Two coaches, nine athletes and three contributors were added to the Mathews High School Hall of Fame at a program held Friday night, joining the 58 current members since the program’s inception in 2019.
The program, which was held in the school’s Harry M. Ward Auditorium (which bears the name of an inaugural Hall of Fame inductee), was only the third time the program was held, due to disruptions because of the Covid pandemic.
“We have 84 years of history that needs to be recognized,” said Al Dewitt, as he began the program. Dewitt, who created the MHS Hall of Fame, currently serves as the school’s assistant Athletic Director and the varsity baseball coach, which makes him ineligible to enter the HOF (since nominees can no longer be coaching to be considered).
However, MHS Athletic Director Josh Grein announced that Dewitt has recently received another honor—the Virginia High School League’s 2022-2023 Regional Award of Merit, which is awarded to individuals who have had a positive impact on high school athletic and activity programs at the school, conference, regional or state level.
Both coaches that were recognized have left a lasting impression on MHS sports. LaDonna Crain served as the girls’ tennis coach for 17 years, from 2005 to 2021. During that time, her girls posted 302 wins. Five times, she guided her team to the VHSL state finals. In 2016, her girls’ doubles team won the VHSL state doubles championship, the first state championship for the program.
Tim Ulsaker took the job of auto mechanics teacher at MHS in 1980 and was struck by the sheer volume of shoreline in Mathews. “He knew then that he had an area that was the perfect setting for a rowing program,” said Matt Muffelman, a 2019 HOF inductee himself, who introduced his coach. During 33 seasons, Ulsaker coached boats to numerous national and international medals, also helping his rowers receive more than $13 million in college scholarships.
Athletes named to the Hall of Fame were Kenny Morgan (1978 graduate who ended his basketball career at MHS with 1,485 points and 1,500+ rebounds), Paul Naglieri (1997 grad, four-time state place winner in wrestling, state champ at 119 lbs. his junior year), Allen Safrit (1998 grad, standout in cross country and crew), Lindsay Newell (1999 grad, excelled in cross country and track), Chris Rogers (2004 grad, #3 scorer in MHS soccer with 37 goals), Whittney Henry Sueda (2005 grad, outstanding athlete in volleyball, cross country and crew), Jonathan Dehoux (2006 grad, first baseman of the 2004 state champion baseball team, since inducted into the USCAA and Apprentice School Baseball Halls of Fame), Chris Davis (2012 grad, holds numerous MHS football records including career touchdowns—72—single-season rushing yards—1,878—and career yards—4,556), and Kayla Robins (2013 grad, star pitcher for MHS softball, went on to compile 48-17 with 596 strikeouts at Chowan University).
This year’s three contributors named to the HOF were three MHS graduates—James “Jimmy” Robins (1969), Gary Wade Sadler (1971) and Alfred “Freddie” Dehoux (1975)—who have given years of valuable volunteer service to the school’s athletic programs.
The 33 members of the 2019 inaugural HOF class were H. Kenneth Brown Sr., Steve Lewis, Harry M. Ward, Allen Moughon, Elma Moughon, Vic Camechis, John E. Brown, Bruce Shumaker, David Anthony, Tom Holaday, Robert Thomas, Norman Dinwiddie, Clarence Minters, Stuart Anderson, Keith Atherton, Mark Royals, Malcolm Blacken, Joe Silvus, Matt Muffelman, William James, Craig Todd, Denise Brooks Williams, Amanda Morris Robinson, Allie Bridge Robins, Sharese Jarvis, Ashley Hudgins, Morgan Johnson, James R. Lewis, Richard Perry, John Lanford, Tom Dutton, William B. Hudgins and C. Ben Lennon.
Before Covid struck, the Class of 2020 was announced. That group was finally recognized last year. They are: Matt Lawson, Drs. Hugh Bryan and Sterling Ransone, Dino Papas, David Shuber, Melvin “Pete” Fry, Gene Sutton, Phyllis Callis Hudgins, Don Close, Charles “Chuck” Sutton, Beverly Hudgins, Betsy Hudgins Ripley, Edwina Jackson Casey, Janice Vogel, Lynne Forrest Martin, Robert “Bobby” Reidell, Jason Smith, Erich Nitzsche, Jerry Davis, Chris Shepherd, Katie Lakin Schultz, Jeremy Elliott, James “Jimmy” Sopko, Melissa Hudgins Diggs and Rachel Close Gordon.