A local who went on to become a major league pitcher, a dance coach from Iowa that changed a program’s trajectory and perhaps the best jumper to ever come through the track and field program were among those who spoke from the auditorium stage Saturday night as part of the third annual Philomath High School Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
A standout athlete from the 1960s who passed away last year, back-to-back dance drill championship teams from nearly three decades ago and the wrestling program’s only state title team were also honored for their accomplishments of the past in a jam-packed room.
Inductees included Terry Garvin, Cathy McNeely, Ed Young and Mike Thurman along with the 1995 and 1996 dance teams and the 1994 wrestling team.
Thurman’s presentation was the evening’s finale and the former Montreal Expos and New York Yankees pitcher provided interesting insight on his progress through local athletics that carried him to high-level success.
Thurman recalled a summer when he was 10 or 11 years old and stopped to watch some baseball.
“I watched over the handlebars of my bike and was mesmerized by the play on the field — in particular, the pitcher and catcher,” Thurman said. “I remember wondering if I would ever be big enough, good enough and confident enough to play on that field or pitch on that mound.”
When he got into high school, Thurman soaked up the sports scene by competing not only in baseball but also football and basketball. But baseball was his first love and he developed all-state level arm strength. He still holds the school record for most strikeouts in a season with 150.
Following his senior season, Thurman was named to the all-conference first team and also earned third-team all-state recognition. He graduated with Philomath High’s Class of 1991.
“As I got out of high school, I was far from the best athlete and still small compared to most of my peers,” Thurman said. “I was so lucky to have coaches in those late middle school and high school years in all of the sports that I played who were full of encouragement and always made my teammates and I feel like we could accomplish anything we put our minds to.”
Thurman said it was positive encouragement that served as a primary motivator.
“I could not have known at the time the impact that the Mount Rushmore of high school coaches would have on my life — Coach Woody Bennett, Dave Garvin and Terry Stephenson — they all had such different styles but their common message of discipline, preparation and accountability were all things that stuck with me for life and in many ways guided me through my journey.”
After high school, Thurman pitched for Oregon State from 1992-94, earning Pac-10 North honors in 1994. That year, he was drafted in the first round by the Montreal Expos and spent time in the minors before making his major league debut on Sept. 2, 1997 with the Expos.
Thurman started 85 games for Montreal from 1997-2001 before signing with the New York Yankees in 2002. On Sept. 14 of that year, he made his final big league appearance against the White Sox in historic Yankee Stadium. Two years later in 2004, he retired.
Thurman has worked as a full-time scout in the Yankees organization since 2006.
Dance coach Terry Garvin
Garvin described her high school self in Iowa as a student that would try any activity — even competing in cross-country for a week. During her junior year, she was introduced to modern dance.
“I was hooked,” she said. “I continued modern dance throughout college while getting my degree in music education.”
In 1985 this week, Dave and Terry Garvin moved to Philomath.
“There were no band positions open … and the dance team had been disbanded,” Garvin said. “A year later, a former dancer was trying to revive a dance team and I was asked if I’d consider coaching and of course accepted.”
Garvin had to learn on the job with big differences between modern dance and Oregon dance drill.
“But after three years, we brought in the third-place trophy and we continued to place in the top five every year until I retired,” Garvin said.
In 1995 and 1996, the Shining Stars won state championships.
Garvin, who had been working as an attendance secretary, left her position as dance coach in 1997 and moved into the role of athletic administrative assistant, a new position created that year at Philomath High School.
“I loved working with the students and sharing and implementing ideas,” Garvin said. “My first year in the athletic office, I worked diligently with a wonderful and amazing Gary Cox, learning everything I could about PHS athletics.”
Garvin also served for 17 years beginning in 1997 as the adviser to the Associated Student Body. She helped create the Mr. PHS Pageant (later changed to the Mr. and Ms. PHS Pageant), an event that raised over $100,000 for Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and other charities over the years. Garvin also established Philomath High’s annual participation in the Polar Plunge, a fundraiser for the Special Olympics.
1995-96 champion dance teams
The 1995 and 1996 dance teams were inducted into the Hall of Fame as well.
The 1995 dance team included Nicole Cook, Heather Dailey, Stephanie Eberhardt, Chelsea Harlan, Corie Harlan, Meghan Hill, Destiny Hixon, Sarah Hooley, Camilla Kinman, Christi Koenig, Jamie Koenig, Annabelle Leeson, Sarah Marchel, Ryan McDougal, Kelli Mergl, Shelia Newcombe, Kiely Smith, Carissa Taylor and Lisa Tribbet.
Colleen Martin served as the assistant coach.
“None of us will forget that moment,” Heather (Dailey) Rogers said in reference to when Philomath was announced as state champions in 1995 at the Chiles Center in Portland. “We jumped up excitedly screaming … there were so many tears but we knew all along that we could do it with the hours we put into our season and it paid off.”
Philomath finished first in the 3A division over Sherwood, the team that had beaten the Shining Stars the previous year.
Sixteen dancers returned the following season and were a part of the 1996 state championship team as well — Cook, Eberhardt, Chelsea Harlan, Corie Harlan, Hill, Hixon, Hooley, Kinman, Christi Koenig, Leeson, McDougal, Mergl, Newcombe, Smith, Taylor and Tribbet. Also on the title team were Whitney Carroll, Jessica Czerny, Shannon Gerding, Stephanie Johnson, Stacey Koenig and Julie Zanon.
Brittany Kampfer took over as the assistant coach in 1996. Erin Dailey volunteered as a team manager.
“We had six minutes to put it all out on the floor and to shine to perfection,” Meghan (Hill) Gray said during her talk about the team. “Six minutes to leave a lasting impression on our audience and to earn all the points we needed to place in a competition.”
Philomath’s victory at Memorial Coliseum in Portland came in the 3A Large division and for the second straight year over runner-up Sherwood.
Gray said there were no mistakes in the state routine, “not after all of those hours and hours of practice and dedication. Winning the state championship was a team effort.”
Philomath’s dance team was one of two selected to represent Oregon in the January 1997 Inauguration Parade.
Cathy McNeely, 1990s athlete
An all-around athlete at Philomath, McNeely competed throughout the academic year with volleyball in the fall, basketball over the winter and track and field in the spring.
McNeely was a first-team all-state athlete in volleyball and basketball. But it was track and field where she truly made school history. She won state titles five times — long jump (1994), high jump (1995-96) and triple jump (1995-96).
During her junior season in 1995, McNeely broke school records in both the high jump at 5-9 and the triple jump at 37-8.25. The next season, she broke the school record in the long jump with a distance of 18-1.
McNeely, who lives in San Diego where she runs a fitness company, said she hesitated at trying track and field after playing softball in the seventh and eighth grades. But she was convinced to give it a try — primarily the high jump. After a rough start with technique, she flourished and is now in the record books as the best ever at PHS.
McNeely went on to compete in basketball and track and field at Washington State University.
Laughed McNeely, “I did choose to play basketball in college because my Dad felt like it was just a fun sport to watch.”
1994 state champion wrestling
Philomath High School’s only state championship in wrestling occurred in 1994. The Warriors edged Hood River Valley for the team title.
“It was amazing to watch these young men develop because they didn’t have a middle school program for them to develop so they really had to increase their abilities quickly in high school,” said Jim Stouder, who served as an assistant coach and was speaking on behalf of the team. “But they did and it was just a wonderful feeling. I was really privileged to be part of the program and It was one of those highlights as a coach.”
Diego Hernandez was the lone individual champion for the Warriors with his first-place showing at 123 pounds. Hernandez won a thriller with a takedown in overtime. But the Warriors racked up significant points in the consolation rounds and ended up with four third-place medalists — Miguel Boriss (115), Will Williams (141), Justin Stevens (157) and Greig McAlpin (191). In addition, Morgan Kovacs surprised a few with his fourth-place finish (106). Ryan Sumners (136) and James Kohn (heavyweight) scored some points. Andy Bauer (168) was on the mat at state for PHS as well.
Stouder explained how Philomath pulled off the unexpected to win the state title. Hood River Valley appeared to have the title all but wrapped up with a heavyweight in the finals that was 36-0 with 32 pins. The Hood River wrestler lost in overtime to Matt Matthews of Silverton in the upset of the year.
“You know, I still send that Silverton wrestler Christmas cards,” Stouder joked.
In addition to the wrestlers already mentioned, others on the team included Dean Anderson, Ryan Boyle, Caleb Fegles, Jason Gerding, Paul Godin, Stevan Hunter, Ryan Otte, Jim Rice, Matt Stouder, Mitch Theurer and Dustin Woodard.
In addition to Stouder, assistant coach Mike West was also in attendance and among those receiving recognition.
Ed Young, 1960s athlete
Young, who passed away last year on Nov. 27, was an exceptional athlete for the Warriors in the mid-1960s. He won the school’s first-ever wrestling title in 1965 while putting together a 30-0 season.
Young’s state title came at 115 pounds in the A2/B division with a 3-1 decision over a Gervais wrestler in the championship match. He finished his high school career with an impressive 95-6 overall record. Young was named Philomath High’s top athlete of 1964-65. In addition to wrestling, he was the starting halfback and safety for the football team, and a top sprinter on the track team.
Dave Smith, Young’s cousin, spoke during Saturday’s induction ceremony.
“He was so fast … he had moves that were incredible,” Smith said. “He was humble … he had a lot of bragging room with his wrestling accomplishments and long-standing track sprint records.”
Young went on to Oregon Tech where he studied engineering. He served in the military during the Vietnam War era and after his discharge, worked for the city of Corvallis until his retirement. Young also for many years served as the volunteer chief for Blodgett-Summit Rural Fire.
The ceremony opened with remarks by the Hall of Fame Committee’s Steve Bennett and Kathi Sollars. Pastor Dave Brooks delivered the invocation.
