XENIA — The Xenia High School Athletic Hall of Fame has announced its 2017 induction class.
In alphabetical order, David Adkins, Mike Anderson, Peanut Bottorff, John Cowens, Terry Hedges, Tom Hudson, Skip Smith, Paul Storey, Mark Wingard and the 1965 XHS cross country team will make up the 2017 class.
• Adkins (Class of 1974) was a first-team All Western Ohio League, All-Southwest Ohio, All-Ohio selection in football. The Buccaneers’ Most Valuable Player in 1973, Adkins was nominated to the North-South all-star game and was a Top 100 Prep All-American. He went on to be a four-year letterman at Ohio State, was team MVP and All-Big Ten Honorable Mention pick in 1977, before being drafted by the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
• Anderson served as head football coach and an assistant track coach at XHS from 1969 to 2010. He led Xenia to the WOL title in 1985 and is the winningest football coach in school history. A 4-year letter winner at Xenia High, Anderson was named to the Miami Valley Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2017, and is a 2008 inductee into the Xenia Community Schools Hall of Honor.
• Bottorff is a big reason why kids have Youth Recreation Club (YRC) baseball programs at Evans Acres today. “Peanut” started, coached and sponsored two teams in the Dayton Amateur Baseball Commission leagues for 20 years.
• Also instrumental in creating the YRC is fellow inductee Cowens, an athletic booster, volunteer coach, civic leader and former YRC president. Cowens is a two-time Xenia Retailer of the Year, and was named by Nike as its Outstanding Retailer of the Year.
• Hedges (Class of 1966) claimed WOL cross country titles in both 1964 and 1965. Hedges set league and district track records in the 2-mile run, and qualified to regionals and state in 1966.
• Hudson (Class of 1982) was named a first-team choice for WOL and All-Area soccer teams in both 1980 and 1981. He was an all-Ohio selection in 1981 and set the school career goals scored mark at XHS. That record stood for 32 years. Hudson played college soccer at both Central State and Wright State Universities.
• Smith (Class of 1984) amassed a 33-1 wrestling record from 1983 to 1984 and was the team’s MVP in ‘84. A two-time WOL champ, Smith was the 1984 district champion and finished third at the state competition. A 4-year letterman at Wright State, Smith competed in the national tournament three times and earned All-American status his junior year.
• Storey (Class of 1960) was a basketball standout on the three-time Miami Valley League champion Buccaneer teams of the late 1950s. A two time All-MVL choice, and state Honorable Mention pick, Storey went on to a 4-year starting career with the Ohio University Bobcats and is in the Ohio University Hall of Fame. He’s part of the ‘63-‘64 Ohio team that is inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
• Wingard (Class of 1982) excelled in basketball and track at XHS. He was team MVP in 1982 and earned first-team all-WOL honors in 1981 and 1982. An all-Ohio second teamer in ‘82, Wingard led the WOL in rebounding and played in Ohio’s North-South all-star game. In track, Wingard set high jump and high hurdles records while a Buccaneer, placing sixth at state in the high jump in ‘82. In college, he became St. Joseph’s College’s sixth leading scorer in career points.
• The 1965 cross country team of Bruce Kelley, Marcus Murray, Hedges, Phil Steely, coach Bill Watson, Fred Coy, Bob Liming, Marcel Dezarn and Doug Whitacre will also be recognized. The team won the WOL championship from 1964 to 1966, won the 1965 district crown and was undefeated in dual meets. The team qualified to the state meet in both 1965 and 1066.
The 2017 class marks the seventh to be inducted into the Xenia Hall of Fame.
The six athletes, coach, two contributing community members and the 1965 cross country team will be recognized during the Xenia High School boys basketball game against Stebbins, set for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off Friday, Dec. 8 at the high school.
An induction ceremony will take place starting at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Faith Community Methodist Church, 100 Country Club Dr., in Xenia. The Xenia community is invited to attend. Call Gregg Cross at 937-372-5417 before Friday, Dec. 1 to make your reservations.
