John Montanaro

(2-10-25) Jefferson Area (Ohio) Local Schools Superintendent John Montanaro recently canceled the Falcons remaining scheduled girls basketball games.

An incident that caused the season to end was a verbal altercation between a parent and a coach during the game and at halftime, that is when the police were called. At the end of the game there would be another verbal altercation between parents and school staff. The police officers were able to get the parents to leave.

Portions of a memo he sent to Jefferson parents-

“The safety, mental health and well-being of our student-athletes are among our highest priorities as a school district, and after careful consideration, I have decided we cannot continue at the present time due to a number of factors.

(He said he) spoke directly with team members, consulted with district administrators, and contacted the Ohio High School Athletic Association regarding these issues and my concerns.”

In an email that he wrote-

“The decision was made in the best interest of our student athletes and with input from them. Though we value extracurricular activities and interscholastic sports for our students, not when it becomes detrimental to our kids.

We are taking steps to address the issues that precipitated this suspension and have every expectation that we will resume girls basketball next season.

The decision was not made without a thorough review of the dynamics involved and an investigation of events, including those which predated the incident of last week,”

With the Falcons season ended they finished the season with a 6-10 overall record, 5-3 in the Chagrin Valley Conference Lake Division. They had five regular-season games left, plus a tournament contest.

The OHSAA Girls Basketball Tournamnet draw was held just before the #23 seed Falcons season was canceled, the benefactor was #1 seed Canfield who was awarded a forfeit win and advances in the Northeast 2-Sectional/District.

A report was forwarded to the Ashtabula County Prosecutor’s Office-

A school memo –

“As this decision is final, all families are encouraged to have conversations with their children regarding the circumstances of this season’s closure, and to assess their interpersonal needs as they reflect on what has been a tumultuous and challenging season. Although the decision is unfortunate, it is the correct course of action moving forward in order to promote the well-being of everyone involved.”

Tension had been building up at the school…Parents of Jefferson Area High School girls basketball players and other students in the district expressed concerns about the behavior of a former coach at a recent January school board meeting.

Several parents accused Brandon Hanna, who recently resigned as head coach of the Falcons, harassed their daughters from the stands during games after he resigned as coach.

Bridget Bordeaux said Hanna swore at girls on the team during games, and continued to warm up five of the freshmen players prior to games after he resigned.