ROSS TWP. — The Ross Local School District is set to induct 11 new members into the Class of 2024 for their contributions to the schools and community.
Ed and Bev Bosse will be inducted for their distinguished service to the Ross Local Schools and the Ross community. They have long been dedicated servants of the Ross community.
Ed Bosse served on the Ross Local Schools Board of Education for 40 years, during which time he helped facilitate several new building projects and renovations and secure state funding for RLSD’s 1:1 technology initiative. Thanks to the program, every student had access to a laptop for their learning experience. Bosse was one of five selected to receive the All-Ohio School Board award in 2016.
Bev Bosse began volunteering at Elda Elementary, Ross Middle School and Ross High School in 1987 and subsequently managed the RHS Media Center for one year and worked as a paraprofessional until 2012. She was active in PTO activities and the Athletic Boosters as well. Mrs. Bosse has also been an active member of The Village and Farm Garden Club since 1997, helping with planting and maintenance of the Rt. 27 / SR 128 intersection and Governor Bebb MetroPark beautification projects. She also participates in the vocal and handbell choirs and serves as President of the Guild for their church.
Jason Chasteen (Class of 1995) will be inducted for his contribution to Athletics. During his time as a Ram, Chasteen competed in both football and wrestling. As a wrestler, Chasteen graduated with 89 career wins and the most career pins (70) in school history. He was twice the FAVC champion and a three-time OHSAA District Qualifier. Chasteen was also a two-time qualifier for the OHSAA state tournament and the first wrestler in school history to place at the OHSAA State Championship, finishing 5th in 1994.
Rachael Connaughton Harris (Class of 2009) will be inducted for her contribution to Athletics. Connaughton Harris excelled in both basketball and softball at Ross, during which time she amassed seven First Team All-FAVC, two FAVC Player of the Year, and two First Team All-State honors. A team-leading scorer on the basketball court, she still holds the record for most points scored in a quarter (18). As a second baseman on the 2009 OHSAA State Championship softball team, Connaughton Harris led the team defensively and from both sides of the plate as a productive switch-hitter. Connaughton Harris was the very definition of a student athlete as well, graduating 12th in the class of ‘09.
Christine Danahy (Class of 2001) will be inducted for her contribution as a distinguished alumna. After maintaining a stellar academic record and participating in the Ross High School Band of Class and Ross Ramball program, Danahy went on to Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Film & Television. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she helped start the BU in Los Angeles Study Abroad Internship program which helped to place students in internships within the entertainment industry. She then embarked on a career in production management and graduated from the prestigious Director’s Guild of America’s Assistant Director Training Program. Danahy has worked on television shows and films both nationally and abroad and was recognized by her peers with the DGA Award for her work on “Big Little Lies.” Most recently, she completed the first season of the new Hulu series, “Interior Chinatown.”
Fred Hibbs will be inducted for his distinguished service to the Ross Local Schools as an educator and coach. After playing collegiate soccer at West Virginia University, Hibbs embarked on his career as an educator and coach locally at Hamilton-Taft before moving to Ross High School to start the boys soccer program in 1984. Shortly thereafter, Hibbs began his teaching career at Elda Elementary as a Physical Education teacher. During his time at the helm of the boys soccer program, Hibbs led the team to five FAVC Championships and was a six-time FAVC Coach of the Year. In 1990, Hibbs moved to the collegiate ranks, where he coached at both Miami University and Xavier University, leading Miami University to the MAC Championship in 1990. In 1998, Hibbs returned to Ross, this time joining the girls soccer program as an assistant and then the head coach. He led the girls side to five FAVC Championships, two OHSAA District Championships, three OHSAA District runners-up, and one OHSAA Regional runner-up. He was also a four-time FAVC Coach of the Year and a two-time Southwest Ohio Association Coach of the year. Hibbs continued to serve as an assistant in the boys program after retiring from teaching and ultimately finished his coaching career at Ross Local Schools with a 229-103-35 record.
Mike Marchetti (Class of 1988) will be inducted for his contribution to Athletics. Marchetti was a standout quarterback for the Rams on the football field. During his career, he earned many accolades, including Special Mention All-District and First Team All-County in 1987 and 1988. He also earned First Team All-League, League Player of the Year, and County Player of the Year in both 1987 and 1988. Marchetti still holds school records in football for Passing Yards in a Season (2,006), Pass Completions in a Game (23), and Pass Completions in a Career (130).
Bob and Sheryl Thiemann will be inducted for their distinguished service to the Ross Local Schools as educators. As career teachers at Ross Local Schools, Mr. and Mrs. Thiemann combined to serve the district for 75 years. During his time as a Social Studies teacher at Ross High School, Mr. Thiemann chaired the department for 25 years and helped develop one of the first self-funded health programs in the state of Ohio as a charter member of the Ross Local School District Health Care team. He was also an active member in the Ross Education Association, serving in a variety of officer positions, including President. In 1988, Mr. Thiemann was named the RLSD Teacher of the Year and became a finalist for Ohio Teacher of the Year in 1989. Mr. Thiemann also coached football, basketball, and golf for 27 years, during which time he was twice selected as FAVC Coach of the Year. Mrs. Thiemann taught both French and Spanish at Ross High School during her 32-year career and then went on to sub for another decade. She founded both the French and Spanish Clubs at RHS and, in the 1990s, the Spanish Club grew to be the school’s largest club with 110 members. Her French Club was one of the first clubs to take international field trips with experiences in Canada in 1978 and 1983. Mrs. Thiemann earned many teaching accolades during her illustrious career, including the Jennings Scholar award in 1977-1978 and a place on the “Who’s Who Among American Teachers” list in 1983, 1988, 1996, 1998, 2003, and 2005. Mrs. Thiemann also served as the Foreign Language and Humanities department chairperson for many years.
Raymond Wurzelbacher will be inducted for his distinguished service to the Ross Local Schools and the Ross community. Wurzelbacher has been a dedicated servant to the Ross Community for many years. After a distinguished military career as part of the United States Army from 1966-1969, he returned to serve the people of Ross in a variety of ways. He spent a decade volunteering for the Ross Fire Department. He served as a member of the Ross Local School District Board of Education and D. Russell Lee Board of Education from 1990-1994. He also served as a Ross Township Trustee for two decades, during which time he fostered economic development and opportunities in the community. Wurzelbacher also played an important role in honoring veterans, organizing a tribute to veterans and their families at the Ross Memorial Day parade and working with Ross High School to create a Veteran’s Day event. He also dedicated two decades of service to the Village and Farm Garden Club that contributes to beautification of various areas in Ross Township. Wurzelbacher helped create community bonds in the Fish With a Cop program which encouraged children to connect with local police officers while learning to fish.
The 1980 OHSAA State Championship Basketball Team will be inducted for its contribution to Athletics. The 1980 Ross Rams Basketball team reached the pinnacle of interscholastic athletics by winning the first state championship in school history. With legendary coach Ron Chasteen at the helm, the team went 26-2 on the season, and the two losses were by a single point. After winning the league and district championships, the Rams found themselves trailing by 7 with 1:26 to go in the Regional Championship. They battled to tie the game and then won on a last-second layup in OT. They went on to beat Orrville in the State Semifinal and then emerged State Champions with a narrow 45-44 victory over Portsmouth after a game-winning layup with just seconds left in regulation. The 1980 Ross Rams Basketball team was indeed a team in every aspect, achieving at the highest level through teamwork and unselfishness.
Members of the Team: Mike Baker, Doug Brown, Tim Burns, Tom Ellinghausen, Gary Guenther, Doug Irwin, Tim Lampe, Steve McNamara, Ron Mersch, Brian Purvis, John Reinhardt, Doug Smith, Randy Smith.
Coaches: Ron Chasteen, Jim Kernohan, Fred McCollum, Bob Ward
The Induction Ceremony for the Ross Local Schools Hall of Fame, Class of 2024, will be on April 20, 2024 at the Yeager-Benson Memorial American Legion.
Tickets for the Induction Ceremony will be $30 from January 12 to March 22 and $40 from March 22 to April 5. Tickets are available for purchase online only via www.rossrams.com/box-office.
