By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Longtime volleyball coach Michael Chaffee won his 600th career game last week, defeating Maplewood 3-1 on Oct. 1.

Now coaching at Middlefield Cardinal — the Huskies are 15-2 this season — Chaffee coached volleyball for the Windham Bombers in three different stints that stretched over 1982-2017, with 450 of his career wins coming while coaching at Windham.

Chaffee’s 600 wins now rank him 14th all-time in Ohio volleyball coaching history.

The top 14 wins list includes

     864 — Dan McKinstry (864-289), East Palestine (1978-1996), Wellsville (1997-2021), and East Liverpool (2021-2025)

     864 — Laura Smith (864-199), Frankfort Adena (1985-2025)

     804 — Kris Kern (804-86) – Columbus Bishop Wherle (1980-1990), Pickerington (1991), Kenyon (1992-1993), Lancaster (1994-2005), Pickerington North (2006-2012), Canal Winchester (2013-2014), Philo (2015), Logan Elm (2016) and Logan (2024)

     777 — Howard Garcia (777-184), Tipp City Tippecanoe, Zanesville Bishop Fenwick, Dayton Chaminade Julienne, Dayton Archbishop Carrol, Vandalia Butler, Kettering Archbishop Alter (1986-2025)

     763 — Mary Tarka, Ravenna Southeast (1974-2025)

     758 — Ron Lehman (758-385), Westerville North (1980-1988), Worthington Christian (1988-1990), Sunbury Big Walnut (1990-)

     701 — Robert Shansky (701-419), East Liverpool (1976-2015), Salineville Southern Local (2016-2025)

     697 — Don Conser, Salem (1978-2011), Hanoverton United (2014-2017) (697-237), Retired

     695 — Don Wood, Huron 695-163, (1993-2025)

     695 — Jen Lauber, Smithville, Tusky Valley, Madison (1987-2011), Ontario (2015-2018), Waynedale (2019-)

     661 — Kim Metz (661-280), Jackson Center (1988-2024)

     619 — Nancy Miller, Norwalk St. Paul 619-158 (1992-2002; 2006-2023), Retired

     617 — Char Sharp, Archbold (1975-2001), Retired

     600 — Michael Chaffee, 585-256, Windham (1982-1985), Lordstown (1987-1990), Windham (1991-2003), Windham (2006-2014), Newbury (2017-2019), Middlefield Cardinal (2024-2025)

O’BRYANT SETS GOALKEEPING RECORD

Crestwood senior goalkeeper Alanna O’Bryant set a new single-season record for saves with 210, which she set during a game earlier this week.

O’Bryant broke the record that she set last season.

BLACK LIGHT PERFORMANCE IN WINDHAM

A special shoutout to the Windham High School marching band for one of the coolest postgame shows I have ever seen with their Black Light performance on Friday night!

Really well done!

It looked great and the band sounded great! 

DOCHERTY SETS DIGS MILESTONE FOR FALCONS

Field High School junior volleyball standout Riley Docherty celebrated her 500 career digs milestone on Thursday during the Falcons’ five-game Metro Athletic Conference victory over Cloverleaf.

AURORA VOLLEYBALL MILESTONES CELEBRATED

Senior Night was a night of milestone celebrations for the Aurora volleyball team.

Standouts Aubrey Verdova, Kaylie Liepins and Presley Courtad were all recognized for career and season school records.

   • Courtad is the new school-record holder for career digs. She currently has 521.

   • Liepins is the new school-record holder for career assists. She currently has 1,967, breaking the record that was previously held by Brooke Fishback (1,617). Liepins is already the single-season record holder for assists (766 in 2025) and aces (77 in 2025).

   • Verdova is the new school-record holder for career kills. She currently has 760, breaking the record that was previously held by Morgan Copley (736).

KOROSEC REACHES 1,000

Garfield volleyball junior standout Tenley Korosec collected the 1,000th assist of her high-school career on Tuesday during a three-game sweep of Champion in Garrettsville.

Korosec finished the match with 28 to achieve the career milestone.

WINDHAM GONG FOR $1,000,000

Windham High School received a $5,000 donation from T-Mobile last week as part of the company’s Friday Night 5G Lights contest, which is a nationwide community program and contest run by T-Mobile that awards high school football fields in small towns with major upgrades and cash prizes.

For Windham, that could turn into $1 million that would be used toward a new football field and new track.

The program’s key timeline of dates include:

   • Oct. 8 — 40 division finalists are announced (each wins $25,000)

   • Oct. 8-25 — Voting period for division finalists

   • Oct. 29 — 4 division champions are announced (each wins $250,000)

   • Nov. 12 — Grand prize winner announced ($1,000,000)