Harrier Hall of Fame 2013
Gabe Folmar
Gabe Folmar played basketball for Miami Hamilton from 1998 to 2001 which was one most successful periods in Hamilton Basketball History. During his first two years on the team, they went undefeated in the ORCC with a 38-0 record. They also only had 5 out-of-conference losses those two years, all of which came from teams that had scholarship players making up their rosters.
In the 98/99 and 99/00 seasons, they won not only the regular season titles but also the state tournaments. Kevin Lakes, Gabe’s coach, said that Gabe (and Brad Reckart, who was inducted last year) really carried the team on their backs when it came to winning the last championship. This isn’t surprising considering that Gabe's points total was regularly in the mid-to high- 20s, and occasionally in the mid-30s. But that wasn’t all he contributed. Gabe had over 10 double-doubles, meaning he had double-digit scoring and rebounding, while at Miami Hamilton.
His contribution to the team was well recognized. Among other honors, he was named to the ORCC State All-Tournament team in 1999-2000, the 2000 Pikeville College Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team, and was the 2001 M.A.C. Outstanding Athlete.
Gabe also showed the same determination off the court, by returning to school and receiving his Bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2009. Since graduation, he has been working for Hamilton City schools as a substitute teacher. He has one son named Shaquille.
Ryan Maher
Ryan Maher played baseball at Miami Hamilton from 2001–2004. During that time he set a high standard for pitching, including tying the Single Season record for most all-time wins in 2002 (10), and coming in 4th all-time in innings pitched for a season with 81.1. But his achievements do not stop there. Over his career at Miami Hamilton, he is 2nd all-time in innings pitched with 160, 1st in wins all-time with 18, and tied for second in all-time saves with 4. Ryan also has the honor of being the one to take the mound for Harriers against Miami Middletown for the dedication day game of Foundation Field—which of course they won.
All this success probably came as little surprise to Coach Grissom. He knew Ryan had talent way before he came to Miami and even before he played 3 years of varsity at Fairfield High School. He was his coach beginning when Ryan was 13 and playing Morgenroth baseball. Talk about dedication to recruiting! Under Coach Grissom Ryan and his team mates brought home the ORCC tournament Championship every year he played and the Regular season championship 3 out 4 years.
That love of fun and baseball, and we would like to think dedication to the Hamilton campus, may be one of the reasons that Ryan continued to help out the team as coach even after he had earned 2 degrees and while earning a third. Ryan currently lives in Columbus and has been a financial planner at Fidelity Investments for the past 5 years.
Kerry Hicks
Kerry Hicks played tennis for 4 years at Miami Hamilton during what some consider to be the golden age of tennis in the country. During that period he won 3 ORCC individual state titles and helped win 2 ORCC team titles. For 3 years in a row, he dominated the regional singles category. As his then Coach Ed Montgomery says, Kerry reminded him a lot of John McEnroe, Not as much for his on-court personality, but because he had a finesse game. Kerry’s game was not about power but about artistry. Since graduating from Miami, Kerry has continued to play and has success locally winning the City of Hamilton doubles championship for 4 years, and being a multiple-time runner-up in singles.
Tennis is a family sport for the Hicks family, not only does his father, Bob, play but Kerry has passed on his talents to his daughters Cassidy (15 yrs. old), Caroline (14 yrs. old) who are both very talented tennis players and both play for Hamilton High School. The family connection is probably no more evinced than by Kerry and Cassidy's success as a Father/Daughter doubles team that earned a rank of 5th nationally in 2011.
Many credit Kerry for keeping the sport of tennis alive in the community. Although this is apparent in several ways over the years, one of the most obvious examples of this is his strong support of the Hamilton Tennis Association’s annual mixed doubles tournament.
Kerry, his wife Melissa, and their two daughters live in the community. He is the owner of 5 Splash and Dash Car Washes in Hamilton.
Randy Russell
Randy Russell played Golf for Miami Hamilton from 1994–1997. Randy not only was a great individual player but also represented a strong team effort.
Randy was selected for first-team all-conference in 1995, 1996, and 1997 and was an individual medalist at the 1997 conference championship shooting a 39 over 9 holes. Randy was very consistent in his scores regularly shooting 80–82. And it was that consistency that helped propel him and his team to their accolades.
Twice they won the ORCC championship, 1994 and 1997, and he was an individual medalist at the Baron Invitational and the MUM Invitational in 1997. That was a good year for Miami Hamilton Golf. Not only did they win the conference championship by 7 strokes over OU-Zanesville, but they won the state championship by 28 strokes a week later.
Randy graduated from Miami with a degree in elementary education which he has put to good use as a 2nd-grade teacher with Hamilton City Schools for the past 12 years.