Wall of Fame induction ceremony held

REARDAN - Virginia Henderson, Gene Smith, Joe Mann and the school's 1966 basketball team were the first inductees into Reardan High School's Wall of Fame in a halftime ceremony at the Screaming Eagles game against Brewster, Friday, Sept 6. The selections were based on those who have shown exceptional commitment and service to the school through individual achievements, team successes or long-term dedication, while having had a positive impact on the school and the community.

Reardan-Edwall School District superintendent Eric Sobotta presided over the event by reciting the honorees' accomplishments and by giving them a plaque, identical to the one to be placed in the high school.

Henderson was the first to walk the red carpet onto the football field to receive her award. She graduated from Reardan High School in 1976. In 1980, she graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Public Health. While working as a clinical virologist, she threw her heart into volunteerism. She has served on her church council, led the high school youth group, taught Sunday school and served two terms on the town council.

Henderson spearheaded the community's participation in the Walk for Water Mission, helping raise $30,000 to provide clean water to those in need around the world. She started the Senior Social and Lunch Program, along with WE C.A.R.E., which sponsors the food pantry, Bite 2Go, Blessing Boxes, Tree of Sharing, holiday food baskets and Vacation Bible School.

Smith was hired as a biology and junior high science teacher in 1964. Over the course of his three decades career, Smith was the athletic director, head football and basketball coach, each for 24 years. In addition, he was head track and field coach for 18 years. His football teams won 138 games and lost 75. The 1990 team won the state championship. Smith was inducted into the Washington State Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995.

As Reardan's basketball coach, Smith's teams won 501 games. He guided his teams to state championships in 1970, 1971, 1974 and 1982. Smith was inducted into the Washington State Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Hall of Fame in 2011.

While at Reardan High School, Mann took part in football, tennis, the Future Farmers of America and debate. After his graduation in 1941, he joined the Army and volunteered to be a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division. Mann parachuted behind enemy lines into the Netherlands during Operation Market Garden. Enemy forces outnumbered and surrounded his platoon. He volunteered to approach the enemies' position and destroy their 88mm gun and ammunition dump. After accomplishing his mission, he was spotted by the enemy. Standing in an exposed position, he killed them one-by-one with his M1 rifle until he was shot four times. Refusing to leave the battle, he continued to fight. That evening, German soldiers lobbed grenades into the trench that Mann shared with six others. He smothered it with his body to save the lives of his buddies.

Mann was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, Bronze Star and five Purple Hearts. General SLA Marshall described Mann as "the hero of one of World War II's epic battles."

Mann's nephew Byrne Bennett, and niece Rena Brown, accepted his plaque on behalf of the family.

The 1966 boys' basketball team, made up of Larry Soliday, Jack Soliday, Gary Wollweber, Garry Anyan, Ken Morrison, Mike Jones, Craig Oehlschlaeger, Lee Jackman, Steve Simpson, Jim Peterson, Fred Fleming, Lyle Anderson and Charlie Wyrick, and coached by Frank Teverbaugh and Gene Smith, were the final inductees of the night. Nine members of the team were present to accept the award.

This team boasted a 26-0 record and won the 1966 State B Basketball Tournament. The Greater Sports Association and Inland Empire Sportswriters and Broadcasters named the 1966 Reardan Indians' basketball team as Team of the Year. After losing several players to graduation, the remaining players again went undefeated with a 28-0 record and won the 1967 State B Basketball Tournament. After the 1965 team won the last three games of their season, the 1966 and 1967 teams combined to set a Washington state consecutive win streak record of 57 games, breaking the old record by 19 games.