Hall of Fame inductee George Hucke is flanked by two former athletes he coached: Sheree Jensen, right, and Angela deBraga. Hucke coached the girls track team to back-to-back state titles.
Story and photos by Steve Ranson.
Somewhere over a Nevada rainbow that paints its radiant shades of colors over the Lahontan Valley, two Greenwave coaches who loved life and this community looked over the many attendees at Saturday’s Greenwave Hall of Fame induction.
Both track coach Paul Orong and former Fallon athlete, coach and teacher Jack Beach — along with 16 other members of the Greenwave Hall of Fame committee — endured life’s challenges for several years in planning this year’s ceremony two classes of inductees. Challenged but not discouraged, this committee of former athletes, educators, journalists and community members persevered under the cloud of the coronavirus pandemic by successfully overcoming each delay.
They never gave up to honor past Greenwave greats.
Former Fallon basketball players Lawrence Evans and Earl Doege, both inductees at this year’s Greenwave Hall of Fame dinner, look at photos from the Class of 2019.
Saturday’s induction ceremony also reflected on the spirit of both men as described by committee member and master of ceremonies Randy Beeghly. Orong died earlier this year, and Beach died in June 2021.
Nancy Stewart, retired Churchill County High School teacher, and later counselor, was honored alongside Bunny Corkill, Dave Lumos and Yvonne Arciniega Sutherland for their work on the Churchill County Museum Research Team.
From Orong’s idea grew a plan and then reality when the first Greenwave Hall of Fame inducted its first class of athletes, coaches and contributors in 2017. Not surprisingly, the first induction had hiccups, but everyone in attendance understood.
The evening was a success.
Cheryl Olson, whose late husband Fred was inducted into the Greenwave Hall of Fame this year, talks to committee member Judy Pratt. Fred Olson taught music and led the Greenwave band for two decades.
Beach also volunteered his expertise of as an athlete and coach, who won state baseball championships, added his expertise. His sage advice and knowledge of former athletes and teams helped the committee formulate its initial list of individuals worthy for induction.
A handful of this year’s inductees met Thursday at The Grid to renew old friendships, but the reflections, the tears didn’t occur until the following night at the Elmo Dericco Gym’s lobby. Starting from one end of the lobby to the other, the 2020 and 2021 inductees looked at the three previous classes, reading names and sharing stories.
Others wiped away tears while looking at the photos and quietly reciting the names … 30, 40 and 50 years ago frozen in time.
Inductees greeted each other, many who hadn’t seen their classmates for 40 years.
Vern Austin, left, takes a photo of 2018 inductees to the Greenwave Hall of Fame.
Gretchen Wilkens McAfee, who now lives in northern Idaho, offered several stories on her father who died of cancer in 1990 at the age of 52. They shared a special daughter-father bond similar to what I have with my daughter.
Telling the community about Earl’s death was the first of many “sad stories” I would write during my tenure as sports editor and then as editor and finally as a contributor. His passing stunned students and colleagues when the announcement was read at the high school on a cloudy, windy March day.
“Students and teachers were motionless. Tears trickled down the cheeks of some; other stared at the walls knowing that a longtime friend of Churchill County education had died. A few students buried their heads into their hands.”
Earl, the father of Greenwave wrestling, began the program in the late 1960s and continued as the program’s coach — except for a two-year break — until his death.
The beloved Wilkens had a soft spot in his heart for his students and life said assistant coach Mike Ludlow in my article.
But tonight was a happy occasion to honor the former wrestling coach and the other inductees because their accomplishments will last for generations.
Megan Roze emerged as one of the most gifted female athletes from 1988-92. In track she became a three-event state winner. What she learned in Churchill County was taken with her to Texas, where she now lives with fellow Greenwave classmate and athlete Troy Schank and their three children.
Three generations: From left, Linda Hucke and her granddaughter Camryn and daughter, Wende Hucke Hook attend the Greenwave Hall of Fame dinner.
“Coach Serrano saw we had potential, but we had to see what was out there to be great,” she said, describing how the coaches would take their athletes to different locations to compete.
Roze whipped out a book to show me her accomplishments. Her scrap book included scores of newspaper articles that I had written on her and her teammates. We both agreed the number of articles written on athletes and their respective sports has declined tremendously during the past decade … coinciding with the decline of newspapers.
Cheryl Olson attended the Hall of Fame events. Her late husband Fred directed the Greenwave band and taught music at the high school. Cheryl taught high-school biology and was Fred’s most ardent fan. Ironically, I met Cheryl Olson before I moved to Fallon. Her mother was my mom’s landlord in Reno.
Kimberly Brust, right, checks in at The Grid for a mixer among Greenwave Hall of Fame inductees. Her father Gerold Bolden played on the state championship basketball team in the late 1950s. Greenwave Hall of Fame members Edna Diandra, left and Judy Pratt were there to assist Brust.
After Saturday’s banquet and the conclusion of three days of seeing her former students and receiving the Hall of Fame award on Fred’s behalf, she beamed with approval that her former students have taken an active role with their community.
“As expected, it was a rollercoaster of emotions for me and so many others,” she reflected, adding she reconnected with former students.
“I hope the community appreciates those of you who not only chose to remain in Fallon, but who also have become the movers and the shakers of the community. You are the ones who will keep the community feeling of Fallon intact.”
Steve Ranson is editor emeritus of the Lahontan Valley News and also a member of the Greenwave Hall of Fame.
