2007 Circle of Champions Inductees

A native of Canton, Todd Blackledge graduated in 1979 from North  Canton Hoover, where he was a standout in both football and  basketball. He went on to play quarterback at Penn State, leading the  school to the National Championship in 1982, and was a first round  NFL draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. He played seven seasons in  the NFL. A current college football television analyst, Todd and  his wife Cherie reside in Canton with their four sons.

Jay Burson stood taller than his size as a standout basketball player at New Concord John Glenn. The 6-0, 156-pounder became Ohio's all-time leading scorer with 2,958 points between 1981 and 1985 and went on to have a successful career at Ohio State, where he was a captain and two-time team MVP. He is currently the athletic administrator at Granville Christian Academy and resides in the Columbus area with his wife Leann and their three sons. 

While at West Salem Northwestern, Dean Chance compiled a pitching record of 52-1 and led the Huskies to the 1959 state title. He went on to earn Rookie-of-the-Year honors in 1962 with the Los Angeles Angels and was Major League Baseball's Cy Young Award winner in 1964 when he went 20-9 with a 1.65 ERA. Now residing in Wooster, Dean also pitched in the big leagues for the Twins, Indians, Mets, and Tigers and won 128 games in 11 seasons. Chance also helped Northwestern win the 1958 small-school OHSAA state basketball championship and reach the state semifinals in 1959.

A football and basketball star at Hudson High, Dante Lavelli won all-county honors in 1939 and '40. Injuries and military service limited his college career at Ohio State, but "Gluefingers" went on to an outstanding pro football career as a receiver. He helped the Cleveland Browns win the All-American Football Conference championship in 1946 and the NFL title in 1950. A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Lavelli was a four-time all-league and three-time Pro Bowl selection. He and his wife Joy reside in Westlake. They have three children and four grandchildren.

Cindy Noble Hauserman is arguably the most successful athlete in Ohio prep history in regards to team sports. Frankfort Adena never lost a volleyball match (winning the first two OHSAA small-school state titles), lost only three basketball games (winning the inaugural OHSAA small-school championship in 1976) and the 1975 track team won the first OHSAA small-school crown. She went on to earn All-America basketball honors at the University of Tennessee, played on the 1980 and 1984 USA Gold Medal-winning Olympic Teams and is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. A teacher in the Circleville Logan Elm school district, Cindy and her husband Mark have two sons.

Archie Griffin is one of the legendary names in Ohio State football history, becoming the first and only two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy (1974 and '75), rushing for a school record 5,589 career yards, leading OSU to four Big Ten titles and becoming the only player to start in four Rose Bowls. Archie was a first round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals. He played eight years in the NFL before returning to Ohio State in 1984. He served as an athletic administrator for several years and is currently president/CEO of the OSU Alumni Association. A native of Columbus, he was a standout in football, wrestling and track and Eastmoor High. Archie resides in Columbus with his wife Benita. They have three sons.

A standout in basketball, Bill Hosket was the Ohio player of the year who led Dayton Belmont to the 1964 state championship. He went on to earn all-conference, All-America and Academic All-America honors at Ohio State, where he led the 1968 team to the Big Ten championship and the NCAA Final Four. He later played on the U.S. team that won a Gold Medal in the 1968 Olympics and was a member of the 1970 New York Knicks championship team. Bill and his wife Patty reside in Columbus, where is the executive director of the OHSAA Foundation. He also serves as television analyst for Big Ten Conference basketball games. The Hoskets have three sons.

Katie Smith was a standout basketball player who has been successful at every level. A seven-time WNBA All-Star, she scored over 7,000 career points, becoming the first woman to reach that professional milestone. She played for six professional teams, playing for the New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, Detroit Shock and Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and the ABL's Columbus Quest. Currently residing in Columbus, Katie scored 2,740 career points at Logan High and helped her team finish as an OHSAA state runner-up in 1992. At Ohio State, she became the Big Ten women's career scoring leader, was a two-time All-American and led the 1993 team to an NCAA runner-up. Katie also has been selected to numerous international teams, including the U.S. Olympic Team that won Gold Medals in 2000, 2004 and 2008.  Smith retired in 2013 and currently serves as Associate Head Coach of the Liberty.

Clark Kellogg, a basketball star from Cleveland St. Joseph High School, provided one of the biggest state tournament performances in OHSAA history, when he scored 51 points in a state final loss to Columbus East in 1979, still a state final record. After graduating, Clark continued his career at Ohio State University, where he garnered All-Big Ten and Most Valuable Player honors in 1982. He became the Indiana Pacers top draft selection in 1982 and played five seasons. After retirement, Clark has moved into the broadcast booth where he has been a game and studio analyst for CBS Sports. Clark lives in Westerville with his wife, Rosy, and their three children.