RALEIGH– Sanderson High School and the Sanderson Athletic Club will induct the fourth class of the Sanderson Athletics Hall of Fame in festivities to be held in September 2014. The class includes five athletes, two coaches, and two teams.
The Hall of Fame “Class of 2014” will be honored in ceremonies that will be conducted on “Hall of Fame Weekend” this fall. The honorees will be introduced at halftime of the home football game versus Holly Springs on September 12 and they will be the guests of honor at the Hall of Fame luncheon and induction ceremony on Sunday, September 14 at North Ridge Country Club. The activities will be open to the public.
Tickets for the football game will cost $7.00 each and will be available on the night of the game. Tickets for the luncheon will be made available for $30 each beginning in July and must be purchased in advance.
Members of the Sanderson Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2014:
Jennie Adams – Sanderson coach from 1974 through 1987 – coached the Sanderson gymnastics team when it dominated North Carolina High School gymnastics… coached the Spartans to six conference championships in the Eighties and five state titles (1979, ’83, ’85, 88, ’89). She also coached women’s tennis for four years and softball for two years.
LeBaron Caruthers – (SHS Class of ‘72) – played football and threw shot and discus on the track & field team at Sanderson… named Wake County Football Player of the Year in 1971… state champion in the discus throw at the NCHSAA Track & Field Championships in 1972… played football at ECU and NCSU. 3-time All-American shot putter at NCSU… Most Outstanding Athlete at NCSU in 1977. Distinguished career as a strength and conditioning coach.
Sparky Cullen – (SHS Class of ’86) – scored 46 goals and had 31 assists in three seasons on the varsity soccer team… named N.C. “Player of the Year” by the NC Soccer Coaches Association for 1985 season… two time All-State and one time All-America honoree. The three varsity teams on which he played earned two NCHSAA State Championships and finished with a combined record of 57-0-5. He scored two goals in the 1985 state title game.
Diane Ross Dean – (SHS Class of ’82) – played volleyball, basketball, and softball… Sanderson’s “Most Outstanding Female Athlete” as a sophomore (1979-80) and as a senior (1981-82)… All-Conference honoree in volleyball twice and in basketball three times… All-Metro in basketball twice… Helped the volleyball team to the NCHSAA State Championship as a junior (1980). Excelled in volleyball at NC State where she earned All-ACC honors in 1983 and 1984. Presently coaches high school volleyball in Pennsylvania.
Bill Harrington – Sanderson coach from the year the school opened in 1968 through 1986 – the induction will be in memory of Coach Harrington who passed away in January 2013… he was Sanderson’s first head men’s basketball coach for 14 seasons… his best team went 21-5 and won the NCHSAA Division III – 4A Conference Tournament in 1972-73… was the head coach of the victorious East team in the NCCA East-West All-Star Game in July 1979… also coached softball, cross country, golf, and football at Sanderson over an 18 year period.
John Haskins – (SHS Class of ’76) – played football and basketball… Sanderson’s “Most Outstanding Male Athlete” as a senior (1975-76)… also “Most Outstanding Football Player” (1975) and “Most Outstanding Basketball Player” (1975-76)… All-Conference and All-Metro in both sports as a senior. Played collegiate basketball at Lees-McRae Junior College and UNC-Wilmington. Coached jv boys and varsity girls soccer and jv boys basketball while on the faculty at Sanderson for three years. Has been a coach and athletic administrator at UNC-Pembroke for the past 25 years.
Steve Rackley – (SHS Class of ’73) – played baseball and basketball… was a key player on one of the best basketball teams in Coach Bill Harrington’s early years at Sanderson when the team went 21-5 in 1972-73. He was better known as a baseball player. He played on the Sanderson varsity for three seasons… hit .410 as a junior and .419 as a senior and earned All-Conference both of those years… played three seasons at Carolina earning All-ACC twice and leading the Tar Heels in hitting (.319) in 1975 and runs (24) and hits (38) in 1976… played three years of professional minor league baseball.
The 1988 and 1989 Men’s Soccer Teams – since fourteen players were members of both of these NCHSAA State Champion teams, it’s fitting that they are selected for recognition together. Thirty-five different young men were on one or both teams. The 1988 team went 20-2-3 on their way to Sanderson’s ninth state title. They were responsible for dramatically tying the state title game against Myers Park with three seconds remaining in the second half before winning in sudden death in the fourth overtime, 2-1. The 1989 team was 23-1 and had to beat Northern Durham in overtime in the eastern finals to advance to the state finals where they defeated Grimsley, 3-2.
