY AND TONY CONTE.
DAN JAMES PLAYED AT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.
HE WAS A FIRST PICK OF THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, WAS TRADED TO THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS WHERE HE WAS A STARTING OFFENSIVE TACKLE FOR 8 YEARS.
HE WAS TRADED IN THE CHICAGO BEARS, WHERE HE PLAYED FOR TWO MORE YEARS.
JOE SCHAFFER, TENNESSEE UNIVERSITY.
HE WAS ELECTED CO-CAPTAIN OF THE 1960 VOLS AND CHOSEN ON THE ALL DECADE TEAM.
HE PLAYED FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS.
PAUL ALLISON, CINCINNATI UNIVERSITY.
HE PLAYED FOUR YEARS AS OFFENSIVE GUARD FOR THE BEARCATS.
DICK ROYER, NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY.
HE LETTERED THREE YEARS, PLAYING SOMETIMES BOTH WAYS.
MYSELF, NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY, LETTERED IN BOTH FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL, WAS ELECTED CO-CAPTAIN OF THE '59 BASEBALL TEAM AND SELECTED AS THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICAN SECOND BASEMAN.
THE 1954 ELDER TEAM WAS A MATURE AND EXPERIENCED TEAM, BEING COMPOSED OF 22 SENIORS AND 18 JUNIORS.
8-9 SENIORS STARTED ON OFFENSE AND 5-7 STARTED ON DEFENSE.
OUR OFFENSE SCORED 319 POINTS FOR THE SEASON.
OUR DEFENSE GAVE UP ONLY 65 POINTS.
THE SCHEDULE WE FACED WAS A SIGNIFICANT TEST AS WE PLAYED TEN SOLID AND HIGHLY TALENTED OPPONENTS.
FROM THE GCL WE PLAYED ST. X AND WON 27-12, PURCELL WE WON 27-7, ROGER BACON WE WON 26-6.
FROM THE STATE OF OHIO, CHILLICOTHE WE WON 23-14, HAMILTON CATHOLIC 21-0, PORTSMOUTH 28-0, DAYTON CHAMINADE 46-0.
FROM THE CINCINNATI PUBLIC LEAGUE WE PLAYED WOODWARD AND WON 59-6, AND WESTERN HILLS WE WON 26-7.
FROM INDIANA WE PLAYED CULVER MILITARY ACADEMY AND WON 25-13.
1954 WAS TRULY A PERFECT SEASON AND THE TURNING POINT OF OUR SEASON CAME IN THE FIRST GAME AGAINST CHILLICOTHE.
WE WERE BEHIND 14-0 AT HALFTIME AND CAME BACK IN THE SECOND HALF TO BEAT A HIGHLY RANKED TEAM.
WE KNEW WE COULD WIN AGAINST TALENTED TEAMS.
PAUL KELLY: AT THE PRESENT TIME, WE ARE STILL THE ONLY UNBEATEN TEAM AND UNTIED TEAM IN THE ELDER SCHOOL HISTORY.
THERE WERE NO PLAYOFFS IN THOSE DAYS LIKE THEY HAVE NOW, BUT WE WERE RANKED IN THE TOP TEN STATE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AND ENDED AT THE 5TH OR 6TH IN THE FINAL POLL.
DICK SELCER: ON BEHALF OF THE '54 ELDER FOOTBALL TEAM, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN OUR SUCCESS.
FR.
URBAN STAND, PRINCIPLE, DEDICATED PRIEST, AND HIGHLY SKILLED EDUCATOR AND PRINCIPAL.
HE DEMANDED AND RECEIVED RESULTS FROM BOTH THE FACULTY AND STUDENTS.
HE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THE PART WHICH ATHLETICS PLAYED IN THE BIGGER SCHOOL PICTURE, AND HE SUPPORTED ALL THE STUDENT ATHLETES AT ELDER HIGH SCHOOL.
FATHER ERWIN J. BERTKE, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND TEACHER, A DEDICATED PRIEST AND GENTLEMAN WHO WAS THE SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR OF THE TEAM.
HE WAS A STRONG ADVOCATE OF HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS.
MR. VIRGIL SCARDINA, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AND TEACHER.
A VERY SMART FOOTBALL COACH AND THE RIGHT COACH AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR ELDER HIGH SCHOOL.
MR. DON RUBERG, HEAD BASKETBALL AND BASEBALL COACH AND ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH.
HE HAD A SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON ALL THE ATHLETES HE COACHED.
HE ALSO WAS THE PERSON WHO MOST INFLUENCED MY PERSONAL DECISION TO ENTER THE COACHING PROFESSION.
MR. JIM MURPHY, VOLUNTEER COACH, GAVE HIS TIME AND EFFORT AND HELPED IN MANY WAYS TO MOLD OUR OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE LINES INTO WINNING UNITS.
AN OUTSTANDING PERSON AND SUPPORTER OF ELDER HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS.
MR. BILL KOLKMEYER, ATHLETIC BUSINESS MANAGER.
HE WORE MORE HATS FOR THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT THAN COULD BE IMAGINED.
HE WAS A CLASS GENTLEMAN.
JO POPE, ED TEFE, RICK ROBISH, ELDER STUDENT HELPERS.
THEY DID IT ALL DURING THE SEASON AND GAVE MORE THAN THEY RECEIVED; GREAT ELDER MEN.
MR. JOE QWINN, NEWSPAPER SPORTSWRITER, A GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR AND A TRUE FRIEND OF ELDER HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS.
BEING PART OF THE ELDER HIGH SCHOOL FAMILY DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME, 1951-1955, HELPED TO SHAPE MY LIFE AND HAS REMAINED WITH ME TO THE PRESENT DAY.
IN THE YEAR 2023 ELDER HIGH SCHOOL WILL CELEBRATE ITS 100TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY, AND TOGETHER WITH THE LAROSA ORGANIZATION, THEY HAVE BECOME THE PILLARS OF PRICE HILL.
AGAIN THANKS TO BUDDY, MIKE, AND MARK, THE LAROSA ORGANIZATION, MR. MIKE PAOLERCIO, CHAIRMAN OF THE INDUCTION COMMITTEE AND THE ENTIRE INDUCTION COMMITTEE FOR REMEMBERING THE 1954 ELDER HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM.
PAUL KEELS: ALSO BEING INDUCTED INTO THE LAROSA'S SPORTS HALL OF FAME THIS YEAR IS THE MASON HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAM OF 1999 AND 2000, COACHED BY GERRY LACKEY, A TEAM THAT FINISHED 27-0 AND WAS THE OHIO DIVISION I STATE CHAMPIONS.
HAVING BEEN DENIED THE OHIO DIVISION I STATE TITLE IN TWO OF THE PREVIOUS THREE SEASONS, THE 1999 AND 2000 MASON GIRLS PUT AN EMPHATIC EXCLAMATION POINT ON THE ENDING OF THE CAREERS OF SENIOR STARTERS RACQUEL ELLIS, SUSAN LIPPERT, AND BETH JONES.
IT DIDN'T HURT THAT THE COMETS ALSO FEATURED ONE OF THE GREATEST FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYERS IN GREATER CINCINNATI HISTORY IN MICHELLE MUNOZ, WHO HAD JUST BEEN NAMED WINNER OF THE FIRST OF HER TWO CONSECUTIVE OHIO MS. BASKETBALL AWARDS.
THE COMETS HAD LOST THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TO PICKERINGTON, ENDING THE 1998-1999 SEASON WITH A 26-1 RECORD.
AS THE STATE TOURNAMENT UNWOUND, A REMATCH IN THE DIVISION I STATE TITLE LOOMED AND THIS TIME MASON, LED BY MUNOZ 18 POINTS AND 5 REBOUNDS, DOWNED PICKERINGTON 36-25.
MUNOZ, A LAROSA'S MVP AND HALL OF FAMER, WENT ON TO WIN NUMEROUS AWARDS, INCLUDING TWICE BEING NAMED THE OHIO DIVISION I PLAYER OF THE YEAR, A PARADE MAGAZINE HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN, AND WENDY'S AND USA TODAY HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN, AND GATORADE'S OHIO PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
ALL FIVE STARTERS THAT YEAR ON COACH GERRY LACKEY'S SQUAD EARNED DIVISION I SCHOLARSHIPS, INCLUDING MUNOZ TO TENNESSEE, JONES TO PURDUE, ELLIS AT KENTUCKY, LIPPERT TO EMORY, AND JERE ISSENMANN AT ILLINOIS.
ACCEPTING THE AWARD ON BEHALF OF THE MASON 1999-2000 STATE CHAMPION BASKETBALL TEAM IS THE COACH OF THAT GREAT TEAM, GERRY LACKEY.
GERRY LACKEY: THANKS PAUL.
WHAT A GREAT HONOR THIS IS.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE LAROSA'S FAMILY AND STAFF FOR SPONSORING LAROSA'S HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HALL OF FAME.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE LAROSA SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND CONSIDERATION.
LOOKING AT THE LIST OF HONOREES SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1975 IS TRULY HUMBLING AND I AM HONORED TO BE REPRESENTING THE 2000 MASON GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAM.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS YEAR'S HALL OF FAME CLASS, ESPECIALLY GABY DOWNEY, WHO'S CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO GIRLS BASKETBALL IN CINCINNATI, BOTH AS A COACH AND AS A PLAYER.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK THE MASON SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, INCLUDING SUPERINTENDENT KEVIN BRIGHT, PRINCIPAL AMY SPICHER AND OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR ROD RUSSELL FOR THEIR UNENDING SUPPORT.
AND LASTLY, CHUCK MASON, A PRIOR PRINCIPAL AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT MASON HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE YEARS OF HARD WORK YOU PUT IN THAT HELPED LEAD TO OUR SUCCESS IN 2000.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON ONCE SAID: AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF THE 2000 MASON GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAM.
MICHELLE MUNOZ TRENZ: WHEN I THINK BACK TO OUR 2000 MASON HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, A LOT OF GREAT MEMORIES COME TO MIND.
IT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL TEAM, AND THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE I REALIZE HOW THIS TEAM DOESN'T COME AROUND TOO OFTEN.
GERRY LACKEY: EXCITEMENT FOR THIS SEASON WAS SO HIGH IN THE FALL OF 1999, WE ARE FEATURED IN CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, BEST OF THE CITY EDITION.
THE SUCCESS OF THE 2000 SEASON DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
OVER THE PREVIOUS THREE SEASONS, MASON BASKETBALL HAD GROWN TO BE A STATE AND NATIONAL POWER.
DURING THOSE THREE YEARS LEADING UP TO THE 2000 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON MASON'S RECORD WAS 75-4.
WITH STATE RUNNER UP TROPHIES IN 1997 AND 1999, EXPECTATIONS WERE HIGH FOR THE 2000 SEASON.
MICHELLE MUNOZ TRENZ: IT'S TRULY UNIQUE WHEN YOU'RE NOT ONLY PART OF A WINNING TEAM WITH GREAT COACHES, BUT YOU ACTUALLY ENJOY THE PEOPLE ON YOUR TEAM.
WE WERE FRIENDS, WE HUNG OUT TOGETHER.
WE LAUGHED A LOT.
AND EACH GIRL ON THE TEAM PLAYED A UNIQUE ROLE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE GREATNESS OF THE TEAM.
WE CHALLENGE EACH OTHER TO SHOW UP AND BE GREAT EACH DAY.
ON A HARD DAY, SOMEONE WOULD COME AND ENCOURAGE YOU AND PUSH YOU TO GIVE YOUR BEST, EVEN WHEN IT WAS HARD.
GERRY LACKEY: EARLY IN THE SEASON, WE TRAVELED TO BEAVERCREEK, THE TEAM WE DEFEATED IN 1999 REGIONAL FINAL.
THE GAME WAS PLAYED BEFORE A PACKED HOUSE AND BEAVERCREEK RACED TO A 15-0 LEAD IN THE SECOND QUARTER, BUT WE NEVER PANICKED.
WE OUTSCORED THEM 53-26 THE REST OF THE WAY TO WIN ON THE ROAD 53-41.
IN THAT GAME WE HIT 20 OF 24 FREE THROWS.
IN JANUARY, WE TRAVELED TO CHICAGO TO FACE OAK PARK BISHOP FENWICK, THEN WHICH WAS RANKED THIRD IN THE NATION BY USA TODAY AT THE TIME.
MICHELLE MUNOZ RESPONDED BY SCORING 27 POINTS AND PULLING DOWN 11 REBOUNDS IN THE 59-35 VICTORY.
AFTER A CONVINCING 68-19 WIN IN THE REGIONAL SEMIFINALS WE FACED OFF WITH BEAVERCREEK AGAIN FOR THE CHANCE TO GO TO THE STATE FINAL FOUR.
THE GAME WAS PLAYED AT WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY, BASICALLY IN BEAVERCREEK BACKYARD.
BUT THE MASON FANS CAME OUT IN FORCE.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING GAMES I'VE EVER BEEN PART OF.
BEAVERCREEK SENT THE GAME INTO OVERTIME WITH A 3 POINTER IN THE LAST SIX SECONDS OF REGULATION.
TO START OVERTIME, JENNY IMBUS PUT US UP FOR GOOD, 45-42, WITH A BASKET AND A FREE THROW.
BEAVERCREEK WAS FORCED TO FOUL AND RACQUEL ELLIS SEALED THE 52-49 VICTORY, HITTING 6 OF 8 FREE THROWS IN THE FINAL 2 MINUTES.
OUT OF THE GAME I WAS QUOTED, "I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY DOUBT AMONG THE GIRLS THAT WE WERE GOING TO WIN THAT GAME.
WE NEVER LOST OUR COMPOSURE."
OUR COMPOSURE WAS TESTED AGAIN IN THE STATE SEMIFINAL AGAINST CLEVELAND EAST TECH.
WE TRAILED FOR MOST OF THE GAME BEFORE GETTING A FOURTH QUARTER LEAD.
MICHELLE MUNOZ HIT A FIELD GOAL WITH 22.4 SECONDS LEFT ON THE CLOCK TO PULL OUT A 44-42 TO WIN.
THE STATE FINAL WAS A REMATCH OF THE 1999 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VERSUS PICKERINGTON.
IN THE 1999 FINAL PICKERINGTON PREVAILED.
THE GAME WAS A DEFENSIVE BATTLE.
IT WAS A LOW SCORING GAME.
SOME WOULD SAY THE GAME WAS ANTICLIMACTIC.
WE LED BY ONLY THREE, 15-12, AT THE HALF, BUT WE PULLED AWAY IN THE THIRD QUARTER AND WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 36-25.
THE WIN GAVE MASON HIGH SCHOOL ITS FIRST TEAM STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN SCHOOL HISTORY.
MICHELLE MUNOZ TRENZ: I'D BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION THAT WINNING STATE WAS FUN.
IT WAS A REALLY FUN, BUT IT WAS SO SPECIAL BECAUSE WE WON TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND A COMMUNITY.
GERRY LACKEY: WE FINISHED THE SEASON 27-0, STATE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS, OHIO AP CHAMPION, AND RANKED NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION BY USA TODAY.
ONE OF MY MOST ENDURING MEMORIES OF THE 2000 SEASON IS NOT THE TEAM'S PLAY ON THE COURT, BUT THE SENIOR PEP CLUB, A GROUP OF SENIOR CITIZENS WHO HAD COME OUT TO SUPPORT OUR TEAM, HONORED BY LONGTIME MASON RESIDENT FRED STEMMLER, THE SENIOR PEP CLUB WOULD NOT ONLY COME TO OUR GAMES, BUT HOST PIZZA PARTIES FOR THE GIRLS AND TRAVEL TO AWAY GAMES.
I AM CONFIDENT WE WERE THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOL TEAM IN AMERICA WITH SUCH A FOLLOWING.
IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY ASSISTANT COACHES ANGIE EDMONDS, MARTY ZACH, AND SEAN KENNEVAN, OUR SCOREKEEPER HAROLD GRICE, AND OUR STATISTICIAN CHRISTINA GRISE.
I AGAIN WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE PLAYERS: NICOLE STEIN, STACY SHULL, JERE ISSENMAN, MICHELLE MUNOZ, RACHAEL MINNICH, BLAIR RUSSELL, SUSAN LIPPERT, LORA RICHARDSON, JENNY IMBUS, BETH JONES, RACQUEL ELLIS.
2000 OHIO STATE CHAMPIONS AND 2020 INDUCTEES INTO THE LAROSA'S HALL OF FAME.
PAUL KEELS: AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S OUR HIGH SCHOOL INDUCTEES AND OUR TEAM INDUCTEES.
DENNY, IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TO DO IT AGAIN IN PERSON SOON.
DENNIS JANSON: THANK YOU SO MUCH, PAUL.
AND MY SINCEREST CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HONOREES FROM THEN AND NOW.
WE HAVE PLENTY MORE INDUCTIONS AHEAD TODAY.
BUT FIRST, WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RE-WELCOME A PORTION OF THE LAROSA FAMILY, INCLUDING THE MAN HIMSELF.
HERE AGAIN IS MIKE LAROSA AND HIS ICONIC DAD, BUDDY.
FELLAS?
MIKE LAROSA: THANK YOU, DENNIS.
I'M HERE WITH MY FATHER, BUDDY LAROSA, AND WE'RE CELEBRATING HERE THE 46TH ANNUAL BUDDY LAROSA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HALL OF FAME EVENT WHERE WE HONOR OUR AREA'S FINEST, YOU KNOW, MEN AND WOMEN AND COACHES AND ALL OF THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED US IN THE TRI-STATE AREA.
AND OF COURSE, THIS IS ANOTHER COVID IMPACTED EVENT.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE THE FUNCTION LIVE BECAUSE OF COVID RESTRICTIONS.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TODAY TO PUT ON A GREAT SHOW FOR YOU AND SHARE THE STORIES THAT ARE CERTAINLY NOTEWORTHY.
DAD, AS YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT THIS HALL OF FAME AND EVERYTHING, WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE OR INSPIRATION DO YOU HAVE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING TODAY?
BUDDY LAROSA: FIRST OF ALL, FOR THE PARENTS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, THEY GET A GOOD EDUCATION TO MAKE SURE THEY PARTICIPATE IN NOT ONLY IN THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, BUT IN THE EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY IN THE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS THAT THE SCHOOLS HAVE TO OFFER.
AND THERE'S AT LEAST TEN PROGRAMS MAJOR, THE FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, BASKETBALL, AND TRACK.
AND THEN THERE ARE MINOR ACTIVITIES LIKE THE GOLF AND THE SWIMMING AND SO FORTH, THAT THEY CAN WORK ON THE COMPETITIVENESS IN AN INDIVIDUAL.
EVERYBODY ISN'T A COMPETITOR.
THEY HAVE TO LEARN TO COMPETE SOMETIMES.
AND WHETHER YOU'RE IN A CLASSROOM OR WHETHER YOU'RE IN AN EMPLOYEE SITUATION, YOU'RE ALWAYS COMPETING, WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, FOR A TOP JOB, IN SCHOOL AND THE TEAMS YOU'RE COMPETING FOR THE FIRST TEAM MAYBE.
IN JOBS, YOU MIGHT START OUT AT AN ENTRY LEVEL JOB.
AND IF YOU DON'T PUT OUT THAT 110, EVEN AT THAT JOB, YOU'LL NEVER GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE.
SO MY SUGGESTION IS TO MOM AND DAD, ENCOURAGE THEM TO AT LEAST DO SOME EXTRACURRICULAR PARTICIPATION.
THERE'S GOT TO BE A SPORT OR AN ACTIVITY FOR EVERY CHILD.
EVERYBODY IS NOT GOING TO BE A FOOTBALLER OR A BASEBALLER OR BASKETBALL, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE A GOOD GOLFER.
AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE SCHOLARSHIPS TO COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES GO UNUSED, A LOT OF GOLFING SCHOLARSHIPS, SOME SWIMMING, A LOT OF SCHOLARSHIPS, THEY'LL GO UNUSED.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS A SPORT THAT SOMEBODY CAN PARTICIPATE IN.
AND IT'S PART OF YOUR EDUCATION.
IT'S NOT ONLY ACADEMICS, THE OTHER HALF OF EDUCATION IS PHYSICAL AND IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
DO I LOOK GOOD AT 92?
I DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD I LOOK, BUT I KNOW I'M UP ON -- I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A CANE OR A WALKER AND I PARTICIPATED IN MY WHOLE LIFE IN EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, BUT I WASN'T ON THE DEBATING TEAM, SO I'M GOING TO SHUT UP.
MIKE LAROSA: WELL, YOU LOOK GREAT FOR YOUR AGE AND I THINK YOUR ADVICE IS SOUND.
YOU KNOW, OUR COMPANY HAS ALWAYS VIEWED THE HIGH SCHOOL, FOUR YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL AS SORT OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL PERIOD THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO IN THEIR LIFE.
IT'S A TIME WHEN THEY ARE MALLEABLE AND THEY'RE INFLUENCED BY THEIR TEACHERS AND THEIR COACHES AND THE ADMINISTRATORS AND EVERYBODY.
AND MY DAD IS A LIVING WITNESS TO THE FACT THAT WHAT HE EXPERIENCED IN HIGH SCHOOL DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED HIS ABILITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN HIS CHOSEN CAREER PATH.
AND OFTEN TIMES OVER THE YEARS, HE SCHOOLED US THAT, YOU KNOW, RUNNING A BUSINESSES IS THE SAME AS RUNNING A FOOTBALL TEAM OR PARTICIPATING ON A BASKETBALL SQUAD.
THE TEAMWORK, THE GAME PLANNING, THE GOOD COMMUNICATION THAT'S NECESSARY.
I MEAN, IT'S VERY SIMILAR IN EVERY WAY, SHAPE, AND FORM, RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS AND COMPETING IN SOME SORT OF A HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITY.
SO ONE OF THE REASONS WE GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN THIS WAY IS BECAUSE WE JUST BELIEVE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FOUR YEARS IN OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN'S LIVES.
AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPACT THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH IS A GOOD THING FOR US TO FOCUS ON.
BUDDY LAROSA: MIKE, MIGHT ADD TO THAT, THAT'S USUALLY WHEN THEIR PERSONALITY COMES TOGETHER, THEIR CHARACTER COMES TOGETHER.
WHEN THEY GET OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S PRETTY MUCH FORMED.
AND THAT LEADERSHIP ADDED IN THERE, TOO, YOU PUT LEADERSHIP AND WITH THE COMPETITIVENESS AND THE STRIVING TO BE THE BEST, YOU PUT THAT TOGETHER IN A YOUNG PERSON WHEN THEY GET OUT INTO THE NEXT LEVEL OF THEIR LIFE, WHETHER IT'S THE NEXT LEVEL OF EDUCATION OR STARTING OUT AT AN ENTRY LEVEL JOB, IT'S GOING TO HELP THEM.
IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG HELP.
MIKE LAROSA: ABSOLUTELY, DAD, I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DON'T RECOGNIZE OUR COMMITTEE OF JUDGES AND ALL OF OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTORS, EVERYBODY WHO HELPS US PUT TODAY'S EVENT ON, OUR FRIENDS AT CET INCLUDED.
BUT IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE TALENT AND THE COACHES AND ALL OF THE INSTITUTIONS THAT WE'RE FEATURING HERE TODAY.
BUT ON BEHALF OF OUR COMPANY, I WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY THE VERY BEST IN THEIR DAYS AND THEN THEIR FUTURE.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TOSS IT BACK TO DENNIS.
THANK YOU.
DENNIS JANSON: ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR FROM BUDDY, AS WELL AS MIKE.
THEIR FAMILY'S DEDICATION TO HONORING GREATER CINCINNATI HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS IS SECOND TO NONE, NOT JUST HERE, BUT NATIONALLY.
THEY ARE AMONG OUR AREA'S GREATEST NATURAL RESOURCES.
I'M SO PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AND THE PROGRAM.
THE SAME GOES FOR THIS YEAR'S CLASS OF HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES.
STARTING WITH OUR FIRST HONOREE.
WHEN I WAS GAINFULLY EMPLOYED AT WCPO TV, THE FRIDAY NIGHT RUNDOWN OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HIGHLIGHTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLETE WITHOUT AN EXHAUSTIVE REPORT ON WHAT THE COLERAIN CARDINALS HAD DONE THAT EVENING.
AND MORE TO THE POINT, THE WAY THEIR DEFENSIVE LEADER HAD PERFORMED.
TERRILL BYRD SET THE TONE FOR THOSE LEGENDARY TEAMS THAT COMPILED A REMARKABLE 36 WIN, 3 LOSS RECORD AND A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP DURING HIS CAREER.
HE THEN WENT ON TO STAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI.
WE ARE PROUD TO WELCOME TO THE LAROSA'S HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME, TERRILL BYRD.
TERRILL BYRD: FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE LORD AND SAVIOR FOR, YOU KNOW, FROM ALL THE, YOU KNOW, TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS I WENT THROUGH.
I DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK THE LAROSA'S FAMILY FOR GIVING ME THIS AWARD.
I'M VERY HUMBLED, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF IT.
YOU KNOW, THEY DOUBTED ME FOR A LONG TIME AND JUST TO BE ABLE TO GET MY FLOWERS WHILE I'M STILL AROUND, I APPRECIATE THAT, LAROSA'S FAMILY.
SECOND--THIRD, I LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, THANK MY MOM, MY DAD, MY FAMILY, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ALEXIS, LEDELL, TIRDELL, JUST THANK YOU FOR KEEP PUSHING ME WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, MAKING ME, YOU KNOW, KEEP GOING AFTER THERE, YOU KNOW, MY DREAMS AND JUST KEEP PUSHING ME EVERY, YOU KNOW, EVERY INCH OF THE WAY.
SO THANK YOU.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY COACHES, JUST PREPARING ME, INSTILLING HARD WORK INTO ME, LETTING ME KNOW THAT EVERY DAY IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY.
JUST BUILDING CHARACTER IN ME.
TWO COACHES OF MINE I DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK, DAN SHOLZ AND LARRY PORNOY, BOTH OF THEM WAS REAL, REAL GOOD MENTORS TO ME, YOU KNOW, HAVING BOTH OF MY PARENTS THERE, YOU ALSO NEED OTHER PEOPLE THERE ALONG THE WAY.
AND I THINK THOSE TWO DEFINITELY HELPED ME BEHIND THE SCENES TO KEEP ME ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW.
SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THOSE TWO.
THANK YOU FOR REAL, THANK YOU.
I WAS DEFINITELY DOUBTED ABOUT BEING SO SHORT.
I JUST WANT TO LET PEOPLE OUT THERE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW SHORT YOU ARE, HOW SMALL, SHORT, TALL, YOU STILL BE ABLE TO FIGHT, FIGHT YOUR FIGHT AND CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE FIGHT BECAUSE ONE DAY YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOUR SHOT.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HEAR THAT WHEN THEY NEED TO HEAR THAT.
SO I JUST LOVE THE GAME OF FOOTBALL.
IT'S JUST BEEN IN ME SINCE I WAS YOUNG AND TO BE FROM CINCINNATI, A NATIVE BORN AND RAISED HERE, BEING ABLE TO PLAY HERE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND THROUGH THROUGH COLLEGE, IT'S JUST BEEN A BLESSING, JUST, YOU KNOW, THE FANS, THE FAMILY, THE FANS BECOME A FAMILY, YOU KNOW, AND MAKING FRIENDS FOR A LIFETIME.
AND IT'S JUST BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK BUDDY LAROSA AND THE LAROSA'S FAMILY AGAIN FOR, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT ME, INDUCTING ME INTO THE HALL OF FAME, AND ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE ME AND COME AFTER ME.
SO JUST THANK YOU.
DENNIS JANSON: TERRILL BYRD, A MOST IMPRESSIVE WAY TO KICK OFF OUR ROSTER OF THIS YEAR'S HALL OF FAMERS.
OUR NEXT HONOREE IS AN EQUALLY OUTSTANDING PERSON AND PERFORMER IN AN ASSORTMENT OF SPORTS AT FOREST PARK HIGH SCHOOL.
GABY DOWNEY, AFTER ALL, EARNED 12 LETTERS DURING HER HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, BUT BASKETBALL WAS OBVIOUSLY HER BEST PURSUIT.
SPEAKING OF PURSUIT, WE CHASED HER DOWN AS SHE WAS ABOUT TO HEAD OUT TO OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST IN WASHINGTON STATE.
WAITING FOR A RENTAL CAR, SHE TOOK A FEW MINUTES TO TELL ME ABOUT HER REACTION TO BEING NAMED TO THE HALL.
"HONESTLY, IT WAS A TERRIBLE WEEK FOR ME," SHE SAID.
"MY SISTER HAD JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, BUT THOUGH MY SISTER DIDN'T SURVIVE, THE HONOR NEVERTHELESS LIFTED MY SPIRITS DURING A VERY TOUGH TIME."
THOUGH NOT AS WRENCHING, GABY SAID NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCEPT THIS HONOR LIVE AND IN PERSON, SO AS TO SEE FORMER TEAMMATES WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT, BUT ONE SHE'LL EVENTUALLY RECTIFY, SHE SAID, AS SHE SPOKE WARMLY OF HER CAREER AT FOREST PARK, MOST NOTABLY THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
I ASKED HER IF SHE'D LIKE ME TO BRAG ABOUT SOMETHING SHE'D DONE THAT SHE WAS TOO SHY TO TALK ABOUT.
SHE REPLIED LAUGHINGLY, "HARD TO BRAG ABOUT YOURSELF WHEN YOU HAVE FOUR DIVISION I ATHLETES ON THE SAME TEAM."
SO THAT LEAVES IT TO ME TO INTRODUCE ONE OF THE BEST WHO EVER PLAYED IN GREATER CINCINNATI, GABY DOWNY, FOREST PARK CLASS OF 1985.
GABY DOWNEY: THANKS, DENNIS.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BUDDY LAROSA'S HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS HALL OF FAME FOR THIS HONOR.
I REMEMBER EATING AT LAROSA'S AS A KID AND SEEING THE HANK ZÜRICH DRAWN POSTERS OF TOP ATHLETES IN THE AREA AND MAKING IT A GOAL TO BE ONE OF THOSE FACES.
I HONESTLY NEVER THOUGHT THIS HONOR WOULD COME BECAUSE MY STATS PLAYING ON A VERY BALANCED TEAM WERE NEVER THE HIGHEST.
IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO BE CHOSEN AS ONE OF THE TOP ATHLETES IN THE CINCINNATI AREA.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR AND MY FELLOW INDUCTEES.
I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED THAT THE AWARDS HAD TO GO REMOTE AGAIN THIS YEAR BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING A FEW OF THE LADIES I COACHED IN THE SUMMER ON AAU TEAMS.
THEY ENDED UP WINNING A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MASON HIGH SCHOOL AND ARE BEING HONORED THIS YEAR AS WELL.
AS I LOOK BACK ON MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, I HAVE TO SAY I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE A GREAT COACH AND TEAM.
WE WERE A TEAM THAT GREW UP TOGETHER IN A GREAT SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY OF FOREST PARK, OHIO.
WE LOVED EACH OTHER AS NEIGHBORS AND CLASSMATES BEFORE WE BECAME TEAMMATES.
WE WERE ALLOWED TO PURSUE OUR COMPETITIVE SPIRIT INEXPENSIVELY ON THE COMMUNITY BALL FIELDS AND GYMS.
WE PLAYED TWO AND THREE SPORTS KNOWING THAT THE COACHES WOULD BE HAPPY SHARING THE TALENTED ATHLETES THAT FOREST PARK HAD TO OFFER.
MY TEAMMATES SAW GREAT SUCCESS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL COACH MARK EHLEN TOOK OVER THE PROGRAM IN 1980 THAT WE GAINED A FOCUS OF WHAT WE COULD ACCOMPLISH.
OUR GOAL WAS THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND IT WAS REALIZED IN 1984.
I LEARNED A WORK ETHIC AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAYING AS A TEAM FROM COACH EHLEN.
OUR GOAL AS A TEAM SUPERSEDED ANY MENTION OF INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
I PLAYED WITH THE BEST POINT GUARD IN THE STATE, ALISHA DAVIS.
I WAS IN THE POST WITH A FANTASTIC CENTER IN CHERYL LACKEY.
I HAD TO COMPETE IN PRACTICE WITH THE QUICKEST, TOUGHEST OFF GUARDS IN NINA FIELDS AND NISEY GORDON.
OUR PRACTICE COMPETITION WAS OFTEN HARDER THAN PLAYING OUR OPPONENTS, OUR SUBS WERE SUPPORTIVE AND COMPLETELY UNSELFISH, ALLOWING OUR TEAM A COHESION THAT WAS UNMATCHED.
I WOULD NEVER HAVE BECOME THE PLAYER I BECAME WITHOUT ALL THOSE PIECES FALLING INTO PLACE AND I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL TO COACH EHLEN AND MY TEAMMATES.
I'VE CONTINUED MY BASKETBALL CAREER AS A COACH, AND EACH YEAR I LOOK FORWARD TO THE RELATIONSHIPS, STRUGGLES, AND SUCCESSES THAT EACH TEAM BRINGS.
I LIVE THE DREAM AND I HOPE THAT I CAN HELP THE KIDS I COACH ALSO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS AWARD TO TWO PEOPLE WHO WE LOST IN THE LAST YEAR: MY MOM, WHO GUIDED AND ENCOURAGED ME TO BUCKLE DOWN AND BE TOUGH, AND OUR TEAMMATE CHERYL LACKEY, WHO WAS THE ABSOLUTE BEST POST PARTNER A GIRL COULD HAVE.
I THINK ABOUT THEM BOTH EVERY DAY AND WE'LL CHERISH THE MEMORIES OF THE TIMES WE HAD TOGETHER.
DENNIS JANSON: WELL DONE, GABY.
WHAT SHE WAS THE FOREST PARK, JORDAN HICKS WAS TO LAKOTA WEST, A DOMINANT, CONSISTENT PERFORMER FROM DAY ONE.
HE, THOUGH, DEMONSTRATED HIS PROWESS IN FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL.
HE WAS SOUGHT AFTER BY THE BIGGEST NAMES IN DIVISION I FROM EARLY IN HIS HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, BUT MANAGED TO MAINTAIN FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND AND LEAD LAKOTA WEST TO GREATNESS.
HIS LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS STAGGERING.
A TWO TIME FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE PICK AND CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
HE ALSO CLAIMED THE GATORADE OHIO PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONOR, CURRENTLY A STARTING LINEBACKER FOR THE ARIZONA CARDINALS OF THE NFL, HE IS AMONG A SELECT GROUP OF STUDENT ATHLETES TO BE PICKED IN THIS HIS FIRST YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY.
WE ARE PROUD TO WELCOME TO THE LAROSA'S HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME, REPRESENTING THE LAKOTA WEST CLASS OF 2010, JORDAN HICKS.
JORDAN.
JORDAN HICKS: THANK YOU, DENNIS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE LAROSA'S FAMILY, MICHAEL AND BUDDY, BOTH FOR NOMINATING ME FOR THIS THIS AMAZING AWARD AND HAVING THE ABILITY TO ACCEPT IT REPRESENTING LAKOTA WEST, REPRESENTING MY FAMILY, REPRESENTING THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA AS A WHOLE.
SO REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATIVE AND THANKFUL TO BE IN THIS POSITION.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK FIRST AND FOREMOST MY MOM, MY FAMILY, FOR ALL THE LOVE AND THE SUPPORT THAT THEY GAVE ME DURING MY TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THAT THEY DID.
THEY NEVER STOPPED WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAD EVERYTHING THAT I NEEDED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PLAY THE SPORTS THAT I LOVE AND TO HAVE THE FUTURE THAT I WANTED.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY MOM, KELLY, AND MY SISTER TAYLOR.
ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY COACHES IN HIGH SCHOOL.
LARRY COX FOR BEING THE HEAD COACH OF NOT JUST FOOTBALL, BUT MY HEAD COACH IN LIFE.
MAN, IT WAS -- WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER GROWING UP IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WHEN I WAS IN NEED OF ANYTHING, BOTH ON THE FIELD AND OFF THE FIELD, YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE TO GIVE ME ADVICE, ALWAYS THERE TO LISTEN IF I WAS HAVING A TOUGH TIME OR IF I JUST NEEDED TO VENT, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR NOT JUST BEING A GREAT COACH, BUT FOR BEING A GREAT MENTOR, A GREAT MAN TO ME.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK COACH GRAY, CARLTON GRAY FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE, BUT REALLY TEACHING ME THE FOUNDATIONS OF FOOTBALL.
YOU KNOW, IN MY PAST I'VE BEEN KNOWN AS A SMART FOOTBALL PLAYER.
RIGHT?
AND THE ONE PERSON THAT I THANK AND I GIVE ACCOUNT TO FOR THAT IS CARLTON GRAY, BECAUSE HE'S GIVEN ME SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND REALLY STARTED TO CHALLENGE ME IN WAYS THAT I HAD NEVER BEEN CHALLENGED MENTALLY ABOUT FOOTBALL.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE, FOR BEING LIKE A SECOND DAD, AND BELIEVING IN ME, YOU KNOW, WHEN MANY TIMES I DIDN'T BELIEVE MYSELF.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK MY FRIENDS, MY TEAMMATES, THOSE AROUND ME THAT SUPPORTED ME.
I'M STILL CLOSE AND HAVE AMAZING MEMORIES OF MY TIMES BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL AND IN CINCINNATI AND MEMORIES THAT THAT'LL NEVER FADE, NO MATTER HOW MANY MORE THAT I MAKE MOVING ON INTO MY CAREER AND INTO MY FAMILY LIFE OUTSIDE OF CINCINNATI.
MY TIMES WHEN I THINK BACK THERE ARE NOTHING BUT GOOD.
SO MY FRIENDS, MY TEAMMATES, FOR PUSHING ME, FOR ALWAYS COMPETING, FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
AND LASTLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS GIVE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY I OWE SO MUCH TO NOT JUST FOOTBALL, BUT TO BASKETBALL AND TO SPORTS IN GENERAL, BECAUSE SPORTS ARE GOING TO TEST YOU.
I'VE BEEN TESTED WITH INJURY.
I'VE BEEN TESTED WITH, YOU KNOW, JOB POSITION BATTLES.
I'VE BEEN TESTED ON THE FIELD WITH LOSSES, WITH SO MUCH THROUGH SPORTS, THROUGH FOOTBALL, THROUGH BASKETBALL.
AND IT'S THE SAME IN LIFE.
IT'S THE SAME THING IN LIFE.
WHAT YOU GO THROUGH ON THE FIELD, WHAT I WENT THROUGH IN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, PLAYING BASKETBALL, BEING A LEADER ON TEAMS WAS THE FOUNDATION AND THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF WHERE I'VE BECOME, HOW I'VE BECOME THE MAN AND THE PLAYER I AM TODAY.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU ARE A YOUNG PLAYER, IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING THROUGH ADVERSITY, IT'S THE EXACT SAME THING IN LIFE.
HOW YOU RESPOND, HOW YOU PUSH THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES, NOT JUST ON THE FIELD, BUT IN LIFE, IS HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO ANYTHING.
AND I HAD AN OLD BALL COACH, HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL COACH MIKE MUELLER ONCE SAY, ONE OF HIS FAMOUS LINES WAS, "TOUGH TIMES DON'T LAST, BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO."
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS NOMINATION AND THIS AMAZING AWARD AND FOR REPRESENTING MY COMMUNITY AS WELL, SO.
DENNIS JANSON: CLASS ACT THERE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THE FLATTERING OBSERVATION HAS BEEN MADE OVER THE YEARS THAT LAROSA'S HALL OF FAME IS A COMPREHENSIVE, ALL-INCLUSIVE AGGREGATION OF HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS.
IT'S NOT JUST WHAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD REFER TO AS A STICK AND BALL PURSUITS.
AS WE COUNT AMONG OUR INDUCTEES WRESTLERS, CROSS COUNTRY PERFORMERS, TRACK AND FIELD STARS, AND TENNIS PLAYERS, AND OF COURSE, SWIMMERS, INDIVIDUAL SPORTS CONTESTED IN A TEAM CONTEXT.
NO ONE EMBODIES THAT IDEA BETTER THAN OUR NEXT INDUCTEE, WHO WAS THE ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYER.
DURING HIS CAREER AT ST. XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL, KYLE RANSOM WAS THE GO-TO GUY, THE SO-CALLED ANCHORMAN, IN SEVERAL EVENTS.
HE WAS PART OF SEVEN OHIO STATE SWIMMING TITLES, SIX OF THEM RELAY EVENTS, WHICH, OF COURSE CALL FOR CLOSE COORDINATION AS WELL AS DETERMINATION.
HE IS ALSO HALF OF A FAMILY DAILY DOUBLE OF INDUCTEES TODAY.
PLEASE WELCOME TO THE LAROSA'S HALL OF FAME REPRESENTING THE ST. XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2003, KYLE RANSOM.
KYLE RANSOM: THANK YOU, DENNIS.
THIS IS A HUGE HONOR.
FIRST, I WANTED TO THANK BUDDY LAROSA AND THE LAROSA FAMILY.
THEM CHAMPIONING THE CINCINNATI AREA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS OVER THE LAST, I THINK IT WAS EARLY '70S WHEN IT STARTED.
AND IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T HEARD THE HISTORY OR WHY THIS HALL OF FAME STARTED AND HOW IT HAPPENED WITH THE OIL FIRE AT THE ORIGINAL LOCATION OF THE LAROSA'S PIZZERIA, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE STORY AND REALLY GRATEFUL FOR BUDDY AND HIS FAMILY TO CONTINUE THIS TO TODAY.
ALSO, I WANTED TO THANK WCET FOR HOSTING AND ALSO CHAMPIONING CINCINNATI AREA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE WITH THIS TRADITION.
AS WE KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AND SPORTS IN GENERAL BUILD REALLY GREAT PEOPLE.
AND THE NOTORIETY THAT WCET AND THE LAROSA FAMILY BRINGS TO THIS AREA IS FANTASTIC.
FIRST, I WANTED TO THANK MY WIFE AND KIDS.
MY WIFE ASHLEY, AND OUR TWO KIDS, CHARLOTTE WHO IS 3 AND AUDREY WHO'S COMING UP ON ONE YEAR OLD.
THEY HAVE LITERALLY ZERO TO VERY TINY AMOUNT OF SWIMMING KNOWLEDGE AND WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT MY SWIMMING CAREER, BOTH IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE.
BUT THEY ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF ME ANYWAYS, SO I WANTED TO THANK THEM.
I LOVE YOU GUYS.
NEXT I WANTED TO THANK MY PARENTS.
I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY WITHOUT THEM, THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT.
MY MOM IS ONE OF THE MOST PATIENT, KINDEST, GENTLEST PERSON YOU COULD EVER MEET.
IF I HAD A SINGLE PERCENTAGE POINT OF THE PATIENCE AND KINDNESS THAT SHE HAS, I AM DEFINITELY WINNING IN THAT SIDE OF THINGS.
SO THANK YOU, MOM.
MY FATHER, HE ALWAYS INSTILLED IN ME TO MAKE MYSELF BETTER OR TO MAKE SOMEONE ELSE BETTER EVERY DAY.
HIS FAMOUS SAYING FROM WHEN I WAS VERY LITTLE, ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS OLD, HE WOULD SAY, "WHAT DID YOU LEARN TODAY THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW YESTERDAY?"
AND I ALWAYS HAD TO COME WITH AN ANSWER AND HE WOULDN'T LET ME GET AWAY FROM IT WITHOUT ANSWERING HIM.
IT COULD BE SOMETHING VERY SMALL TO SOMETHING VERY LARGE, BUT I NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS MAKING MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE BETTER THAT DAY.
NEXT, I WANTED TO THANK MY TEAMMATES AND ALSO MY TEAMMATES' FAMILIES.
IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE TO COME UP IN THE WORLD OF SWIMMING.
THERE'S LONG HOURS, DOUBLE PRACTICES, LONG WEEKENDS, AWAY TRIPS.
AND JUST THE PARENTS OF SWIMMERS ARE INCREDIBLE.
AND ALSO MY TEAMMATES, I STUCK IN SWIMMING BECAUSE I HAD A BLAST.
I HAD A TON OF FUN AND IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF MY TEAMMATES.
AND IF I WAS ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT THAT, THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE THE CHERRY ON TOP.
MY COACHES, MR. BROWER OR COACH BROWER, HE WAS ACTUALLY AN INDUCTEE IN 2015, JUST AN INCREDIBLE PERSON.
HE IS A MENTOR.
HE IS JUST A ROCK.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, HIS SUCCESS HAS TRULY OUT SHOWN ITSELF.
HE'S AN INCREDIBLE PERSON.
COACH KEEFE, COACH BEAN, COACH BEERMAN, MRS. HAUSLADEN, AND ALL THE COUNTLESS OTHER TEACHERS AND PEOPLE WHO CHAMPIONED ME THROUGHOUT MY SWIMMING CAREER, THANK YOU.
AGAIN, IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE AND THIS IS THE ADDITIONAL PART OF MY SWIMMING CAREER.
AND THEN FINALLY, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NUMBER ONE PERSON IN MY SWIMMING CAREER, WHICH IS MY SISTER.
FUNNY STORY BACK TO WHEN I WAS PROBABLY FIVE, SIX OR SEVEN YEARS OLD.
MY SISTER STARTED SWIMMING FOR OUR LOCAL SWIM CLUB AND I WASN'T OLD ENOUGH YET.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE YOUNGER KIDS AND I WAS EXTREMELY JEALOUS AND I HAD TO WAIT AN ENTIRE YEAR TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE SWIM TEAM.
AND BEING MY STUBBORN SELF, I TOOK TO THAT AND REALLY WANTED TO BE EXACTLY LIKE HER.
AND WHEN I SAW HER SUCCEED, IT MADE ME -- IT DROVE ME EVEN FURTHER TO SUCCEED.
AND I OWE EVERYTHING TO MY SWIMMING CAREER TO HER.
I ACTUALLY FOLLOWED HER TO STANFORD UNIVERSITY AND WE HAVE REALLY CHAMPIONED EACH OTHER THROUGH OUR SWIMMING CAREERS.
SO, TAMI, THANK YOU.
HUGE, HUGE IN MY CAREER.
AND I KNOW I'VE TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE, MAYBE NOT THIS SUCCINCTLY, BUT I THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID FOR ME AND CONTINUE TO DO FOR ME.
AND WITH THAT, I WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE I'VE MENTIONED HERE.
YOU WERE TRULY HUGE IN MY CAREER AND IN MY LIFE.
THANK YOU.
DENNIS JANSON: YOU ARE VERY WELCOME, KYLE.
NOW IF ST. XAVIER HAS A FEMALE EQUIVALENT IN HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING, IT IS URSULINE ACADEMY.
THERE IS ANOTHER PARALLEL AND THAT RUNS THROUGH FAMILY TIES.
TWO YEARS PRIOR TO KYLE'S ASCENSION TO PROMINENCE, TAMI RANSOM WAS HER OWN FORCE IN THE POOL.
HER CAREER AT URSULINE JUST HAPPENED TO COINCIDE WITH FOUR OHIO DIVISION I STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUT IT WAS NO COINCIDENCE.
LIKE HER BROTHER, SHE EXCELLED IN BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND RELAY EVENTS, A VERSATILITY THAT MADE HER THE FOCAL POINT OF THE LION'S DOMINATION IN THE POOL.
TWO TIMES THE OHIO SWIMMER OF THE YEAR, SHE LAID CLAIM TO BEING THE FASTEST SWIMMER IN AMERICA IN 2001 IN THE 200 METER INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY.
IT PAVED THE WAY FOR HER TO SWIM ON AT STANFORD, WHERE, LIKE HER BROTHER, SHE CLAIMED ALL-AMERICAN STATUS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE WELCOME THE COMPLETING PIECE OF HER FAMILY'S SWEEP OF LAROSA'S HALL OF FAME STATUS.
REPRESENTING THE URSULINE ACADEMY CLASS OF 2001, TAMI RANSOM CHECKOWAY.
TAMI RANSOM CHECKOWAY: THANKS, DENNIS.
IF YOU KNOW ONE THING ABOUT SWIMMERS, IT'S THAT WE LOVE OUR FOOD.
I USED TO GET EXCITED ABOUT WAKING UP AT 4 A.M. FOR MORNING PRACTICE BECAUSE IT MEANT I GOT TO EAT TWO BREAKFASTS.
MY FRIENDS THOUGHT I WAS NUTS.
I THINK I WAS AVERAGING THREE BAGELS A DAY ALL BEFORE 8 A.M. MAN, DID WE EAT A LOT BACK THEN.
BEFORE BIG MEETS, WE USED TO CARBO LOAD, WHICH MEANS EATING A LOT OF CARBS TO BUILD UP ENERGY FOR OUR RACES AND WE'D USE TEAM MEALS AS A TIME TO BOND.
EVERY YEAR BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL SECTIONALS, WE'D GATHER AT LAROSA'S AND I WOULD ORDER MY LUCKY MEAL, SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS.
I REMEMBER THE LAUGHS AND THE GOOD TIMES WE SHARED THERE.
LAROSA'S WAS SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE FOOD, BUT BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH SUPPORT YOU GUYS PROVIDE STUDENT ATHLETES IN THE AREA.
JUST LIKE THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER BACK IN 1973 TO HELP BUDDY REBUILT HIS RESTAURANT AFTER THE FIRE, THE WORK THAT BUDDY LAROSA AND THE LAROSA'S FAMILY HAS DONE FOR THE LAST 45 YEARS HAS CONTINUED TO BRING THE ATHLETIC COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO SUPPORT US.
AS I LOOK BACK ON MY TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL, FAMILY IS A CONSISTENT THEME.
I WANT TO SEND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY BROTHER KYLE, A FELLOW INDUCTEE.
IT HAS BEEN INTERESTING TO REFLECT BACK ON OUR JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE TOGETHER AS IT HAS UNFOLDED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.
IN THE BEST OF TIMES, YOU WERE MY CHEERLEADER AND JESTER.
IN THE WORST OF TIMES, YOU WERE MY ROCK AND THE THING THAT KEPT ME AFLOAT.
I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I AM TODAY WITHOUT YOU.
I'M SO PROUD OF EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE IN LIFE, THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THE SWIMMING STUFF.
WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF MY PARENTS, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING I'M AWARE THAT YOU DID FOR ME AND FOR THE 800 MILLION OTHER THINGS THAT I NEVER KNEW ABOUT.
THANK YOU DOESN'T DO IT JUSTICE, BUT THANK YOU.
TO THE COACHES, TEAMMATES, TEACHERS, FRIENDS AND COMPETITORS OVER THE YEARS, EACH OF YOU PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MY JOURNEY.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ME, CHALLENGING ME, AND HELPING ME GROW.
THESE DAYS, THE WORLD SEEMS LIKE IT'S MOVING SO SLOWLY, YET TIME GOES BY WITH THE BLINK OF AN EYE.
IT FEELS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY THAT I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL BREATHING IN THE STEAMY CHLORINE AIR OF KEATING NATATORIUM.
THEN I LOOK UP AND MY KIDS ARE ALMOST NINE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE TIME HAS GONE.
WHEN I THINK BACK TO MY DAYS SWIMMING IN CINCINNATI, I FEEL AN IMMENSE WAVE OF GRATITUDE.
I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE GROWN UP IN SUCH A GREAT SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT AROUND SO MANY AMAZING PEOPLE WHO ALL CONTRIBUTED TO AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY THAT I WOULDN'T CHANGE FOR THE WORLD.
WHAT AN HONOR IT IS TO BE INCLUDED AMONG THE LIST OF AMAZING ATHLETES THAT HAVE COME BEFORE ME AND THOSE THAT WILL COME AFTER ME.
I AM HUMBLED TO BE RECOGNIZED ALONGSIDE SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO MY FELLOW INDUCTEES TERRILL, GABY, JORDAN, KYLE, AND KIM.
I'VE LOVED LEARNING ABOUT YOUR STORIES AND ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS YOU ACHIEVED.
CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO BUDDY LAROSA AND THE LAROSA'S FAMILY FOR THIS GREAT HONOR.
DENNIS JANSON: QUITE AN IMPRESSIVE FAMILY AFFAIR FOR THE RANSOMS, VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE.
SAME FOR OUR NEXT INDUCTEE, FOR THE SAKE OF FULL DISCLOSURE, TRANSPARENCY BEING ALL THE RAGE THESE DAYS, OUR NEXT INDUCTEE IS PART OF THE HALL OF FAME SELECTION COMMITTEE.
SHE ON BOARDED, THOUGH, AFTER AN OUTSTANDING COACHING CAREER AT NOTRE DAME ACADEMY.
I REMEMBER THE MEETING WHERE FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBER MARY JO HUISMANN POINTED OUT THE OBVIOUS, THAT WE HAD AN EMINENTLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATE IN OUR MIDST.
AND SO WAS IT THAT KIM GUNNING WAS WELCOME TO THE HALL.
SHE TOLD ME WHEN WE TALKED RECENTLY THAT SHE WAS NEVER ABOUT PERSONAL ACCOLADES; IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE TEAM.
AND WHILE ADMITTING SHE HAD A FANTASTIC COACHING CAREER, IT WAS LARGELY BECAUSE SHE WAS BLESSED TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT GROUP OF HARDWORKING, TALENTED PLAYERS.
WHAT SHE REALLY CHERISHES, THOUGH, IS THE IMPACT SHE HAD WITH SO MANY YOUNG WOMEN, GUIDING THEM TO SELF-CONFIDENT ADULTHOOD, EMPOWERING THEM ON SO MANY LEVELS.
AND SO IT IS WITH GREAT PERSONAL, AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL PRIDE, THAT WE WELCOME COACH KIM GUNNING TO THE LAROSA'S HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME.
KIM.
KIM GUNNING: THANKS, DENNIS.
I AM TRULY HUMBLED AND HONORED TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE LAROSA'S HALL OF FAME.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO BUDDY LAROSA AND HIS SONS, MIKE AND MARK, FOR CREATING THIS LEGENDARY PROGRAM, A HALLMARK EVENT FOR THE TRI-STATE.
A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO MARY JO HUISMANN, A 1999 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE, FOR THIS NOMINATION, AS WELL IS THE SELECTION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, MICHAEL PAOLERCIO, AND THE ENTIRE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THIS PRIVILEGE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE OTHER DISTINGUISHED INDUCTEES.
WHAT AN HONOR TO JOIN YOU TODAY.
I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE CONNIE KAMPSCHMIDT, A 1991 LAROSA HALL OF FAME MEMBER, AS MY HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL COACH, AND JANE MEIER AS MY COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL COACH AT NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY.
THESE TWO INCREDIBLE COACHES AND INDIVIDUALS NOURISH THE SPIRIT OF SPORT WITHIN ME, MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO REALIZE THE COACHING SUCCESS I WAS SO FORTUNATE TO EXPERIENCE.
THANK YOU, CONNIE AND JANE, FOR BEING SUCH WONDERFUL ROLE MODELS, NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF, BUT ALSO FOR EMPOWERING COUNTLESS YOUNG WOMEN THROUGH THE YEARS.
MY CAREER AS A TEACHER, VARSITY COACH, AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR BEGAN AT MY ALMA MATER, VILLA MADONNA ACADEMY.
AFTER FIVE YEARS AT VILLA MADONNA, NOTRE DAME ACADEMY BECAME MY HOME FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS AS I CONTINUED IN THESE SAME ROLES.
FOR 17 SEASONS, I WAS BLESSED WITH TALENTED, HARD WORKING, AND DEDICATED ATHLETES WHO MADE IT A JOY TO COACH EACH AND EVERY DAY.
WHILE THE TEAM WINS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE CERTAINLY MEMORABLE MILESTONES, MY MOST FAVORITE MEMORIES WERE OF THOSE STORIES SHARED BY THE PLAYERS.
THEIR STORIES CENTERED AROUND SIMPLE, EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES, WHETHER AT SCHOOL, PRACTICE, ROAD TRIPS TO DISTANT MATCHES, THE LAUGHTER, TEARS, WATCHING THE GIRLS GROW INTO THE WOMEN THEY ARE TODAY MADE ME REALIZE EARLY ON THAT COACHING WAS MY LIFELONG DREAM FULFILLED.
SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS COMES IN MANY FORMS, YET FOR ME, THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT AND INFLUENCE LIVES, TO AID IN HELPING OTHERS BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND REACHED NEW HEIGHTS, TO BUILD POSITIVE EXPERIENCES, TO CREATE LIFELONG RELATIONSHIPS ARE ALL THE ULTIMATE CORNERSTONES OF MY SUCCESS.
SIMPLY SAID, IN ANYTHING YOU DO, IT'S THE PEOPLE YOU DO IT WITH THAT MAKE IT SO SPECIAL.
I AM TRULY GRATEFUL TO MY PLAYERS AND ASSISTANT COACHES THAT HAVE MADE THIS JOURNEY SO REWARDING.
YOU ARE ALL A PART OF THIS HONOR TODAY.
TO BE CALLED COACH HAS ENRICHED MY LIFE BEYOND MEASURE.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY PARENTS, BOB AND MARLENE GUNNING FOR INSTILLING IN ME THE LOVE OF COMPETITION, HARD WORK, AND PERSEVERANCE.
EACH AND EVERY DAY, THESE GIFTS ARE A TRUE BLESSING.
AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE LAROSA FAMILY AND THE ENTIRE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THIS WONDERFUL HONOR.
DENNIS JANSON: SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY FELLOW SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WE ARE SO PROUD TO HONOR KIM, ONE OF OUR OWN, AS IT WERE, TO THE LAROSA'S HALL OF FAME.
IT IS SO RICHLY DESERVED.
SAME GOES FOR THE PRAISE WE'VE HEAPED ON ALL OUR HONOREES TODAY.
ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING ROSTERS OF INDUCTEES IN THE LONG AND STORIED HISTORY OF THE LAROSA'S HALL OF FAME PROGRAM.
WE'D LIKE TO THANK BUDDY AND MIKE, BETH RUPERT, MIKE PAOLERCIO, THE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT OF CET, MARK LAMMERS, AND ESPECIALLY MY OLD COLLEAGUE JASON GARRISON FOR HELPING FORMAT AND PRODUCE THIS AFTERNOON'S PROGRAM.
TV, LIKE ATHLETICS, IS A TEAM SPORT AND WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND LIKEWISE, THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE JOINED US FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME OR WATCH PARTY.
WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION AND OFFER ONE LAST WORD OF CONGRATULATIONS AND RECOGNITION TO OUR HONOREES.
YOU ARE SIMPLY THE BEST.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
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