Monroeville's Roeder, Tiffin's Kinn step down

Monroeville and Tiffin Columbian will be led by new boys basketball coaches next winter. The Eagles announced Monday that Paul Roeder is stepping down from his head coaching post. The Tornadoes announced Travis Kinn's resignation over the weekend. Roeder, a 1976 Monroeville graduate, led his alma mater for six seasons. He had a record of 73-68 in that time. That is second all-time at wins at the school, trailing only Jerry Everhart (118-81, 1963-72). The season before Roeder took charge, Monroeville went 1-22. The Eagles went 7-16 in his first season, then had four consecutive winning seasons before an 8-16 mark this winter. That four-year stretch is only equaled by a five-year stretch — including Roeder's four years as a high school player — at Monroeville from 1972-76. "I got to be a head coach for six years at my alma mater," Roeder said. "I wanted the kids to have the same kind of experience I had, which was great." The Eagles' final win this season was an overtime thriller at St. Mary Central Catholic in a Division IV sectional semifinal. They pushed heavily favored Lucas before falling, 49-40, in a sectional title game on March 1. The Eagles won consecutive sectional titles in 2022 and 2023 under Roeder, and they were Firelands Conference runners-up (11-3) in 2021-22. "We are grateful to Paul for his stewardship of this program and for returning Monroeville basketball to being a contender," the school wrote on social media. "We thank him and his wife Denise for their hard work and sacrifice for the young men of this program. You will be missed." Roeder was a standout player for the Eagles, graduating in 1976 after averaging 21 points per game as a senior. Monroeville won the Firelands Conference in Roeder's junior and senior seasons. His coaching days are not over, however. Roeder retired as Chief Executive Officer from Janotta & Herner construction company in Monroeville last year. After spending 30 years in Columbus, he and his wife, Denise, will be moving back to be closer to their two daughters and three grandchildren. One of his daughters, Brittany Peck, just finished her first season as the head girls basketball coach at Columbus Bishop Ready. Her father will now join her staff as a varsity assistant. "We were fortunate to have some success, but the reality is my two kids and three grandkids are in Columbus, and I'm retired and have no financial reason to stay in the Norwalk area," Roeder said. "Brittany had a great first year as head coach, and we're excited to get back. "It just seemed like the path that brought me back to Monroeville is also the path that has me going back to Columbus." At Columbian, Kinn was the head coach for nine seasons. The Tornadoes were 105-107 in his tenure. "Felt like this was the right time. With my boys being a little older now and it's a long season, a lot of time away," Kinn told the Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune. "I don't know what the future has in store, not sure I'm done forever, but right now it's the right time to step away and take a break and see what other life opportunities are out there." After four consecutive losing seasons began Kinn's TC tenure, the Tornadoes rattled off at least 15 wins in each of the next four years. The SBC Lake Division program went 9-14 this winter, falling in their sectional opener at Perkins. Kinn was a standout player at New Riegel and Heidelberg. He was the Blue Jackets' leading scorer as both a junior and senior. His senior season, Kinn averaged 15.4 points per game as New Riegel went a perfect 10-0 to win the Midland Athletic League.