By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The 2026 James A. Garfield Hall of Fame class will be formally inducted on Tuesday at the Garfield boys basketball home game against Newton Falls.

The class includes four inductees, with three connected to the school’s athletic achievements.

Here is a look at the four who will be honored:

EDIE SVONAVEC

   • Class of 2015.

   • Two-time outdoor state champion in the shot put.

   • Two-time indoor state champion in the shot put.

   • Five-time All-Ohioan in the discus.

   • Two-time indoor track and field All-American in the shot put.

   • School-record holder in the shot put at 49 feet, which is the No. 1 throw in Portage County history.

   • Garfield’s first-ever female state champion.

AARON GILBERT

   • Current girls basketball head coach and in his 19th season.

   • 300 career wins as a high school basketball coach, including 259 with the G-Men (259-180 overall).

   • Winningest basketball coach (boys or girls) in school history.

   • Ranks third all-time in Portage County history for girls basketball wins.

   • Three league championships, nine sectional championships, five district championships, five regional tournament appearances, two regional finals appearances (2015 and 2017).

   • Four-time league Coach of the Year, two-time district Coach of the Year.

   • Has coached nine All-Ohioans, four district Players of the Year and three league Players of the Year.

MIKE MOSER

   • Current football head coach for 13 seasons.

   • Winningest football coach in school history with 104 career wins.

   • Eight playoff appearances and five league championships.

   • Two-time league Coach of the Year.

VINNY SISSON

   • Class of 2006.

   • Successful director, producer and cinematographer in the film industry.

   • 2013 documentary “My Way,” which he shot, directed, and edited, screened at 20 film festivals and earned seven awards, including five for best documentary.

   • Other notable work includes “The Other Side of Darkness” and “The Obsidian Mirror.”

RECORD AND STATE HONORS FOR MAYLE

Crestwood sophomore Colton Mayle’s 13 steals in the Red Devils’ win over Niles McKinley on Jan. 10 not only set a new single-game school record, but it ranks as the second-most in Ohio high school history.

Three others, including Rootstown’s Michael Boland, had 14 in a single game.

   • Grant Zawadzki, Troy Christian vs. Middletown Christian, Feb. 20, 2015

   • Ben Umbel, Poland Seminary vs. Salem, Feb. 16, 2008

   • Michael Boland, Rootstown vs. Windham, Feb. 18, 2005

The top five single-game steals in Portage County history are:

14 — Michael Boland, Rootstown, 2005

13 — Colton Mayle, Crestwood, 2025

12 — Josh Jakacki, Crestwood, 1992

11 — Josh Twiddy, Mogadore, 2006

10 — Trent Jakacki, Crestwood, 2021

WATERLOO GIRLS SOCCER IN COLUMBUS

The Waterloo Vikings are headed to Columbus.

The girls soccer program has scheduled a game against Minford on Sept. 13 at the at Lower.com Field. The game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. kickoff.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for the team and it should be a highly competitive game and an awesome environment,” Waterloo girls soccer head coach Bill Jackson said.

DOG DAY AT THE POOL

There was a special start to the Kent Roosevelt High School swim and dive team’s meet against Highland last weekend.

Kent Police Department service dog Matous, whose partnered with School Resource Officer Poe, began the night with two planned leaps off the diving board.

Teacher and Portage Sports photography contributor Robin Golden captured the moment with some great photos.

COACHING MILESTONE FOR GILBERT

Congratulations to Garfield High School girls basketball coach Aaron Gilbert, who won the 300th game of his career on Friday.

Gilbert has won 259 games in his 19 years with the G-Men.

He had previously earned 41 wins in three seasons as the boys coach at New Riegel High School.

ACADEMIC HONORS FOR FIELD’S DUNDERMAN, SOUTHEAST TEAM

Field High School football senior Blake Dunderman was recently named to the Academic All-Ohio team by the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association.

Dunderman is the only player in Portage County to receive the prestigious recognition.
The qualifications were to be a senior football player with an unweighted grade-point average above 3.6, while also being named First Team all-conference or all-district.
The Southeast High School football team was also honored with Academic All-Ohio status by the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association.
The prestigious honor was only presented to 106 teams in Ohio and the Pirates were the only team in Portage County to be recognized.
To qualify, Southeast, which is coached by Patrick Youel, was graded on a collective unweighted grade-point average north of 3.6 of the team’s top 22 lettermen.