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The inaugural Blanchester Athletic Boosters Blue Tie Event was Saturday in the school auditeria and six Wildcat athletic legends were honored.
The 2024 honorees, spanning more than 70 years of Blanchester High School athletics, were Bob Jacoby Jr. (1950s and prior), Rodney “Butch” Whitaker (1960s), Bill McLaughlin (1970s), Tom Wynn (1980s), Michelle Gephart Elston (1990s) and Jake Howe (2000s).
Jim Johnson accepted the award for Jacoby. Dean Lynch accepted the award for Whitaker.
Bob Jacoby Jr. was an All-Ohio player on the 1951-52 district championship basketball team that was coached by Luther Taylor. Jacoby also was a standout baseball and track/field athlete. He graduated BHS in 1952 and went on to play basketball and baseball at the University of Dayton.
Whitaker, a 1963 graduate of BHS, played professional softball for the Cincinnati Suds — the only Clinton countian to do so — and is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Softball Hall of Fame. He was a volunteer coach for the Blanchester High School girls’ softball program 24 years.
McLaughlin, a 1973 graduate of BHS, was the first Wildcat to win an Ohio High School Athletic Association state championship, claiming victory in the 880-yard run in 1973 in a then state record time. That same year, McLaughlin was runnerup in the state in the mile run. He earned a scholarship to run for Miami (Ohio) University.
Wynn, a 1985 graduate of BHS, was a standout athlete in wrestling, track/field and tennis. He was a two-time state qualifier in wrestling at the high school level then qualified for the NCAA Division III national tournament three times while at Heidelberg College. Wynn has been a coach at the high school and college levels. He currently is the head wrestling coach at Milford High School.
Elston, a 1994 BHS graduate, earned 12 varsity letters, four each in volleyball, basketball and softball. She was first team all-league (Fort Ancient Valley Conference and Southern Buckeye Conference) nine times. The all-time leading girls basketball scorer (1,354 points) Elston was named first team All-Ohio in 1993-94.
Howe, a 2010 BHS graduate, is one the most decorated athletes in the school history, winning back-to-back state wrestling championships in 2009 and 2010. He was the valedictorian of his senior class at BHS and was named Academic All-Ohio two times as well as a USA Wrestling Academic All-America athlete in 2010.
