CURBSTONE COACHES ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME

JEFF BAYUK

FOOTBALL

The head coach of this year’s Division VII state champion Warren JFK, he has turned around the high school football fortunes at Canfield, Hubbard, Campbell Memorial and Warren JFK. He is a graduate of Kennedy Christian High School in Hermitage, Pa., and Thiel College. His overall record is 181-105. He was head coach at Hubbard from 1991-2006, posting a 121-46 record. He was given the National Football Foundation’s Humanitarian Award (2004) while earning Associated Press Division II “Coach of the Year” laurels in 1991 as well.

MARK BRUNGARD

FOOTBALL

A native of New Middletown, he was a quarterback for Springfield High School and Youngstown State University, then was a successful head coach at Poland High School. At YSU, he won two Division I-AA championships. His 41 career starts are fourth in school history for a quarterback. In 49 games played, he completed 496-of-876 passing attempts (56.6 percent) for 6,116 yards and 38 touchdowns. At Poland, he posted an 88-37 record and has the record for most wins. Under his guidance, the Bulldogs qualified for the state playoffs for nine consecutive seasons.

JIM BRYANT

BOWLING

The author of 23 300 games and 11 800 series, he shot “300” in back-to-back years in the finals of the Youngstown Masters Tournament, finishing runner-up in a national event run by Ebonite in the late 1990s. He has won numerous local tournaments over the years. He is the founder and host for the annual PBA Hubbard Open. A member of the Professional Bowlers Association for 19 years, he was awarded the PBA’s Central Region “Pat Patterson Award” in 2015. He coached Liberty High School for nine years.

BRUCE BURGE

CONTRIBUTION TO SPORTS

He was YSU’s first athletics marketing director. A 1978 graduate of Southington High School, he earned his undergraduate degree from YSU in 1982 and his MA in Sports Administration from Ohio University in 1983. He served his internship with the Cleveland Browns and was a founding member of the famed “Browns Backers Club.” An executive vice-president with the World Basketball League from 1989-92, he first served as Director of Marketing for the Youngstown Pride. He currently serves as senior partner with the AFL’s Cleveland Gladiators.

JOHN CULLEN

BASKETBALL

A 1973 graduate of Kent State University, he was a teacher for 35 years and has been a boys basketball coach for 44 years. His head coaching stints were at Brookfield, Canfield and South Range. He also served as an assistant on the YSU women’s basketball staff. Last month, he received a ring from the Ohio State Basketball Coaches Association for his 500th victory. His record is 531-267. He also was presented a ring at the state tournament for receiving the Paul Walker Award.

TONY DELBENE

BASEBALL

A 1964 Woodrow Wilson High School graduate, he was selected All-City Series in football (running back) and basketball (guard).He was a four-year player for the Youngstown State baseball team and instrumental in leading YSU to an NCAA tournament. He batted .419 his senior campaign and was selected to the NCAA College All-American team. His teaching career began at Austintown and he served as athletic director at Girard High School from 1984-86.

WALLY FORD

ALL-SPORTS AWARD

He joins his father, Walter Ford (Class of 1997) as one of the few father-son combinations inducted. He was a three-sport star for Austintown Fitch (football, baseball and basketball). He played rugby and touch football. He became Fitch’s head baseball coach in 1998. Over the next 19 years he proceeded to lead the team to four conference championships, 12 sectional titles, three district crowns and three regional appearances.

ANTHONY MONTANA

SPECIAL AWARD

He is a 1968 graduate of Ursuline High School where he played football for four years. He played football for two seasons at YSU. He’s been a highly-regarded sports official for 44 years. He started his football refereeing career in 1972. From 1996 to present he has been a linesman on the collegiate level, working NCAA Division II and III games. A scholastic softball umpire since 2000, he has earned five state finals assignments.

HENRY P. NEMENZ, SR.

POSTHUMOUS AWARD

He began working in the family’s grocery business in 1956. A graduate of North Lima High School, he enjoyed a seven-decade entrepreneurial grocery career. He was also owner of two IGA Supercenter Stores and several Save-A-Lot locations. His generosity and support of local schools and causes is well-documented. In 2012, he was honored with the Ohio Grocers Pinnacle Award.

JIM O’MALLEY:

FOOTBALL

He played for Chaney High School, Notre Dame and the Denver Broncos. Scholastically, he was an All-City Series and All-NEO selections.

He played his three seasons at Notre Dame, earned three letters while helping the team to a 26-6 overall mark and appearances in the Cotton Bowl (1970) and Orange Bowl (1972). Drafted by the Denver Broncos in 1973, he spent three seasons (1973-75) with the team.

CRAIG SNYDER

BOXING

As an amateur, he won 16 of his first 17 fights, including 12 by KO. He won the 1981 Youngtown and Warren Golden Gloves championships at 118 pounds and was named “Outstanding Novice Division Fighter.” He won the 119 pound Open Division title in 1983 and won the ABF Ohio State 125-pound crown. He was the Youngtown Golden Gloves’ Open Division runner-up at 125 pounds (Roland Cummings won the championship) in 1984, then left the amateur ranks with an impressive 46-8 overall mark, including 22 by KO.He posted a 22-8 overall mark on the professional circuit, including 13 by KO.

TAMMY SWEARINGEN

VOLLEYBALL

A 1979 graduate of Columbiana High School, she earned eight varsity letters. She was a four-time national qualifier in swimming for the YWCA and upon graduation, earned a scholarship to Youngstown State University where she earned three varsity letters in swimming and another in softball. Prior to her arrival at Westminster College in 1992, she served as the head women’s swimming coach for YSU. As Westminster’s volleyball coach, she led her program to six conference championships, a regional crown and three national tournament appearances which produced two NAIA All-Americans and multiple Academic All-Americans. In 2015 she won her 500th career match as Titans head coach.

DAVE VEITZ

SPECIAL AWARD

He earned three letters in football at Ursuline High School and earned a business administration degree at Youngstown State. He moved to Michigan and got interested in officiating, often times working high school junior varsity basketball games in and around Detroit. He moved to Boardman and officiated high school softball and volleyball contests for 35 years. He also officiated Division I women’s basketball contests in the Northeast Conference. He is a past-President of the Mahoning Valley Basketball Officials Association, Youngstown Metro Umpire Association and Mill Creek Senior Golf League.

Staff report