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Fairfield Legendary Softball Announces Retirement

Fairfield Athletic Department Press Release and Photo:

Fairfield Softball Legend Brenda Stieger Announces Retirement After 30 Seasons

After three decades of leadership, Fairfield High School head softball coach Brenda Stieger has announced her retirement from coaching.

Coach Stieger has served Fairfield for 30 years, including 29 seasons as head coach, with one year as junior varsity coach and a season lost to the pandemic in 2020. Her coaching career was defined by excellence, consistency, and a strong commitment to her student-athletes and sport. Brenda retires with a total of 555 career wins, including 364 Greater Miami Conference (GMC) victories, placing her among the top 15 winningest coaches in Ohio softball history.

Under her leadership, Fairfield softball achieved:

14 OHSAA District Championships
4 Regional Finals Appearances
4 GMC Championships
A 2024 Division I State Semifinal Appearance — the program’s second-ever trip to the state Final Four and first since 1991.

Brenda Stieger will be remembered as a defining figure in Fairfield Softball — not just for the program’s success on the field, but for the many student-athletes she guided and the lasting impact she made on the overall community.

OHSAA Inducts GMC Official into State Association Hall of Fame

With his induction into the OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame, Matthew Kleiner—one of the Greater Miami Conference's top officials—will receive well-deserved recognition from the state association. Over the years, Mr. Kleiner has officiated football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and softball at the highest levels of competition. The Greater Miami Conference extends its deep appreciation for his service and dedication to young people and applauds his induction as a recognition of a job extremely well done.

Matthew Kleiner - OHSAA Hall of Fame Inductee

OHSAA Press Release:

For Immediate Release – May 7, 2025

Contact – Tim Stried, Director of Media Relations, tstried@ohsaa.org

Fourteen Set to Join OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame

Annual Celebration of Officiating banquet will enshrine new hall of fame class, recognize officials of the year and award years of service

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Fourteen individuals will be enshrined in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Officials Hall of Fame and 21 individuals will be honored as the OHSAA Official of the Year in their respective sport during the OHSAA’s annual Celebration of Officiating banquet this summer.

Additionally, the OHSAA will recognize those who have dedicated 50 years (42 individuals) and 25 years (247 individuals) of service as state-certified officials in Ohio.

The banquet is set for June 21 at the Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris in Westerville.

The 14 Hall of Fame inductees are being honored for outstanding officiating careers and significant contributions to interscholastic officiating in Ohio. More information on the OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame is posted at: http://www.ohsaa.org/Officiating/HOF.

The officials of the year are selected through a process that includes OHSAA staff, OHSAA Directors of Officiating Development and local officials associations.

“We appreciate the commitment and dedication of all of our officials across the state,” said Beau Rugg, OHSAA Director of Officiating and a member himself of the OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame. “Each year we take great pride in celebrating the distinguished careers of our hall of fame inductees and officials of the year. Officiating is a service, and each of these individuals is to be celebrated for their excellence in that service.”

DICK'S Sporting Goods Honors GMC Baseball Standouts

DICK'S Sporting Goods applauds the efforts and achievements of the 2025 Greater Miami Conference baseball season. GMC coaches selected Oak Hills junior shortstop Wil Kraus as the conference’s "Player of the Year," and Mason junior Ben Hanley as the "Pitcher of the Year." In recognition of his coaching dedication and program success, Mason’s Curt Bly was named the 2025 GMC "Coach of the Year."

Wil Kraus, junior shortstop for Oak Hills, not only played a stellar defensive role in the infield for the Highlanders, but he was also a force to be reckoned with at the plate. Kraus tied for second in the league with three home runs and added seven doubles and three triples. Utilizing his speed and experience, he swiped 13 bases this season and recorded an on-base percentage of .495 to go along with a slugging percentage of .678. Without question, this two-time First Team All-Conference player was a key factor in Oak Hills’ success story this season.

Wil Kraus - Oak Hills Highlanders GMC "Player of the Year"

(Photo compliments of Oak Hills Athletic Department)

he GMC coaches recognized the achievements of Mason Comet junior Ben Hanley on the mound by selecting him as the conference "Pitcher of the Year." A three-year varsity player and two-time First Team All-GMC performer, Hanley was a key ingredient in Mason’s dominance within the conference this season. He recorded 56 strikeouts—second most in the league—and finished with a strong 4-1 record, including four complete games. Notably, over his three years of varsity pitching, Hanley has logged 109 strikeouts against opposing batters.

Ben Hanley - Mason Comets GMC "Pitcher of the Year"

(Photo compliments of Mason SID Dan Hilen)

In recognition of his extraordinary efforts and program-building success, the GMC head baseball coaches selected Mason Head Coach Curt Bly as the league’s 2025 "Coach of the Year." Leading the Comets to a nearly perfect GMC season (17-1), Bly also guided the team to an overall record of 22-8 against an extremely challenging schedule. Under his leadership, the Mason Comets scored at a prolific pace (125 runs) while holding opponents to just 31 runs. Following their OHSAA State Championship win in 2024, it’s clear that Coach Bly has transformed Mason into one of Ohio’s premier baseball programs. Under his direction, the Comets have secured seven consecutive Greater Miami Conference titles, and Coach Bly has now earned GMC "Coach of the Year" honors three times. Without question, it is immensely satisfying to be appreciated by one’s coaching peers.

Mason Head Baseball Coach - Curt Bly GMC "Coach of the Year"

(Photo compliments of Mason SID Dan Hilen)

GMC Schools Boast Two Adapted Track and Field State Titles

OHSAA Adapted Track and Field Results: Adapted Track and Field Results 2025

Lakota East Senior Landyn Bomar’s State Championship in the Seated Shot Put for the second consecutive year.
Bomar delivered a personal-best throw of 23’11.5”, cementing his place as a two-time OHSAA State Champion and capping off a decorated career.

(Photo compliments of Dan Hilen Lakota East SID)

Lakota West junior Jun McNight was a double winner. Taking OHSAA Seated state titles in both the Seated 100 meter dash (22.88) and the 800 Meter Run (3:09.01).

(Photo Ccompliments of Darren Walters Lakota West SID)

OHSAA Press Release and Philosophy statement on Adapted Sports:

Introduction & History
The OHSAA was proud to announce the formation of an Adapted Sports Division of the OHSAA with Track & Field selected as the first sport to pioneer this movement in 2013. Athletes who qualify to compete in the Wheelchair Division shall not be separated according to the traditional school enrollment format of othersports, but shall compete as one division of athletics. Therefore, there will be no recognized team championship in the Seated Division, nor shall athletes competing in their concurrent sports championships beable to score points toward their team championships. However, Ohio seated athletes shall be able to compete for individual State Championship honors and shall be recognized by the OHSAA as having achieved this honor. The Ohio Department of Education estimates that some 6-8,000 students across Ohio will be
impacted by this decision. In 2013 events were added to the State Championship in Track & Field including the 100M, 400M, 800M, and—in the field events—the shot put. With this action, Track & Field became the first sport in Ohio to include seated athletes as a part of a State Championship level of competition and makes Ohio one of only a handful of states who do so. Extracurricular activities—and sports in particular—have an incredible impact on the emotional, social, and physical well-being of any athlete, disabled or not. Wheelchair
events in Track & Field will allow these athletes to represent their schools and communities in a way never before seen in Ohio. There are also post-secondary opportunities—NCAA programs and scholarships—available to these athletes. Additionally—although only an estimated 2% of disabled athletes rise to the level of “Paralympian” - the hopes, dreams, and encouragement of the pursuit of such a level of excellence is a cause worthy of Ohio sports.