A great individual honor awaits six men this summer, when they will be inducted into the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame.
Their own talent and achievements enabled Herm Jackson, Travis McGuire, Norm Nicola, Leon Powell, Jay Rohr and Justin Zwick to stand out on county football fields as young men over the last 60 years. It earned them college scholarships and helped set them on their life’s journey.
But when the men who make up the Class of 2013 got the news they were going to be inducted this summer, they didn’t waste time thinking about themselves.
Family, coaches and teammates all came to mind quickly.
“I don’t look at it as a major reward for me,” said Rohr, a two-way Jackson star a decade ago. “I wouldn’t have been successful without my teammates next to me, and it’s a bigger reward for them. And it’s for my parents and my family, because without them giving me the ability to play at that level, I wouldn’t have had the success I had.”
For McGuire, thoughts turned to an ill family member.
“The Hall of Fame is great,” McGuire said. “But the same day I found out about this, I also found out that my cousin, who is 33, has pancreatic cancer. It was a bittersweet moment for me. I love him, and I hope he can recover.”
McGuire, 39, starred at Massillon just over 20 years ago, graduating in 1992 before heading to Ohio State.
Nearly 30 years earlier, Nicola was a dominant lineman at Central Catholic before embarking on a career at Notre Dame.
“I was really fortunate to not only have a good family life, but some good coaches,” said Nicola, now 69. “Lloyd Bagley at St. Peter’s. John McVay at Central Catholic. ... Then I had Ara (Parseghian) my senior year at Notre Dame.
“Those are the things that are important to your overall life.”
As expected, all six will enter the Hall with impressive credentials.
n Jackson starred on the 1954 and 1955 McKinley teams, catching 13 TD passes in those two seasons. As a senior, he helped the Bulldogs win a state title and earned second-team All-Ohio
honors.
n McGuire rushed for 2,511 yards and scored 32 TDs in his career, earning first-team All-Ohio honors as a senior in 1991. He led that Tigers on a deep playoff run that season.
But the game he’ll always be remembered for was the 1991 McKinley-Massillon showdown when he rushed for a school-record 302 yards.
“I can almost relive every play in my mind from that McKinley game,” McGuire said. “It’s funny. That’s the only game I can do it with. All 36 carries I had, I can replay them all.”
n Nicola helped Central go 18-2 his final two years there, 1959-60, earning All-Ohio honors as a center. His senior year, he helped the Crusaders outscore their opponents 232-54. He went on to play at Notre Dame and spent two seasons with Toronto in the CFL.
n Powell set numerous Minerva rushing and scoring records that remain his to this day, earning All-Ohio honors in 1987 and 1988. His 2,027 rushing yards and 29 TDs are single-season Minerva records, while his career totals of 4,215 rushing yards and 45 TDs are also school marks.
n Rohr started at linebacker all four years for Jackson from 1998 through 2001, also starting at running back the final three years. He graduated as Jackson’s career leader in rushing yards (3,226), touchdowns (38), tackles (441) and tackles for loss (80). A two-time All-Ohioan, he went on to star at Akron and became the first Jackson football player to have his number retired.
n Zwick also earned All-Ohio honors twice (2000-01), establishing Massillon career records for passing yards (5,741) and touchdowns (63). He completed 57 percent of his passes over his Tiger career, throwing just 13 interceptions in 772 attempts. Throw in his two years at Orrville, where he helped the Red Riders to a state title as a freshman, and Zwick finished his high school career with 10,500 yards passing and 110 TDs.
“For me to get in with so many great names, it’s an honor,” Rohr said.
He was thrilled he got to share that honor with one of his Jackson coaches, Nate Held. Today, Held is the head coach at Tuslaw and Rohr is one of his assistants.
“He was in the room when I received the call,” Rohr said. “He gave out one of those big woo-hoo shouts of congratulations and had the biggest smile on his face.”
That reaction meant a lot to Rohr.
McGuire, the father of four daughters, appreciated the reaction he got at home.
“One of my daughters said I’m a legend,” he said, laughing. “But they just see me as dad. They have no clue (about his career). ... They knew I could play a little bit.”
For Nicola, entering the Hall re-affirms to him that he played the game the right way and at a high level. Still, it does humbles him.
“Too many good athletes far better than I was played the game (in Stark County),” he said. “I know a lot of the guys that are in, and it’s an honor to be with them.”
