2025: The Year in Review, Part 4

The Highland County Press is recapping some of the top stories from 2025. The following is Part 4 of the series.

October

• Elishia Marie Current, 26, of Hillsboro was sentenced Oct. 1 to a minimum of five years in prison after pleading guilty to felonious assault. The indictment accused Current of “knowingly causing serious physical harm” to a newborn victim during an approximate one-month period. 

• On Oct. 1, the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs made school history by becoming the first boys golf team to become state qualifiers for their school, as they placed second overall in the 2025 Southeast District Golf Tournament held at the Crown Hill Golf Club. 

• The McClain varsity girls soccer team finished the 2025 Frontier Athletic Conference schedule with an undefeated record, coming from behind to defeat county rival Hillsboro 4-3 Oct. 2 at McClain Field.

• As reported Oct. 5, Rudi Pitzer Perry of New Vienna recently graduated from Ohio Farm Bureau’s AgriPOWER Class XV.

• The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs completed their history-making 2025 boys golf season Oct. 7, as the second day of the Division II State Boys Golf Championships were canceled, as day one results were used to determine the final standings. The LCHS boys finished in 10th place overall.

• The biggest non-loss streak the Southern Hills Athletic Conference has ever seen came to a close on Oct. 8 when the Fairfield Lady Lions defeated the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs, 2-1, ending a 102-game SHAC girls soccer streak of not having a loss in conference play dating back to Sept. 30, 2010. 

• Following each team gaining a win in their respective Southern Hills Athletic Conference games Oct. 9, both the Fairfield Lady Lions and Fayetteville Lady Rockets finished with 10-3 records in conference play, allowing them to share the 2025 SHAC Div. II volleyball championship. 

•  The Lynchburg-Clay boys cross-country team won the Southern Hills Athletic Conference meet Oct. 11, with senior Kyler Fite winning the event and head coach Todd Faust named SHAC Coach of the Year.

• Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha introduced the city’s new law director at Hillsboro City Council’s Oct. 16 meeting, as Hannah Bivens, an attorney from Greenfield, entered a contract with the city.

• As reported Oct. 20, after more than five years of planning and fundraising, the Leesburg Area Historical Society announced that site improvements and a full exterior restoration of its train depot are nearly complete.

• The District 14 Volleyball Coaches Association released its All-District teams, with area coaches honoring six Highland County volleyball players for their play this fall, as reported Oct. 21.

• The McClain Lady Tigers won their first-ever girls soccer district championship Oct. 23, defeating the No. 2 seeded Wheelersburg Lady Pirates by a 2-1 score in the Division IV SE District Finals at Valley High School, advancing to the Sweet 16. 

• For the second time this season, the Fairfield Lady Lions defeated their Highland County counterpart and rival, the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs, but this time it was for a district championship to advance to the Sweet 16 on Oct. 23. The No. 1 seeded Lady Lions defeated the No. 2 seeded Lady Mustangs, 3-2.

• The winner on Oct. 24 in front of a packed stadium in Greenfield saw the Hillsboro Indians football team defeat the host McClain Tigers, 35-34 to take home the coveted Rotary Bowl trophy, and with the win the Indians put themselves into the playoffs.

• Lynchburg-Clay High School senior Kyler Fite and sophomore Tavion Huguely qualified for the 2025 OHSAA State Cross-Country Championships due to their individual finishes at the ’25 Regional Championships held at Pickerington North High School Oct. 25.

• Playing in the Division IV Regional Semifinals Oct. 28, the battle of the two champions from the Southeast District saw a physical game between the McClain Lady Tigers and Alexander Lady Spartans where it was Alexander advancing by a 2-1 score. The record-setting Lady Tigers saw their season end with their first-ever Frontier Athletic Conference championship in girls program history, and they also won their first-ever district championship, a first for any soccer team at McClain. 

• In a classic double-overtime battle against Central District champion Fairbanks, the Fairfield Lady Lions left all they had on the field Tuesday evening, falling in double overtime by a 2-1 score in the Division V Regional Semifinals at Lancaster High School. 

• As reported Oct. 29, the Southeastern Ohio Golf Coaches Association recently released their five 2025 All-District teams, with eight Highland County golfers recognized for their play during the fall season. Leading the way for Highland County were first-team honoree Kaylin Sterling, a McClain senior, on the Div. I girls team and first-team selection Nolan Wilkin, a Lynchburg-Clay sophomore, on the Div. II boys team.

• William Marshall, 26, of Hillsboro was sentenced Oct. 29 to at least five years in prison after pleading guilty to a felonious assault charge accusing him of causing “serious physical harm” to an infant.

• For the second time this season, the Hillsboro Indians faced the Miami Trace Panthers on the gridiron, and for the second time the Panthers left with the victory, this time by a 49-8 score in the Division III, Region 12 OHSAA State Football Playoffs Oct. 31. 
 

November

• Nov. 1 was the final event for the Highland County athletic schedule for the fall sports season, as two runners from Lynchburg-Clay High School raced at the 2025 OHSAA State Cross-Country Championships at Fortress Obetz.
LCHS senior Kyler Fite finished 86th and sophomore Tavion Huguely was 87th.

• The 2025 general election was held Nov. 4, with 18.3% voter turnout in Highland County. The election included Greenfield electing Christopher Borreson as the village’s first mayor in over a decade; various new and familiar faces elected to local councils; a mix of incumbents and new representatives elected as township trustees; school board races, with contested elections for Greenfield and Fairfield districts; and a clean sweep of the local issues, with two tax levies and four liquor options.

• On Nov. 9, Lynchburg-Clay graduate Will McConnaughey performed Script Ohio at the OSU women's basketball game vs. Coppin State. 

• Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and first lady Fran DeWine visited the Fairfield Local School District Nov. 10 to take part in a ribbon cutting for the new Highland Health Providers Leesburg Family Medicine school-based health clinic. The health clinic was built on the district’s K-12 campus with more than $3.2 million in grant funding awarded as part of Governor DeWine's Appalachian Children's Health Initiative. 

• Highland County commissioners  were updated on plans to expand an existing solar project, with additional acreage for a larger solar development as well as a new battery storage facility, Nov. 12, as Joel Puritz and Maria Smith-Lopez of DESRI (DE Shaw Renewable Investments) presented a slideshow with information regarding next steps for the Highland Solar I. 

• As reported Nov. 15, Shawnee State University announced the appointment of former Hillsboro law director Randalyn Worley as its assistant general counsel and Title IX coordinator.

• After months of discussion, Hillsboro City Council members approved a pay increase for the city auditor, while a proposed update to the city’s pay ordinance for other employees died for lack of a second at council’s Nov. 13 meeting.

• On Nov. 19, Hillsboro attorney Allyce Horne announced her candidacy for Judge of the Highland County Probate/Juvenile Court. 

• Tyrell M. Knisley, 29, of Greenfield was sentenced Nov. 19 to two years in prison after pleading guilty to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

• As part of National Rural Health Day, Highland District Hospital announced Nov. 20 it has earned a 2025 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in outcomes.

• Paul S. Cox Jr., 34, of Leesburg was sentenced Nov. 20 to 15 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to raping a child under the age of 10.

• As reported Nov. 23, the Girls Strikers of the Leesburg SAY Soccer Club finished their season with a 16-0 record and won their first-ever state championship.

• The Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association recently released its All-Ohio teams for the 2025 season, with Fairfield’s Vivian Henniger and Lynchburg-Clay’s Elam Faust and Caitlyn Collins recognized, as reported Nov. 29.

• Longtime Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley, who had served as county auditor for 32 years before retiring after eight terms, passed away Nov. 29 at the age of 79.

• The UC Clermont women’s soccer team, which includes Lynchburg-Clay graduate Aubrey Slack, secured a 3-1 victory over NHTI to win the 2025 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Division II National Championship, marking their third consecutive title, as announced Nov. 29.

December

• The eighth graduating class of the New Way to Recovery Drug Court Docket of the Highland County Common Pleas Court was honored at a ceremony Dec. 7, as there were eight graduates recognized.

• Four Highland County football players, including Hillsboro’s Mason Dumpert, Collin Swackhamer and Zack Brown and McClain’s Hudson Lovett, made the 2025 OPSMA All-Ohio list for Division III and Division IV, as reported Dec. 10. 

• Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha administered the oaths of office to six incoming Hillsboro City Council members during a ceremony Dec. 11.  Current council members Dan Baucher, Tom Eichinger and Mary Stanforth, as well as newly elected members Heith Brown, Gary Lewis and Cody Mathews, were sworn in. The incoming council will also include incumbent Adam Wilkin and newcomer Logan Kelly.

• Greenfield superintendent Quincey Gray recognized Marilyn Mitchell for her 12 years of service as a school board member at her final meeting Dec. 15.

• Justin A. Stubbs, 47, of Leesburg man was sentenced Dec. 15 to nearly five years in prison after pleading guilty to a second-degree felony aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine charge. In addition to being sentenced to a minimum of three years in prison on that count, he was ordered to serve 609 days remaining on post-release control from a separate fifth-degree felony drug case.

• Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education members Larry Lyons, Beverly Rhoads and Jerry Walker took their respective oaths of office for another four-year term during the board’s Dec. 15 meeting. As discussed during that meeting, Rhoads was also honored by the Great Oaks Board of Directors Dec. 4, as she received a Heritage Oaks Award for her six terms on the Great Oaks board.

• As reported Dec. 17, the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) held the organizational meeting for the 2026 board of directors that included the election of Highland County’s Lindsey Hall as president. 

• In their final meeting of the 2025 calendar year Dec. 17, Highland County commissioners approved a number of year-end measures, including the 2026 budget with a total of $68,644,933.62 and a general fund total of $18 million. 

• Southern State Community College announced Dec. 18 the retirement of Dr. Julianne Krebs, Dean of Nursing, following 25 years of dedicated service to the college. SSCC also announced the appointment of faculty member Abby Storrs, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, as the new Director of Nursing, effective Dec. 16. 

• Fairfield Local High School held its fifth annual Lions Care Day Dec. 19, a day dedicated to a number of community service projects.

• On Dec. 22 at Lynchburg-Clay High School, all-time leading basketball scorer and soccer record-holder Peyton Scott was inducted in the LCHS Athletic Hall of Fame.

• A finding for recovery of $943.90 was issued Dec. 30 against former fiscal officer for the Paint Creek Joint Emergency Medical Services/Fire District James Barrett, who failed to remit federal payroll taxes by their due dates.

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 26 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.