• Kirkwood School District Announces 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

     

    The Kirkwood High School (KHS) Athletic Hall of Fame Selection Committee has announced the Class of 2024. The 2024 class will officially be inducted into the KHS Athletic Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Saturday, September 7, at 1 p.m. in the Keating Theatre at Kirkwood High School. The inductees will be recognized and celebrated at a Kirkwood High School Football game during halftime on Friday, September 6.

     

    The purpose of the Athletic Hall of Fame is to honor and recognize men and women athletes, coaches, or community members who have made significant contributions to KHS athletics. The information shared in the recaps contains content that was part of the nomination process and details shared by the inductees and a family member.

     

    The honorees to be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024 include:

     

    Kirkwood High School Hall of Fame Athletes

    **James E. Johnson, Class of 1938

    Johnson received multiple varsity letters in football, wrestling, and track and field while attending KHS. He was co-captain of the football and track teams during his senior year. He was the Missouri State AAU high school high hurdle champion his senior year. He received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Missouri. At Mizzou, he was a member of the Big Six High Championship in 1940. He was selected to be a member of the U.S. Olympic team, but those games never materialized due to the war in Europe. He enlisted in the Navy and opted for a commission into the Marine Corps in 1942. After three combat tours, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and several single-mission Air Medals. He declined an opportunity to play professional football for the Los Angeles Rams, and continued with his military service, serving in the Korean War and Vietnam War. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Johnson settled in Honolulu, Hawaii as an investment broker. He passed away after a hard-fought battle with Leukemia, likely onset from exposure to Agent Orange during his time in Vietnam. He is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery.

     

    **Richard Reid Morley, Class of 1960

    Morley is a beloved member of the KHS Class of 1960. He is touted as the best athlete in the class as a member of the football, basketball, and track and field teams where he earned nine Varsity letters. He was also an ideal student and class citizen who treated everyone with dignity and respect.  He continued his football career at Missouri State University and then on to the Air Force as a running back.

     

    David C. Davis, Class of 1977

    Davis racked up countless awards as a Nose Guard for the Pioneer Football Team. At KHS, he was named a High School All-American, Sunkist All-American, and Adidas All-American. These accolades earned him a spot on the KHS All-Century Football Team in 2007. After graduating, he played collegiately for the University of Colorado, then transferred to Wichita State University. In college, he earned Associated Press First Team All-Missouri Valley Team honors. Before his senior year in college, Davis suffered a serious leg injury. After football, he served 24 years as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer with the United States Marshals Service.

     

    Patty (Shadowens) Godfrey, Class of 1984

    Godfrey was an 11-time KHS Varsity letter winner as a member of the cross-country, basketball, and track and field teams. Her running and track abilities earned her placements at state, including a back-to-back third-place finish in Cross Country, and she still holds the high jump record in hurdles at KHS. Her high school accomplishments earned her St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Army Reserve National Scholar-Athlete accolades. She continued as a heptathlete for the University of Kansas. Her love for running continues, which she now shares with her community in Houston, Texas where she promotes a healthy and active lifestyle for her community.

     

    Matt Krapfl, Class of 2005

    Krapfl led the Pioneer football team to the 2004 State Semifinal game as team captain and quarterback. He threw for 3,047 yards and completed 179 of 255 passes his senior season. He had 28 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns and was named Class 6 Player of the Year. His other honors included First Team All-State and All-Conference quarterback. He also won the Ray Moss Award for Sportsmanship and the McKenzie Award as the MVP of the Suburban West Conference. He was one of 50 athletes in the nation named Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Year for Missouri. He was also selected as the Gatorade Player of the Year and the KHS All-Century Team. After his time at KHS, Krapfl continued his career as a quarterback at Missouri State University.

     

    Ben Wood, Class of 2005

    Wood was an athlete for the KHS Golf Team and the KHS Ice Hockey Club Team. His swing on the course earned him the 2005 Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Individual Class 4 Championship Title along with the St. Louis Post Dispatch Player of the Year distinction. He went on to golf for the University of Miami-Ohio. He played professional golf for four years, held a membership in four golf tour organizations, and participated in professionally sanctioned tournaments nationwide.

     

    Kelsey Anagnos, Class of 2006

    In the pool, Anagnos was a four-year Varsity letter winner and three-time MSHSAA diving champion on the one-meter board. She won the 2004 state title with an 11-dive score of 447, followed by state title-winning scores of 470.5 in 2005 and 446 in 2006. She was selected as an All-American during her junior and senior years at KHS. She continued to make a splash at the University of Miami. As a Redhawk, she was an NCAA Zone Diving Qualifier and placed at the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championships multiple times throughout her collegiate career.

     

    Mark Zalewski, Class of 2006

    Zalewski co-captained his water polo team at KHS as a senior and was named the Missouri Offensive Player of the Year after a 134-goal season. A four-year Varsity starter, Zalewski was his conference’s Player of the Year twice and was a St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete as a senior. Zalewski was selected as an All-State swimmer, Missouri Offensive Player of the Year, and an All-American. Zalewski excelled in the classroom and continued his academic and athletic career at Princeton University. Zalewski impacted the water polo team all four years at Princeton. He had a career year as a senior, earning Third-Team ACWPC All-America honors and First-Team All-South and All-East recognition. He was also named The 2010 Daily Princetonian's Male Athlete of the Year after he scored a career-high 57 goals to lead the Tigers. Zalewski added 18 assists, 29 steals, and a 9-5 record on sprints. Zalewski scored goals in 23 of Princeton's 28 games and had more than one goal in 17 contests.

     

    Devonna Smith, Class of 2008

    Smith was an all-around standout athlete for the Pioneers. She was a four-year letter winner in track and field, a two-year letter winner in volleyball, and lettered in both soccer and softball. She excelled the highest on the basketball court for the Pioneers as a four-year letter winner. She averaged 19.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, and 2.0 assists per game. She earned First Team All-State honors, and was named Suburban West Player of the Year, tabbed to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s second team All-Metro, and was a McDonald’s All-American nominee. She graduated with a school record of 204 blocked shots and was second in career points (1,339) and career rebounds (855). After high school, she spent one season each at Saint Louis University and Mineral Area College before transferring to the University of Missouri-St. Louis. At UMSL, she earned Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) first-team and defensive team honors.

     

    Stephen Doty, Class of 2009

    Doty battled on the mat for the Pioneers during his high school career. His senior year as captain, he was undefeated and earned the MSHSAA State Championship in the 171-pound category for wrestling. He still holds the KHS record for most wins in a season (55) and most pins (35). He earned a scholarship and went on to a successful wrestling career at the University of Virginia where he was a two-time NCAA Championship qualifier. As a Cavalier, Doty was the 11th national seed at 174 pounds and took second place at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championships.

     

    MyCole Pruitt, Class of 2010

    Pruitt was a standout athlete at KHS with his most standout performances on the gridiron. He was also an accomplished basketball, volleyball, and track athlete. As a tight end for the Pioneers, Pruitt earned awards including being selected to the St. Louis Rams Golden Horn Elite, and Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Year. His hard work earned him a scholarship to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. In college, he continued to rack up awards, including Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Conference Honorable Mention, Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer, and Missouri Valley Conference First Team All-American. After college, Pruitt continues a successful career in the National Football League. He’s been a member of the Vikings, Bears, Texas, Titans, and Falcons. Pruitt is currently signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

     

    Lianna Doty, Class of 2012

    Doty led the Pioneers to three consecutive conference girl’s basketball championships and two District championships. She set career records in assists and steals, earning her First-Team All-Conference selection three times, First-Team All-District honors twice and was named to the ESPN HoopGurlz All-Passing Team. She also won the Larry Hughes Outstanding Student-Athlete Award as an outstanding student, especially in science where she was recognized as the Most Outstanding Chemistry Student and Senior Engineering Student of the Year. She continued to excel on the court and in the classroom for the Missouri Tigers. As a student athlete, she was selected to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman Team, and SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2013-14. She also earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll her entire collegiate career.

     

     

    Kirkwood High School Hall of Fame Teams

    1962 Boys Cross Country Team

    The 1962 Boys Cross Country Team was the first KHS Cross Country Team to win state. Team member Mike Hensgen was the individual state champion. The state-winning team members are Mike Hensgen, Dan Dykstra, J.L. Charleville, Rod Bruckdorfer, Tom Goodwin, Steve Jones, and Doug McDougall. The team was coached by Kent Overby (KHS ‘56).

     

    1964 Boys Cross Country Team

    The 1964 team set a new state record, earning 54 points. Jim Olson was the individual state champion, and team members Rob Bruckdorfer, Gary Schmidt, and Bill Barrow finished in the top 15. Other team members include Mike Bosworth, **John Rogers, Phil Mills, Bill Pape, Bob Leonard, and Gary Schmidt. After an outstanding showing at the state meet, the Pioneers competed in nationals, earning second in the nation. Team member Olson finished second in the nation individually. Olsen was inducted as an athlete into the KHS Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2009. Gary Schmidt was inducted into the Outstanding Alumni Hall of Fame in 2010. The team was coached by Fred Lyon who was inducted into the KHS Athletic Hall of Fame Coach as a coach in 2019.

     

    1981 Girls 4x800 Relay

    The 1981 Girls 4x800 Relay was one of the first post-Title IX teams to reach a new pinnacle of success for female athletes. The four team members: Pam (Palmer) Harris, Susan (Zuroweste) Darby, Chris Ridenour-Boothby, and **Jane (Reichard) Krueger, raced their way to a state championship in the MSHSAA Track and field 4x800 Relay event with a time of 9:17.21. This state record time was held for over 20 years. Track and Field News selected them as an All-American team and ran their way to the fifth-best time in the nation. Ridenour-Boothby, Krueger, and Harris continued their athletic careers in college. Harris, Reichard, and Ridenour-Boothby ran at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO). Harris was an All-American in the 1500-meter run. Ridenour-Boothby won a National Cross-Country Championship and was a three-time All-American. She transferred to Kansas State where she was a two-time All-American. After their successful collegiate careers, both Harris and Ridenour-Boothby transitioned to track and field and cross country coaches. Ridenour-Boothby was inducted as an athlete into the KHS Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2009.

     

    1996 Girls Volleyball Team

    The 1996 Girls Volleyball Team is the first Class Four MSHSAA state championship volleyball team in KHS history. Many team members also comprised the 1995 team, who finished third in the MSHSAA state tournament. The team members are Cory Tillman, Maureen Bryan, Carey Zeigler, **Beth Brown, Sarah Jones, Casey Smith, Katie Lyon, LeeAnn Karr, Susan (Przybylinski) Lucas, Lori (Link) Pelling, Rachael (Taylor) Maurer, Rachel (Ahlers) Perkowski, and Courtney Phelan. The team was coached by Keith Price, Daryl Hemenway, and Susie Richmann. Keith Clawson served as team manager. Individual accomplishments for the 1996 team include Keith Price being named Coach of the Year, Rachel Taylor being named 1st Team All-State, 1st Team All-District, and 1st Team All-Conference; and LeeAnn Karr being named 2nd Team All-State, 1st Team All-District, and 1st Team All-conference. Three teammates went on to further their volleyball careers at Division 1 colleges, including Taylor playing for the University of Missouri, Karr playing for Miami of Ohio, and Lyon playing at Eastern Kentucky.

     

     

    1997 Girls Cross Country Team

    The 1997 Girls Cross Country Team made history by winning Kirkwood High School’s MSHSAA Class Four State Championship. Kimberly (Moore) Deckel finished sixth in the state, Meredith (Dobson) Pearl finished seventh, and Karen (Rogers) Rinehart ran her way to a ninth-place finish. Other team members on the state championship team include Claire Pabody, Colleen (Copple) Sears, Rachael Salisbury, Mary Reeves, Becky (Streb) Canatsey, Caitlin Burbank, Tamara Evans, and Valerie (Osborne) Green. The team was coached by Coach Ken Finnerty, Leslie Calbert, and Christy Jarvis. Coach Finnerty is being inducted into the 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame as an Outstanding Coach. Mary Reeves was previously inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019 for her successes in the cross-country and track and field programs as a Pioneer.

     

    Kirkwood High School Hall of Fame Coaches

    **Louis Diaz

    Coach Louis “Lou” Diaz was well known equally for his baseball coaching skills along with his people skills. He was a friend and mentor to all high school kids who were fortunate enough to have him help mold their lives. Diaz was a Spanish Teacher at Kirkwood High School. He started as an assistant coach under KHS Athletic Hall of Fame Legendary Coach **Denver Miller, who was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame himself in 2009. Diaz was at the helm as head coach from 1978 to 1992 for the PioneersBeforeto his teaching and coaching career, Diaz was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system in the early 1950s. He served as an Army corporal in the Korean War before becoming a Spanish Teacher in 1966. Coach Diaz touched many lives during his tenure at KHS. He passed away in 2000. Many former players and students continue to reach out to his family to share anecdotes and memories they continue to carry.

     

    Ken Finnerty

    Coach Ken Finnerty began coaching girls’ cross country in 1992 and five years later won the MSHSAA Cross Country Championship in 1997. For eight consecutive seasons, Coach Finnerty led a qualifying cross-country team from KHS to the state meet. This run began in 1993 and ended in 2000. During this period, Finnerty guided the team to a third-place finish in 1996 and 2000; a second-place finish in 1998 and 1999; and a first-place finish in 1997. As an assistant coach for the 2017 and 2019 Kirkwood Cross Country teams, Finnerty contributed to guiding the team to a respective 10th place and 8th place finish. In his final year as an assistant coach with Girls’ Cross Country, Finnerty served an integral role in coaching an individual athlete to a 16th-place finish, thus earning a medal. In addition, Finnerty coached several track and field distance athletes to medal finishes in the state meet, meaning top 9 finishes. The 1997 First Place Team is part of this 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame induction class.

     

    Jerry Warren

    Coach Jerry Warren is a beloved coach by both football and wrestling athletes at KHS. Warren is valued and appreciated for his multiple resuscitations of the KHS wrestling program in the 1980s. His legacy is several State wrestling champions and developing the KHS program that continues to be one of the most respected wrestling programs in the state. Countless former athletes and colleagues credit him for his guidance of young men to become better people through the principles he taught his athletes through sports.

     

     

    Kirkwood High School Hall of Fame Pioneer Award Recipients

    Nominees of the Pioneer Award made significant contributions to Kirkwood High School athletics.

     

    Dave and Jill Haring

    Dave and Jill Haring are beloved members of the Kirkwood community as business owners, philanthropists, and engaged and active parents. The Harings are high school sweethearts from Affton High School. They chose to raise their family, which includes four children, in Kirkwood. During their time in Kirkwood schools, the Harings worked tirelessly to raise money for KHS athletic programs. The Harings were instrumental in the stadium renovation program and preserved the old nostalgic bleachers into a fundraising opportunity for the Pioneer Boosters Program. The Harings continue to volunteer their time in coaching and supporting kids across the community.

     

     

    **Honorees who are recognized posthumously.