Monongah High has always been strong in baseball, along with Fairview with the never-ending supply of Rettons and Fairmont West with Bill Leskovar.

Monongah Mayor Greg Vandetta unearthed this photo of the 1973 or 1974 Lions diamond hitters.

They are, from left:

Ward Brent Colvin, Class of 1975.

Gregory Alan Vandetta, Class of 1975.

John R. Huffman, Class of 1974.

Mike D. DeMary, Class of 1974.

Ron Jones, Class of 1974.

There was another pretty fair Monongah High athlete in the Class of 1975: Jay Feltz, quarterback of the 1973 MHS team that won the state football title, just as his father, Coach Jim Feltz, had done in 1952 and 1955 (when Monongah also won its only state baseball crown). Jay was named West Virginia Amateur Athlete of the Year for his feat.

Brent Colvin was at the Class of 1975’s 10-year reunion at the 1985 Monongah High Alumni Reunion.

Gregory Alan nowadays is better known as Monongah Mayor Greg Vandetta, married to Debbie Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973, Monongahfest president. Their son is Greg Vandetta II, married to Janelle.

John Huffman married Goldie Basagic Huffman, Class of 1974, and produced Erik Huffman, married to Katie, and Brooke Huffman Pethtel, married to Adam Pethtel.

John wed a former Monongah High cheerleader who pranced alongside Barbra Eller Aldridge Hanning, Class of 1974; Patty DeMary Evans, Class of 1972; Debbie Manzo Vandetta, Class of 1973, the First Lady of Monongah; and Debbie Basagic Bragg, Class of 1972.

Mike DeMary’s father also was named Mike DeMary and was one of three children of John DeMary, who started DeMarys’ Market in Rivesville, right by the railroad tracks after you drive off U.S. 19 along the West Fork River. John’s cousin is Ann DeMary Eates, Class of 1945, married to Joe Eates, Class of 1945, and living at the foot of Bridge Street before it heads up the hill and out of town.

It couldn’t find any later, adulthood information about Ron Jones. That’s too common a name to nail down, even for a 43-year newspaper editor who is accustomed to investigative journalism. If you know Ron’s whereabouts these days, email John Olesky at jo4wvu@neo.rr.com and I’ll add the information to this blog article.

But Brooke Huffman Pethtel said her father, John Huffman, recognized Ronnie in the photo. Maybe John, Goldie or Brooke can email me with the current whereabouts of Ron Jones.