Orrville High alums honored for sports successes
Orrville High alums Doug Davault, left, Shane Hartzler and Kent Smith were honored at a recent OHS football game for their accomplishments in athletics.
Three Orrville High School alumni were recognized at a recent OHS football game for various accomplishments: one for his coaching career in football, one for his coaching career in tennis and one for his state wrestling championship.
Doug Davault, Class of 1977
First recognized was Doug Davault, the OHS head football coach from 2006-20, compiling a 15-year record of 95-72. Davault is third on the all-time wins list at the school and first on the all-time list with 16 playoff wins including the second state football championship in school history in 2018.
At Orrville, Davault lettered in football, basketball and baseball. Following high school, he attended Clarion State College, where he played football and baseball and graduated with a degree in business administration. He received his master’s degree in education from the University of South Carolina and is currently the assistant principal at Orrville High.
Davault and his wife Sandra have four children: Joe (married to Sara), Nick, Lyndsey (married to Brandon) and Maggie (married to Trevor). They have eight grandchildren: Braylon, Lilleighann, Winter, Summer, Audrey, Ty, Brody and Allie.
In recognition of Davault’s impressive coaching career, a record plaque will be added to the Turf Donation board located near the south ticket booth at the football stadium.
Kent Smith, Class of 1978
The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Kent Smith was selected as the 2020-21 state and sectional Coach of the Year in the sport of boys tennis through the National Federation of State High School Associations Coaches Association. Smith was nominated for this honor based upon his coaching performance, lifetime community involvement, school involvement and philosophy of coaching.
Smith has been coaching tennis at Orrville for many years. He was the head girls tennis coach for 30 years and has coached the boys for 32 years. He is the only girls tennis coach the program has ever had.
The 1978 graduate of Orrville High is a 1982 graduate of the University of Akron, and in 1986 he received his master’s degree from Ashland University. After a long career in education, which included 28 years as the athletic director of Orrville High School, Smith is now the director of tennis at Aspen Racquet Club in Wooster and continues to be the head boys tennis coach at OHS.
Smith resides in Orrville with his wife, Judy. He has three daughters: Jena, Jill and Julie. Jena is a high school athletic director and tennis coach at the Webb School outside of Nashville, Tennessee. Jill is a special education teacher at Rittman High School and the head tennis coach at Norton High School, and Julie is employed in the marketing department at The J. M. Smucker Company.
Smith was presented with a watch and certificate in honor of his coaching award.
Shane Hartzler, Class of 1996
Several years ago the Orrville High School Alumni Association began honoring OHS state champions on the 25th anniversary of their accomplishments. Unfortunately, COVID-19 delayed the ceremony from happening the past couple of years.
At the Oct. 14 game, Shane Hartzler was recognized. During his years at OHS, Hartzler earned seven letters: four in wrestling and three in football. He was a member of the state final and semifinal football teams, playing as a defensive back. However, he’s best known for his efforts and accomplishments as a wrestler. He was a three-time state qualifier, finishing as runner-up in 1994 and winning the 140-pound title in 1996. This allowed him to achieve an All-Ohio first team honor both years.
Hartzler was named The Daily Record Wrestler of the Year and finished his high school career with a record of 140-22. Not only did he succeed at the state level, but also he placed third at the High School National Championship and earned All-American status.
After high school Hartzler attended Ohio University from 1996-2001, where he captained the wrestling team his senior year. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Bobcats. For three years he placed in the top four of the Mid-American Conference including a runner-up finish as a junior. He also earned MAC Academic All American for his efforts in the classroom.
In 2011 Hartzler was inducted into the Orrville High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Hartzler and his wife Renae live in Orrville along with his daughter Aubrey and stepdaughter Molly Moomaw. He also has two stepsons — Chase and Cameron Monroe — and is the owner of Hartzler Construction.