Balser, Smith, Turner inducted into HHS Athletic Hall of Fame
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Hillsboro High School Athletic Department honored three HHS graduates on Saturday evening, as Drew Balser, Monique Smith and T.J. Turner were inducted into the Hillsboro High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony was held between the girls and boys varsity games vs. Goshen at the Hillsboro High School gym.
Drew Balser, a 2004 graduate of HHS, was recognized for his accomplishments in golf. As a member of the Indians golf team, Balser received All-Conference recognition all four years and All-District honors during his junior and senior year. The Indians golf team won the conference all four years of Balser’s high school career, along with winning sectional and district championships his senior year.
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Balser qualified for the state golf championship as an individual and as a member of the Indians team his junior and senior year. His junior year, he placed 12th as an individual, and the Indians finished fifth at the tournament.
During Balser’s senior year, he set a state-record low score of 64 on 18 holes and a record low score of 30 on nine holes, winning the individual state championship and finishing second as a team.
Balser attended Wilmington College, where he was a member of the golf team, and graduated with a degree in criminal justice.
Monique Smith, a 1999 graduate of HHS, was recognized for her accomplishments in track and field. Smith was a four-time All-Conference champion in shot put and discus and a four-time member of a conference champion track and field team. The Lady Indians also won the district championship when Smith was a sophomore.
Individually, Smith was a three-time district champion, a three-time regional champion and a four-time state track and field championship qualifier, where she placed in the top six all four years.
Smith won the state shot put championship as a freshman and finished sixth in discus. As a sophomore, she was the state runner-up in the shot put event. Smith finished fifth in discus as a junior and senior, as well as fifth place in shot put as a senior.
Smith holds the Hillsboro school record in shot put (44-11) and discus (142’4”).
She lives in Maryland, where she is employed by NASA.
TJ Turner, a 1997 graduate of Hillsboro, was honored posthumously for his accomplishments in both basketball and football.
As a basketball player, Turner received All-Conference distinction three times and was All-Ohio and Southeast District Player of the Year his senior year. The Indians were conference champions three times and district champions twice during his four years at HHS. They were also the regional semifinalists during Turner’s senior year. Turner is the all-time leading scorer at Hillsboro and averaged a double-double his senior year with 18 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Turner was also a three-time All-Conference player and two-time conference Player of the Year as a football player. He was named All-Ohio twice. The Indians won the conference and reached the playoffs all four years that Turner played on the team, finishing 37-3 in regular-season play in his four years.
Turner went on to attend Michigan State University, where he played football for four years and earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention his senior year. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2001.
Turner passed away at the age of 35 in 2014, following a battle with cancer.
Turner’s sisters, Jenny and Keisha, accepted the award on his behalf Saturday night.
Following the ceremony, a reception in the inductees’ honor was held in the middle school gym.
The induction ceremony was held between the girls and boys varsity games vs. Goshen at the Hillsboro High School gym.
Drew Balser, a 2004 graduate of HHS, was recognized for his accomplishments in golf. As a member of the Indians golf team, Balser received All-Conference recognition all four years and All-District honors during his junior and senior year. The Indians golf team won the conference all four years of Balser’s high school career, along with winning sectional and district championships his senior year.
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Balser qualified for the state golf championship as an individual and as a member of the Indians team his junior and senior year. His junior year, he placed 12th as an individual, and the Indians finished fifth at the tournament.
During Balser’s senior year, he set a state-record low score of 64 on 18 holes and a record low score of 30 on nine holes, winning the individual state championship and finishing second as a team.
Balser attended Wilmington College, where he was a member of the golf team, and graduated with a degree in criminal justice.
Monique Smith, a 1999 graduate of HHS, was recognized for her accomplishments in track and field. Smith was a four-time All-Conference champion in shot put and discus and a four-time member of a conference champion track and field team. The Lady Indians also won the district championship when Smith was a sophomore.
Individually, Smith was a three-time district champion, a three-time regional champion and a four-time state track and field championship qualifier, where she placed in the top six all four years.
Smith won the state shot put championship as a freshman and finished sixth in discus. As a sophomore, she was the state runner-up in the shot put event. Smith finished fifth in discus as a junior and senior, as well as fifth place in shot put as a senior.
Smith holds the Hillsboro school record in shot put (44-11) and discus (142’4”).
She lives in Maryland, where she is employed by NASA.
TJ Turner, a 1997 graduate of Hillsboro, was honored posthumously for his accomplishments in both basketball and football.
As a basketball player, Turner received All-Conference distinction three times and was All-Ohio and Southeast District Player of the Year his senior year. The Indians were conference champions three times and district champions twice during his four years at HHS. They were also the regional semifinalists during Turner’s senior year. Turner is the all-time leading scorer at Hillsboro and averaged a double-double his senior year with 18 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Turner was also a three-time All-Conference player and two-time conference Player of the Year as a football player. He was named All-Ohio twice. The Indians won the conference and reached the playoffs all four years that Turner played on the team, finishing 37-3 in regular-season play in his four years.
Turner went on to attend Michigan State University, where he played football for four years and earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention his senior year. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2001.
Turner passed away at the age of 35 in 2014, following a battle with cancer.
Turner’s sisters, Jenny and Keisha, accepted the award on his behalf Saturday night.
Following the ceremony, a reception in the inductees’ honor was held in the middle school gym.