Tonight will be a night to remember for the 10 newest inductees into the Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2010 induction banquet will be held, starting at 6 p.m., this evening at the Grand Pointe Conference and Reception Center in Vienna.
Entering the hall are Kim (Houser) Snyder, Allan Johnson, Dan Rowell and Jerry Spencer from Wood County; Becky Strahler from Washington County; Dave Parks, Jimmy Roberts and Terry Spangler from Ritchie County; and Tony Carna and David Ciacci from Noble County.
Snyder, a two-time first-team all-state selection and an honorable-mention All-American, set an individual career scoring record (1,199 points) at Parkersburg High School. In 1982, she finished runner-up in voting for W.Va. Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
Johnson built his reputation as a strength and conditioning coach at WVU (1983-1988 and 1992-2001, with the Baltimore Orioles (1989-1992) and then Ohio State (2001-2006). He has been recognized both nationally and internationally for his work, including being lauded as a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach by his peers, earning his profession's highest award.
Rowell was a three-time Class A-AA state wrestling champion at Williamstown High School (1981-82-83), and instrumental in leading the Yellowjackets to two team titles. He fashioned a career record of 125-5 at WHS and was honored as a prep All-American.
Spencer represented WVU twice at the NCAA Gymnastic Nationals. He opened Glendale Gym Club in Vienna in 1974, has guided over a dozen of his proteges into college gymnastics, and continues to develop gymnasts at Glendale, now in business for 36 years.
Strahler was a pioneer in starting girls sports programs at Fort Frye High School and established a winning foundation for the Cadets in volleyball, softball and basketball.
Parks made an immediate impression at Pennsboro High School, earning a starter's role in football at quarterback as a freshman and was a four-year starter in basketball and baseball.
Roberts starred as a three-sport standout in football, basketball and baseball at Harrisville High School, and then was a stellar offensive lineman and defensive player at Marshall, where he was inducted posthumously into its sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
Spangler, a two-sport star at Glenville State College, guided Ritchie County's girls basketball team into the state playoffs four times and had several players earn all-state honors, including his daughter Missy, the 2001 W.Va. Class AA Player of the Year.
Carna was a star distance runner at Caldwell High School and the University of Michigan, while Ciacci was a standout wrestler at Shenandoah High School and Case Western Reserve University.
Contact Steve Hemmelgarn at shemmelgarn@newsandsentinel.com
