Taylor HS Names 10 To Athletic Hall Of Fame Class Of 2017

By Travis Thayer (Cleves, Oh.) – The Taylor Athletic Department has announced the inductees to its Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2017. Ten inductees will be enshrined in the Taylor Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Saturday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. between the conclusion of the boys junior varsity game and the beginning of the boys varsity contest. Each inductee will be available for a meet-and-greet in the Auxiliary gym. Family and friends are invited to attend. The event will also feature the girls junior varsity and varsity contests against Seven Hills beginning at noon. The boys freshman basketball team will also be in action at 4:30. Class of 2017 inductees include: Coach Bob Callahan – Twenty-five years ago, Coach Callahan was in his third year as the head coach of the boys basketball program that would go on to win its third consecutive Cincinnati Hills League Championship (1990-92). During his tenure at Tayolor, Coach Callahan accumulated a 100-53 record, and was CHL Coach of the Year three times. Jerry Halon (Class 47’) – Letterman in football, basketball, baseball and track. Went on to play football and basketball at Xavier University in 1947-48 before transferring to Miami University, where he played football for legendary coach Ara Parseghian. Following college, Halon served as an assistant coach under Bo Schembechler at the University of Miami and the University of Michigan. Gene Hoffman (Class 58’) – Letterman in football, basketball and baseball. Coached the 6th grade select boys basketball team for 30 years (1964-94), knothole baseball for 20 years, and most recently volunteered as a high school basketball scorekeeper and varsity football clock operator. Josh Schneider (Class 06’) – Letterman in golf, football, swimming and track. Hold multiple school records for football and track. In 2005, Schneider won the OHSAA State Championship in the 50m Freestyle. He was a four-year letterman at University of Cincinnati before competing with USA Swimming for seven years. Roger Sexton (Class 64’) – Letterman in baseball and basketball. Member of the 1962 Taylor State Baseball Championship team. Sexton also won a NCAA College World Series at Ohio State in 1966. Was drafted 12th overall in the 1967 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians. Sexton played two years in the Minor Leagues. He is also a U.S. Marine Veteran. Edward Smith (Class 60’) – Letterman in football, basketball, track and baseball. Awarded the coveted “Wing-T” for lettering in multiple sports at Taylor.  Played football at Xavier University. Emily Thompson (Class 05’) – Letterman in cross country, soccer, basketball and track. State Championships: OHSAA Cross Country State Championship team (02’, 04’), Cross Country Individual State Champion (02’, 03’), and 3200 Relay OHSAA State Champion in 2005. Thompson is the school record holder in the Cross Country 5K, as well as the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter runs. She is a six-time All-Ohio Athlete and four-time Academic All-Ohio. Thompson was also the 2006 Larosa’s Cincinnati Female Athlete of the Year, and was named the Cincinnati Enquirer’s #5 Local All-Time Multi-Sport Athlete. J.R. West (Class 90’) – Letterman in football, basketball and track. Nine-time Academic All-League. Cavanaugh Award Winner for Top Athlete in Class of 1990. Attended the United States Military Academy where he was a three-year letterman on the football team. Mike West (Class 92’) – Letterman in football, basketball and track. All-time passing leading for touchdowns in a season (13). All-time leader in steals and assists. Twelve-time Academic All-League. Played four seasons of football at the United States Military Academy, and went undefeated against Navy. Tom West (Class 92’) – Letterman in golf, basketball and track. West is the basketball program’s 2nd leading scorer of all-time with 1,524 points. He was also a State Qualifier in track. He was the winner of the Cavanaugh Award in 1992. In college, West played four years of basketball at Kent State University.