Mule sports hall of fame inducts first members

With an estimated 200 fans, friends and family in attendance, 13 former athletes and a coach were inducted into the Wahkiakum Mules Hall of Fame Saturday evening. The inaugural event, hosted by the Wahkiakum Coaches Association, raised nearly $6000 for the athletic department.

The idea of creating a hall of fame had been discussed by coaches for the past several years and faced with possible funding cuts to the athletic department, the Hall of Fame was created to honor the athletes and raise funds for the department.

The inaugural class into the Wahkiakum Hall of Fame honored Ralph Rodahl, the 1964 boys’ basketball team, Michelle Thomas, and Jerod Moore.

Rodahl was a multi-sport athlete who, in 1939, won the state long jump championship in all classifications with a jump of 22’4”. That distance is still a school record. He also still holds the Wahkiakum 100 yard dash record. The track distances were converted to metric distances a number of years ago. Ralph’s time, if converted to the metric distance, would also be a school record. Ralph’s wife, Juanita, son Randy and daughter Kim accepted his award.

The 1964 boys’ basketball team was the first Wahkiakum team to win a state championship. Coached by Ernie McKie, the squad included Wayne Cochran, Tom Bond, Terry Everman, Myron Ougendal, Tom Svensen, Jim Duthie, Howard Hosley, Mark Linquist, Phil Settle, and Ron Free. Five of the team members, Cochran, Bond, Duthie, Hosley, and Free, were able to attend. Coach McKie, who passed away in 1984, was represented by his wife Donna and two sons Chuck and Scott. Linquist’s family Bonnie, Mindi, and Jeff attended and accepted his award. The ‘64 team won the Pacific League with a mark of 16-1, losing only to current nemesis Toutle Lake. They placed third in district before heading to Spokane. Once in Spokane, the team swept through Orting, Rosalia, and Reardan before defeating Harrington in a thrilling championship game, 63-61.

Michelle Thomas, another all around athlete, excelled on the track winning six state titles and setting several school and state records in the process. Her crowning achievement happened at the 1985 state A/B track meet where Michelle won four events: the 100 Low Hurdles, the 300 High Hurdles, the long jump, and high jump. She scored 40 points and led her team to a third place finish. It was a feat that only one other female track athlete had done before.

Jerod Moore was another all-around athlete. He ran track and in 2000 led his basketball team to a 5th place finish in Spokane. Jerod’s crowning achievement though was earned on the football field. In his four-year career carrying the football, Jerod packed the ball for 6,128 yards becoming the all time leading rusher in the state in all classifications. Several years later, Jonathan Stewart, who now plays for the NFL Carolina Panthers, broke Jerod’s record. Eleven years after setting the record, Jerod still stands tall at number two.

The inductees were presented by former Wahkiakum coaches Terry Bonny, Paul Spears, and Andy Wolf along with family members Randy Rodahl, Mike Thomas, and Libby Ravander.

The coaches association would like to thank our community for their continued support for our programs. A special thank you to all of our student-athlete volunteers, Shelby Felton, Blaine Land, Ashley Silva, Hailey Quigley, Shanna Havens, Maya Stanley, Bia Olsen, Bug Helms, Gabby Mann, Madison LaBerge,Tori Wegdahl, Jessica Thomas, Whitney Kuller, Dallas Gott, Alyssa Braman, Kelsea Blix, Kennedi LaBerge, Peyton Souvenir, Brandon Burdick, Levi Cothren, Shane Souvenir, Steven Doumit, James Turner, John Chambers, Joel Nicolazzi, Travis Wegdahl, and Austin Burns. Also, our non-coaching volunteers, Debbie McClain, Terri Hutyler, Sandy Bolt, Mary Moonen, and Kristen Souvenir.