The Hardin County Sports Hall of Fame has announced the 2025 Sports Hall of Fame class of inductees: Sue Fetzer, Darren Gilbert, Jeff Hastings, Gayle Lauth, Charles Renner, Jim West (Posthumously), 1975-1976 Ada Bulldog boys basketball team (Head Coach: Gene Fries).
Sue Fetzer: Hardin Northern Coach (1978-2005).. Hardin Northern Teacher (1978-2005).
Coach Fetzer contributed greatly to HN girls’ athletics by teaching, encouraging, and inspiring young ladies in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. She served as a coach in volleyball, basketball, and/or track every year of her 28-year teaching career at HN. As a 21-year Head Coach for the HN girls’ track team, she made 11 trips to the State Track Meet, qualifying athletes in 16 events, resulting in 9 All-State performances. She led many track athletes to school record setting performances, 11 of which still stand. She has given over 35 years of service to the HN track program, continuing to volunteer at HN meets.
As Assistant Volleyball Coach, she served for 21 seasons alongside Head Coach Beth Elwood during the Lady Bears’ BVC dominance, helping win 15 Conference Championships, 6 District Championships, 1 Regional Championship, and a State Runner-Up title. She coached all of the current female Hardin County Sports Hall of Fame player inductees from HN, and her impact can be seen in numerous female coaches who once played for her, including successful collegiate coaches, Juli Fulks and Jill Jolliff. Her dedication to teaching and to coaching has left a lasting impact on the HN community.
Darren Gilbert: Kenton HS graduate (1981); Ashland University (1985).
In high school, Darren lettered in basketball (3), golf (2), and baseball (1). As a Wildcat, he averaged a double-double as a Junior (14 ppg; 12.7 rpg) and a Senior (20 ppg; 14 rpg), was Team Leader as a Junior in FG% (48.6%), Rebs (280), and Pts (308), and Team Leader as a Senior in FG% (51.9%), Rebs (292), and Pts (411). He was named “Most Efficient
Player” (‘80 and ’81), and set KHS and Elida Fieldhouse Scoring Records, scoring 44 pts. (Elida Fieldhouse record, still stands) with 18 field goals (Kenton record, still stands) vs. Elida his Sr. year. He earned 1st Team All WBL, 1st Team District 8, District 8 All-Star, 3rd Team All NW Ohio Class AA, 3rd Team All-Ohio Class AA, and was a 1981 McDonald’s All-American Nominee. His 1980-81 KHS team tied for WBL Champions (1st since 1967; 3rd overall in school history), was ranked #10 in the State poll in Class AA, and their 16-5 record tied for 2nd most wins in school history. His 1979-80 KHS team upset #2 State-ranked Delphos St. John’s in Sectionals. He earned a full athletic scholarship to Ashland University (NCAA D-II) where he played from 1981-85. Starting as a true Freshman, he led AU in “Charges Taken” three straight years.
He has over 31 years of HS coaching experience (Kenton, Ada, Perry, Ridgemont, and AAU). As an Assistant Coach, he coached three student-athletes who played D-1, and an OAC Division III Gregory Award winner. He was Assistant Coach at Kenton when they went to District Finals, their longest tournament run since 1924. He is a 2-time “District 8 Assistant Coach of the Year” and was an OHSAA certified basketball official for over 25 years. He continues to coach at Ada High School as Boys Varsity Assistant while working as a commentator for 93.1 The Fan and WOSN, covering local high school sports, and is in his 34th year as an educator in the Kenton City School System.
Gayle Lauth: ONU Head Women's Basketball Coach (1972-1992); ONU Head Softball Coach (1968-2000).
Gayle compiled a record of 274 wins and 150 losses with the ONU basketball team. She was named the OAC Coach of the year in 1988. Her Lady Polar Bears were crowned OAC team champions twice (1986 and 1988). As Head Softball Coach from 1968-2000, she compiled a 425-317-2 record and was named Coach of the Year on 3 different occasions. She was inducted into the ONU Hall of Fame in 1994 for her coaching excellence.
Jeff Hastings: Hardin Northern HS graduate (1984); BGSU (1988).
Jeff was a 3-sport athlete at HN, earning 9 combined varsity letters in track, cross country, and basketball. He set three school records in track and cross country in the 1600m (stood for over 30 years), 3200m, and 5K (still stands); won 6 individual Hardin County Meet events (2 in cross country and 4 in track: 1600m & 3200m his Jr. and Sr. years); placed 2nd in the Hardin
County Meet in two other events, and was a 2-event Champion at the BVC Meet both as a Junior (1600m & 800m) and Senior (1600m & 3200m). He also set 3 Hardin Co. Meet records, 2 in track (1600m and 3200m) and 1 in cross country. He competed twice in the State Cross Country Meet, placing 8th and earning All-Ohio honors, and in track was a 1600m District Champion and a 1600m Regional Runner-up, qualifying for the State Meet. He graduated from HN in 1984 as Class Valedictorian and became a 3-year letterman in track and cross country at BGSU. He earned ALL-MAC honors placing 5th in the 1986 Mid American Conference 5000m, and earned All-Academic 2nd Team for Track/Cross Country in 1988. At BGSU, Jeff earned the Most Improved Runner award as a Sophomore and was a top 7 runner on the Varsity team as a Junior and Senior. He set personal bests of 15:00 (5K), 31:50 (10K), and 25:31 (5 miles) in Cross Country at BGSU.
He served as a high school track and cross country coach in the Indianapolis area for eleven years, coaching 10 athletes who went on to compete at the college level, including 2 at D1 colleges, 5 at NAIA colleges, and 3 at D3 colleges.
Charles Renner: Hardin Northern graduate (1973); Capital University (1977).
Coach Renner was a four-year Capital University Letter Winner in Track and Field. He has been a longtime Track and Field Coach and Cross Country Coach at several schools in Hardin County. He led several teams to Hardin County titles as Head Track and Field Coach: Riverdale Girls (‘88-’91) and USV Boys (‘92-’93 and 2014-’17); and as Head Cross Country Coach: Riverdale Boys (‘90) and USV Boys (‘14, ‘18’ and ‘22).
During his coaching tenure, he has coached 5 State Champions, 5 State Runner-ups, and over 50 student-athletes that earned an opportunity to participate in the OHSAA State Track and Field and OHSAA State Cross Country Championships. As of today, 34 of his athletes have earned 1st Team All-Ohio for their accomplishments. He led his teams to 3 Conference Championships and 10 Conference Runner-up finishes in Track and Field, and 1 Conference Title and 3 Conference Runner-up finishes in Cross Country. Charles has been active as both a certified Track and Field and Cross Country Official with the OHSAA, as well as a USA Track and Field and Cross Country registered Official.
He served on the State Board for Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches (1996-’06) as well as the first webmaster to create the first OATCCC website. Mr. Renner’s time as a head coach has earned him the “Girls Coach of the Year Award District 7” in NW Ohio (‘91) and “NWCC Girls Coach of the Year Award” (‘15). As an educator at Upper Scioto Valley, he received the “110% Award as USV Teacher of Year” (‘92).
Jim West (Posthumously): Kenton High School graduate (1964); Ohio University (1968).
As a KHS athlete in football, basketball and track, Jim led the football Wildcats to two Runner-up WBL finishes, garnering 1st Team All WBL honors in 1963 and 1964. Jim earned All-Ohio Class AA accolades while playing hurt during his senior season with a broken ankle. In basketball, Jim was a member of the hoops team that finished as League Runner-up in 1961-62 and League Champions in 1962-63. Jim was selected 1st Team WBL his senior season for his speed and versatility. His playing time was cut short due to injuries from fall football.
Known in track as a terrific sprinter and high jumper, Jim’s ability to score many points led the Wildcat ironclads to win back to back WBL track championships in 1961 and 1962, finishing no lower than 3rd as a team during his four-year career. During this time he set numerous records in both football and track that stood for many years at KHS. Mr. West earned a full athletic scholarship to Ohio University in Athens following numerous offers from around the country, including Ohio State and Woody Hayes. While at OU, Jim earned 4 varsity letters for the Bobcats. Upon graduation, he taught in the Columbus Public School System for 27 years.
2025 Class Team Inductee
1975-1976 ADA BULLDOG BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM (Head Coach: Gene Fries)
10 - 0 LEAGUE RECORD*
17 - 1 REGULAR SEASON RECORD**
4 - 1 TOURNAMENT RECORD***
21 - 2 OVERALL SEASON RECORD
* Undefeated Northwest Conference League Champions
** Only season loss game to Mt. Blanchard Riverdale (70 - 80)
*** Sectional Champions
Defeated Waynesfield Goshen (Sect. Semi) (49 - 40)
Defeated Cridersville Perry (Sect. Finals) (71 - 56)
*** District Champions
Defeated Mendon Union (Dist. Semi) (62 - 59)
Defeated Minster (Dist. Finals) (62 - 60)
*** Regional Semi-Finalists
Lost to Fort Jennings (Regional Semi’s) (63 - 65) OT
Offensive Points Per Game Average: Defensive Points Per Game Allowed Average: (League): 74.9 ppg (League): 61.4 ppg (Non-League): 78.6 ppg ` (Non-League): 67.7 ppg (Tournament); 75.4 ppg (Tournament): 56.0 ppg
