NORTHEAST REGION TITLE HOLDERS
We celebrate our many athletes and teams in the Northeast Region for their accomplishment at the annual Northeast Region Classic title championship event. (Note: the regional model for our sport began in 2023, which is why there are no prior year lists.)
States in our Northeast Region include Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
CATEGORY TITLE WINNER INFORMATION
2026 Season
INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY
Overall Male: Barrett Piper, West Licking (OH) Fire District
Overall Female: Hunter Brancifort, Akron (OH) Fire Department
Division 1: Male Under Age 40: Billie Johnson, Akron (OH) Fire Department
Division 1: Female Under Age 40: Alexandria Brown, Nimishillen Township (OH) Fire Department
Division 2: Male Under Age 40: Kevin Zybert, Lackawanna (NY) Fire Department
Division 2: Female Under Age 40: Hunter Brancifort, Akron (OH) Fire Department
Division 3: Male Under Age 40: Nicholas Fleming, Akron (OH) Fire Department
Division 3: Female Under Age 40: Amber Ryczek, Stow (OH) Fire Department
Ages 18-29 Male: Nathanael Gardner, Erie (PA) Fire Department
Ages 18-29 Female: Hunter Brancifort, Akron (OH) Fire Department
Ages 30-39 Male: Kevin Zybert, Lackawanna (NY) Fire Department
Ages 30-39 Female: Alexandria Brown, Nimishillen Township (OH) Fire Department
Age 40-49 Male: Barrett Piper, West Licking (OH) Fire District
Age 50-59 Male: Chris Cerci, Upper St. Clair (PA) Fire Department
Age 60-69 Male: Scott Bauer, Marathon (OH) Fire Department
Jr. Firefighter/Explorer Male: Hunter Smithburger, Ohiopyle-Stewart Vol (PA) Fire Department
FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWDOWN
FD Showdown: All Male Team: Akron (OH) Fire Department (Members: Nicholas Fleming, Tiesean Brown, James Ware, Justin Ward and Doug Price)
FD Showdown: Coed Team: Akron (OH) Fire Department (Members: James Paulus, Christopher Brinkley and Hunter Brancifort)
TANDEM CATEGORY
FD Under Age 40 Male: Akron (OH) Fire Department (Members: Billie Johnson and Tiesean Brown)
FD Under Age 40 Coed: Akron (OH) Fire Department (Members: Christopher Brinkley and Hunter Brancifort)
FD Open Male: West Licking (OH) Fire District (Members: Barrett Piper and Chris Sturtz)
FD Age 40-49 Male: Canton (OH) Fire Department (Members: Aaron Rich and Brian Collins)
FD Age 50+ Male: Akron (OH) Fire Department (Members: Joe Bryant and Doug Price)
Hybrid Under Age 40 Male: Ohio Dudes (Members: Barrett Piper and Christopher Brinkley)
Hybrid Age 50-59 Male: Iron Sharpens Iron #2 (Members: Chris Cerci and Michael Smithburger)
RELAY CATEGORY
FD Under Age 40 Male: West Licking (OH) Fire Department (Members: Trent McArtor, Barrett Piper, Chris Sturtz, Mason Swearingen, and Cullen McFarland)
FD Under Age 40 Coed: Akron (OH) Fire Department (Members: Billie Johnson, Mick Harper, Tiesean Brown, Rozsa Sykes, and Hunter Brancifort)
FD Age 40-49 Male: Canton (OH) Fire Department (Members: Eric Ohman, Aaron Rich, Brian Collins, Cale Canoles, and Aaron Best)
Hybrid Under Age 40 Male: Team Garfield Heights (Members: Matthew Rauschenbach, Mark Rauschenbach, Nate Barnhart, Carson Drach, and Robert Wolf)
Hybrid Age 50-59 Male: Team Pa 50 (Members: Chris Cerci, Timothy Cook, Jonathan Fleming, and Michael Smithburger)
2025 Season
INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY
Overall Male: Barrett Piper, West Licking (OH) Fire District
Overall Female: Kimberly Kerschner, Perry Point (MD) Fire Department
Division 1: Male Under Age 40: Ben Pritchard, Delhi Township (OH) Fire Department
Division 2: Male Under Age 40: Michael Uttley, Andover (MA) Fire Rescue
Division 3: Male Under Age 40: Kevin Zybert, Lackawanna (NY) Fire Department
Division 3: Female Under Age 40: Kimberly Kerschner, Perry Point (MD) Fire Department
Division 1: Male Age 40-49: Barrett Piper, West Licking (OH) Fire District
Division 1: Male Age 50-59: Chris Cerci, Upper St. Clair (PA) Fire Department
Division 1: Male Age 60-69: Scott Bauer, Marathon (OH) Fire Department
FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWDOWN
FD Showdown: All Male Team: City of Erie (PA) Fire Department Green (Members include: Judah Gardner, Kyle
Miller, Joe Russo, Terry Sedney, and Marshall Hunsaker)
TANDEM CATEGORY
FD Under Age 40 Male: West Licking (OH) Fire District Blue (Members include: Mason Swearingen and Trent McArtor)
FD Open Male: West Licking (OH) Fire District 1 (Members include: Chris Sturtz and Barrett Piper)
Hybrid Under Age 40 Male: Power and Strength (Members include: Ben Pritchard and Chris Cerci)
Hybrid Under Age 40 Coed: K and K Show (Members include: Kevin Jones and Kimberly Kerschner)
Hybrid Age 50-59 Male: Team 965 (Members include: Chris Cerci and Michael Smithburger)
RELAY CATEGORY
FD Under Age 40 Male: West Licking (OH) Fire District (Members include: Barrett Piper, Chris Sturtz, Mason
Swearingen, and Trent McArtor)
Hybrid Under Age 40 Male: Garfield Heights Fire Department (Members include: Carson Drach, Mark Rauschenbach,
Matt Rauschenbach, and Nate Barnhart)
Hybrid Age 50-59 Male: PA Over 50 (Members include: Chris Cerci, Jonathan Fleming, Michael Smithburger, and Scott
Kerstetter)
2024 Season
Individual Male Category Results
Overall Male: Barrett Piper, West Licking (OH) Fire Department
Overall Female: Amber Glenning, Glenside (PA) Fire Company
Division 2: Male Under Age 40: Chris Sturtz, West Licking (OH) Fire Department
Division 3: Male Under Age 40: Trent McArtor, West Licking (OH) Fire Department
Division 3: Female Under Age 40: Amber Glenning, Glenside (PA) Fire Company
Division 1: Male Age 40-49: Barrett Piper, West Licking (OH) Fire Department
Division 1: Male Age 50-59: Jonathan Fleming, Dauphin Middle Paxton (PA) Fire Department
Division 1: Male Age 60-69: Edward Schuler, Toms River (NJ) Fire Department
Fire Department Showdown Team Category Results
FD Showdown: Male: Barrett Piper, Chris Sturtz, and Trent McArtor: Team: West Licking (OH) Fire Department
Tandem Team Category Results
Tandem Team: Male Under Age 40: Barrett Piper and Chris Sturtz: Team West Licking Fire
Tandem Team: Male Age 50-59: Tim Cook and Edward Schuler: Team: TR2FD
Tandem Team: Female Under Age 40: Kim Kerschner and Samantha Nields: Team: We Don’t Quit!
Relay Team Category Results
Relay Team: FD Male Under Age 40: Barrett Piper, Mason Swearingen, Chris Sturtz, and Trent McArtor: Team: West Licking (OH) Fire Department
2023 Season
Individual Category Results
Overall Male: Larry Artzner, Lakewood (OH) Fire Department
Division 3: Male Under Age 40: Larry Artzner, Lakewood (OH) Fire Department
Top Fire Chief: Gary Shepherd, Townsend (MA) Fire-EMS
Division 1: Male Age 40-49: Barrett Piper, West Licking (OH) Fire Department
Division 1: Male Age 50-59: Jonathan Fleming, Dauphin (PA) Middle Paxton Fire
Division 1: Male Age 60-69: Ed Schuler, Toms River (NJ) Fire Department
Fire Department Showdown Team Category Results
FD Showdown: Male: Moises Ximello Sanchez, Tim Cook, and Ed Schuler: Team: Toms River (NJ) Fire Department
Tandem Team Category Results
Tandem Team: Male Under Age 40: Barrett Piper and Chris Sturtz: Team: West Licking Fire
Tandem Team: Male Age 50-59: Tim Cook and Edward Schuler: Team: TR2FD
Relay Team Category Results
Relay Team: FD Male Under Age 40: Rob Cumbo, Barrett Piper, Chris Sturtz and Travis Turley: Team: West Licking Fire
