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Kennett Sports Hall of Fame expands for first time since 2004
Members of the 1985-86 Kennett football team are recognized Friday night at Metz Cherry Stadium. The team was inducted into the Kennett Sports Hall of Fame. Sue Burns, who is the wife of head coach Jack Burns, accepted the plaque for the team.
KENNETT, Mo. - For the first time since 2004 Kennett added members to its Sports Hall of Fame Friday night.
Dustin Pritchett, Darren Harris, Roland Johnson and the 1985-86 Kennett high school football team were recognized as the latest inductees at halftime of the Kennett-Dexter football game at Metz Cherry Stadium in Kennett.
ROLAND JOHNSON
Roland Johnson (pictured) is recognized for being inducted into the Kennett Sports Hall of Fame Friday at Metz Cherry Stadium in Kennett.
Johnson, who is a 1976 graduate of Kennett, competed in football, basketball, baseball and track and field at the high school level. He earned all-district honors as a defensive back and all-district and all-state honors as a wide receiver his senior season.
Johnson played football at Southeast Missouri State University for four years. He was recognized as an all-conference tight end in the MIAA.
After college, Johnson returned to Kennett to serve as a teacher, coach and now administrator. He was named SEMO Conference Coach of the Year by the Poplar Bluff Letter Club in 1997.
Darren Harris (pictured) is recognized for being inducted into the Kennett Sports Hall of Fame Friday at Metz Cherry Stadium in Kennett.
DARREN HARRIS
Darren Harris (pictured) is recognized for being inducted into the Kennett Sports Hall of Fame Friday at Metz Cherry Stadium in Kennett.
Harris, who is a 1988 graduate of Kennett, played high school football and baseball for four years at Kennett.
Harris served as quarterback on the 1984 freshmen football team that went undefeated. He was the starting quarterback on varsity the next three seasons and part of the 1985 district championship squad. Harris was selected second-team all-conference as a quarterback, first-team all-conference as a kicker, and first-team all-region and all-district as a quarterback and kicker.
Harris served as a varsity pitcher all four years of high school. He qualified for and participated in the Missouri High School State All-Star Baseball Tournament.
Harris played college football at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
Harris now serves as president of the Kennett Indian Booster Club.
DUSTIN PRITCHETT
Dustin Pritchett (pictured) is recognized for being inducted into the Kennett Sports Hall of Fame Friday at Metz Cherry Stadium in Kennett.
Pritchett, who is a 2002 graduate of Kennett, played high school football, basketball and baseball.
Pritchett was a SEMO Conference all-conference football player in 1999, 2000 and 2001. He was selected all-district and all-region in 2000 and 2001 and all-state in 2001. Pritchett led the state in receptions (63), receiving yards (964) and touchdown receptions (13) in 2001.
Pritchett was a SEMO Conference all-conference basketball player in 2001 and 2002; Bootheel Conference all-conference basketball player in 2000, 2001 and 2002; and made the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament all-tournament team in 2001. He was named Bootheel Conference Player of the Year in basketball in 2002.
Pritchett was selected all-conference in baseball in 2000, 2001 and 2002. He played baseball at Forest Park Community College and Southeast Missouri State University after high school. He made the all-conference teams at both colleges.
1985-86 KENNETT FOOTBALL TEAM
Members of the 1985-86 Kennett football team are recognized Friday night at Metz Cherry Stadium. The team was inducted into the Kennett Sports Hall of Fame.
The 1985-86 Kennett football team finished 8-2 in the regular season under head coach Jack Burns.
The team allowed only 4.3 points per game in the regular season.
The team beat Poplar Bluff and Sikeston in the same year for the first time in over 20 yards, beat No. 7 ranked NMCC 30-0 and beat Ste. Genevieve 21-14 to capture its only district in school history.
The team was eliminated in a state quarterfinal by Clayton.
HALL OF FAME PROCESS
The inductees join 21 players and three teams already part of the Hall of Fame. Other members of the Hall of Fame are: Tom Crunk, Jack Burns, Mike Jones, William Wilkerson, Jim Bankhead, Terry Baker, Aubry Johnson, Greg Buys, John Batten, Robert Roundtree, Johnny Dalton, Boris Whiteside, Chris Wake, Kim Jefferson, Uyless Taylor, Jeff Wheeler, Brett Sullivan, Crystal Jefferson, Chris Whitfield, Mike Hunter, Don Tomlinson, the 1960 Kennett Football Team, the 1987-1988 Kennett Girls Basketball Team and 1980 Kennett Track Team.
The qualifications to be nominated for the Sports Hall of Fame are as followed:
- A five-year grace period upon the year of accomplishment for a team
- A 10-year grace period upon graduation for an individual
- Outstanding achievement in respective sport (team or individual) during one’s high school career and/or at the next level.
- Accomplished coach, past or present
- Individuals who have given meritorious and dedicated service to the athletic program at Kennett High School.
The following nominations will receive automatic entry into the Hall of Fame:
- State championship team (inducted five years after the year of accomplishment)
- Four-time all-state athlete in a respective sport (inducted 10 years after year of graduation)
- Olympian (inducted no sooner than 10 years after year of graduation)
All nominations not eligible for automatic entry are reviewed by a nine-member committee. A nomination must receive a 2/3 vote to be inducted.
Any nominee not selected will remain as an active nominee for future consideration for a three-year period. After a three-year period, the nomination will become inactive and a new nomination form must be presented.
“I’m excited about getting this going again,” Kennett athletic director Jim Vaughan said. “There is great athletic history at Kennett. I love talking to coaches such as Mike Hunter and Dick Hilburn and learning more about the great athletes we have had here. I’m excited people are on board with the event. Our administration has been very supportive and it will be a nice addition to a Friday night football game each fall.”