Local: Eldorado to induct 2 teams, 3 individuals into Hall Of Fame
The things once in style always seem to come back around.
Such is the case at Eldorado High School where on Saturday, Oct. 7, the school will induct its newest members into the Hall Of Fame.
Eldorado athletic director Greg Goodley said it's been a while since the school has done a Hall Of Fame induction, but added the time to get it going again is now.
The Hall Of Fame ceremony will coincide with the school's Homecoming festivities and Saturday's Black Diamond Conference football game against Edwards County at 1 p.m.
"We've needed to do this for a long time," Goodley said. "They last few years, one of the biggest problems has been trying to find a date and I think no matter how you look at it, trying to get a day where everyone can attend is difficult. We decided that Homecoming and that Saturday would be a good time to pencil it in."
Three individuals who will be etched into the walls of Duff-Kingston Gymnasium during the Hall Of Fame ceremony will be Rusty Mosby, Ryan Browning and Billy Tippett.
The school will also induct the 1996 and 2000 EHS baseball teams.
Mosby, who graduated in 1989, earned 10 varsity letters, playing football, basketball and track. On the football field, Mosby was All-Independent for three years, All-South two years and All-State one season. In Track, he finished seventh in the 400 meters at the 1998 state track and field meet and followed that up with a fifth place finish the following season in the same event.
Browning graduated in 1995 and earned six varsity letters, playing golf and basketball. In golf, Browning placed fourth at the IHSA state tournament in 1993.
Tippett earned four varsity letters when he graduated in 1996. Tippett played baseball and football and was an All-State and All-South nominee in 1996. He was also the Southern Illinoisan Baseball Player Of The Year in 1996.
The 1996 Baseball team that Tippett was a part of went 22-6 and won the regional and sectional and finished in the Elite 8 at the State Tournament.
That team was coached by Greg Goodley and included Chris Barker, Clint Bender, Rostin Bergan, Joe Clark, Brad Dickerson, Andy Freeborn, Mark Gilley, Shane Hale, Brandon Hampton, Mark Hiller, Damian Morris, Jeremy Palmer, Justin Roberts, Brandon Waller and Corey Williams. Assistant coaches were Jason Roper, Tim McGrath and Josh Bean.
The 2000 baseball team, also coached by Goodley, finished fourth at the state tournament and went 25-9.
That team included Jonathan Andrews, Jeremiah Barrow, Josh Laugher, Josh Bradley, Mike Brow, John DeBose, Brent Hopkins, Justin McKinney, Adam Stanley, Ryan Townsend, Chris Wilson, Matt Whyte, James Morris, Ryan Neal, James Potter and Jeremy Randoloph.
Assistant coaches included Goodley's brother, Brad and Garrett Barker.
Goodley said the process of Hall Of Fame inductions will go on an every other year or possibly early third year, but regardless says it something that needs to be done.
"This is way for us to bring back our school history. There are a lot of people that still need to put in and we're working on that right now, but look at that '96 baseball team. That was the first team to go back to the state tournament at Eldorado since 1986, when I played. These accomplishment and accolades need to be displayed and we need to bring back some school spirit in what we have done. Plus, it's just nice every once in a while for some of these guys or girls that have moved away, a chance for them to come back and see them again."
Goodley also noted that the Hall Of Fame area will be getting something of a "new look."
"We're getting ready to update that portion of the gymnasium and we're working on having it down by basketball season. The new implementation will be a 60-inch television screen that runs off a computer system that will display all of the Hall Of Fame information with some team and individual pictures."
Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Register, Eldorado Journal & The Gallatin County Democrat. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.