Football, track, cross country, wrestling athletes set for Athletic HOF induction

Five individuals and one team will join the Carrollton High School Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony Aug. 31 in the high school Performing Arts Center. 

Individuals include John Sharp, class of 1954; Jeff Fox, class of 1975; Jamie Reed, class of 1977; Jake Smethers, class of 1991; and Ethan Naylor, class of 2008. 

The 2001 girls cross country team, coached by Kevin and Mark Spears, will also enter the HOF.  

JOHN SHARP

Sharp was the first three-year starter at the quarterback position in Carrollton High School history and earned all-league status his junior and senior years. As a starter, his record was 21-7-1. The 21 wins is also a school record that stands today.

His coaches’ comment in a local newspaper stated Sharp’s “passing and ball handling were unlike anything we have seen.”

Sharp received a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree from USC and Roosevelt University. He is retired from social work, Direct Counseling and Mental Health Administration. He and his wife, Kay, live in Bristol, WI. He has a stepdaughter, Jennifer Arzt. 

JEFF FOX

Fox marched into the CHS history books as the school’s first two-time placer at the State Wrestling Tournament (1974, 1975). He is one of only 10 wrestlers in school history to place twice at the state’s top tournament in the district’s 63 years of wrestling history. He stood on the podium in fourth place as a junior and in fifth as a senior. 

Fox earned First Team All-Senate League honors his junior and senior years.

Today, Fox resides in Rock Springs, WY, with his wife, Becky Ranta Fox. He has one son, Jason C. Fox, a stepdaughter, Kim Kessler, and stepson, Chris Ranta. 

He retired from the Wyoming Department of Transportation, where he was the supervisor for road striping for southwest Wyoming. 

JAMIE REED

Reed was the first Carrollton wrestler to qualify for the state tournament three times. He was a First Team All Senate League selection his sophomore, junior and senior years. In 1974, he placed fifth at the state tournament in the heavyweight division. 

JAKE SMETHERS

Smethers was a four-year standout cross country and track runner for the Warriors, winning titles in both events.  

In 1990, he was the Northeastern Buckeye Conference (NBC) Cross Country Runner of the Year and an NBC First Team cross country All-League pick in 1989 and 1990. The same years, he was a First Team All-Eastern District selection. As a member of the track team, he won the 3,200 M track championship the same year. 

Smethers continued his athletic career at Malone University where he ran track and cross country for four years. Today, he is a union brick layer and lives in Akron. He was two children, Alex and Elizabeth. 

ETHAN NAYLOR

Naylor was a standout long distance  runner in both track and cross country at Carrollton High School, earning a top five placing at the Ohio High School Athletic State Track Meet.

In 2008, Naylor placed third in the Division II 1,600M run at the state’s top meet. In 2006, he earned All-Ohio Cross County honors when he placed 19th in the Division II State Cross Country Meet.

He was a member of the CHS 3200M relay team that won three Division II District track championships.

Naylor continued his running career at the college level at Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) from 2008-2012, where he majored in Biochemistry and competed in both track and cross country. There, he was a four-time NAIA All-American, four-time NAIA Academica All-American, and is the holder six IWU records including cross country 8K and 5K and indoor track 4×800 relay, medley relay, 3K and 5K.

Today, Naylor is a Lead Device Reviewer at the U.S Food and Drug Administration where he works as a Biomedical Engineer examining spine implants.

He and his wife, Erin, are expecting their first child. 

2001 Girls Cross 

Country Team 

The team won four invitational titles during the season, the Northeastern Buckeye Conference championship as well as the district and regional titles on the way to the State Championship meet. The team placed 15th in the Division II race. 

Team members included AJ Jenkins, Jessica Van Scoder, Kellie Garrett, Danielle Castellucci, Stacey Ankeny, Chalyynne McCaulley, Karan McCaulley, Lisa McCaulley, Courtney Rinehart, Abby Wood and Emily Wood. The squad was coached by Kevin Spears and Mark Spears.

BREAKFAST TICKETS

Tickets for the breakfast are $15 each and can be purchased by calling Mark Spears at 330-324-1254 or at the high school office during school hours. The breakfast will be held in the commons area of the high school at 9 a.m. and the induction ceremony will follow in the Performing Arts Center. 

Inductees will also be introduced during halftime of the Oct. 30 Carrollton v Wooster Triway football game.