Good as gold: Olympic champ Tianna Bartoletta highlights Elyria Sports Hall of Fame's 50th class

ELYRIA — Every year when the Elyria Sports Hall of Fame announces its newest class, there is discussion about the school colors that will adorn the banquet venue. Elyria High has its red and white, Elyria Catholic has green and white, Elyria West has brown and orange and Open Door has red, white and blue. At this year's banquet — the Hall of Fame's 50th — a new color may be introduced … gold. Highlighting the organization's milestone class will be three-time Olympic gold medalist Tianna Madison Bartoletta, who won nine state titles at Elyria High before winning gold in the long jump at the Rio Games in 2016 and in the 400-meter relay at the London Games in 2012 and again in Rio. Joining Madison Bartoletta in the 2022 class are Elyria West football coach Darrell Mayne, Elyria High wrestling state champion Steve Mitcheff, Elyria High softball state champion Tess Sito, Elyria Catholic three-sport star John Walker and the 1992 Elyria High state semifinalist baseball team. The Hall of Fame will also be presenting Linda Schuster with its Distinguished Service Award. Madison Bartoletta won the 100, 200, long jump and anchored the 400 relay in helping the Pioneers finish as the state runner-up in 2002 and won the state championship in 2003. She was a six-time All-American at the University of Tennessee, then went pro and added three world championships — long jump in 2005 and 2015, and long jump in the world indoor championship in 2006 — to her three Olympic gold medals. Mayne led the Wolverines to a 76-36 record during his 11 seasons at the helm, including the school's lone playoff appearance in 1992. He coached three Golden Helmet winners and several track state champions and state qualifiers. He coached the Elyria Pioneers for the first two seasons after Elyria West's closure, then went on to lead Upper Arlington to the Division I state championship in 2000. Mitcheff won the Division I state championship at 103 pounds during his sophomore season in 2006, and finished as a four-time state placer and four-time conference champion. He was the program's career leader in takedowns (488) and technical falls (37) and finished with a record of 159-24. He went on to wrestle at Kent State and currently coaches at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. Sito pitched the Pioneers to the state final all four years of her high school career, helping Elyria win the Division I state championship in 2009. The three-time All-Ohio first-team selection went 27-2 her senior season with a 0.21 ERA and 312 strikeouts in 186 innings, while batting .450 with six home runs, 30 RBIs and 33 runs scored. She went on to play at Cleveland State and the University of Georgia before playing professionally for the Akron Racers. Walker excelled in football, wrestling and track for the Panthers. He gained 1,152 yards on 164 carries — 7 yards per carry — and led EC with 136 points in 1979. He went 39-2 and finished as the state runner-up in wrestling in 1980. He won sectional titles in the 100 and 200 before finishing seventh in the state in the 200. The 1992 Elyria High baseball team went 23-2 and earned the first and only state tournament appearance in program history. The Pioneers lost to eventual Division I state runner-up North Canton Hoover. Linda Schuster is the athletic secretary at Elyria Catholic and was instrumental with the Hall of Fame banquet ticket sales for years. The 50th class will celebrate its enshrinement May 7 at the Spitzer Center at Lorain County Community College. Tickets for the banquet can be purchased at ElyriaSportsHallofFame.org. Contact Shaun Bennett at 329-7137 or sbennett@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him @ShaunBennettct on Twitter.