MADISON TOWNSHIP — The Madison Athletic Hall of Fame will open its doors to seven new members in August.
The Class of 2024, the second class of honorees, includes Jocelyn Pelasky, Ray Peterson, Matt Godsil, Doug Rickert, Justin Larrick, Ray Ellison and Greg Bartram.
The induction ceremony will take place Aug. 10 at the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center.
Here’s a closer look at the Class of 2024:
Jocelyn Pelasky
A 1997 graduate, Pelasky was the Ohio Heartland Conference Player of the Year in both soccer and basketball as a senior.
She is Madison’s career scoring leader in basketball and still owns records for career field goals and career free throws. She is also Madison’s single-season record holder in points, field goals and free throws.
In soccer, Pelasky held the record for career goals (132) for more than two decades. The record way eclipsed by Taylor Huff in 2020.
Pelasky played college basketball at Illinois State. She is the director of nursing at a Chicago-area hospital.
Ray Peterson
The 1957 graduate was a three-sports standout. He was a four-year letterman in baseball —batting .512 and earning All-Ohio honors as a senior — and lettered twice each in football and basketball.
Peterson played baseball at Ohio State and entered the coaching ranks after his playing days ended. He was an assistant varsity coach at Madison but is most remembered for his work with the Mansfield McVey Post American Legion baseball team. He managed the team for 30 years, piling up 714 wins and coaching in seven American Legion state tournaments.
Matt Godsil
Madison’s head football coach from 2000 to 2008, Godsil compiling a 41-51 record in nine seasons.
He led the Rams to a share of the Ohio Cardinal Conference championship and a Division II playoff berth in 2005. Madison won its playoff opener at Sylvania Southview — the program’s first-ever playoff victory — before falling to eventual state champ Toledo Central Catholic in the regional semifinals.
Godsil was an assistant coach for Al Pease, Dana Woodring, Sean Conway and Jamie Masi. In 34 years as an assistant or head coach, Godsil helped pilot the Rams to six conference championships and five playoff appearances.
Doug Rickert
Madison’s athletic director, Rickert was a two-year letterman in basketball and baseball before graduating in 1987. He still holds Madison’s single-game and single-season records for assists.
Madison won the outright Cardinal Conference baseball championship during his junior year and shared the CC title with New Philadelphia during his senior year. Rickert was an All-CC pick as a junior and senior and an all-district pick as a senior.
Rickert played college baseball at Appalachian State and Ashland University before getting into coaching.
He was Madison’s head baseball coach for 21 seasons, piling up more than 300 career wins while winning nine conference championships.
The Rams won 16 sectional titles and four district crowns under Rickert and reached the Division I regional championship game three straight years from 2000 to 2002. Madison won the coaches association Division I poll championship in 2000.
He piloted the boys basketball team for five seasons from 2007 to 2012, compiling a record of 67-45 with an Ohio Cardinal Conference championship in 2009 and three sectional titles. Madison won a district title in 2011, the first in 63 years.
Rickert coached middle school and freshman football for 12 years and has been the AD since 2014.
Justin Larrick
A 1998 graduate, Larrick was the Ohio Heartland Conference Offensive Player of the Year in football and the OHC Player of the Year in basketball both as a senior.
He was the Rams’ starting quarterback as a sophomore in 1995, and part of an outstanding backfield along with All-Ohioan Dan Norris.
Larrick was an All-Ohio second-team pick in both sports as a senior.
The lanky, 6-foot-4 standout went to Toledo on a football scholarship before finishing his college career as a member of the Ashland University men’s basketball program.
Ray Ellison
The first community member inducted into the Madison Athletic Hall of Fame, Ellison volunteered for more than 60 years.
He was the host for the visitors’ locker room in football and basketball and the attendant at the northeast gate for football games.
Ellison passed away in January at the age of 94.
Greg Bartram
A 1984 graduate, Bartram was a cross country and track standout.
He was the track team’s MVP and graduated as the record-holder in the 800 meter run (1:57.2).
Bartram went on to star at Ashland University, where he was a five-time All-American.
He won a Division II indoor national championship in the 800 in 1989, finishing in 1:52.85. He was inducted into AU’s Hall of Fame in 2003.