Mesa Sports Hall of Fame to induct 10 athletes in 2015

November 20, 2015 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


The Mesa Sports Hall of Fame will induct its 2015 class on Monday Nov. 23 in a ceremony hosted by Red Mountain High School. A reception begins at 6 p.m. followed by inductions at 7. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Ten athletes were selected for this year's class. They are: Dobson's Quin Rodriguez-1987 and swimmer Justin Roth-1994; Westwood's Sean Stapley-1988 football-baseball and Matt Kelley-1992 (football, wrestling, baseball); Mountain View's Nicki Barna-1994 (tennis), Courtney Rang-1995 (tennis) and Rusty James-1996 (football); Mesa High's Junior Taylor-2001 (football) and Red Mountain's Jesse Udell-2001 (wrestling) and Ryan Brooks-2004 (golf). 

This year's coach inductee is former Red Mountain football coach Jim Jones, who guided the Mountain Lions from the year the school opened in 1988 through 2009 winning two state titles along the way (2000 and 2001). Five state championship teams from 1995 also will be feted -- Mountain View girls track, coached by Mary Morris; Westwood boys cross country, coached by Kyle Sawyer; Mountain View boys basketball, coached by Gary Ernst; Dobson boys tennis, coached by Ralph Crabtree; and Red Mountain boys golf, coached by David John.