SANDERSON ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME NAMES CLASS OF 2012
RALEIGH — Sanderson High School and the Sanderson Athletic Club will induct its second class of the Sanderson Athletics Hall of Fame in festivities to be held in September 2012. The class includes nine individual athletes, one family, a set of three brothers, and one team.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2012 will be honored in ceremonies that will be conducted on “Hall of Fame Weekend” this fall. The honorees will be introduced at halftime of the Sanderson home football game versus Wakefield on September 14 and they will be the guests of honor at the Hall of Fame luncheon on Sunday, September 16 at the Wake County Shrine Club.
The luncheon will be followed by the induction ceremony held in the Sanderson auditorium at 4:30 that afternoon. All of the Hall of Fame Weekend activities will be open to the public. Tickets for the football game will cost $7.00 each and will be available on the night of the game. Tickets for the luncheon will be made available for $25 each beginning in August and must be purchased in advance. There will be no charge for the induction ceremony in the auditorium.
The Barber Brothers – Budhy (SHS Class of 1979), Bakty (SHS ’81), and Harry (SHS ’82) were three ultra-talented soccer players who helped thrust the Spartan program into dominance in the late 70s and early 80s. Born in Indonesia, they came to the United States as youngsters and played with an elegance that separated them from their peers. All three were NCHSAA State Champions and All-State players and Bakty and Harry earned All-American honors. All three played together for the NC State Wolfpack.
Tresa Brown-Tomlinson – (Tresa Brown – SHS ’80) – led the Spartans women‟s basketball team to successful campaigns in 1978-79 (19-4) and 1979-80 (28-1). The 1979-80 team lost in the semifinals of the NCHSAA State Tournament. “Tree” was a three time All-Metro Area Player of the Year, scoring 19.1 points per game as a senior. Upon graduation, she played for the UNC Tar Heels for four years, averaging 16.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. She led the Tar Heels to their first ACC Championship in 1984 while being named ACC Player of the Year and MVP of the ACC Tournament. Her UNC jersey, number 24, hangs in Carmichael Arena.
Dirk Ewing – (SHS ’75) – Played basketball for three years, earning All-Metro as a junior and senior while scoring 20 points and pulling down 12 rebounds per game for each of those seasons… also earned All-Conference and Holiday Festival All-Tournament Team as a junior and senior… earned a reputation as a very unselfish player and as a great shooter. He played in the NCCA East-West All-Star Game following his senior year… played at NC State for two years and Stetson University for two years. He led his teams at Stetson in scoring both years, averaging 16.7 ppg each year.
Jenny Huber John – (Jenny Huber – SHS ’89) – Outstanding student-athlete who swam during a four year period when the Spartan women won four consecutive conference championships and one team NCHSAA Championship… earned four individual NCHSAA State Championships (50 free and 100 free) and two relay championships (400 free relay, 200 medley relay)… named All-Metro Female Swimmer of the Year by N&O as a senior… still holds the Sanderson record in the 50 free and 100 free… four time All-American at UNC… ten time ACC Champion in sprint relays… UNC team captain as a senior
William Keever – (SHS ’88) – Helped the SHS Men‟s Swimming & Diving teams win three Cap Nine and two NCHSAA State Championships in his four years with the program. William won two individual and two relay NCHSAA championships events. His first place time of 50.38 in the 100 butterfly in the 1988 NCHSAA Championship established a state record that stood for 17 years and is still the mark in the Sanderson record book. He excelled while competing in US Swimming, in college at LSU and UNC, and beyond. He was a member of the US Swimming National Team at the 1994 Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Lawson Family – Ken (Sr.) and Anne Lawson raised three sons – Ken Jr. (SHS ’84), Miller (SHS ’89), and Michael (SHS ’92) who attended Sanderson from 1981 through 1992. Mom and Dad were active members of the Sanderson Athletic Club. Ken (Sr.) held the position of president for three years. He was also a volunteer assistant football coach during four of the Chuck Lehning years. The boys all played football and baseball each and every season. Ken (Jr.) was Student Body Vice-President his senior year. Miller was Sanderson’s Most Outstanding Male Athlete his senior year and went on to earn four varsity letters in football and play in four bowl games at N.C. State. Michael played on the SHS baseball team that played in the NCHSAA finals in 1992. Sadly, Ken (Sr.) passed away in July of 2011.
Bill Lynch – (SHS ’77) – Ran Cross Country and Track & Field for three years each… finished in first place in the NCHSAA Cross Country Championship meet twice – as a junior in 1975 (winning time was 15:09) and as a senior in 1976 (14:52). The 1976 winning time was the state record and has been retired since the competition is no longer held at Finley Golf Course at UNC. He also finished in first place in the two-mile run at the NCHSAA Track & Field Championships in 1976 (9:20.00) and 1977 (9:17.75)… participated in both sports while attending Duke University.
Chris Mitta (SHS ’84) – This outstanding baseball player attended Sanderson as a junior and senior and was named Cap Eight All-Conference both years and Conference Player of the Year as a senior. He was a slugger, hitting .397 as a junior. As a senior, he hit .482 with 5 home runs and 23 RBI. He built his reputation with his ability to hit the long ball. Not many hitters could clear the fences at Optimist Park, but Chris could. He also had a solid reputation in the field at third base. He went on to a successful collegiate baseball career at Campbell University.
David Neal – (SHS ’92) – Outstanding three-sport student-athlete… was named Sanderson’s Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year his senior year… played football (QB, DB), basketball (PG), and baseball (OF) all four years… All-Conference in football as a senior… baseball team made it to the state finals senior year…attended UNC and played JV basketball for two years and varsity basketball for two years under Dean Smith… including a trip to the 1995 Final Four in Seattle… has coached basketball at Louisburg and Apex High Schools for the past 15 years where his teams have won numerous conference, sectional, and regional championships.
Dan Schlesinger – (SHS Salutatorian ’73) – Outstanding student and member of Cross Country and Track & Field teams… finished in second place in NCHSAA Cross Country Championship meet… He finished in first place in the two-mile run at the NCHSAA Track & Field Championships in 1972 (9:29.30) and 1973 (9:13.70). Ran XC and Track at Yale, earned scholarship to Oxford. Represented Harvard-Yale vs Cambridge –Oxford track meet one year and then Cambridge-Oxford vs Harvard-Yale two years later… he won the 5000 meter event both times! After Oxford he started running marathons and finished third in the 1980 New York City Marathon… Went to Harvard Law… practiced law for 15 years and then turned his attention to a career in art… he is best known internationally as the illustrator of the Japanese editions of the Harry Potter series. Check out his website at www.danschlesingerart.com
Chuck Sledge – (SHS ’85) – A three year starter on the varsity football team… defense was his forte… played linebacker… developed a reputation as a ferocious tackler… as a senior football player, Chuck was a team captain, earned Cap Eight Player of the Year, Raleigh Times Metro Player of the Year, and All-State… led Sanderson to 1984 Cap Eight Championship… played in the 1985 NCCA East-West All-Star Game… three-year letterman for UNC Tar Heels.
The Undefeated 1991 Women’s Soccer Team – Coach Doug Benton’s 1990 women‟s soccer team left the Gregson Stadium field following a disappointing 1-0 loss to Grimsley in the NCHSAA State Championship game. But the disappointment fueled their determination for the following season, and they delivered. In 1991, they won 18 games, lost 0, and tied one en route to earning Sanderson’s first and only women’s soccer state championship to date. They dominated the opposition – scoring 72 goals while giving up only three for the entire season. Rival Millbrook went 12-4-2 on the season with all 4 losses coming to the Spartans. Sanderson defeated North Forsyth in the state title game, 7-1. Ashley Riggs scored four goals and was named MVP of the state title game.
NCHSAA Hall of Famer Bob Catapano serves as chairman of the Sanderson Hall of Fame committee.
