SMCC honors 7 in 2025 hall of fame class

SANDUSKY — Seven individuals make up the 2025 induction class for the St. Mary Central Catholic High School Athletic and Achievement Hall of Fame. This year's group of inductees include SMCC graduates Brinden Baum, Gary Erney, Brian Ferber, Jon Schirg, Jessica Thomas, Jay Yochem and Mary Jo Arnoldi. The 2025 hall of famers will be recognized in the Kinzel Center during halftime of the Panthers' Saturday, Jan. 17 varsity boys basketball game with Mansfield St. Peter's. On Jan. 18, the annual hall-of-fame banquet and induction ceremony takes place at Sandusky Yacht Club starting at 2 p.m. The public is invited to the yacht club with tickets costing $38 for adults and $19 for children ages 4-10 with kids 3 and under free. Tickets should be purchased prior to Jan. 10 by contacting Jack Runner (419-656-4445), Kevin Youskievicz (419-366-4480) or Denise Bellamy (419-656-6826), who are members of the SMCC Athletic and Achievement Hall of Fame Committee. Tickets can also be secured through Venmo at @SMCCHOF. Baum (2005 graduate) was a standout in wrestling, football and track for the Panthers. On the wrestling mat, he was a part of four straight state championship teams (2002-05) and claimed a Division III individual state title at 152 pounds in 2005, finishing with a 167-35 career record. He began his senior year on the football field, earning 2004 Division VI second team All-Ohio honors as a defensive back after being a first team All-Sandusky Bay Conference selection. In track, he was a two-time regional qualifier. Erney, who passed away in April 2025 at the age of 73, was an avid fan and supporter of SMCC athletics for decades. The 1969 graduate served on the SMCC Athletic and Achievement Hall of Fame Committee for many years and was considered a true historian of the school's sports programs. Ferber (2010) excelled in cross country, basketball and track, accumulating 10 varsity letters for the Panthers. In cross country, he was first team All-Ohio in 2008 and 2009, and ran at Bowling Green State University. His 16:18 5K time is the second-best in school history. Ferber also lettered twice in basketball and in track. He was a two-time SBC champion, eight-time regional qualifier and his team's Most Valuable Performer and points leader as a senior. Ferber, SMCC's current principal, coached the Panthers' girls basketball squad to a SBC River Division championship in 2019. Schirg (2003) also collected 10 varsity letters in football (four), baseball (four) and track (two) at SMCC. In football, he twice received first team All-SBC accolades while finishing as the Panthers' all-time leader in pass receptions (100) and receiving yards (1,585). On the baseball diamond, Schirg was the MVP of SMCC's 2003 team that won 21 games and advanced to the Division IV state semifinals. Additionally, he was a two-time regional qualifier in track while also playing baseball in the spring. An attorney, Schirg presently serves as the public records manager for Columbus City Schools. Thomas (2008) competed in tennis, basketball and track and field for the Panthers. She made her biggest impact in track as a four-year state qualifier and the school's second all-time leading scorer with 782 points. Thomas was a part of SMCC's 4x200-meter relay teams that placed third in the state in 2006 (school record 1:45.11) and fifth in 2005 (1:46.60). She was the 2008 SBC champion in the 100 and 300 hurdles. Thomas holds school records in the 100 hurdles (14.98), 300 hurdles (45.94) and as a sophomore member of the 4x200 relay team. Yochem (1987) was a tremendous distance runner who participated in cross country and track. He is the Panthers' career record holder in the 800 with a time of 1:58.90. As a senior, Yochem placed 22nd at the 1986 Class A state cross country meet, clocking a time of 16:57, and was later a part of the 1987 4x800-meter relay team that finished fourth in the state with a time of 8:08.80. He and his 4x800 teammates were third at the 1986 state meet with a time of 8:04.23, which still stands as a school record. For more than 30 years, Yochem has worked at Erie MetroParks and is currently overseeing day-to-day functions as the park operations manager. Arnoldi (1966) is currently the curator of African ethnology for the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. She has been doing research on arts and performance in Mali, Senegal and the Gambia for more than 40 years.