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Dragon Hall of Fame inducts ‘Class of 2011’

 

A dozen Sonoma Valley High School athletes, two coaches, and a pair of community volunteers were inducted into Sonoma Valley High School’s Dragon Hall of Fame last Saturday night in a dinner ceremony held at the Lodge at Sonoma.

After four years of recognizing individual accomplishments, the Dragon Hall of Fame committee plans to “take a break from this format and start recognizing outstanding Sonoma Valley High School sports teams of the past,” said committee chair Bob Kruljac. He told the more than 150 people attending Saturday’s event, “We’ll need your help” in coming up with teams worthy of Hall of Fame induction.

Committee member Jim Haver welcomed attendees at Saturday’s fourth annual event, before turning it over to Kruljac, who asked all to raise their glasses in a toast to the late Mitch Mulas, longtime supporter of Sonoma Valley High School who passed away in March, and also to 2011 Hall of Fame inductee Gary Ellison, who died in January.

The D.A. Pfeiffer Coaching Awards went to former football and track coach Stan Augustine, and to wrestling coach Roger Winslow, who really put the wrestling program “on the map” for Sonoma. Augustine was introduced by current Dragon head football coach Mick O’Meara, and Winslow by his son, Deets, who succeeded him as coach of the Dragon grapplers upon his retirement.

Receiving the Mulas Family Recognition Award were Joe and Diane Lunny, who have spent the last few decades supporting Sonoma athletics and other programs by volunteering to get the fields in shape, manning the concession stand, being active in the Booster Club, and basically, “always being there when something needed to get done,” said coach O’Meara, who introduced the couple.

Moving into the athletic inductions, the 1950s were up first, and retired teacher/coach Howard Costello started with his introduction of Dave Hinton. In addition to lettering in four sports (football, basketball, baseball and track), Hinton had considerable musical talent as a trumpet player, and Costello was disappointed when his inductee didn’t play a tune to entertain the gathering. 

Hinton, in turn, presented the next inductee, the late Gary Ellison, a friend and teammate who longtime Dragon football coach Clarence Edsall described as “the best fullback I’ve ever coached.” Ellison’s son, Mike, was present to accept the award.

Wrapping up the 1950s was another multi-sport athlete, Jim Scribner, who excelled in football, basketball and track. He was presented by old friend, Don “Monk” Hage, also a Sonoma alum.

The athlete recognized from the 1960s was unique in that she excelled in sports at a time before women’s athletic teams were established at Sonoma. Mary Ann Garlick Bogart, class of 1962, who was best remembered as a top-flight tennis player for Sonoma, attended UC Davis, where she went on to be tops in women’s tennis doubles, and as a member of the women’s field hockey and basketball teams. She earned her degree and eventually entered into a long and successful teaching and coaching career. She was presented by one of her former students, Janet Coles, herself a California Hall of Fame golfer.

For the 1970s, multi-talented Jim Woods was inducted as being an outstanding athlete, particularly in football and track. But, as one of his former coaches, Bob McAllister, said, “Jim excelled at anything he tried – he was a natural.” Woods flew in from New York for the occasion with a group of colleagues, including his presenter, Gerald Connelly.

Inductions for the 1980s started off with Tony Edwards, a top wrestler and football player who went on to distinguish himself on the gridiron at University Nevada, Reno, and played professionally in Europe, before getting into coaching high school football. Edwards was presented by his dad, Lionel.

Also from the 1980s, inductee Nancy Hafterson, a top performer in girls’ basketball and volleyball, said one of her most thrilling accomplishments in high school was when she scored 36 points in a basketball game, tying her older brother’s (Matt Hafterson) Sonoma single-game scoring record. She was introduced by her daughter, Mindi, also an outstanding Sonoma athlete who went on to star in volleyball at UC Berkeley.

Rounding out inductees for the 1980s was Kori Schake, a standout cross country, track and field athlete who, when she first started competing, had to run with the boys cross country team, as no girls team had yet been established. Schake, who has enjoyed a very successful career in government and academia, stressed how important girls’ athletic competition is in life development. She was presented by her former coach, Stan Augustine.

Girls’ track star Sara Jakel, who set many records during her tenure at Sonoma, led off the inductees for the 1990s. Introduced by her coach, Sherman Harris, he noted that Jakel won four varsity letters in one year and after college, went on to a career in nursing.

Adam Soldati, another athlete who excelled in multiple sports, became best known for his prowess as a diver when he went on to Santa Rosa Junior College. His former basketball coach, Phil Rosemergy, presented Soldati, who was unable to attend because of a commitment to judge the NCAA diving championships that were being held in Florida. Soldati is currently diving coach at Purdue University.

The first inductees for the decade of 2000 were Tommy Everidge and Joanna Rentz. Everidge, who was unable to attend because he is currently playing professional baseball, was presented by his former coach, Don Lyons. Lyons presented Tommy’s old Sonoma baseball jersey to the Hall of Fame and Everidge’s wife, Kelli, accepted the award for her husband.

Rentz, a four-year varsity starter for the Dragon volleyball team that enjoyed an incredible 173-18 record during her tenure, was also named Sonoma County League Most Valuable Player three times, and went on to be a standout player for the University of Pacific. She was presented by her sister, Natalie Dusac.