The Sylvania Schools athletic hall of fame will add nine athletes, two state championship teams, a former coach, and a distinguished citizen at an induction ceremony and luncheon on Saturday at Highland Meadows Golf Club.

The 14th annual induction festivities will begin on Friday, when the honorees will be introduced at the season-opening Northview-at-Southview football game, which kicks off at 7 p.m.

Joining the Sylvania hall will be former athletes Lloyd Sengstock (Sylvania High School, class of 1970), Brian Comstock (Sylvania, 1972), Barry Becker (Sylvania, 1973), Andy Keller (Southview, 1985), Tim Keller (Southview, 1987) Brad Gautsche (Southview, 1987), Nikki Pierzchala King (Northview, 2004), Paige Maroney (Northview, 2009), and Kevin Okapal (Northview, 2009).

Also honored will be the 1991 and 1992 Southview boys cross country teams, which each won state championships.

Entering the hall for his coaching service will be former Southview boys basketball coach Marc Jump, who guided the Cougars for 20 seasons.

David Spiess, a long-time Sylvania school board member and former president of the Sylvania Schools Alumni Association, will be honored with the Jim Glase Distinguished Service Award for his contributions.

Sengstock (football, wrestling, track) earned seven varsity letters and was a Great Lakes League champion in the discus and shot put.

Comstock (basketball) earned All-GLL honors while helping Sylvania win back-to-back league titles. He later played basketball at Texas Wesleyan University, as did Becker (basketball, baseball), who was All-GLL in both sports, and led the league in batting in baseball as a senior.

Andy Keller (tennis) posted a 34-2 record as a senior and was 114-18 in his career, and was undefeated in league play en route to four NLL singles titles. Brother Tim Keller was 115-13 in his tennis career, and was also a four-time NLL champion. Both Kellers later played four years at Miami University.

Gautsche (golf, basketball, baseball) earned 10 varsity letters and was All-NLL in golf twice and once in baseball.

Pierzchala King (volleyball, swimming, track) was All-NLL in track and volleyball, and played the latter sport at Bradley University. Maroney (soccer, basketball) was named All-Ohio in soccer and All-NLL in basketball. She played soccer at Duquesne University.

Okapal (soccer) was named All-NLL twice and All-Ohio once. He was honored as an Adidas All-American, and later played at St. Bonaventure University.

Coached by Ross Deye, the Southview cross country won the Division I state title in 1991 led by scoring runners Matt Geha (fourth place), Matt Wroblewski (13th), Brian Snodgrass (17th), Matt Carlton (28th), and Todd Germana (43rd).

They repeated that championship in 1992 led by scoring runners Chris Moore (seventh), Snodgrass (16th), Matt Esplin (17th), Mark Geha (19th), and Brian Dorris (29th).

Jump posted a 228-207 record from 1993-2013, guiding the Cougars to three NLL championships.

First Published August 13, 2023, 9:54 p.m.