For Immediate Release
Vermont Principals’ Association
Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2016
MONTPELIER -- The Vermont Principals' Association announced
today that 14 student-athletes, coaches, administrators, officials
and a contributor have been selected for the VPA Hall of Fame
class of 2016.
The Hall of Fame was organized in 2001 to recognize and preserve
the heritage of Vermont high school interscholastic activities,
including sports. Members of the Hall have distinguished
themselves through service, contributions and achievement in
programs or activities sponsored by the VPA. They also must
exemplify the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct,
and character.
The VPA Selection Committee reviews dozens of nominations that
are submitted from a variety of sources following a public request
for proposed inductees each year.
A change this year to the VPA Hall of Fame by-laws allows for
current coaches/activity advisors, school administrators, media
members, officials and contributors to be considered after 20 years’
experience. Student Athletes/Fine Arts participants are eligible
after reaching age 25.
The Induction Ceremony for the Class of 2016 will be held Friday
May 13 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel Plaza and Conference Center in
Montpelier. The induction begins with a 5 p.m. reception,
followed by a 6 p.m. banquet and the 6:45 p.m.
ceremony. Banquet tickets are $45 and a sellout is
expected.
Please contact Delina Benway at the VPA (802/ 2290547) for reservations and information. Information and forms are
also available on the VPA website at www.vpaonline.org Cash,
check, and credit cards are accepted.
The following will be
honored:
Administration
Marty McDonough, Mount St. Joseph Academy
McDonough has served his alma mater in Rutland for 46
years as a teacher, coach and athletic director, while also having a
positive impact on Vermont interscholastic sports. He has taught
math, accounting, computer courses and sciences and won several
teaching awards. McDonough coached baseball for 24 years and
basketball for 23 years. He became only the second AD in school
history in 1993. He has served on various committees for the State
Athletic Directors and the VPA. Always putting students first,
McDonough helped shaped the culture at MSJ, one of two
Catholic High Schools in the state.
Robert Stevens, Milton and Mount Mansfield Union High Schools
and Vermont Principals’ Association
Stevens, who lives in Hyde Park, served as high school
principal for Milton High for several years before moving to
Mount Mansfield Union in Jericho in 1983. During his time at
both high schools Stevens was active within the Vermont
Principals’ Association on various committees, including
basketball, soccer and hockey. He helped create a network for
Chittenden County area principals. Stevens, a Peoples Academy
graduate, was a hands-on principal, who also supported the Fine
Arts. He was named the VPA’s Executive Director following the
May 2006 death of Ray Pellegrini.
Coach/Activity Advisor
Dave “Bear” Bremner, Hinesburg and Champlain Valley Union
High Schools
Bremner was a longtime teacher-coach at
Hinesburg High School and its successor Champlain Valley Union
High School. Bremner posted a 185-27-5 record in boys soccer
over 16 years, including two state titles at Hinesburg and three at
CVU. His teams were runners-up three times, including twice for
the CVU Crusaders. Between 1962 and 1965 his teams were 56-1
and won four straight state championships. Bremner coached the
golf team, which won five state tournaments and were runners-up
three times. He also coached basketball and baseball at Hinesburg
High and the girls basketball team at CVU for one year. He served
as the athletic director at CVU, which named its gymnasium for
the legend. Bremner died in November 1996.
Patricia Candon, Otter Valley Union High School
Condon served as a physical education teacher for over 30
years at Otter Valley Union High School in Brandon and coached
the varsity softball team since 1986. She picked up her
300th varsity softball win on May 30, 2013 and now has 323
victories. The Otters have won three state crowns and at least a
dozen Marble Valley League titles. Her fellow softball coaches
voted Candon the MVL Coach of the Year at least seven
times. Condon, an Otter Valley grad, also has been one of the top
award-winning field hockey umpires starting in 1976. Condon also
has donated her time frequently to promote interscholastic sports
when her teams are not playing.
Leland “Buddy” Hayford, Wilmington and Twin Valley High
Schools
A long-time teacher, coach, and advocate of youth,
Hayford’s teams have delivered success on the field and the
court. In over 30 years as the boys soccer coach at Wilmington
High, now Twin Valley, Hayford has won about 70 percent of the
games. Boys soccer have captured seven state crowns and were
runners-up three times. He has coached girls basketball for over
25 years and his teams have won two-thirds of their games. The
girls hoop teams have taken two state titles and were runners-up
four times. Hayford has received numerous Coach of the Year
awards and is an inductee into the Lyndon State College Hall of
Fame. The Wilmington High grad also has served as the athletic
director at the two schools.
Harry Ladue, Windsor High School
Ladue has served for 33 years as the boys varsity basketball
coach at Windsor High – his alma mater. His players have won
over 406 games, four state titles and have been to the Final Four
11 years. Ladue is a great teacher about the game and about skills
for life. Many of his former players have gone on to share their
love of the game. Ladue has been inducted into the New England
Basketball Hall of Fame and the Vermont Basketball Coaches Hall
of Fame. He is a member of the Windsor High School Athletic
Wall of Fame. Ladue is respected by coaches, officials and the
media throughout Vermont. The former WHS alum was a threesport standout and serves as the town’s recreation director.
William O’Neil, Essex High School
O’Neil is literally a coach for all seasons. The high school
English teacher has directed three varsity sports: girls soccer, boys
hockey and girls softball. His dedication has helped to guide,
teach and work with all students at all levels for 50 years. O’Neil
is known as a model of ethics, integrity and professionalism in
coaching, one nominator noted. The girls soccer team is 395-16230 since he took over in 1979. They went to the Final Four 14
times with six titles and seven runners-up. Essex boys hockey
since 1973 has over 600 wins with 25 Final Fours, including 14
state crowns and two runners-up. Softball (1979 and 1992-2012)
captured 261 wins in 22 seasons with 4 state titles during 10 Final
Four appearances. O’Neil, who played soccer and hockey at
Norwich University, has won numerous coaching awards and been
honored twice nationally.
Student-Athlete
Ryan Hingston, Windsor High School
Hingston, a 2002 graduate, is one of the finest athletes to
graduate from Windsor High School, where he was an all-star
player in football, basketball and baseball. He was voted to
represent Vermont in three so-called Twin State Senior All-Star
games, including the annual Shrine Maple Sugar Football Game,
where he scored a touchdown. The Burlington Free Press named
the 1,029-point career scorer to its all-state basketball team. He
batted over .400 as a standout catcher for Windsor, where he is
honored on the school’s athletic Wall of Fame. While still in high
school, Hingston volunteered his time coaching and refereeing
youth programs.
Scott Moore, Essex and Rice Memorial High Schools
Moore, formerly known as Lauren Krywanczyk, was a
three-sport standout athlete at Essex in soccer, basketball and track
and transferred as a junior to Rice Memorial, before graduating in
2002. The National Merit semifinalist also was won top scholarathlete awards from the Vermont State Athletic Director
Association, the Ethan Allen Club in Burlington and from Rice
before going to Yale University. Other honors include four-time
Burlington Free Press all-state basketball player, four-time state
champion in the javelin, two-time all-state player in soccer, a
McDonald’s All-American nominee in basketball and a 1,038point career scorer.
Corey Mullen-Rusin, Wilmington and Twin Valley Union High
Schools
Rusin, a 2005 graduate, is one of the best basketball players
in Vermont high school history, but also was known as a standout
soccer player. Her awards include selection as a two-time
Burlington Free Press “Miss Basketball,” and two-time Player of
the Year by both Gatorade and the Vermont Basketball Coaches
Association before going on to play at Division I Boston College.
The 1,791-point career scorer was well known for her drive and
desire for success in the classroom as well as the basketball court,
where her teams went 81-9 in four years. For soccer, Rusin still
holds several school records, including for both career goals (82)
and career total points (192).
Fred Waryas Jr., Bellows Falls Union High School
Waryas, a 1986 graduate at Bellows Falls, was a football
and track standout and also played basketball. He was a two-time
Vermont Decathlon champion and finished third as a
sophomore. Waryas won two state titles in the pole vault and was
runner-up once. He won the New England pole vault title as a
sophomore and senior. Waryas also captured the 300-meter
hurdles twice and the 400-meter crown once. Waryas helped lead
the Terriers to two state football titles (with a 19-1 combined
record) and was voted to represent Vermont in the Shrine Maple
Sugar Game.
Official
Edgar Clodfelter, Official – Basketball
Clodfelter, who lives in Adamant, has been one of the
highest ranked basketball officials for about 35 years. He is
known for being prepared and serving as the consummate
professional. Clodfelter is a familiar face in stripes going deep
into the annual high school basketball tournaments at both the
Patrick Gym and the Barre Auditorium. Clodfelter has been active
in trying to recruit new officials and has volunteered to teach
classes for over 20 years. He has the ability to reach everybody
from age 18 to 60-plus in the 20-hour class. Clodfelter has worked
on cooperative committees with the VPA on various issues,
including rating referees and establishing 3-person officiating
crews.
Eric Evans, Official - soccer and lacrosse
Evans, who lives in Putney, served as a soccer official for
over 20 years and is a longtime lacrosse official. He is one of the
top officials in both sports and worked numerous post-season
tournaments. Evans has served as an instructor for U.S. lacrosse
and as the rules interpreter for Vermont Lacrosse Officials
Association. He has contributed articles about officiating to
several publications. Evans served as president of the Vermont
Soccer Officials Association. He has refereed International
lacrosse as well as NCAA Division 1 & 2 National Championships
Contributor
Denise Alosa, trainer, South Burlington High
School Alosa has been the certified athletic trainer at
South Burlington for over 25 years and has served on numerous
school, league, state, New England and national
committees. Alosa has worked to educate, promote and advocate
for High School Sports Athletic Medicine. Her work has been
published in national journals. Alosa has served on several VPA
committees, including the Sports Medicine Advisory
Committee. She is often the first person to arrive before a game or
practice and normally among the last to leave.
For information on the nomination criteria and process, please
consult the VPA website or contact Bob Hingston, Hall of Fame
Chairperson at [email protected]