Hall of Fame plaques awarded
Last updated 7/1/2020 at 9:29pm
ODESSA – The Odessa Athletics Hall of Fame awarded plaques to the slate of 2020 inductees last Saturday afternoon. On the date that would also have been the occasion of the Odessa High School Alumni Banquet, had the Covid-19 pandemic not intervened, the hall of fame committee chair Larry Weber and vice-chair Jon Heimbigner greeted the invited guests at the high school gym foyer, where the display case containing information on all of the inductees to date is housed. The guests mingled and greeted one another for a few minutes, and then the awards were presented.
The 1954 tennis team made up of Gale Salo, Merle Braun, Gerald Giese, Sandy Phillips, Virgil King and Carol Lynn Williams tied with Wenatchee High School to become co-winners of the Inland Empire Tennis Tournament. Odessa was the only B school to win the tournament in its 75-year history. Salo is the only surviving member of that team, and he accepted his award as part of the team and as a first-place winner with his partner Phillips in the mixed doubles category.
Harley Mooers was a teacher, coach and principal at Odessa High School from 1946 until his untimely death from a heart attack in 1958, when he was 46 years old. He coached the Inland Empire champion tennis team of 1954, as well as many other Odessa tennis players who became very successful during his tenure. His daughter Marilee Mooers Hertig accepted his award.
Another OHS tennis team (from 1994-1995) had a breakout year. Nicole Melcher Picicci and Marci Smith Grall took first place at the state A/B tournament in girls doubles and also the state team title. Both were present to receive their awards as team members and as individuals as their family members looked on. Their coaches were Myrna Heimbigner Wolsborn and Tom Wolsborn (as assistant coach). Both girls were also active in other sports and activities during high school.
Dan Gettman participated in both basketball and tennis before graduating from OHS in 1962. He lettered all four years in tennis and three years in basketball. He was the boys singles champion for the Bi-County and/or District throughout his last three years of high school. He married, had two children and became a pharmacist in Spokane. He died from complications of diabetes in 2018 at the age of 74. Family members were unable to be present to accept his award, but it will be shipped to them.
Karen Nichol Christensen lettered in tennis all four years in high school. This 1971 graduate was present with her husband to accept her award. In her junior year, she and Nancy Schauerman Glines had an undefeated season (18-0), which included a first place in girls doubles in the Bi-County tournament and first place in the Inland Empire Tournament. As a senior, she partnered with Jenny Zacher, taking first in the Bi-County and fourth in the Inland Empire.
Nancy Schauerman Glines was also a four-year letterman in tennis, graduating in 1970. As a junior and senior she partnered with Karen Nichol Christensen (see above). She was not present to accept her award, but it will be forwarded to her.
Carol Michaelsen Evavold, class of 1963, lettered all four years in tennis and basketball and was also a cheerleader. In basketball, girls played a modified version of the game in which each team had two offensive and two defensive players, who remained within a designated half court, and one roving forward who covered the entire court. Carol was Odessa's roving forward and led the team to winning two-thirds of their games over her four-year career. In tennis, she and Loren Wenz played mixed doubles her sophomore year and ended their season as Bi-County and District champions. As a junior and senior, she was Bi-County and District champion in girls singles and went on to win one match at the Inland Empire Tournament. Her husband, fellow hall-of-famer Jon Evavold, and their children and grandchildren accompanied her at the ceremony. Afterward, a young voice said, "She should also get an award as the World's Best Grandma."
Reubin Kissler graduated in 1932, having lettered all four years in track, football and basketball. He was a vital member of all three teams, but track was his specialty. During that era, district and state tournaments pitted all high school participants against one another regardless of school size. As a senior, he set school records in the 880 at District in a time of 2:07 minutes and in the 440 at the county tournament in a time of 0.55. At the state tournament, he placed second in the 880, competing against qualifiers from schools of all sizes. He also participated at various times in high and low hurdles, the 880 relay and pole vault. Reubin died in 2000 at the age of 87. Accepting his award were his daughter Trisha Kissler and his grandson Todd Kissler.
Ryan Walker was a four-year letterman in football and golf and a three-year letterman in basketball. He graduated in 1983. As a football quarterback his junior and senior years, he led his team to undefeated seasons both years before losing in the state B8 semi-finals. He received the school's Athlete of the Year award his sophomore, junior and senior years. Ryan is married with three grown daughters and lives in Colorado, where he currently avidly pursues the sport of mountain climbing.
The hall of fame committee meets several times a year to review and discuss any nominations submitted. Once the inductees are chosen, more work follows in tracking down each individual or team member. If the inductee is deceased, family members are sought to provide information and to accept the award on the inductee's behalf. The inductees themselves and those who accepted for their absent relatives expressed their profuse gratitude for the work of the committee.
In addition to Weber and Heimbigner, committee members Terrie Weishaar and Jon Evavold attended. Myrna Wolsborn had intended to be present, but a health issue intervened.
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