The newly formed Stephens County High School Athletic Hall of Fame has announced its inaugural class.
Fifteen individuals will be honored in special pre-game ceremonies prior to the Stephens
County/Habersham Central football game on Friday, September 16 th . All are former athletes and coaches who excelled in their respective sport and their conduct on and off the field have brought honor, distinction, and recognition to Stephens County High School. Here are this year’s inductees in alphabetical order:
Sandee Smith Bell—a 1986 graduate who was a standout in basketball and track. Bell won the state championship in the high jump, and went on to North Carolina State on a full basketball scholarship where she was named Best Defensive Player.
Jerry Carroll—former Head Baseball Coach and Principal at Stephens County High School. Carroll’s 1973 team won the State Championship and he was named the State Coach of the Year.
Mike Cox—a 1972 graduate who was a standout football, baseball, and basketball player. Cox also taught and coached at Stephens County High School for 31 years.
Dale Davis—a 1987 graduate who was a standout basketball player. Davis went on to Clemson University where he made All-ACC in 1990 and had a long career in the NBA where he made the All-Star Team in 2000.
Stephanie Wheeler Dunn—a 1991 graduate who was a standout in basketball, softball, and track. Dunn set the school record for All-Time Points Scored (boys and girls) in basketball during her senior year. As a girls high school basketball coach in Georgia, Dunn has won 6 State Championships, which ranks her third all-time in state history.
Roy E. Holland—a 1972 graduate who scored 1196 points during his 3-year basketball career. Holland was the Athens Banner Herald Northeast Georgia Player of the Year his senior season and went on to play at the University of Georgia.
Daniel Mayfield—a 1978 graduate who was a 4-year starter for Stephens County Basketball. Mayfield led Stephens County to the Final Four 3 years in a row and was named the number 1 point guard in the state of Georgia.
Keith Montgomery—a 1982 graduate who was a standout in football and track. Montgomery had 4,342 yards and 35 touchdowns and was a Parade Magazine All-American in football and placed in the top 3 in the 100 at the State Track Meet all 4 years.
Charlie Morris—former Head Boys Basketball Coach whose teams earned Top 10 Rankings in Georgia for 6 out of 9 years. In his final 2 seasons, his teams went 45 & 7. Morris retired after 33 years in the classroom.
Janice Pruitt Poss—a 1975 graduate who was a standout in basketball and tennis. Poss set a new school record for most points in a game with 38 and became the first female to earn a basketball scholarship.
Mack Poss—former Head Girls and Boys Basketball Coach whose girls teams racked up 308 wins and made two Final Four appearances in 1975 and 1980. Poss was named the GACA Coach of the Year in 1975 and the Athens Daily News Coach of the Year in 1980.
Pat Swilling—a 1982 graduate who was a standout in football, basketball, and baseball. Swilling was an All-State football and basketball player and went on to Georgia Tech where he was voted First-Team All-America and later had a long career in the NFL where he was a five-time Pro Bowl selection.
Rodney Walker—former Head Football Coach whose teams won 4 Region Championships, 2 undefeated regular seasons, and was the 1988 State Runner-Up. During Walker’s full coaching career, he had 300 wins.
Kenny Waters—a 1971 graduate who was a standout football, basketball, and baseball player. Waters also taught and coached at Stephens County Middle School for 32 years, including the Middle School\Head Football Coach.
Leonard Wheeler—a 1987 graduate who was a standout in football. Wheeler spent 8 years in the NFL and is currently a Co-Executive Director for the NFL. He is also a published author of 2 books.
Join the community in honoring these 15 former athletes and coaches during pre-game ceremonies of the Stephens County/Habersham Central football game on Friday, August 16, as the first members of the Stephens County High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
