Bob Foos
Eight individuals and two groups were inducted into the Webb City R-7 Athletic of Fame during a banquet Saturday in the Cardinal Dome Commons.
Bill Demoss, ’68, earned all-conference, all-district and all-Ozark honors during his four years of football. He also lettered four years in basketball and was selected all-conference two years. In track, he was a state qualifier three years and placed in the long jump in 1967.
It was said that Bill DeMoss would have been a four-sport athlete if there were four sports when he was in school. He went on to play baseball at Crowder College.
Blake Bard, ’98, was selected for all-state in basketball in 1998. He also played baseball and football in high school. In college, he played one year at Pittsburg State University before transferring to Missouri Southern State University and playing three years.
Xin Liu, ’99, won conference championships in singles and doubles tennis, was the district singles champion in 1999 and placed second in singles in state the same year. He also swam for two years and attended Missouri State University.
Katie (Spieker) Chapman, ’00, earned all-district and all-conference honors in basketball and was all-state her senior year. She was all-state in volleyball. She played basketball at Pittsburg State University.
Nicole (Greninger) Moore, ’02, was all-state in basketball and softball her junior and senior years. She also participated in track for four years and earned the school’s most points during her junior year.
Chrissie (Greninger) Sargent, ’02, like her sister, was all-state in basketball and softball her junior and senior years. She participated in track for three years.
Callie (Stanford) Smothers, ’02, earned all-conference and all-district as a softball pitcher all four years. And she was selected for the all-state team her junior and senior years. She went on to play softball at MSSU.
The 2005 baseball team had a record of 16-4 and won the state championship.
Jerry Kill, ’88-’89, enters the hall of fame under the meritorious category since he didn’t go to school here. Rather, his 1989 team won the school’s first state championship in football. Although he was here only two years, his impact on the program lives on.
He has coached at 13 universities since leaving here and is currently a consultant to the coach at Vanderbilt University.
“Players loved and respected him,” said Athletic Director John Roderique, who was recruited by Kill to play at Pitt State. “He had a profound impact on me as a player and coach.”
The Chain Crew is another new meritorious inclusion in the hall of fame. For decades, whether football teams were losing or winning, a dedicated group of men has run the chains on the far sideline during every home game at Cardinal Stadium.
Past and present crew members honored were Fred (Fritz) Rogers, Melvin Johnson, Jim Johnson, Carl Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Merle Lortz, Bruce Jones, George Mayes, David Lortz and Spencer Lortz.
