Skip To Main Content

Hall of Fame Class of 2007

BEAVER LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL

HALL OF FAME

CLASS OF 2007

 


Steve Hoppel - Graduated 1997

In football, Steve was 1st Team All-State Division III as a defensive back.  He was 1st Team Eastern Ohio Division III, 1st Team OVAC, 1st Team Quad County and 1st Team Columbiana County.  The Salem News named Steve Quad County and 1st Team Columbiana County.  The Salem News named him 1st Team All-Area.  He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 by The Review.  His 10 interceptions tied him with the most in the State of Ohio in 1996.  He remains tied for 23rd on the Ohio All Time List.  He received the Coaches Award at BLHS.  He played in the Penn-Ohio Stateline Classic and the OVAC All-Star games in 1997.

In wrestling, Steve had a career record of 51-27.  He was the Hoppel Tournament Champion, 2nd at Meadowbrook, 5th at OVAC and 2nd at the Sectional.  He was a two-time District qualifier.

In track, he was a member of the 1996 shuttle relay team that holds the school record.  He was also a member of the shuttle relay team that was the River Valley League champion in 1997.

After graduation, Steve went on to play two seasons at Baldwin Wallace College earning a varsity letter in football.  He graduated from Baldwin Wallace with a BA Degree and a major in political science.  Currently, he is employed with Financial West Group in Westlake Village, California.


Ron McLaughlin - Graduated 1961

Ron played four years of football for the Fighting Beavers.  He earned “Varsity B” letters in 1958, 1959 and 1960.  He played both offense and defense and was the place kicker and punter on special teams.  His varsity letters were earned at three different positions.  He was the co-quarterback his sophomore year.  As a junior, he played both tight end and running back.  He was a running back his senior year.  He was voted MVP by his teammates his senior year, and best offensive back by the coaching staff.  He was named 1st team All-County as a senior.  He lead area teams in scoring with 132 points as a senior.  He scored five touchdowns in one game, one of which was a 99 yard pass interception return.  The 1960 “Fighting Beavers” football team had the first winning record in school history with a record of 7-3.  He also earned two “Varsity B” letters in track and played reserve basketball for two years.

After high school, Ron attended Malone College in Canton for two years.  He was drafted and spent two years serving his country in the US Army, including 18 months in Okinawa.

For 18 happy years, Ron has been married to his wife, Janet.  They are presently living in Garfield Heights, Ohio.  He has two daughters, Veronica Mabry of Homeworth, Ohio and Renee Dickman of Monroeville, Ohio.  He has five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Ron has been working in the trucking industry for 44 years and is presently working for a truck leasing company in Cleveland, Ohio.


Jeff Morgan - Graduated 1974

Jeff was an all-round athlete at Beaver Local High School.  He lettered four years in football, three years in track, two years in basketball and one year in wrestling.

Jeff was the quarterback of the 1973 undefeated football team.  During that season, he rushed for 548 yards scoring eight  touchdowns.  He passed for 775 yards completing 52 out of 92 attempts resulting in 14 touchdowns.  He threw four touchdown passes in the final game, which was a single game record.  Also, his 53 completions was a single season record.

In football, Jeff was named Honorable Mention All Ohio, 1st Team All Columbiana County, Columbiana County Player of the Year, Tri-Captain of the team his senior year and Team MVP his senior year.

.


Bill Pancake - Graduated 1972

Bill received 3 “Varsity B” letters while participating in football at Beaver Local High School.  Bill was named twice to the All County 1st Team, twice to the Buckeye Border Conference 1st Team and 1st team All Northeast Ohio.  He was also named All County Defensive Player of the Year.  He was named The Review 1st Team All Area for two years.  Bill was the team  MVP both his junior and senior years. He also lead the team in rushing, scoring and tackles for two years.

Bill is married to his high school sweetheart, Betty. They have three children, all graduates of Beaver Local High School, Amy in 1992, Julie in 1995 and Bill Jr. in 1999.  Bill Jr. was a 2006 inductee into the Beaver Local High School Athletic Hall of Fame.    They have six grandchildren.  Bill is the owner of Pancake Auto Body and is an ardent supporter of Beaver Local athletics.

 


Jill (Pierson) Riccardo - Graduated 1992

In volleyball, Jill was a two-year letter winner.  She was the team captain, MVP and OVAC Player of the Year.  The volleyball team won the OVAC Tournament for the first time in school history.  Jill was selected to the 1st Team in District One, Columbiana County and the River Valley League.  She led the team in attacks and blocks.

In basketball, she was a four-year letter winner.  The team set a school record for wins going 18-5.  The team won the Sectional Tournament in 1991 and 1992 and was District runner-up in 1992.  Jill was the team captain.  She was the leading free throw shooter and rebounder.  She received special recognition in Columbiana County, the OVAC and the Eastern District.  She was selected to play in senior All star games.

Jill attended Malone College and Youngstown State University.  She played volleyball at Malone College before transferring to YSU.    She earned a BS in Education in 1997 and a Masters in Education in 2000 from YSU.

She has been teaching in Beaver Local for 10 years and currently teaches special education in grades 9 thru 12.

She coached volleyball at Leetonia, East Liverpool and Beaver Local from 1995-2000.  She is married to Jim Ricardo, who also teaches at Beaver Local, and they have two children, Jenna and Leah.

 


Vicki (McCoy) Ruscoe - Graduated 2001

Vicki was a standout softball pitcher for the Beaver Local Beavers.  Her pitching record was 58-23.  During her high school career, she had 473 strikeouts.  In 1998, she was named to the Columbiana County All-Stars.  In 2000, she was named Columbiana County 1st Team pitcher, The Review Player of the Year and OVAC All-Conference Team.  In 2001, she was named OVAC AAA Player of the Year, All-Area Player of the Year and OVAC 1st Team All-Stars.

In 2000, the Beavers were the Division 2 Sectional Champions and OVAC AAA Champions.  2001 marked the season with the most wins in school history as the Beavers had a record of 23-3.

Vicki attended Wheeling Jesuit University from 2001-2003, playing Division II softball for two years.  She graduated with an Associates degree in Radiological Technologies in 2005.  She is registered as a radiological technologist in x-ray and CT with ARRT and ODH.  She is currently living in Newton Falls, Ohio and working as a CT Technologist at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna, Ohio.

Vicki is married to husband Jon Ruscoe and has one son, Trevor Michael Ruscoe.

 


Ken Sprouse - Graduated 1974

Ken was a three-year letter winner in football at Beaver Local High School.  He was named Best Defensive Lineman in his junior year and All-Area and All-County his junior and senior years. Ken was the captain on the first undefeated football team in 1973.

Ken is married to his high school sweetheart, Bobbie, and they have three children, Nate, Korey and Kelly, all Beaver Local graduates.  They also have 5 grandchildren.   Ken is a self-employed truck driver owning Sprouse Trucking.

His children and grandchildren keep him very busy when he is not on the road.  He has also helped build three of his families’ homes.

Ken has remained very involved in sports.  He coached little league football for five years, coached baseball for two years and coached little league through high school girls softball for twelve years.

 


Theodore Taylor - Special Category

Ted spent 26 years in the Beaver Local Schools.  He taught at Beaver Local Middle School from 1958 to 1962.  In 1962-63, he was the principal at Calcutta Elementary School.  1963-64 he served as principal of the Beaver Local Middle School.  He was the high school principal from 1964 through 1984.  While high school principal, he also served a number of years as the athletic director and as golf coach.

Ted received his Bachelor’s Degree from Findlay College in Findlay, Ohio in 1950 and his Master’s Degree from Kent State University in 1962.  Ted is a veteran of World War II, having joined the service as a 14-year old in 1943 and received an Honorable Discharge in 1945.  He is a life member of the Veterans of Underage Military Service.  He is also a life member of the Knights of Columbus, Veterans of Foreign Wars and National Secretary USS LSM LSNR Association.

Ted presently resides in Bradenton, Florida with his wife Barbara Jean.  They have nine children, fourteen grandchildren and one great grandchild.

 


Chuck Timmons - Graduated 1960

Chuck Timmons began his wrestling career as a sophomore at Beaver Local High School weighing a “whopping” 88 pounds.  Since the lightest weight was 103, it was a good thing that he was allowed to weigh in with his clothes on.  He improved each year, and as a senior, he went undefeated and was not scored upon during the regular season.  He is the only Beaver Local wrestler to accomplish that feat.  He advanced to the State Tournament where he eventually placed sixth.

Chuck received a grant-in-aid from Bowling Green State University.  He is a Vietnam Veteran, having served in the Navy.

He coached the Potter Mites in East Liverpool from 1978-81.  He moved to Vienna, Ohio in 1981 to take a supervisory position at the New Life Mission for Men.  He promoted and coached the wrestling team for the Youngstown Christian School in 1982-83. He moved back to the East Liverpool area in 1984.  He now lives in the Beaver Local School District.

He and his wife Deborah have four children, Sandy, Charles, Sherry and Thomas and nine grandchildren.