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Greenwave Hall of Fame announces 5th class

Classes of 2020, 2021 to be inducted in October

Greenwave Hall of Fame member Larry Barker (third from left) listens to Nancy Stewart (left) and Bunny Corkill discuss their research about Greenwave athletics in March 2017. Dave Lumos and Yvonne Sutherland look on.

Greenwave Hall of Fame member Larry Barker (third from left) listens to Nancy Stewart (left) and Bunny Corkill discuss their research about Greenwave athletics in March 2017. Dave Lumos and Yvonne Sutherland look on.

By Thomas Ranson

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

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The school’s first girl to lead Block F.
A wrestling coach who put Fallon on the map.
A dedicated research team that dug up decades’ worth of statistics.
A group of girls who shined on the links during the 1970s.

The Greenwave Hall of Fame announced its fifth induction class, which consists of one team, one coach, two contributors and six athletes.

“We are excited about this year’s class and being able to honor these great individuals and teams after last year’s ceremony was postponed by the pandemic,” said Steve Heck, president of the Greenwave Hall of Fame committee. “This year’s class is especially special as it boasts many women who excelled in several sports, including golf, basketball and track. We are looking forward to honoring both the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 inductees in a combined ceremony this fall.”

The Class of 2021 will be honored in a three-day event from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 along with last year’s class after its ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19. A mixer will kick off the celebration at The Grid on Sept. 30, followed by an introduction before the football game Oct. 1 and then the ceremony and dinner Oct. 2.

Tickets will go on sale in person at the community reunion Aug. 21-22. Tickets will be available to purchase online, as well.

Greenwave Hall of Fame/Special to the LVN
Joe de Braga went from rodeo to basketball and after a successful career in Fallon, he played at the University of Nevada.

 

The Class of 2021 inductees include one team, 1975 girls golf, which won the AA title over Lowry and Douglas, and two contributors, including the Churchill County Museum research team and band director Fred Olson. Coach Earl Wilkins, who brought wrestling to Fallon, and athletes Margaret Oats Davis (1956), Charles Hall (1968), Joe de Braga (1978), Jeff Peel (1983), Megan Roze (1992) and Trevor de Braga (2008) will be inducted this fall.

Announced last year, the Class of 2020 inductees includes 1923 football, 1929 football, 1957-58 basketball (two teams), 1974 gymnastics, 1977-78 baseball (two teams) teams; contributors Don Barrenchea, William Deal and Jade Corkill; coach George Hucke; and athletes Kirk Aguiar (1977), Amanda Camacho (2003), Rachel Casey Payne (1992), Mike Evans (1952), Earl Doege (1967), Dale Jensen (1966) and John Kitts (1982).

The Greenwave Hall of Fame asks that players, managers and coaches on the teams being inducted to contact the committee at greenwavehalloffame@gmail.com.

With last year’s ceremony postponed to this fall due to the pandemic, the Greenwave Hall of Fame introduced an annual golf tournament, which returns on Aug. 28 at 2 p.m. at the Fallon Golf Course. Signups are ongoing for the four-person scramble and sponsorship opportunities are available. To sign up or for information, contact Randy Beeghly at 427-4443 or Steve Heck at 427-1854.

The Class of 2021 covers accomplishments from the last 65 years.

Coached by Mark Winans, the 1975 Lady Wave finished 8-1 and sent six golfers to the AA state tournament. During the championship, Fallon finished with a team score of 578 compared to 615 by Lowry, which handed Fallon its only loss during the season. During the season, Fallon defeated Lowry, Yerington, Carson and Douglas, facing off against Lowry and Douglas in the state AA championship.

Ellen Townsend led Fallon with a 48-stroke performance followed by Patty Regan shooting a 49. Sue Homer scored a 51, Vicki Dimmitt shot a 54 and Kim Bugg and Jeannette Fallis rounded out the team scoring. A popular sport on campus, the team also included Peggy Berney, Annette Gosnell, Lynette Lee, Becky Paul, Janie Solaegui and Terry Solaegui.

A daunting task of collecting information on Fallon sports several years ago, the Churchill County Museum research team unearthed decades of sports information to help start the Greenwave Hall of Fame, which inducted its first class in 2017.


Greenwave Hall of Fame/Special to the LVN
Margaret Oats Davis was successful on the basketball court and served for four years with the Girls’ Athletic Association, including stints as vice president and president.

 


For 1957 grad Dave Lumos, 1971 grad Yvonne Arciniega Sutherland, 1959 grad Nancy Sanders Stewart and museum research specialist Bunny Corkill, it was as if the past had been rediscovered and a portal unlocked to the original glory days. The team presented research, dating back to the origins of Fallon athletics more than a century ago, to the Hall of Fame four 
years ago.

Over a two-decade span, Olson led the Fallon band during his time, which included the 
Greenwave marching band, concert band and pep band. Under his guidance, the Greenwave band program grew from 20 students to more than 100 students in a short span. The Greenwave marching band performed during the Shrine East-West game and participated in the Disneyland Parade.

Known as the “Father of Greenwave Wrestling,” Wilkins established wrestling at the high school in the early 1970s, coaching Fallon until 1980 when he became an assistant under Dan Peeters. Under Wilkins’ leadership, the Greenwave posted winning records in league competition and produced several exceptional wrestlers, including Guy Reilly, Ross Aguiar and Randy Kirby. 

After his passing, the Earl Wilkins Memorial Tournament was born and has been labeled as the region’s kickoff to the wrestling season in early December.

Before the days of Title IX, only basketball was recognized as a sports activity available to girls. Davis was an outstanding member of the 1953 and 1954 basketball teams, which finished undefeated.

She contributed to the success of the 1955 and 1956 teams and served for four years with the Girls’ Athletic Association, including stints as vice president and president. A four-year letter winner, Davis was also a member of the Tri-S, an organization that exemplified school spirit in service, sportsmanship and spirit. Davis participated for four years in the high school band and served as president of the executive committee.

Known as the “Mr. Basketball King” in the region, Hall was a force on the court, leading Fallon to a Northern AA championship under Wint King. He was an all-state selection after leading Fallon in rebounding for two seasons. He also played football and baseball and was on the receiving end of the game-winning touchdown pass from Jack Beach in the state championship against Boulder City.

Hall continued his career at Montana Western where he averaged 15 points and 14 rebounds per game before being inducted into his college’s athletics Hall of Fame. Hall was also drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 16th round of the 1972 NBA Draft.

A late bloomer, Joe de Braga didn’t begin playing the sport that would carry him into college until his junior year of high school.

After shining in the rodeo arena where he won a state championship in team roping and setting school records in long and high jumps, de Braga focused on basketball during his last two years. Taking advantage of his 6-foot-7 frame, he played center for the Greenwave and earned a scholarship to Western Montana College.

De Braga returned home, sort of, when he joined the Nevada Wolf Pack and played two seasons for Sonny Allen. He was the first forward off the bench for the 1981-1982 Pack when he played 300 minutes.

A decorated wrestler with the Greenwave, Peel was named the Most Valuable Wrestler during his senior year when Fallon won the AAA Northern Region title. Wrestling with cracked ribs, he placed second in the state championship tournament in Las Vegas and was recognized with the most pins during the season.

On the gridiron, Peel was outstanding at running back and linebacker, earning Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player of the Year during the 1982 season. He was also named the Most Outstanding Athlete of his graduating class. Peel ended his time as a Greenwave by representing the school in the annual Sertoma Classic, a football all-star game played at Mackay Stadium.

A three-sport star who was also the first girl Block F president, Roze’s love was on the track and field where she competed for four years that yielded multiple regional and state championships.
During her senior year, she won three state titles in the 400, 200 and long jump, breaking the school record in the first two. In volleyball, Roze was a first-team selection for the conference during her junior season and helped Fallon upset favorite McQueen on its way to a second-place finish in the regional tournament during her senior year. In basketball, she led Fallon to a second-place finish at state during her freshman year and was an all-league selection as a senior, scoring a game-high 27 points.

Roze earned multiple All-American honors when competing for Ricks College’s track and field team.

Competing in the state’s largest class, Trevor de Braga starred in football, wrestling and baseball, earning regional and state recognition. He was an all-league running back, linebacker and punter during the fall and an all-league third baseman during his last two seasons on the diamond.

But the wrestling mat is where de Braga, the current wrestling coach of the Greenwave, shined the brightest.

De Braga won three regional titles and one state crown, placing second twice. He was named the 4A’s Middleweight Wrestler of the Year and helped guide Fallon to two back-to-back team regional championships and three academic state team championships from 2005-07. De Braga continued his career in football and wrestling at Sioux Falls before transferring to Colorado Mesa where he played at Colorado Mesa alongside his brother, Trent.


Greenwave Hall of Fame/Special to the LVN
Megan Roze turned in one of the most successful track and field careers when she won multiple state and regional titles in the 1990s.

 

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