MOUNT HOLLY—The current class of inductees to the Mount Holly Sports Hall of Fame in Gaston County was honored recently in ceremonies at the Mount Holly Municipal Center, according to various media reports including the Gaston Gazette and Belmont Banner.

     The inductees included:

–Zeb McDowell: a 1953 graduate of Reid High School who was a three- sport start there and went on to work for 36 years at Duke Power

–Max Sherrill: the late Max Sherrill was an outstanding pitcher for Mount Holly High School’s championship teams in 1954 and ’55 and later played minor league baseball

–Phil Roberts: an outstanding runner at East Gaston and then at Western Carolina who has reportedly surpassed 160,000 running miles in his personal log

–Laura Randall Woodhead: this athlete helped organize the first swimming team at East Gaston and was a seven-time NCHSAA state finalist who went on to swim and Stanford University

–Barry Jessen was recognized with a Community Spirit Award.  He was a three-sport star at Mount Holly and an outstanding golfer but was recognized primarily for 23 years of volunteer service as a referee in the Optimist-sponsored youth basketball leagues.

     Four teams were recognized, including the 1954 and ’55 Mount Holly High Hawks baseball teams, both of which won conference championships and the 1954 team lost in the state championship to Hertford.  The 1967-68 and 1968-69 Mount Holly men’s basketball teams were recognized for posting the best marks in school history, including a 21-4 mark in ’68 and then finishing fourth in the NCHSAA state 2-A tournament the following year

     The Mount Holly Sports Hall of Fame was established to honor the city’s rich sports history and to recognize the outstanding individuals and teams who have excelled over the last century.