Fairfield Athletic Director, Tony Williams and Tom Purtell Co-Chairmen of the Fairfield Local Athletic Hall of Fame announced today the Class of 2020 inductees to the “Fairfield Local High School Athletic Hall of Fame”. The induction ceremony will be held Sunday, January 26th at 2:00 PM at Fairfield Local Schools in Leesburg. The ceremony is open to the public. The inductees will also be introduced prior to the varsity game with North Adams on Tuesday, January 21st.
The Hall of Fame is organized as a way of maintaining the rich heritage and tradition of the successful athletic programs at Fairfield Local High School (including Leesburg High School, Highland High School, and Samantha High School). This Class of 2020 is the fourth Hall of Fame Class and has truly made outstanding contributions to the athletic programs at Fairfield.
Here is brief biography of each of the inductees. An expanded biography with pictures will be available later this week.
Brandtson Duffie, is the youngest member of the Fairfield Athletic Hall of Fame graduating in 2019.
Fairfield High School and its predecessor schools: Leesburg, Highland, and Samantha have a rich and storied history of male and female athletes dating back to early 1900’s. Their many accomplishments on and off the field or court have been memorable. But none own the title of State Champion.
Duffie — a three-year state participant — continued his climb up the podium on that Saturday morning at the OHSAA Division III State Track and Field Championships in the 800-meter run by reaching the top spot and becoming the first Fairfield athlete to be a state champion in any sport. Duffie won the 800m run by wrapping up his high school career with the race of his life, with a personal record (PR) time of 1:53.77.
Brandtson Duffie completed a spectacular career as a track and cross country athlete. Brandtson was a 16 time Southern Hills Athletic Conference Champion, received All-Ohio honors 6 times, made 13 State appearances, received All Regional Honors 9 times, received All-District honors 15 times, was a 10 time District Champion.
In 2017, Brandtson finished as the Regional Runner-Up in the 800 meters and finished 6th in the 800 meters event at the State Track Meet. In 2018, Duffie finished 23rd in the State Cross Country meet, was the Regional Champion in the 800 meters event, and finished 3rd in the 800 meters event at the State Track Meet.
Brandtson Duffie’s senior season was truly phenomenal. In the fall, Brandtson was named the 2018 Southern Hills Athletic Conference Runner of the Year. In the spring, Brandtson was named the Southeast District Track Runner of the Year, was the Regional Champion in the 800 meters event, and won the 800 meters run in the OHSAA State Track Meet becoming Fairfield’s First State Champion.
Kevin Fouch, Class of 1974 made contributions to Fairfield Athletics as a Player, Coach, and Contributor.
As a Player, Kevin played 3 years of varsity basketball, 4 years of varsity baseball, and 2 years of varsity golf. Kevin also played one season of basketball for Southern State Community College while attending. Kevin Fouch was named to the All Southern Hills Athletic Conference Basketball team in 1973 and 1974.
As a Coach, Kevin served as an assistant baseball coach under Steve Barrett for a few years, served as an assistant girl’s basketball coach under Steve Barrett and Kay Cumming, but is best remembered as the Varsity Girls Basketball Coach. Kevin Fouch is the most tenured Girls Varsity Basketball Coach (16 years) serving from 1991-2006 and has the most wins (136). Kevin Fouch led the Lady Lions to six (6) Sectional Championships. In 1994, Kevin led the Lady Lions to their only District Championship and their only Regional appearance with a trip to the Byesville Division IV Regional Tournament. Kevin Fouch was named the Southern Hills Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2005. He was also named the Southeast District Coach of The Year in 2005 and 2006.
Maybe Kevin Fouch’s greatest contributions to Fairfield Athletics was a volunteer and Contributor. Kevin was a coach and board member of the Little League baseball, basketball, and softball programs. His efforts with Little League basketball introduced girls in grades 4, 5, and 6 to the sport. The numbers of girls playing basketball grew through the late 1980’s and early 1990’s to the point that Fairfield was able to field a junior varsity basketball team beginning in 1995. The Lady Lions basketball program has fielded a junior varsity team every year since. Kevin Fouch served as a volunteer project manager of a volunteer work force to build the improvements to the Fairfield Baseball and Softball complex completing construction of the concession/ restroom/storage building, dugouts, and poles and lights.
Julie Purtell Rohdy, Class of 2000, Wilmington College B.S. 2004, Ball State University M.S. 2006.
Julie is one of the best all round female athletes to graduate from Fairfield Local High School. Julie had a stellar athletic career at Fairfield High School and went on to be a four year starting player for Wilmington College Lady Quakers softball team.
Julie was a guard on the Fairfield Lady Lions basketball team and was the leading scorer on the team her junior and senior years. Julie along with teammate Danica Ridgeway was an outstanding 3 point shooter. Probably the two best pair of three point shooters the Fairfield Lady Lions ever put on the floor.
Julie was named to the Southern Hills Athletic Conference All League team in both her junior and senior years. She was named to the All Southeast District Second Team by the coaches her junior year, and to the All Southeast District First Team her senior year. Julie was named Honorable Mention All Ohio by the sportswriters her senior year. The Fairfield Lady Lions finished as the SHAC runner-up in 2000.
Julie was a four year varsity player for the Fairfield Lady Lion’s softball team in 1997-2000 and played shortstop. Stats are available for the last twenty-five years of softball and Julie’s career numbers place her in the top five (5) in eight (8) offensive categories and three (3) defensive categories at the time of her graduation in 2000.
Julie was also blessed to play with a team of very good softball players in her high school career. They were SHAC runner-up for three years (1997-1999) and finally won the SHAC Championship in 2000. They won three Sectional Championships in 1997-1998-2000. Opposing coaches noted Julie’s softball skills and named her to the Southern Hills Athletic Conference All League team her sophomore, junior, and senior years. She was named to the Southeast District Second team her junior year and to the Southeast District First team her senior year by the district coaches.
Julie was recruited by many small schools in both sports and chose to attend Wilmington College and play softball. Julie was a four year varsity player and a starter most games. She and high school teammate Tara Robertson played outfield for the Lady Quakers her freshman year. Julie played well her senior season as the starting second baseman for Lady Quakers. The Ohio Athletic Conference coaches voted her Honorable Mention All OAC Conference Academic Team her senior year.
1979 Fairfield High School Golf Team OHSAA Class “A” State Golf Tournament
The Fairfield Golf Team had an outstanding season in 1979. During the season the Fairfield Golf Team was Southern Hills Athletic Conference Champions for the third year in a row with a 6-0 record and accumulated an overall record of 20 wins and 3 losses for the season. In tournament play the Lions were Southeast Sectional – District Champions with a 9-0 record. Bruce Cunningham was the Medalist for the Southern Hills Athletic Conference and the Southeast Sectional-District Tournament. The Fairfield Golf Team advanced to the OHSAA Class “A” State Tournament on October 19th and 20th at The Ohio State University Scarlet Course.
In the State Golf Tournament the Lions finished 7th becoming the first team to represent Fairfield in the State Tournament. The 1936 State Runner-Up basketball team represented Leesburg High School. Coach Jim Cook attributed much of the golf team’s success to former coach H.R. Townsend , who started the program at Fairfield High School in 1968. Cook credits Mr. Townsend for getting golf going and developing the golf program to that point.
Fairfield golfers being inducted into the Fairfield Athletic Hall of Fame are: Bruce Cunningham, Bryon Morris, Chris Cook, Tim Cook, Chris Cameron, Jeff Miller, Clay Shasteen, Alan Fraysier, David Henry, and Coach Jim Cook.
Questions may be directed to Tom Purtell (937) 402-0218 or email [email protected] .
