St. Joseph - Due to COVID guidelines and the suspension of the fall 2020 football season, the 2020 SJO Hall of Fame class will be honored tonight during St. Joseph-Ogden's home football opener against Monticello at Dick Duval Field.
Tonight, four individuals will be welcomed into the 8th Hall of Fame class. Amy Scharlau-Lewis, Gary Garrison, Greg Knott and Ron White will receive well-deserved recognition for their outstanding athletic career as an SJO athlete
Amy Scharlau Lewis, who graduated in 1991 was a member of the National Honor Society and the Scholastic Bowl team. She was a two-year letter winner and captain of the volleyball team in 1990. A four-year softball letter winner, she earned All-Conference first team recognition three times. In 1990 and 1991, her name made the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette's All-Area Softball list. Her senior year she was a team captain and later became the News-Gazette Softball Player of the Year. She was also a member of the 1989 IHSA State Softball All-Tournament Team.
For over 30 years, Gary Garrison served as a guidance counselor, teacher, and coach at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. As the boys' head track coach he brought home two IHSA state championship titles under the two-class system in both 1993 and 2000. He was also an assistant coach for the SJO girls’ track team that won a 2000 state title.
Also being recognized is 1984 SJO graduate Greg Knott. A knowledgeable source on the history of St. Joseph, he played football from 1980-1983. During the winter season, he was a varsity manager for Coach Randy Wolken during basketball season from 1982-1984 and during the softball manager from 1983-1984. Knott was also elected to President of the SJO Letterman’s Club his senior year and was on the yearbook staff.
The fourth honoree is Ron White, who played football for the University of Illinois earning his varsity college letters in 1975 and 1976. Before attending the U of I, White was a three-sport athlete at SJO. In addition to earning recognition as an All-Area Offensive and Defensive lineman, the 1972 graduate was president of the Student Council his senior year. He lettered twice in basketball and earned three varsity letters in both football and baseball.
Past Hall of Fame recepients include:
Class of 2019
STEPHANIE FISCUS
JIM ACKLIN
JOHN BUSS
Class of 2018
ASHLEY WRIGHT (Paddock)
LES HOVELN
STEVE MADDOCK
ROBBIE RING
Class of 2017
KELLY FRANZEN (MARSH)
PAT GEGG
LES MEIER
Class of 2016
NICKI BRYANT
SEAN FREEMAN
JIM RISLEY
Class of 2015
PATTY PLYMIRE
KENNETH MCGEE
BOB KARY
ALLISON PRESLEY
Class of 2014
RICH CONNELL
DALE DOEHRING
NITA BROOKS
SARA ULBRICH GREENSTEIN
Class of 2013
RON WRATHER
MARK SJUTS
JUDY CHIZEK GRAFFIS
DEON FLESSNER
RUDY SCHMIDT
MARIANNE DICKERSON
LES BUSBOOM
JENNIFER BROWN
GLENN FISHER
RICK SCHMIDT