2009 HOF Inductees : Boardman Booster Club

Bill Bohren

Contributor

Few longtime BHS football fans will forget the 1987 season that culminated in a Div. I championship game in Ohio Stadium. Despite a heartbreaking loss to Cincinnati Princeton, the Spartans capped off an historic state tournament run.

Head Coach Bill Bohren’s tenure at Boardman included much more than that one great season, returning to the playoffs in 1990 and SVC titles in 1990 and 1991. His winning percentage of .648 was the highest in BHS history when he retired from teaching in 1993. He has continued to coach, for a total of 43 years as a head coach and a lifetime record of 272 wins, 138 losses, and 6 ties. This is his third coaching Hall of Fame induction (OHSFCA and Trumbull County in 2007). He has coached four different schools into the state playoffs.

Bill is a 1952 graduate of Ambridge H.S., served in the U.S. Navy, played football and received his B.S. degree from Kent State in 1963. At Illinois State University he earned his Master’s of Ed. in 1965 . He is currently the Head Football Coach at Labrae H.S. and lives in Cortland spending time with his two daughters and four granddaughters.

Jamie Fox

Cross Country / Track (1991)

Jamie Fox was a model student-athlete for 4 years at BHS, excelling equally on the athletic field and in the classroom. In cross country, he qualified for state competition four times individually, and was a member of a team that went 79-1 and captured 4 SVC titles in those 4 years. Jamie’s track career at Boardman consisted primarily as a member of a 4x800m relay team that set a school record in 1991 and quali?ed for state in 1988 and 1991. He was named All-SVC in Cross Country all 4 years and in track as both a junior and senior.

Jamie continued to run track at Mt. Union College, winning championships in the 800 and 1000m races, and making the All-Ohio Conf. Team in 1991, 1992, and 1993. He also earned several academic awards in college, graduating with the highest GPA in 1995. He then attended the Univ. of Cincinnati College of Medicine, specializing in pediatrics. His medical career has taken him from Duke University, Columbus Children’s Hospital, Akron and now back to Duke where he is an Assistant Professor at the Medical Center and a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician. He resides in Durham with his wife Michelle, daughter Bridget, and son Andrew.

Lori Gabriel-McGlone

Basketball (1991)

A tenacious forward, Lori Gabriel starred on Coach Ron Moschella’s teams of the early 1990’s. As a junior, she was a starter on a squad that captured both the SVC Championship and District Tournament title before bowing out in regional play. That team finished with a 19-5 record, with Lori making 2nd team All-SVC. Her senior year, she led her team to a 21-3 record, winning both SVC and District titles, with Lori earning 1st team All-SVC as well as the area’s All-Playbook Team. She also won the Francis Meador Memorial Award.

After graduation, she attended Allegheny College on scholarship, where she earned a varsity letter and All-North Coast Athletic Conference Honorable Mention. She received her B.A. in Communications from Kent State in 1995 and worked in pharmaceutical sales until 2005. She left the workforce to become a full-time homemaker and resides in Boardman where she and her husband, Mike McGlone, raise two sons, Jack & Michael and a daughter, Maggie. Lori is very active in St. Charles Parish and School while volunteering as a coach for the YMCA Youth Basketball League.

John Garver

Contributor (1947)

Famous for years in this area as a sports inventor and theoretician, John Garver is a retired BHS chemistry and driver’s education instructor who also coached varsity tennis for years. He coached several SVC Championship teams and has inspired many outstanding individual athletes during that time, several who have already been inducted into this very Hall of Fame. John’s colorful life include stints as a pro-tennis player, author, inventor, and teacher. He has authored a book of Baseball Cybernetics, his baseball theory magnum opus, which he has continuously revised to this day and presented to several professional teams and players. John’s research into the mechanics of ball flight began in the 1960’s and over the years has resulted in his creation of pitching and hitting machines for baseball and a football kicking/punting/ throwing machine. He has adapted his findings with great success to the sports of golf and tennis and is credited with inventing an oversized tennis racket.

“Mr. Garver,” of course, is part of an extended family with longtime Boardman roots and graduated from BHS in 1947, where he ran track and pole vaulted his way into state competition. He continued to pole vault at Manchester College for four years where he also was conference champion in tennis. After earning his degree in 1951, he found his way back to our community where he became part of the staff, teaching Chemistry. Until recently, John competed as an amateur tennis player, winning many tournaments locally. He and his wife JoAnn remain residents of the Boardman area where they raised five children, all of whom graduated from BHS and live locally.

Brandi LaGamba Dawson

XC/Track (1991)

One of Coach Denise Gorski’s track/cross country stars of the late 1980’s, Brandi LaGamba qualified for state 3 of her 4 years at BHS as either a relay team member or solo long-distance runner. She lettered four years in track, setting several meet records in the 3200 meter run and placing 1st in the SVC meet every year. In her three years of cross country, Brandi captured two SVC crowns, was named MVP in the Sam Eorich Invitational, and qualified for the State Meet as a sophomore.

She attended the University of Toledo and lettered in track/XC for four years in each sport, competing for the Mid-American Conf. in both as well. Brandi earned numerous awards including most valuable player in cross-country and the Griffith Memorial Cup. She received her bachelor’s degree in 1996 and has settled in the Cleveland area where she is a Special Education teacher for the Metropolitan School District. Brandi is very active in volunteer programs in the community, especially youth soccer. She and her husband Todd have 3 daughters, Alexandria, Hannah & Paige and a son, Sammy and continue to run together as a lifelong recreation.

Mike Pollifrone

Football / Wrestling (1986)

A member of one of BHS’s great athletic families of the past, Mike Pollifrone has the rare distinction of having earned 10 varsity letters in 4 years—3 in football, 3 in track, and 4 in wrestling. Mike’s high school years were filled with accomplishments in all three sports, but after reaching the collegiate level, focused his attention on football.

In football, Mike not only played fullback and linebacker, but also place-kicked on field goals and kick-offs (straight-on style). Named 1st Team All-SVC his senior year, he was the conference’s 3rd leading scorer. As a junior, Mike was the wrestling team MVP and State Qualifier and was named 1st Team All-Eastern Ohio Wrestling League. As a senior he was named the team captain. Mike also earned three letters in track as a shot put/discus man.

Mike went on to play football at Hiram College, where he earned three varsity awards as well as two All-PAC selections. He was named team captain and earned Div. III All-American status as a senior. After receiving his degree in 1990, he began a career in education in the Howland School District, where he has coached football, track, and wrestling and is currently the high school assistant principal. He and his wife Tracey have a son, Michael and two daughters, Gianna & Leah. Michael is an active member in the community and coaches the Youth Wrestling Program along with volunteering as a Youth Sports Coach.

Julie Lewis Puscheck

Gymnastics (1979)

One of BHS’s early gymnastic stars, Julie Lewis was Boardman’s first-ever Sectional Gymnastics All-Around Champion her junior year, which she repeated as a senior. She was a three-year State Qualifier, and three-time Team MVP on teams which also won sectional championships and moved on to district and state competition. Julie also participated two years in high school as a varsity cheerleader, graduating with honors.Julie enrolled at Ohio State to continue her gymnastics career and pursue a journalism degree. While her athletic career was hampered by injury, she participated in an Honors Study Program in Oxford, England before graduating with honors in 1984 with her BA in Journalism. Later, she entered law school at Capital University, receiving her Juris Doctorate Degree in 1987. She is presently working in upstate New York as Managing Counsel and Director of Litigation for Carestream Health Inc.

Julie has had a distinguished career which has earned her public recognition and numerous awards. Her civic interests include being involved with the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester and serving on The Board of Directors for the Monroe County Bar Association and Legal Assistance of Western New York. She and her husband Bret have an 18-year-old daughter, Maura and 8-year-old boy-girl twins, Justin and Mallory who like her mother, is already excelling in the sport of gymnastics.

Bill Schaffer

Football (1988)

A three-year letterman and senior co-captain, Bill Schaffer anchored the Boardman line as a tackle when the football team made its State Title run in 1987. That year Bill was selected 1st Team All-State, USA Today Honorable Mention All-American, NEO & Mack Truck Lineman of the Year, 1st Team All-SVC, and played in the Ohio North-South All-Star Game. He also lettered two years in varsity wrestling—named team co-captain as well—and made 1st Team All-EOWL and All-SVC while being a regional qualifier in state competition.

Bill went on to play football at the University of Michigan, where he played on the 1989 Rose Bowl and 1990 Gator Bowl Championship teams. After transferring to YSU in 1991, he was a member of Penguin’s 1991 National Championship team. He is currently self-employed and lives in Florida in the Tampa area, while his parents still reside in Boardman.

Jason Triveri

Baseball (1993)

Earning 9 varsity letters at BHS, Jason Triveri started as an infielder on the baseball team for 4 years, earning 1st Team All-SVC honors his last 3 years. His sophomore year, he helped lead a team that won the SVC Championship and proceeded to the Div. I State Title game in Canton. At the time of his graduation, Jason held BHS career records for hits, home runs, runs batted in, triples, doubles, walks, and at bats.

In football, Jason was a 3-year letter winner, earning All-SVC, All-NEO, and All-State honors as both a junior and senior. He also earned 2 letters in basketball, one of which was on the 1992 SVC championship team. Enrolling at YSU on a 4-year baseball scholarship, Jason started all 4 of those years, eventually named team co-captain and 2-time All-Mid-Continent Conference player. When he left, he held school records in RBIs, runs scored, triples, and home runs. Currently, he works as district manager for the Sciele Pharma pharmaceutical company and is very active in Boardman Community Baseball, coaching and serving on the Board and also is involved as a coach in youth flag football. He and his wife Robyn have two daughters, Gia & Jenna and a son, Jason.

Doug Velasquez

Football (1989)

A powerful, compact linebacker Doug Velasquez anchored the Boardman defense for two years, the first one to go all the way to the Div. I State Championship game in OSU’s Ohio Stadium. His junior year, Doug was named All-SVC and All-NEO 1st team, as well as All-State Hon. Mention. As a senior and team captain, he again made 1st team All-SVC, All-NEO, and All-State, and later captained the Mahoning Valley Coaches Assn. All-Star Team where he was voted most valuable defensive player by his peers.

Doug earned a football scholarship to Morehead State University, where he played for the current head coach of the NY Jets, Rex Ryan. After transferring to YSU, he interned for the Cleveland Thunderbolts under Coach Earl Bruce in the early Arena Football League. After graduating, Doug served as the defensive coordinator at the Univ. of Arizona Junior College. Since returning to this area, Doug has been active as a football coach at Ursuline, Springfield Local, and currently is the defensive coordinator at Beaver Local High School. He works as a service director for Xcelerated Xcellence Property Management, and he and his wife Michele reside in Boardman with their daughter Ava and son Beau.