BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Thirty-three individuals and two teams were inducted into the Martin County All-Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony Friday at the Collier Center in Inez. The event drew a crowd of over 215 from seven different states, celebrating the athletic achievements deeply embedded in Martin County’s history.

HOF President Dwayne Sweeney opened the ceremony by welcoming everyone on behalf of the HOF Committee: Roger Harless, Jack Ward, Phil Kirk, Bill Bo Davis, Everette Horn Jr., AJ Haney and Barb Kirk. He then recognized Barb Kirk for her work behind the scenes.

“She is the person who motivates us,” Sweeney said. “She has more passion than even I do about this project.”

Sweeney stated the goal of the HOF Committee was to preserve and maintain Martin County’s deep, rich athletic history and promote it throughout the state.

“We’re 96 years behind,” said Sweeney. “This county, per capita, has more athletes and more success, I would bet, than any county in the state of Kentucky.”

According to Sweeney, the Hall of Fame on the second floor at the Collier Center is a temporary holding.

“This county is deserving of a building and we will get one eventually that will house with pride the memorabilia we get from the athletes here. This is a process,” said Sweeney.

Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty gave welcoming remarks.

“We are a people that band together in so many different ways to address our common problems and recognize and honor our past achievements and those who have contributed so much to our unified values,” Lafferty said.

“The inductees here today know that when you step on the field or you step on the court or get on that mat, where you’re from, your economic status, and who you know and who your friends are doesn’t mean anything. It simply becomes, at that point, ‘May the best woman win,’ and man too. But if you notice today, we certainly are honoring women’s sports in our county, and they have contributed so very much to our lives.

“The other thing this year that has been such a great thing to see is that Martin Countians are an inclusive people. They’re very welcoming. And I welcome all of you home today. You citizens who were born and raised here and have moved away and come back today, I hope you can see some good things going on in our county. We are a great people in Martin County.”

Jack Ward, HOF board member and the “Voice of the Martin County Cardinals,” stepped to the podium to present Lester West’s plaque to West’s sister.

Ward noted that West played for Inez High School from 1939 to 1941 and won three district titles, three regional titles, one state championship, one state first-round and one state semifinal. West was named All-State Tournament in 1940 and 1941, played in the Kentucky-Indiana All-Stars game, and was awarded a scholarship to Murray State University. West was inducted in the first ceremony earlier this year, but his family was unable to attend that ceremony.

Ward then introduced the second-round inductees.

Brad Tiller — Sheldon Clark Baseball, Football and Basketball 1990-1994, Cleveland Indians 1994-1998

Brad Tiller, the son of Sheldon Clark basketball standout Wayne Tiller, was known for his great speed. He had a high school batting average of 550 with 33 home runs, hit a 3-point shot to win the 1992 57th District basketball tournament and was a standout football player at SCHS in the 1991 and 1992 seasons, leading the team in kick-off return yardage, rushing yardage and receiving yardage.

Tiller signed with UK to play baseball and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1994 Major League Draft by the Cleveland Indians. He played in 1995 for Burlington Indians and was Player of the Year. He also played for the Watertown Indians in 1996 and was second on the team in home runs, hitting 444 in the New York-Penn League championship series. He played in the 1996 Winter League for the West Oahu CaneFires. In 1997, playing for the Watertown Indians, he hit 245, had two home runs and 10 RBIs, six doubles, and 18 out of 21 stolen bases in 29 games. His season was cut short by a rotator cuff injury and labrum tear, then surgery in the fall of 1998.

Tiller played in 1998 for the Columbus Redstixx while rehabbing his shoulder after surgery. He asked for release from the Indians in 1999 and attended college at the University of Kentucky.

Tiller was heavily recruited by several Division 1 programs for football, basketball and baseball. Football offers included Auburn, Wisconsin, Illinois, Army, Navy and Marshall. Creighton, West Virginia, Wesleyan, Morehead and East Tennessee recruited him in basketball. He had baseball offers from UK, Tennessee, Miami, Florida, Illinois and Florida State.

“I never saw Brad get tackled,” Ward said. “He either ran out of bounds or ran for a touchdown. The most amazing thing I ever saw.”

Ida Bowen — Sheldon Clark Basketball

Ida Bowen was a 6-foot-1, lanky, silky player who scored 2,385 points, tallied 1,268 career rebounds, and shot 56% from the field. She averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocked shots per game as a senior. She shot 61.4% from the field her senior season. In 1991, she was named Miss Kentucky Basketball. Bowen was first-team all-state in 1990 and 1991. She led the Cardinals to 15th Region titles in 1990 and 1991. She led the Kentucky All-Stars to a sweep over Indiana her senior year.

Bowen signed with Western Kentucky University and played in the NCAA Final Four for the WKU team that lost to Stanford in the championship game. After college, she played professional basketball in Finland.

Carla Booth — Sheldon Clark Basketball 2007-2011

Carla Booth led Sheldon Clark to the second round of the KHSAA Sweet 16, averaging 23 points and seven rebounds. As a senior, she led Sheldon Clark to a 25-9 record, the 57th District championship and the 15th Region title. She shot 47% from the field, 37% from 3-point range, and 80% from the foul line. Booth scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the first-round game of the state tournament vs. Boyd County, scored 19 points and 10 rebounds in the second game vs. Calloway County and was named to the All-State Tournament team. She was named first-team all-state by the Louisville Courier Journal, second-team all-state by the Lexington Herald Leader, and the 15th Region Player of the Year.

As a junior, Booth averaged 19.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game and was selected second-team all-state by the Lexington Herald Leader and third-team all-state by the Louisville Courier Journal. She shot 46% from the field and 79% from the free-throw line. She led Sheldon Clark to a 20-6 record and 57th District championship. Carla was selected by WYMT as the 15th Region Player of the Year and selected to the All-Mountain Team. She was also recognized as 15th Region Player of the Year her sophomore year after averaging 22 points per game. She is also the winner of the 15th Region Player of the Year award in 2008, 2009 and 2010, was selected to the 15th Region All-Tournament Team in 2009, garnered All-A 15th Region MVP honors and a spot on the All-A Classic All-Tournament Team. She led SCHS to the All-A semifinals that season. She was selected to play in the Kentucky vs. Indiana All-Stars game in 2011. Booth signed to play at Eastern Kentucky University, played there for one year and finished her college career at Alice Lloyd College.

Mandy Harmon — Sheldon Clark Basketball 1998-2001

Mandy Harmon is Sheldon Clark High School’s All-Time Leading scorer with 3,280 points. She is the KHSAA 12th all-time leading scorer. In her senior year, she averaged 29.2 points per game, won two 57th District championships, and two 15th Region runner-up finishes. She led her teams to a 76-36 four-year overall record.

She was All-State Honorable Mention in 1998, third-team all-state in 1999 and 2000, and first-team all-state in 2001. Harmon was a smooth player and athlete. At 5-foot-10, she could handle the ball, was a good passer, and could score inside. She was an excellent outside shooter.

Harmon signed to play college ball with Morehead State University.

Robin Harmon-Newsome — Sheldon Clark Basketball 1974-1978

Robin Harmon was a highly talented basketball player from Lovely. She led the state in scoring her senior year, averaging 33 points per game, 10 assists and eight rebounds per game. During her 4-year career at Sheldon Clark, her teams went 93-12 and won four District 57 and four 15th Region titles. She totaled 3,098 points, averaging 29.7 points per game for her career. She is SCHS’s Second all-time leading scorer and Kentucky girls basketball’s 24th all-time leading scorer. She had a career-high and school record of 52 points, which she scored in one-half of a game. She was a member of the Kentucky All-Stars team and was invited to the USA National Junior team tryouts. Harmon was first-team all-state in 1977 and 1978. She led the Cardinals to a No. 1 ranking in her junior year. She made the  KHSAA All-Tournament Team. She signed with Morehead State and was a 4-year starter. She is fourth on Morehead’s all-time scoring list and fifth in assists. Her four-year record at Morehead State was 86-36. She went on to be inducted into the Morehead State Hall of Fame. She also went on to play softball at MSU. She coached for 25 years at Sheldon Clark, winning 425 games. She won 11 57th District titles and three 15th Region titles and coached 17 All-State selections. She was the athletic director at Sheldon Clark from 1994 to 2013. She is currently coaching at Martin County High with an 83-34 record and three more District championships. She has won over 500 career games as a coach. She is a member of six halls of fame: Sheldon Clark High Hall of Fame, Morehead State Hall of Fame, Dawhares KHSAA Hall of Fame, Kentucky All-Stars Hall of Fame, Kentucky High School Hall of Fame, KABC Hall of Fame and the Martin County Hall of Fame.

Laken ‘Boo’ Newsome — Sheldon Clark Golf 2013-2017

Laken “Boo” Newsome, the daughter of Coach Robin Harmon Newsome, played golf for coaches Ronnie and Debbie Evans. Boo helped lead her team to three 15th Region All “A” championships and two 11th Region KHSAA championships, all being the first in school history. Among many other tournament placements during her high school career, Newsome won the KHSAA 11th Region individual title in her senior season, shooting a score of 69, the lowest round in the state. She was named first-team all-state in golf, the first and only in Sheldon Clark’s history. As a freshman, Newsome was a Region 10 state tournament qualifier and All “A” state tournament in 2013. She led the team to regional runner-up in 2014, tied for first in the Ashland Paul Blazer, was 11th Region All “A” winner, 15th Region individual runner-up, qualified for the KHSAA state tournament, and qualified for team 15th Region runner-up. In 2015, she tied for first in the Central Kentucky Conference, was KHSAA regional runner-up, 11th Region team champion. In 2016, she led the Lady Cards to a regional championship, shooting a tournament-best 69. She was ranked in the top 5 in the state her senior season, named first-team all-state, won the Lady Raiders Invitational, was the 15th Region All “A” champion, 15th Region All “A” team champion, top 10 in the All “A” state tournament, and first in Eagle Trace.

Newsome signed with the University of Pikeville and won 16 career tournaments, the most in the school’s history. She had 150 birdies in college and finished in the top 3 in every tournament she played in her senior season. She holds many school records for UPike and was named All-American during her senior season.

Newsome teaches at Martin County High School and helps coach the girls basketball team. She coaches middle school girls basketball and was recently named girls softball coach and golf coach at the high school.

Odell Pack—Inez High School Basketball 1963-1967

Odell Pack was a 6-foot-5 power forward/center before the term became popular. He was a 1967 honorable mention all-stater and unstoppable when he got the ball near the basket. He earned a basketball scholarship to ABAC. Pack was named the 1969 Georgia Junior College Player of the Year. He was awarded a scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth University in 1969 and graduated in 1970. From 1972 to 1992, he taught and coached at Raceland High School; from 1992 to 2012, he was an administrator for Raceland-Worthington Schools. In 2017, he was voted into the Raceland Hall of Legends and in 2019, into the ABAC Hall of Fame.

His brothers, Harold Pack and Jerry Pack, were outstanding Inez and Sheldon Clark basketball players.

Ward recalled people talking about Odell Pack. “I got to play with Jerry and Punk, and they weren’t nearly as good-looking as Odell, but they were really good basketball players,” Ward said. “I dreaded playing Jerry and Punk.”

Clay Maynard Jr. — Warfield High School Basketball 1967-1971

Clay Maynard Jr. was a legendary 6-foot-4, 230-pound rebounding machine for some of Warfield’s best teams. As a senior, Clay Maynard Jr. averaged 28.3 rebounds per game to lead the state, 19.3 points per game, and shot 52% from the field. As a junior, he averaged 17 points and 26 rebounds per game. He got as many as 35 rebounds in a single game against McDowell, 32 against Jackson, 29 against Crum, 27 against Louisa, 23 against Paintsville, and an incredible 37 points and 43 rebounds against Tollesboro. He was honorable mention all-state in 1971.

“If proper records were kept, I believe Clay Maynard Jr. would be the greatest rebounder in Kentucky High School Basketball history,” said Ward. “Coach Johnny Williams called him the greatest rebounder he had ever seen.”

Katelyn Newsome—Sheldon Clark Basketball 2008-2013

Katelyn Newsome, daughter of Robin Harmon Newsome, won the 15th Region All “A” championship in 2008-2009, the first in school history. She played in the school’s first All “A” state semifinal and was named to the All “A” All-Tournament team in 2009. Also, in 2009 and 2010, Newsome helped lead her team to 57th District championships. In 2010, she led them to the 15th Region championship and the school’s first and only Sweet 16 semifinal appearance.

In her 2011 state tournament game, Newsome scored 23 points to defeat Boyd County and was named the Sweet 16 National Guard Player of the Game. In the Sweet 16 game vs. Calloway County, Newsome scored 23 points and was 9 of 12 from the field for 75%. She became the second player in Sheldon Clark’s history to be named to the Sweet 16 All-Tournament Team. She helped lead her team to a 97-47 record during her career and scored over 2,000 points. She received a basketball scholarship from Hillsdale College.

Brent Weaver—Sheldon Clark Track and Field 1996-1999

Brent Weaver was an all-around athlete who was naturally gifted. He won the 1999 Class 2A State High Jump championship with a jump of 6 feet, 6 inches. Legend has it that he blew out one of his shoes on a practice jump and had to borrow Coach Jim Matney’s shoes for the jump. He is the only state champion in track and field in the school’s history.

Weaver was a member of the 1998 regional championship football team and played receiver and defensive back.

He passed away and gave the gift of life to five different people through organ donation.

Weaver’s stepfather, Judge Lafferty, accepted the plaque.

Billy Clark—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 1999-2002

Billy Clark was the 2002 state wrestling champion in the 112-pound weight class. He beat Josh Hardkey by pin, beat Bailon Cruse Williams 5-0, Jake Wood 11-0 in the quarterfinals, Brad Strouse 4-3 in the semifinals, and Ethan Woods 17-2 in the finals. Many say Clark would have won the state title in 2001 but for an illness. He finished third in the state at 103 pounds in 1999.

“He was a bundle of dynamite in a small package,” said Ward.

John Dials—Sheldon Clark High Wrestling 1997-2001

John won the 250-pound state wrestling championship in 2001, winning by pin in the finals. In 2000, he was also a first-team all-state football player as a defensive end. He lost to Aaron Reardon by one point in the state wrestling semifinals in 2000 and finished fifth in 1999 at 189 pounds. Dials won the WSAZ Wrestling Tournament 2001 at 215 pounds, one of the country’s best tournaments. He played on the 1998 regional championship undefeated football team and, in 2000, only lost in the playoffs. His football teams finished 11-1 and 11-2 in his last two years.

Chris Goss—Sheldon Clark High School Wrestling 1998-1991

Chris Goss was a three-time district and two-time regional wrestling champion. He was KHSAA state runner-up in his junior year in 1990. His record was 35-1 that year, with his only loss in the state finals. He was a 160-pound state champion in 1991. He beat Don Schrock by a pin, Ramone Hughes 7-0, Mark Barrett  3-2 in the semifinals, and Collin Thompson 10-0 in the finals. He was undefeated 55-0 his senior year. He was the first-ever state wrestling champion at Sheldon Clark. His record was 90-1 in his junior and senior years; his overall record was 165-29.

Goss went on to wrestle at Liberty University for one year and helped coach wrestling under Jim Matney from 1993 to 1995. In 1994 and 1995, Sheldon Clark won two team state championships.

“Chris was Jim Matney’s first state champion and his son was Jim Matney’s last state champion,” said Ward.

Ryan Kelly—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 2006-2009

Ryan Kelly was a 215-pound state wrestling champion in 2009, beating Michael Lamar by a pin, Bill Samones 15-5, Evan Decker by pin in the semifinals, and Jacob Ligg 14-7 in the final. He won third place in the state in 2008 and finished sixth in 2007. Kelly was an incredibly gifted athlete and outstanding football for Sheldon Clark as a running back and defensive end in 2008, finishing with 3,992 career rushing yards. He was part of three regional runner-up football teams – 2005, 2007 and 2008.

Josh Preece—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 1995-1998

Josh Preece won two consecutive state wrestling titles at 119 pounds in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, he won his first match 16-1 and second match 12-3. He beat Mark Sprawl 5-3 in the semifinals and Dan Knight 3-1 in the finals. In 1998, he won his first match by pin and the next match 9-1. He beat Dave Hyden 4-2 in the semifinals and Charles Smith 5-1 in the finals. Preece was a member of the state champion wrestling team in 1995 and finished fourth individually. He was 43-0 as a senior in 1998.

Preece trained year-round, got up at 5:30 every morning and ran 5 miles as part of his daily regimen.

“His devotion to training was key to his success,” said Ward. “He was called one of the most technically perfect wrestlers in state history.”

Xavier Manning—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 2003

Xavier Manning won the 171-pound state wrestling championship in 2003. He beat Marcus Jones 11-3, Steven Franks 11-6, Greg Minwell 7-4 in the quarterfinals, AJ Green 15-6 in the semifinals and Richard Starkes 3-1 in the finals.

“He was a strong, quick and powerful wrestler,” said Ward. “He surprised everyone but Coach Matney when he won the state championship.”

Manning was an excellent linebacker on the football field and an outstanding athlete overall.

Derrick Mollette—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 1998-2001

Derrick Mollette was the 2001 state wrestling champion at 145 pounds. In 1998, he was a state qualifier. In 1995, he finished third in the state at 140 pounds. In 2000, he finished third place at 140. In 2001, he had two pins and a technical pin to reach the finals. He beat Chad Dalton of Simon Kenton, the defending state champion, in the state finals 9-3. He set the tone for Josh Muncy and John Dials to win their championships later that night.

Mollette was also a great football player at Sheldon Clark. He was part of the 11-0 Cardinals regular season in 2000. Mollette passed away in 2023, leaving behind a wife, children and a stepdaughter.

“He left a legacy of being a champion in every way as a wrestler, husband, father and man,” said Ward.

Dan Muncy—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 2001-2004

Dan Muncy was the 152-pound state runner-up in 2003, losing 4-3 in the finals. In 2003, he was Region 8 runner-up and a member of Sheldon Clark’s small-team state champion. His record was 55-5 in 2003. In 2004, he was the Region 8 champion in the 160-pound class.

Muncy was the 160-pound state champion in 2004 and part of the Sheldon Clark small-team state championship. He beat JJ Williams by pin, Bill McCaffrey by pin, Lewis Delk by pin, and Eric Barreille 2-0 in the finals. In 2004, his record was 55-3. He went 110-8 in his junior and senior years. He had a career record of 176-37.

Josh Muncy—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 1999-2001

Josh Muncy was the 2001 KHSAA 189-pound state wrestling champion. He won his first two matches with pins, a 4-0 score in the semifinal, and 12-6 in the final over Charles Scruggs of Louisville Eastern. He was one of three Cardinals to win a state wrestling championship in 2001. That year, John Dials, his wrestling partner, won the state 215-pound championship.

Muncy also played football and was a 2000 regular-season undefeated football team member.

For 17 years, Muncy has been the head wrestling coach and head football coach at Sheldon Clark and Martin County high schools. He coached state champion wrestler Branson Smith in 2021.

Muncy took a moment to thank everyone who put the ceremony together, saying, “Lately, I’ve been passionate about preserving the county’s athletic history. What you guys are doing is awesome. We need to remember these guys and honor these guys. Wrestling was a path for me to go from a small town and continue wrestling in college. I got to wrestle in college with my brother and Billy Clark … I appreciate you all.”

Ward congratulated Muncy and his 2023 football team for making it to the state semifinals of the All “A.”

“Josh and his team get better every year,” said Ward.

Jeremey Rhodes—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 1995-1997

Jeremy Rhodes finished second in the state in 1995 at 119 pounds with a 42-3 record. He bounced back in 1996 and won the state wrestling championship at 125 pounds. He beat Matt Downing by pin, David Diaz 14-1 in the quarterfinals, Jamie Mastereo 5-1 in the semifinals, and Mike Bodner 6-1 in the final. He had an undefeated season with a 45-0 record. He also won the 1997 KHSAA state title at 130, finishing the season 54-0. He beat Paul Cooper by pin, Charlie Rowe by pin, Nick Martin by pin in the semifinals and Michael Kidd 16-2 for the state title. He won 141 and lost only 3 in his last three seasons, including 99 matches in a row.

Rhodes was a member of the 1995 state wrestling championship team.

“That, my friends, is complete domination,” said Ward. “Jeremy Rhodes is one of the greatest wrestlers in Kentucky wrestling history.”

Scott Rhodes—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 1995-1996

Scott Rhoades won the 1996 KHSAA state wrestling title at 130 pounds. Rhodes moved to Martin County from Ripley, West Virginia, while in middle school. He was the only freshman among Sheldon Clark’s 19 state champions. He beat Adam Northcutt in the state finals 5-3. Rhodes was a member of the 1995 state wrestling championship team.

Archie Stepp—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 1990-1993

Archie Stepp won the state wrestling championship in 1993 at 145 pounds. He beat Hans Hagan by pin, Cary Pike 7-2 in the quarterfinals, Tony Brancher 5-0 in the semifinals and Randy Evans 3-2 in the finals. He finished as state runner-up in 1992 at 140 pounds and finished fourth at 130 pounds in 1991.

“He was one of the first great wrestlers at Sheldon Clark and set the standard for future champions along with Chris Goss and Bruce Stepp,” said Ward.

Bruce Stepp—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 1991-1994

Bruce Stepp is a three-time state champion and four-time all-state wrestler. He finished fifth in the state in 1991 as a freshman at 189 pounds. As a sophomore in 1992, he won the state title at 189 pounds. He won his first match 10-1, and all the rest were by pin. As a junior in 1993, he won the state title at 189 pounds, finishing 44-1 on the season. He won three of the four state tournament matches by pin. As a senior, he was the 1994 Most Outstanding Wrestler and the 1994 state champion. Stepp won all of his state tournament matches by pin, garnering the most pins in the least amount of time in the state tournament.

Stepp was a member and captain of the state champion wrestling team in 1994. He had dozens of wrestling scholarship offers. However, a broken back after high school ended his wrestling career.

“Many coaches and officials said he certainly would have been a national championship wrestler,” said Ward. “Ladies and gentlemen, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, hall-of-famer Bruce Stepp.”

In a touching acceptance speech, Stepp took his hat off to everyone in the room, then added a word about his former coach, Jim Matney.

“Most of you all know that shortly after I graduated, I broke my back,” said Stepp. “I spent about the next 10 years trying to figure out who I was. There’s so much time that I lost, but I think back. There are so many different people who have contributed to my life. I even think of Mr. Haney. He was the nicest scary man I’ve ever seen—thank you, by the way. Above and beyond the people like your parents, your aunts and uncles, Jim was a special individual and I never got to tell him how much I appreciated and loved him.”

Addressing Matney’s wife, Debbi Matney, Stepp added, “So I’ll tell you, Debbi… With 30 years of hindsight, I can look back and say, “Wow. There were things you guys did that didn’t seem that big then that became huge… Coach Jim Matney was a great man. He moved a lot of mountains and shook a lot of trees. He reached me when no one else could.”

Josh Stepp—Sheldon Clark Wrestling 1996-1999

Josh Stepp is a three-time district wrestling champion, three-time regional runner-up and the 1999 KHSAA state champion at 152 pounds. He beat Tyler Hardy 11-6, Josh Walls 12-3, Josh Patard by pin in the semifinals and beat Will Fisher of Louisville Trinity 11-1 in the finals. He was voted the Most Outstanding Wrestler in the district and state tournaments in 1999. He finished fifth in the state at 145 in 1997. Stepp now owns the East Kentucky Boxing Club, where he trains and teaches boxing and martial arts.

“He definitely could wrestle still,” commented Ward.

Bryan Maynard—Sheldon Clark Basketball 1981-1984

Bryan Maynard was second-team all-state as a senior in 1984, AP honorable mention All-American, nominated to the McDonald’s All-American team, Navy scholar-athlete award, all-district for three years, and a 1983 regional championship basketball team member. Maynard scored 1520 points in high school and was captain of the baseball team, where he pitched and played outfield. Maynard signed to play basketball at Mercer University and played in the NCAA Tournament at the Omni in Atlanta. He also played baseball at Mercer as a freshman. He transferred to Freed-Hardeman University, where he was an NAIA all-district three years and scored over 1,000 points. After college, Maynard pastored for 16 years and is a licensed psychotherapist in Nashville. He has written a book that will be out in 2024 entitled “Befriending Trauma.”

Maynard said he moved to Inez in the fourth grade and his teacher was Mrs. Forsythe. “I remember the first day that we had recess. We all went inside the old Inez High School gymnasium,” Maynard said. “I walked in there and it was like I had gone to Hogwarts in Harry Potter. You just had this magic feeling and it got me. You could feel the energy like when you walk into this hall of fame—the spirit of the community around basketball and our schools, the athletes. Not long after that, I walked into the Sheldon Clark High School gymnasium and it was the biggest gymnasium I had ever seen. We’ve had a great gymnasium. I remember growing up there watching Jimmy Stepp, who, in my opinion, is the greatest basketball player to come out of our county. Unfortunately, he’s the second best-looking player to come out of our county. I remember watching him and just how hard he worked, and his brothers’ work ethic, and connecting that to the larger legacy of our tradition here in our community.”

“One of the most favorite experiences that I had coming up in that legacy as I caught that energy of Lester West and all these greats. One of the moments was when I would walk off the court and Russell Williamson would be sitting there in the chair that we provided for him, and he would always motion for me to come over there. I loved it because he would smile at me, shake my hand and say, ‘I love watching you play basketball because you love to play basketball.’ And I was like, ‘I love playing basketball in this place because you love basketball and you love this community.’ That energy was something that motivated me and I know we use this word a lot, but there was a lot of good love energy in how we had fun together, watching us play, we played for you, and I just want to say thank you for being a part of my experience and letting me be a part of your experience… This is a big deal for me. It means a lot and you mean a lot.”

Lori Ann Mills—Sheldon Clark Basketball 1980-1983

Lori Ann Mills was named all-district and all-region for four years. She won two 15th Region titles, was named first-team all-state her senior year in 1982 and was selected to the Kentucky All-Stars.

But for Mills it all started when she joined the ball team in third grade at Tomahawk Elementary. Her team won every county championship throughout her playing years. However, due to the lack of a girls team, she also played on numerous boys teams.

Playing for Inez in the sixth grade, Mills was selected to the boys all-tournament team.

“She was way ahead of her time. Wasn’t she?” commented Ward.

When Mills got to Sheldon Clark, her team dominated the 15th Region. Mills was the No. 2 shooting guard and was essential to that role. She scored over 1,500 points in her high school career. “If you ask her about it, she will say it was done the old-fashioned way,” said Ward. “Two points at a time since the 3-point shot had not been invented yet.”

Mills received an NCAA D-1 scholarship to the University of Colorado, where she started as a freshman and played in the Big Eight Conference. In her first collegiate game, she broke the single-game assist record at Colorado with 14, a title she still holds. She had a unique experience and a culture shock while her team toured the western states, playing games against powerhouse teams. She had a game-high of 24 against UCLA in the famous Pauley Pavilion, followed by a second game-high of 22 against UNLV.

“She is a true Cardinal for life,” said Ward.

Accepting her honor, Mills said, “I’m proud to be from this county and I have always worn that like a badge of honor.”

Kelly Jo Moore—Sheldon Clark Basketball 2000-2003

Kelly Jo Moore was honorable mention all-state in 2000, 2001, 2002, and third-team all-state in 2003. She was one of only four Lady Cards to be all-state four times. She led Sheldon Clark in rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage from 1999 to 2003 and was district and regional all-tournament. She was KABC Player of the Year in 2003, Kentucky AAU MVP in 1998, Ashland Invitational MVP in 2002. Moore scored over 2,000 career points and had over 1,000 career rebounds. She was the state’s leading scorer and rebounder in 2003. She was the WYMT Player of the Year in 2003, played in the Kentucky-Ohio All-Stars game, and was the East Kentucky MVP with 27 points. She was named an honorable mention All-American. She is the daughter of Eugene Moore, who starred at Warfield and Sheldon Clark from 1969 to 1973.

Moore signed to play at Marshall University.

Jim Stepp—Sheldon Clark Basketball 1975-1978

Jim Stepp was named first-team all-state in 1978 and led the state in scoring with 32.4 points per game, joining his brother Joe and later Ervin as state scoring champions. In 1978, Stepp set a state free throw record with 53 straight made free throws. He was selected to play in the All-American Cage Classic in Akron, Ohio 1978. He was also a great student, named salutatorian of his class, with a 3.9 GPA. He earned a full scholarship to play basketball at George Washington University and was there from 1978 through 1980. He transferred to EKU and was the leading scorer at EKU for the 1981 through 1983 seasons. He was team captain in the 1982-83 season and earned OVC second-team honors. He graduated with honors from EKU, then attained a master’s and doctorate through Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1986 and 2002. He served as head basketball coach at Alice Lloyd College for many years, ranked in the top 10 coaching winning percentages in NAIA at 74.1%. He was also the co-coach at June Buchanan High School and went to the KHSAA tournament in 2007. Stepp is now the president of Alice Lloyd College.

Joey Stepp—Sheldon Clark Football and Wrestling 1995-1998

Joey Stepp anchored the defense for Sheldon Clark from 1995 to 1998, making all-state in 1998 and playing on SCHS’s first regional championship team. He was all-district and all-area for three years. He was selected as Lineman of the Year for the state of Kentucky in his senior year. He was selected to the Kentucky-Tennessee All-Stars game and was the 1998 regional Player of the Year. Stepp was selected as MVP and Defensive Player of the Game in the Hatfield-McCoy All-Stars game. He was also an outstanding wrestler at Sheldon Clark, finishing as state runner-up in heavyweight. He lost by one point to Chris Floyd of Wayne County with two seconds left in the finals. After high school and receiving many football and wrestling scholarship offers, he decided to walk on at Marshall University. His dreams were realized when he was awarded a full scholarship during the second semester. He went on to play four years for the Herd, playing on Marshall’s 2000 and 2002 Mid-American Conference championship teams. He was on Marshall’s Motor City Bowl champion team in 2000 and GMAC Bowl champions in 2001 and 2002. He and the other offensive lineman were awarded the MAC Player of the Week for beating No. 6 Kansas State. Stepp graduated from Marshall with a master’s degree plus 45 hours in school counseling. He now does motivational speaking, challenging young people to be successful. He’s a popular magician doing several shows each year.

“John Dials said that without Joey Stepp befriending him and taking him into his home, he would have never been able to wrestle or play football at Sheldon Clark,” said Ward. “Joey changed his life. That says all we need to know about hall-of-famer Joey Stepp.”

Stepp revealed his inspiration from the banners of athletes like Ida Bowen that hung in the gymnasium at Sheldon Clark.

AJ and Mary Lou Haney—Sheldon Clark Basketball Coaches 1974-1978

AJ and Mary Lou Haney started the first-ever girls basketball team at Sheldon Clark High School. When Title IV was passed in 1974, Brenda Preece and Dena Booth approached Mary Lou and asked if they could have a team. During a conversation with Wilburn Goble, principal at SCHS at the time, Goble expressed concern that there were not enough girls to form a team. Johnny Williams, the basketball coach, was listening and said he had heard of a Harmon girl at Warfield who was an excellent player and might be interested. Mary Lou bet Goble a steak dinner they would go to the state tournament if he let her start a team with her husband’s help.

Mary Lou looked after the girls’ needs and AJ did the Xs and Os. The Haneys also drove the bus, picking up players from their homes if they needed a ride to the game.

“Can you imagine doing that today?” asked Ward.

After several wins, they lost their first game to Jerry Grisby and the McDowell girls in the Jenny Wiley Invitational. After the game, one of the Sheldon Clark mothers pushed one of the officials into the trash can.

In 1976-77, Sheldon Clark was ranked No. 1 in the state.

AJ and Mary Lou started and ended their games with prayer. One night they forgot to pray and the girls would not leave the locker room until they prayed. The Haneys never got a technical foul in four seasons of coaching. They went 22-2, 26-3 and 26-1 in their first three seasons. That is 93% winning with Brenda Preece, Dena Booth, Teresa Sumpter, Debbie McCoy and first-team all-stater Robin Harmon. In 1977-78, they lost all of their former all-staters to graduation except Harmon and they still went 19-6 and won a fourth-straight regional title, upsetting favorite Betsy Layne.

“I wonder if Mr. Goble ever bought Mary Lou that steak dinner,” said Ward.

The Haneys were twice selected Coach of the Year by the Williamson Daily News. They coached eight honorable mentions, one second-team all-stater, two first-team all-staters and five Martin County Hall-of-Famers. They won four straight district and four straight regional titles, a record that still stands today almost 50 years later. They set the standard for Martin County basketball.

In 49 seasons, the Lady Cardinals have had nine regional titles, seven-times regional runner-up, 24 district titles, 31 regional tournament appearances, and 892 wins.

Robin Harmon Newsome spoke of her appreciation for the Haneys. “When they started that first team, I was just a poor kid growing up in Lovely, one of nine children of a coal miner,” said Harmon. “That’s all I knew. I didn’t have anyone to look up to. There were no girls basketball players back then, there were no girls teams, but it was all in God’s plan – and God led me to dribble that basketball and then put people in my life, like AJ and Mary Lou Haney, that guided me along the way. They molded my life, helped shape me as a person. When they came up with that vision with Brenda and Dena, it laid that foundation and it still lives today.”

Newsome said that although she has won individual titles, what meant the most to her was winning the four district and regional titles with her teammates.

Ida Bowen said, “To make a great athlete, you don’t do it alone. You have family, great coaches, great friends, amazing teammates. Let me tell you, I had the best.”

Bowen added, “I want to thank the committee. This is one of the greatest honors that I have ever received.”

Bowen announced she is donating her Miss Kentucky Basketball trophy and Miss Kentucky magazine to the Hall of Fame Museum.

Jim Matney—Sheldon Clark Football and Wrestling Coach 1984-2003

Jim Matney coached two state champion wrestling teams in 1994 and 1995. He coached 19 individual state wrestling champions and 14 state runners-up at Sheldon Clark. His football record at SCHS was 123-96 in 20 years, from 1984 to 2003. He went 57-25 in district games and 8-11 in the playoffs. His Cardinals were regional football champions in 1998.

“He built Sheldon Clark into a football and wrestling powerhouse feared by all,” said Ward. “He is the winning football and wrestling coach at Sheldon Clark, later coached Johnson Central to two state championships and coached wrestling championships at Johnson Central.”

Matney wrestled at Liberty University and was an alternate for the Olympic Wrestling team. He is in the KYWCA Wrestling Hall of Fame, KHSAA Hall of Fame, and Johnson Central Hall of Fame. He had a football career record of 309-133. “To sum up Jim Matney, he was a winner that produced winners,” said Ward. “He was known for his inspiring speech about ‘We are who we are. We are boys from the mountains, from the hollows and the small towns. Don’t you let anybody come in here, especially from the big cities, be able to walk out of here thinking they’re better people than you are.’”

Matney’s wife and sons accepted his plaque.

Jesse Raines—Sheldon Clark Boxing 1979-1981

Jesse Raines was a natural boxing talent who won the Regional Golden Gloves championship in 1979. Within five months he became the first-ever Martin Countian to win the Tri-State Golden Glove championship in the novice class. He did it with an undefeated record. He paused his boxing career in 1980 to pursue a career in the mining industry. In 1981, he returned to the ring, where he would compete for two years. He was victorious in multiple tournaments across several states. He competed against many high-profile fighters, winning several Fighter of the Night awards and had an overall career record of 32 wins and seven losses. His fastest knockout was 41 seconds in the first round. He helped train and prepare professional fighters for upcoming fights.

Sheldon Clark 1994 wrestling state champion team, coached by Jim Matney, claimed its well-deserved spot in the hallowed hall. Sheldon Clark had a score of 174.5 and nine wrestlers finished fifth or higher. Woodford County scored 132 and Christian County 135.

Notable team members include Jason Deskins, Bruce Stepp, Steve Jude, Anthony Preece, Dax Harris, Matt Stepp, Jason Smith, Tony Bowen, Eric Jewell, McKinley Stepp, Archie Stepp and Jason Stepp.

The 1994 Most Outstanding Wrestler award went to Bruce Stepp.

Tony Bowen was third at 103; Dax Harris was second at 125; Jason Deskins was second at 140 pounds; Eric Jewell was fourth at 145; Matt Stepp was fourth at 152 pounds; Archie Stepp was second at 160; Steve Jude was fifth at 171; McKinley Stepp was second at 189; and Bruce Stepp was the state champion at 275.

Sheldon Clark 1995 wrestling state champion team, again under the guidance of Coach Jim Matney, earned its place in the Martin County All-Sports Hall of Fame. The team secured victory with a score of 141.5, surpassing Woodford County at 133 and Simon Kenton at 123. The team members include Dax Harris, Kenny Jude, Jeremy Rhodes, Nathan Chaffin, Tony Bowen, Steve Rhodes, McKinley Stepp, Eric Jewell, Chad Schrader, Scott Rhodes, Matt Stepp, Bill Fletcher, Chris Harmon, Jason Jewell, Ben Bowen, Bill Murphy, Anthony Preece and Josh Preece.

“If you beat Woodford County, you did something,” noted Ward. “They were a dominant wrestling program and were mad as fire because we beat them.”

Eight wrestlers finished in the top 6 or higher: Josh Preece was fourth at 100 pounds; Tony Bowen was second at 106 pounds; Jeremy Rhodes was second at 199; Anthony Preece fifth at 133 pounds; 142 Steve Rhodes was fourth at 142; Eric Jewell was sixth at 160; 172 McKinley Stepp was second at 172; and Matt Stepp was second at 185.