Severe weather can’t dampen spirit of 18th annual Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame banquet

By:
0
3804
Johnny Thornton

Front row L-R, Barry Willoughby, Danny Davis, Vickie Akers, Randy Hasenbein, Roger Moore
Back row L-R, Tim Heck (accepting on behalf of his late father, Hubert Heck), Wayne Chappell, Tim Brigham, Bryan Cain, Mark Moore

CULLMAN – Tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were not enough to prevent the 18th annual Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame banquet from taking place Saturday evening at the Cullman Civic Center.
At 5:45 p.m., a tornado warning went into effect for Cullman County, with people already arriving at the civic center for a reception prior to the 6:30 p.m. starting time.

A representative from the civic center asked those in attendance to move into the hallway for their safety as a severe thunderstorm with a possible tornado moved into the area from the Sardis community of Winston County.

Things then went on as scheduled with 10 newcomers being inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with 12 student athletes receiving $1,000 scholarships.

The 2018 Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame inductees:

COLD SPRINGS – Danny Davis: 1975 graduate of Cold Springs, played baseball, football and basketball and ran track. All-Area in basketball 1974 & 1975. Member of Cullman County basketball championship teams from 1973 through 1975. All-County in baseball and a participant in the Lions Club East-West All-Star Game. Played four years collegiate baseball at St. Bernard College.

CULLMAN – Barry Willoughby: 1963 graduate of Cullman High School. All-Tennessee Valley Conference football team 1961 & 1962. Member of 1962 Cullman football team that was 10-0 and state champions.
Signed scholarship to play at University of Alabama for coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Member of two national championship teams at the University of Alabama.

CULLMAN – Wayne Chappell: 1963 graduate of Cullman High School. Member of 1962 football team. Team captain, All-Tennessee Valley Conference. Signed a scholarship with University of Alabama, but opted to go into the profession of ministry. Served in the ministry for 48 years.

CULLMAN – Bryan Cain: 1980 Graduate of Cullman High School. Played football, basketball and baseball at Cullman. Batted .412 in 1979, batted .450 in 1980. Played at Gadsden State Community College, then the University of Alabama in Birmingham for hall of famer Harry "The Hat" Walker. Set UAB record for stolen bases in single season with 54 in 1985.

FAIRVIEW – Mark Moore: Coached at Fairview High School from 1986 until 2003 in sports of football and baseball. Had a 356-156 career record for Fairview baseball, with five area championships and eight Cullman County championships. Was a 1979 graduate of Minor High School in Birmingham. Played baseball at Jefferson State Community from 1980 to 1981, then for the University of Alabama in Birmingham from 1982 to 1983.

GOOD HOPE – Roger Moore: 1984 graduate of Good Hope High School. Played baseball, football, basketball. Was member of Good Hope's first baseball playoff team in 1983. All-State baseball in 1984 and a participant in the Lions Club East-West All-Star Game. Played college baseball at Samford University in 1985 and transferred to Livingston University (now University of West Alabama). Was team captain in 1989.

HANCEVILLE – Tim Brigham: 1976 graduate of Hanceville High School. All-county in football and basketball. Most valuable lineman in 1975. Member of county championship track team in 1974 & 1975, area champion in discus throw in 1974. Received a scholarship to play football at Troy University.

HOLLY POND – Vickie Akers: 1975 graduate of Holly Pond High School. Played basketball and softball, was All-County basketball in 1974 & 1975, team MVP in 1975. Valedictorian of her senior class. Signed a scholarship to play volleyball and basketball at Cullman College.

VINEMONT – Randy Hasenbein. 1969 graduate of Vinemont High School. Played on Vinemont's first high school baseball and basketball teams in 1969. All-county baseball. Played in Lions Club East-West All-Star Game. Coached Vinemont's first Cullman County basketball championship team in 1983. Served as Vinemont representative on Cullman County Board of Education from 2002 to 2014.

WEST POINT – Hubert Heck: 1937 graduate of West Point High School. Played basketball at West Point. Attended Florence State College (now known as University of North Alabama). Was drafted into the U.S. Army while in his junior year in college. Served in the Army until 1946. Principal in Cullman County school system for 15 years. Principal in Cullman city school system for 10 years.

Student-athlete scholarship winners:

COLD SPRINGS: Jesse Lee – Victoria Rouse Memorial Scholarship. Lee was All-Cullman County basketball and All-tournament team in 2017. Member of 2016 Class 1A/2A state championship track & field team.

CULLMAN: Kendall Adkison – Jimmy Dale Burgess Scholarship. Team captain of cross country team 2015 & 2016. Qualifier for AHSAA Cross Country & State Indoor track meet.

FAIRVIEW: Tyler Ball – Charlotte Cummings Memorial Scholarship. Ball is member of 2017 Cullman County baseball champion, 5A, Area 12 champion and playoff qualifier. All-County baseball for two seasons.

FAIRVIEW: Jada Golden – Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame scholarship. Member of 2017 Cullman County basketball championship team, 5A, Area 12 champion, Northwest Regional runner-up. Winner of the Charlotte Cummings Memorial Scholarship at the Cullman County Basketball Tournament.

FAIRVIEW: Clay Lanier – Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship. Member of 2017 Cullman County baseball championship team, 5A, Area 12 championship team. All-tournament team.

GOOD HOPE: Abby Burnette – Jacob Harris Memorial Scholarship. All-county volleyball 2014, 2015, team captain 2015.

GOOD HOPE: Matt Cofer – James & Gussie Shabel Memorial Scholarship. All-county and all-region football, all county and all-area basketball.

HANCEVILLE: Cameron Barbee – Lane & Nancy Horton Scholarship. Played basketball four years, football one year.

HOLLY POND: Michael Lambert – Dane Estes Memorial Scholarship. All-county, all-region football, holds school record for passing yards of 1,971 in one season, passing yards of 429 in one game and four touchdown passes in one game.

ST. BERNARD: Kateylyn Cowie – Charlie Richard Memorial Scholarship. Member of cross country team for four years. All-state cross country 2014, 2015. No. 1 singles player on tennis team.

VINEMONT: Seth Campbell – Michael Stewart Memorial Scholarship. Lettered in football for four years.

WEST POINT: Bailee Yearwood – Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship. Lettered in volleyball and basketball four years, all-county basketball. State track and field qualifier.

The 12 scholarships were the most presented to student athletes in one year at a Hall of Fame banquet. A total of $157,000 has been raised to provide scholarships for Cullman County student athletes through the years.
 

Copyright 2017 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.