EATON — The Preble County Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed its newest members during an induction ceremony on Sunday, May 26 at the Preble County YMCA.

The newest class included 10 individuals and six teams, which featured a night of story telling, tears, and laughter in front of a crowd of nearly 300 people.

“In 2002, we formed a committee to establish the Hall of Fame in order to recognize former athletes and others who have made contributions to our local sports. The committee continues to enjoy reviving memories from friends and families of past Preble Countians to celebrate their accomplishments and contributions,” Mike Akers, Preble County Athletic Hall of Fame President, said.

“During its first 19 years the PCAHoF Committee has recognized nearly a century’s worth of accomplishments – both by males and females. The committee feels we have put together another outstanding class. With the induction of this year’s class, the hall now numbers 280 members, with 237 individuals and 43 teams.”

This year’s class includes Tom Pierce (Lanier, Class of 1955), Maurice Dull (Gratis, Class of 1963), Steve Unger (Twin Valley South, Class of 1971), Terry Gallimore (Eaton, Class of 1977), Rick McCollum (Eaton, 1979-2014), Tina Fuchs (Preble Shawnee, Class of 1999), Robbie Moyer (Eaton, Class of 2001), Leslie Johnson (Eaton, Class of 2002), Morgan Adsit (Eaton, Class of 2002), Tony McWhinney (National Trail, Class of 2004), 1963-64 Gratis Boys Basketball team, 1988-89 Preble Shawnee Girls Basketball team, 1988-89 Preble Shawnee Boys Basketball team, 1990 Tri-County North Football team, 2001 Eaton Boys Cross Country team and 2002 Twin Valley South Boys Track team.

Tom Pierce, a 1955 graduate of Lanier Township High School, earned 12 varsity letters: four in basketball, four in cross country, four in track and field. In 1954 and 1955 the basketball team was runner-up in the Preble County Basketball Tournament. In 1954 and 1955, Tom was selected to the All-County Basketball Team. Tom also received All-Ohio Honorable Mention honors his senior year, in 1955. Tom was selected to be Junior Fair King in 1955. Tom umpired Little League Baseball for several years and has been a Girls Volleyball official for over 30 years. He is a past OVR certified official and Class 1 Junior High, Varsity and YMCA League referee. He is still actively officiating as a volleyball referee. Tom has been a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus.

Maurice (Moe) Dull was a rare two-time All-County basketball player who scored well over 1,000 points in his career. In 1963 he was a key player in the team’s (10-0) Preble County League title. The team was runner-up in the Preble County tournament and in the Dayton Class A district tournament while finishing the season with a 22-3 record. He was also an outstanding baseball player for the district runner-up team in 1963. He also played on a select baseball team while serving in the Army when stationed in Germany. After his service he started his career at Armco Steel in Middletown where he played on the Armco Triangles basketball team which played in the prestigious Dayton AAU league at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds Colosseum.

Steve Unger, a 1971 graduate of Twin Valley South High School, participated in track for four years and football for three years. In track, he was a member of the 1971 mile relay team that qualified and participated in the state track meet. Steve was a certified track official for 46 years. He worked at all levels of competition, from junior high meets, to the OHSAA State Track meet. He was also the driving force and coordinator for the renovation project of the Twin Valley South stadium and the upgrading of the track facility in 2000 and 2001.

Terry Gallimore, a 1977 graduate of Eaton High School, lettered in football, and was a standout wrestler for four years. Terry’s high school wrestling record was 83-10, which led to him holding school records of being second place in win percentage and second place in total wins. In four years of wrestling, Terry was never pinned in a single match. He was a State Qualifier in 1975 (2nd), 1976 (6th), and 1977 (4th). He was a District Champion, a 3-time Sectional Champion and a 3- time League Champion. Terry was also a 3-time All-Miami Valley Team honoree. He was a 3-time Wayne Invitational Champion, as well as a 3-time Eaton Invitational Champion. He was a State Champion in AAU, and was invited to the 1976 Olympic Training Camp.

Rick McCollum began his Hall of Fame career as student-athlete at Eaton High School. While at EHS, he played football, wrestled, and ran track. He was a Sectional Champion, District Runner-Up and State Qualifier in Wrestling his Junior Year.

Upon completion of his Junior Year, McCollum graduated from EHS. McCollum attended Anderson College where he ran track for one year and wrestled for four years. McCollum was a two-time Conference Champion and a two-time NAIA National Wrestling Championships qualifier during his college career.

He returned to his alma mater as a teacher and coach in 1979. During his tenure he coached football, wrestling and track. Track and field is where McCollum carved out his HOF career as the Head Eaton Boys High School Track Coach from 1982-2004. During this span, his teams won 9 SWBL titles; a District Championship; a Regional Championship; a District Runner-up; a Regional Runner-up and a 4th place State Meet finish.

Individually, McCollum coached 48 State qualifiers including two State Champions; three State Runner-ups; several 3rd place finishers and 22 State placers. He also coached a Penn Relays qualifier, fellow HOF inductee, Robbie Moyer. McCollum retired as the Head Track Coach in 2004 but remained as a volunteer assistant through 2014.

The late Tina Fuchs, a 1999 Preble Shawnee graduate, was an extremely active student/athlete. She was a straight “A” student, played trumpet in the band, and participated in 4-H. She played both volleyball and basketball and had a very successful track career. She also found time, in the summer, for trips to Belize for college credit, studying marine biology and scuba diving. She approached every one of these endeavors with the same amazing determination and work ethic. She holds the high school girls track records for the 100-meter hurdles, 200-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, 400 meter run, and 800 meter relay. As a freshman, she qualified for state in the 4×200 relay. As a sophomore, she qualified for state in the 400-meter run and the 4×200 meter relay. As a junior, she qualified for state in the 300-meter hurdles (4th place). During her senior season, she was SWBL champion in the 100-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles. She placed 3rd in the 200-meter dash in the SWBL. Tina qualified for state in the 100-meter hurdles (8th place) and became state champion, placing 1st, in the 300-meter hurdles. She then qualified to compete for the Junior Olympics and the Pan Am Games.

Robbie Moyer is one of the most decorated athletes in Eaton High School history. A three-sport star, Moyer was a three-time state placer in track, while also qualifying for the state wrestling tournament three times. In addition, he also excelled in football. On the track, Moyer was the OHSAA Division II state pole vault champion his junior year. He finished his senior season as state runner-up, and he placed eighth in the event in his sophomore season. While at Eaton, Moyer won 10 SWBL titles in track and wrestling. He earned 12 varsity letters and still holds the Eaton High School pole vault record at 14 feet, 10 inches. In football, he was first team All-SWBL, first team All-Preble County, Dayton Daily News All-Area first team and first team Palladium Item.

Leslie Johnson enjoyed an incredible career in both cross country and track while at Eaton High School. During her freshman year, she was on the cross country team which qualified for state, ending that season with a 9th place finish in the state competition. In her junior year, the cross country team finished as Southwestern Buckeye League champions. Johnson experienced even more success as a member of the track team. The EHS girls track teams were SWBL champions every year of her high school career. Individually, Johnson was a SWBL champion in the 100m race, 3 times; the 200m race, 2 times; the 400m race, 1 time. She was district champion in both the 100m and 200m races, her freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons, and added the 400m race to her district championships during her junior season as well. She qualified for both the regional and state meets in those same three races multiple seasons. Her junior year she was regional champion in the 100m, 200m and 400m races, which qualified her for state in each event. At the state track meet, she finished 3rd place in the 100m event, and was crowned state champion in the 400m run, becoming the first female state champion in Eaton High School history. She still holds the EHS school records in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 4x200m events. Leslie continued her track career at Central Michigan University, where she was named to the All-Mid-American Conference Team in several events over the course of her career. She was also part of the CMU record-holding, regional qualifying 4×100 relay team in 2005.

Morgan Adsit, a 2002 graduate of Eaton High school, was a 3-year letter winner in volleyball, but the majority of her athletic success came from being a 4-year starter on the girls’ varsity basketball team. She was a 3-time team captain and played in 84 games. Some of her career stats include: 1,430 points (EHS record), 17.2 ppg., 554 rebounds, 459 assists, 145 3-point shots, 277/400 free throws. Adsit was a 4-time, 1st team selection in the SWBL. She earned SWBL Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002. She was a 4- time, 1st team selection on the All-Preble County Team, being named Player of the Year in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Adsit was also a 4-time 1st team selection to both the Palladium Item and Dayton Daily News all area teams. Honors from the All-Ohio Southwest District include Honorable Mention (1999), 3rd Team (2000), 2nd Team (2001) and 1st Team (2002). She was All Ohio Honorable Mention (D-II) in both 2001 and 2002. Morgan was also a member of the AAU Dayton Lady Hoopsters team, where they were honored as multi-state winners.

Tony McWhinney, a 2004 graduate of National Trail High School, was an exceptional 4-time letter winner on the boys’ varsity basketball team. Some of his career basketball statistics include: 1218 career points, 469 career rebounds, and 163 career assists. Tony was a 4-time All Cross County Conference Team selection, garnering Conference Player of the Year for the 2002-2003 season. In that same season, he earned District 15 Underclassman of the Year honors. During Tony’s senior season, he was named a District 15 All-Star, as well as an All-Ohio selection. He was twice named The Register-Herald Player of the Year. In 2023, Tony was honored by being inducted into the National Trail Hall of Fame.

The 1964 Gratis Trojans Boys’ basketball team finished the season 18-6 and had the honor of being the last Preble County Tournament champions. Team members included: Paul Buehner, Danny McCloud, Mike Akers, Steve Willis, John Turpin, Joe Essig, Tommy Moses, Phil Buehner, Bobby Bratton, Mike Miller, Roger Henegar and Gary Howard. The managers were David Wilson, Donnie Wilson, and P.A. McCloud. The team was coached by Don Rogers and assisted by John O’Donnell.

The 1988-89 Preble Shawnee girls’ basketball team capped off an impressive season by being a regional tournament qualifier The Arrows finished the season with a 20-4 record, while winning the Southwestern Buckeye League, sectional, and district championships. They boasted an undefeated record (9-0) in the SWBL. Team members included: Kathy Swank, Lisa Smith, Michelle Tewart, Cathy Baker, Diana Timberman, Lettie Combs, Shannah McIntosh, Lora Jones, Krista Higgins, and Julie Burnett. The team was coached by Dan Buckholtz and Ernie Hughes.

The 1988-1989 Boys Varsity basketball team, with its 21-4 record was Preble County Champions, Southwestern Buckeye League Champions, Division III Sectional Champions, Division III District Champions, and Division Ill Regional Semi-Finalist. The team included Lance Watkins, Curt Heger, Greg Fox, Assistant Coach Rick Brownlee, David Bridge, Pat Shockey, Mike Weadick, Ryan Hudson, Keith Evans, Shelby Williams, Rob Hall, Scott Bittinger, Jay Cottingim, and Coach Kleetis McGhee.

During the 1990 season the Tri-County North Football Team won its first nine games and claimed a share of the Cross County Conference Championship, which was the first in school history. It was the first team in school history and just the second in Preble County to qualify for the State Playoffs. Ultimately the 1990 dream season ended with a loss to the eventual 1990 State Champion, St. Henry Redskins. The team included Kenny Oda, manager, Tony Root, Brian Carpenter, Brice Duffie, Chris Cole, Jarrod Shell, Mark Jenkins, Jason Pierce, Jeremy Landrey, Nathan Collins, Jeremi Meyers, Brandon Strauss, ball boy; Steve Baker, Travis Gray, Thad Baker, Josh Meyers, Jim Davidson, Kevin Hoover, Ryan Lockard, Kerry Ott, David Bordenkircher, Tony Pinlon, Larry Bell, Jason Watts, Mike Pinton, Aaron Schlotterbeck, John Hemmelgarn, Payton Smith, Josh Richardson, Justin Landrey, Paul Ballard, James Wilkins, Christian Jackson, Bill Hake, Tracey Tonkovich, Justin Diehl and Joe Heck. Rick Newsock was the head coach.

The 2001 Eaton boys’ cross country team finished the season as OHSAA Division II State Champions. Enroute to being crowned state champs, they were the Troy regional team runner-up, district champs and champions of the Southwest Buckeye League. Their overall team season record was 223 wins and 54 losses. Team members include: Mitch Jenkins, David Hamm, Landen O’Banion, Kyle Weller, Josh Tolley, Adam Bulach, Matt Beier, Austin Starr, Jimmy McCargish, Matt Nixon, Jason Scott, Jake Bronson, Nick Buckalew, Matt Hall, Steven Wike, Lyle O’Banion, Mike Ross, Dan Tozier, Matt Vosler, and Jeremy McCloud. The team was coached by Randy McKinney (Head Coach), Mark Silvers, and Dean Weller.

The 2002 Twin Valley South boys track team had a remarkable season, capping it off as OHSAA Regional Champions. They were also district champs and champs of the Cross County Conference. They finished 1st, 2nd or 3rd in every invitational meet. Team members included: Zack Moses, Ray Buchanan, Justin Loxley, Chris Blinn, Tyler Loxley, Adam Marit, Bryan Nuse, Steve Byrd, Michael Dillon, Paul Brissey, Andy Locke, Drew Rivers, Chris Toops, Chris Brooks, Alex Roux, Miles Pieratt, Adam Beneke, Matt George, Isaac Shepherd, Sean Bassler, Caleb Betzner, Kyle Collins, Mark Fry, Matt Maggard, Corey Thompson. The team was coached by Mike Fahrenholz and Ken DeLong.

Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 9347-683-4061 and follow on X @emowenjr.