Bellbrook Football Alumni Club inducts “Gridiron Greats” Class of 2020
BELLBROOK, Ohio (BVM) — The Bellbrook Football Alumni Club is a group of people who advocate for Bellbrook High School football. Although not all the members went to school at Bellbrook, they have decided to recognize those people that have shown exceptional talent or dedication to the Bellbrook football program in a group called “Gridiron Greats”.
This is a hall of fame-like recognition, and nominations are accepted throughout the year by the Bellbrook Football Alumni Club. The annual inductees are then chosen from these nominations through a voting process.
The culmination of the process comes at Sugar Valley Country Club in July, where the year’s inductees are recognized at the annual football alumni dinner. This is a great opportunity to spend time with former players and coaches who have contributed to the success of the program since the 1960s. It also serves as a fundraiser for the current Bellbrook High School team.
Jeff Jenkins, Bellbrook’s head football coach, emceed the program this year. Former players and family members introduced and shared stories of the inductees, while the inductees themselves spoke about what this honor meant to them. Wilmington College head football coach, Bryan Moore, gave a keynote to round out the evening.
Here is the “Gridiron Greats” Class of 2020:
Chris Baker — Bellbrook football coach, 1987-1994
Retiring in 2019, Baker served the Bellbrook school district for 28 years as a teacher, athletic director, and principal. His career record as the Golden Eagles’ head coach on the gridiron was 45-37. In 1991, Bellbrook won their league and Baker was named Southwestern Buckeye League Coach of the Year, Dayton Daily News Coach of the Year, and OHSAA Southwest District Coach of the Year. The AP poll ranked his 1991 team No. 2 in the state.
Neal Blank — Bellbrook High School, Class of 1998
Blank had the reputation for being a hard-hitting linebacker in his day. He was a team captain and was named first team all-Southwestern Buckeye League, and all-area defensive player of the year. Blank went on to play Division II college football at the University of Indianapolis. In 2001, he was an AFCA first team All-American and Defensive Lineman of the Year, as well as the GLIAC Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Jeff Vonhandorf — Bellbrook High School, Class of 1991
Vonhandorf was a first team all-Southwestern Buckeye League selection at tight end and defensive end. In addition, he was named to the all-area first team, all-state second team, and was a five-year scholarship player at Ohio University.
Nathan Clemens — Bellbrook High School, Class of 2003
Clemens, a linebacker, was a team captain and earned a spot on the all-Southwestern Buckeye League first team, in addition to being an all-district selection. Clemens also played Division I college football at Ohio University.
Dr. Stacy Russell — Bellbrook High School, Class of 1981
Russell was named to the all-Southwestern Buckeye League first team, and was an all-greater Dayton selection, as well as an all-area selection (divisions 3,4 and 5) by the Dayton Journal Herald. Russell was a three-year starter on offense at fullback, and a three-year starter on defense at linebacker. Unfortunately, his college career was cut short by injuries at both the University of Wisconsin-Superior and Georgetown College. Russell later graduated from Ohio State University with a doctorate in physical therapy.
Special Honorees Carroll and Harold Fryman
The Frymans have been an integral part of the Bellbrook football program for many years. They have five children and 12 grandchildren that have all graduated from Bellbrook.
“Bellbrook is the best place to raise your kids,” Carroll said. “The neighbors and the community are what really makes Bellbrook special.”
The Frymans are former athletic booster members, and Harold was the president of the organization in the early 1970s. Harold volunteered to build the first-ever visitors’ bleachers at the football field. To do so, he used scrap iron from his job and donations from friends — building the 10 row, 60-foot-long bleachers for only $600. Other long-time members of the Bellbrook community helped with this project as well.
And what would Bellbrook football be without Friday night lights? Well, the Frymans helped put up the first set of lights at the stadium.
“We, and a few others, signed a note for the first lights at the stadium,” Harold said.
They, along with 15 others signed onto a loan for $10,000 to put up the first lights, with many using their homes as collateral so that the team could play on Friday nights. Members of the community also donated supplies to help reduce costs.
The Frymans continued to be active in enhancing the atmosphere at football games. Along with the Lions Club and other community members, the first concession stand was set up at the games in the open field leading up to the stadium — selling hot dogs for 25 cents each.
