Sports Banquet

Tonight PKR, Z2 and I attended the KHS Sports Banquet. I hadn't attended one for almost 30 years, since I was in high school.

I actually enjoyed as the coaches got up and talked about their seasons, and recognized the athletes.

Z2 got the Most Improved Award for Cross Country. That was pretty neat.

But the most fun was listening to Rich Porter and Jeff Wombolt as the guest speakers.

They were both members of the 1959 Basketball Team that won the Idaho State Basketball Tournament, and were honored by the IHSAA with the “Legends of the Game” Award during halftime of the 5A state championship game at the Idaho Center in Nampa in March. (And I also found out my brother-in-law was the catalyst behing getting this team nominated for this award. I'm not sure I knew this.)

Growing up in Kellogg, you always heard about the great basketball teams of the 1950's.

It was interesting listening to Rich Porter talk about moving to Kellogg from Butte, Montana, and the pride he took in being a Kellogg Wildcat, and being the first class to come through and graduate at the current KHS building. I also learned that he lived with Ray and Mary Rae Faraca during his senior year, so he could finish high school at KHS.

But it was more interesting listening to Dr. Jeff Wombolt, because we have more of a history. To me, Jeff Wombolt was a man I visited once or twice a year to get my teeth cleaned and filled. He was the guy who would sneak up with a needle full of novacaine to deaden my mouth.

Tonight, he was a legend. Tonight, he shared about playing basketball during high school, and what wonderful memories he has from that time in his life. He shared about playing basketball in the YMCA uptown. He shared about working for Floyd Cassidy at the Chevron Station, and going up to the Y on his lunchbreak to play basketball, and how Floyd didn't like him returning to work with a wet, sweaty uniform.

Tonight, he shared a little bit about a basketball game that now one ever saw played, and that couldn't be spoken of for years and years. It was a game between the Kellogg Wildcats and the Washington State freshman basketball team. A game where the Wildcats beat the Cougars by six points. A game that has been a secret for years. A game that was an unbelievable memory for those 15 men on that legendary basketball team.

To see a photo of these men from when they were honored in Nampa in March, go here, and the story is here.

It was very inspiring to listen to these men's stories. It was really a nice evening and a nice sports banquet. It made me very proud to be a Kellogg Wildcat tonight.

Kudos to Gwen Johnson and the Booster Club for a very fine evening.