Rob Davies
When Rob Davies’ kids started playing football he noticed they hit a little harder than the other kids, didn’t talk back to their coaches and did their best to do the jobs that were asked of them.
Sure, parenting plays a role in how kids act, but Davies said he was just passing on the lessons and values he learned in Brookfield, where the standard is to be tough, do your job and don’t complain, he said.
Davies was inducted into the Brookfield Warrior Hall of Fame on Oct. 26. A 1996 grad, Davies was a two-year letter winner in basketball and baseball, but left behind a trophy case full of records from his time as Brookfield’s quarterback, which include single-game, single-season and career passing yards and single-season and career touchdown passes. He also set a county record for touchdown passes in a game.
Davies said he accomplished so much because of the teammates he played with, the coaches who guided him and the family members who supported his dreams.
“Brookfield will always be my home,” said Davies, a resident of Canal Winchester, Ohio.
Members of the Brookfield 1992-93 basketball team are, from left, assistant coach Wayne Bair, Scott Zendarski, Jason Warrender, Justin Stowers, Todd Jablonski, Shawn Hammond and Mike Cheney. Jeremy Quinlan can be seen between Jablonski and Hammond and Dann Miller is at far right.
The 1992-3 boys basketball team also was inducted. Shawn Hammond, who was a senior that year, said many of the members started playing sports together in youth baseball, and got a sense of how good they could be when they made it to the district final his junior year.
“After that game, we all felt like we could so something,” he said. “It was all about winning.”
The team started the season with nine straight wins on their way to an 18-2 regular season record and a conference co-championship. The team made it to the district championship and finished with a record of 20-3.
“I’m thankful to have these guys as my brothers,” Hammond said.
Hammond is the Brookfield boys basketball coach and two members of the 1992-3 team serve as assistants, Jason Warrender and Justin Stowers. Other members of the team were Nick Giuliani, Todd Jablonski, Scott Zendarski, Mike Cheney, Toby Lewis, Bryan Moore, Aden Weaver and Tim Whitehead.
The children of Irene Szabo Donato, from left foreground, Dave, Leo and Terri, accepted her induction. Their mom died in 2002. Behind them are, from left, Dann Miller, Rob Davies and Tim Taylor.
Other inductees:
- Irene Szabo Donato, Class of 1940, who earned three letters in mushball (now known as softball) and four in basketball. The basketball teams her junior and senior years won Trumbull County championships. She was named to the All-Trumbull County First Team for three years. Donato died at age 85 in 2002.
- Dann Miller, Class of 2009. He earned four wrestling letters and finished with a career record of 142-40. He finished third in the state tournament his senior year.
- Tyler Thompson, Class of 2010. He earned four wrestling letters and finished with a career record of 138-52, also finishing third in the state tournament his senior year.
- Ryan Mosora, Class of 2013. He earned four letters in football and also played basketball. On the gridiron, he played running back and defensive back. He was Trumbull County Offensive Player of the Year and All-State Second Team his junior and senior years, and graduated holding school records for career and single-season rushing yards.
- Jeremy Quinlan, Class of 2013. He earned four letters each in baseball, football and basketball. He earned honors in each sport including Trumbull County Athlete of the Year for basketball, and graduated with school records in career and single-season points. He played baseball at Youngstown State University for four years as a pitcher. Quinlan called his induction an “extraordinary occasion.”
“It’s a great group to go in and a really great honor,” Davies said.
