Three area coaches honored by state track association

COLUMBUS -- The Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches honored three local high school coaches with the Fred Dafler Career State Coach of the Year award at a recent clinic.
Chris Rupe, McDonald High boys cross country coach; Jack Nemergut, South Range High girls cross country coach; and Denise Gorski, girls track coach of Boardman High, were honored. Only one person per sport in the entire state is honored with the Dafler award in a year.
Rupe has coached teams to two state titles, and his team placed second once in his 15 seasons.
Nemergut has coached boys and girls cross country at South Range since 1986. He was picked the District 1 (Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Ashtabula counties) Coach of the Year in 1999.
Gorski has coached track for 23 seasons, and her teams have a dual meet record of 173-42.
In 19 seasons of coaching, athletes coached by Gorski have qualified for the state in 15 years.
Gorski was the District 1 Coach of the Year in 2001, 1991, 1988 and 1985.