The Lakeside High School Sports Hall of Fame will celebrate its sixth annual class of inductees on Saturday, March 16 at 11 a.m. Former Viking legends across all sports will be represented in the Class of 2024 and this year will also honor the 1972 Football State Champions as the first team inducted into the Hall. Led by legendary head coach Wayman Creel—a 2019 inductee in Lakeside’s Inaugural Class—the 1972 Vikings completed a perfect 14-0 season to win the Class 3A state title and produced a school-record 518 points to complement a dominant defense that allowed just 6.29 ppg with six shutouts.
The 24-member class includes nine football inductees, three baseball players, one coach, and a duo of soccer standouts—including Mary Weems Sturken—who was one of the first female athletes in Lakeside history to earn an athletic scholarship to play for Erskine College. Rachel Mann, who is one of three gymnasts getting inducted, was voted into the Hall of Fame last year, but was unbale to attend the ceremony. All inductees must be present to get inducted, and Mann will join Carol Ansley and Denise Finney as the trio of gymnastics inductees. The Beth Cooley Cheerleading Award is going to Cathy Clement-Butler this year and the John Kicklighter Service Award is going to Terry Tucker and Herb Broughton—who were dedicated youth coaches that prepared the next generation of Vikings.
Since its launch in 2019, the Hall of Fame and induction ceremony have grown in scale and this year will have previous inductees presenting the Hall of Fame jackets to the newest class, including members of the committee that select the student-athletes to be inducted. This includes inaugural inductee and long-time soccer coach Jim Mitchell, last year’s John Kicklighter Service Award recipient and Hall of Fame President I.J. Rosenberg, Class of 2020 inductee and 1979 graduate and former football and soccer star Mark Fleetwood, and Class of 2021 inductee and 1978 graduate and soccer star Chris Garner.
“It’s amazing to see where the Hall of Fame has gone since 2019,’’said Rosenberg. “What’s great is each year we have a large number of Hall of Famers coming back for the event. I also think inducting a team will now cover a lot of student-athletes who may not get into the Hall on their own but were major players in state championships. There is no better example than the 1972 football team which has to be one of the greatest teams that has played in the top classification. In their 14 games, the only team to stay within a touchdown of Lakeside was Griffin (14-8) in the first round of the state playoffs. The Vikings then crushed Avondale (34-14) in the semifinals and didn’t have much of a problem with Central-Macon (36-25) in the finals. We expect a large number of the players from that team to be there.’’
Lunch is included for all attendees and tickets can be bought by clicking here!
The full Class of 2024 includes:
Track & Field
Rob Weathers (1977)
Football
Milton Pate (1974), Michael Lindsey (1998), Billy Simmons (1971), Tommy Parkerson (1975), Rob Weathers (1977), Stewart Atkinson (1975), Jason Holloman (1996), Frank Speer (1975), Hubert Rowe (1970), 1972 State Championship Team
Baseball
Mark Clark (1977), Pat McGuire (1983), Bill Ivie (1971)
Soccer
Mary Weems Sturken (1985), Wade Meyer (1976)
Basketball
Marianne Conley-Roberts (1976)
Swimming
Dan Phillips (1981)
Gymnastics
Carol Ansley (1972), Denise Finney (1975), Rachel Mann (2000)
Tennis/Basketball
Terri Russell Boyce (1977)
Coaches
Rick Barbe
Beth Cooley Cheerleading Award
Cathy Clement-Butler (1980)
John Kicklighter Service Award
Terry Tucker, Herb Broughton
See below for each of the previous Hall of Fame classes.
Class of 2023
Football
Steve Ivie (1967), Frank Vardeman (1971), Bob Brien (1975), Rusty Moore (1975), Steve McKenna (1975), David Glover (1975), Raji Gordon (1987), Rico Clark (1987), Coach Norm Olson (1966-69)
Soccer
Rick Culberson (1972), Alec Kann (2010), Pamela Roberts (1985), Tom Fisher (1974)
Tennis
Rick Bodin (1972)
Basketball
David Whittemore (1975)
Cross County/Track
Joe Laboon (1971), Coach Alvin Sharpe (1965-71), Kristi Hanna (1979), Carol Seavey-Ashmore (1974), Rebecca Mullen (2001), Susan Seavey (1976)
Wrestling
Mike Nelson (1977)
Swimming
Libba Newman (1981)
Gymnastics
Jerry Morrison (1974), Mary Lou Watson-Collins (1977), Sydney McCallister (1984), Rachel Mann (2000)
Beth Cooley Cheerleading Award
Julie Penter-Hickman (1973)
John Kicklighter Service Award
I.J. Rosenberg (1981)
Class of 2022
Football
James Wurst (1979), Kevin Whitley (1988), Steve Campbell (1981), Jimmy Blankenship (1969), Willie Smith (1992), Scott Gold (1988).
Soccer
Alan Smith (1974), Steve Dunbar (1984), Lori Willis-White (1988)
Tennis
Chuck Sobers (1982), Jim Duckworth (1982), Jody Reedy-Andrade (1984), Betsy Reedy-Sawyer (1986)
Basketball
Mary Wilbanks (1982)
Cross County/Track
James Timmerman (1971), Scott Stewart (1971)
Baseball
Mike Cash (1970)
Wrestling
Jeff Garrett (1971), David Dalbo (1972)
Coaches
Bubba Wilson (1990-2003), Dan Key (1972-2007)
Gymnastics
Bonnie Bridges-Harris (1973), Kathleen Kelly-Shaffer (1976)
Beth Cooley Cheerleading Award
Claire Hubbard (1982)
John Kicklighter Service Award
Tom Beuglas (1980-99)
Class of 2021
Football
John Schaefer (1979), Chip Creel (1978), Walter Smith (1979), Kevin Anthony (1982), Ladd Fletcher (1982), Mark Hickman (1972), Jim McCoun (1976), Tommy Harris (1971), Chris McCoun (1970), John Hayworth (1967), Greg Lester (1987), Jim Kroll (1972), Mike Bartik (1970), Bob Butler (1974), Tobin Sexton (1973)
Soccer
Casey Campbell (1975), Dave Blanks (1978), David Ball (1974), Chris Garner (1978), Shawn Cartmill (1981), Roy Day (1972), Mike Balsamides (1984)
Cross County
Robbie Burns (1974), Scott Griffith (1979)
Swimming
Maria Thrash (1979), Katie Heyburn (1984)
Baseball
Brent McGuire (1979), Alan O’Neal (1974), Billy Walker (1971)
Gymnastics
Susan Cantrell (1975), Laura Deadwyler (1978), Diane Cantrell (1977)
Girls Basketball/Track
Stacy Shelton (1984)
Beth Cooley Cheerleading Award
Joni Maulden (1980)
John Kicklighter Service Award
Chris Chilton (1982) and mother Nini Chilton
Class of 2020
Football
David Henderson (1976), John O’Neal (1975), Melvin Dorsey (1979), Mark Fleetwood (1979), Huey Richardson (1986), Nick Carmichael (1969), Rocky Kurland (1973), David Elder (1973), Charlie Garnham (1977), Tommy Bowen (1974)
Basketball
Britt Franks (1979), Larry Sale (1973), Tori Stewart (1976)
Baseball
Coach Marvin Pruitt (1978-86), Doug Gilcrease (1978)
Soccer
John Creviston (1976), Merck Smith (1978), Ronnie Roberts (1980), Peter Pak (1986), Carol Chilton (1986)
Cross County
Tony Dipaola (1975), Mark Thompson (1976)
Tennis
Kelly Thurman (1976), Paul Groth (1976)
Swimming
Margaret Shine (1971), Jan Michaelis-Bilthouse (1975)
Track and Field
Rick Elder (1970), Stephen Ott (1973)
Gymnastics
Coach Shirley McDaniel (1972-86), Laura Church (1977)
Wrestling
John Kalvelage (1972), Coach Nick Janoulis
Beth Cooley Cheerleading Award
Beth Cooley (1982)
John Kicklighter Service Award
Joe Willingham
Inaugural Class of 2019
Football
Wayman Creel (1970-82), Dick Conn (1969), Jack Jones (1969), Ed Butler (1972), Jack Fuqua (1971), Mike Johnson (1973), Jack Bowen (1973), Coach Dave Redford (1970-93), Spencer Nelms (1981), Greg Davis (1983), Coach Phil Lindsey (1976-97)
Basketball
Pete Fusi (1973)
Baseball
Gene Ammann (1967), Ron Cash (1967)
Soccer
Coach Jim Mitchell (1973-2003), Tom Manget (1971), John Manget (1975), Lane Kenworthy (1982)
Cross Country
Coach Eddie Roberts (1971-2005), Joe Thorne (2002)
Tennis
Lianna Bebeau (1984)
Swimming
Coach Avalee Spinks (1977-2007), Renee Loisel (1972)
Track and Field
Robbie Horton (1975)
Gymnastics
Coach Lucia Norwood (1970-75), Jeff Morrison (1974), Barbara Hall (1976), Karen Loewen (1981)
Wrestling
Bryan Carlisle (1983)
John Kicklighter Service Award
John Kicklighter (1971-84)
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