You’re a Marauder For Life could be the theme of the annual Monache Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner.
That was the theme expressed and celebrated over and over again by the seven new members of the hall of fame and those who supported them at Saturday’s event at the Porterville Veterans Building. Here’s a summary of how the seven inductees were honored:
Tammy Peltzer
The 1981 Monache graduate was an East Yosemite League champion and also finished fourth in the Valley in tennis. She went onto play for a volleyball team at the College of the Sequoias that finished third in the state and went onto play tennis at Cal State Bakersfield. She went onto more success in the sport of pickleball.
Among those Peltzer credited for her success was anoter hall of fame inductee, Pam Kessler. “She was a huge role model for me,” Peltzer said. “I had really good role modes that helped me get through.”
“I probably would have never graduated from high school,” added Peltzer about the chance to play sports. “I graduated from high school because of sports.”
Peltzer added about going into the Hall of Fame: “I feel really honored.”
Bill Kropog
A 1978 Monache graduate, Kropog was a member of the 1978 Monache wrestling team with only five wrestlers competing that won the first ever Valley title in school history, Kropog also won the match that clinched the Valley title.
Kropog won a Valley title and was a state medalist in wrestling. He was also an all-league selection in football as an offensive lineman and played in the Tulare-Kings All-Star Football Game.
At COS in 1979, Kropog was a first team all-conference selection for a team that won the conference title. Later during that same school year in 1980, Kropog finished fourth in the state in wrestling. For that he was named as the Giant of the Year as the school’s top male athlete for 1979-1980.
He went onto play football at Chico State where he was a second team all-conference selection as a junior and a first team all-conference choice as a senior. In wrestling at Chico State he also earned All-American honors by placing sixth at the Division II Nationals. He later went onto a distinguished coaching career.
“I just want to give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ,” said Kropog in his opening remarks.
He also said he patterned his coaching style after his coach, legendary Monache wrestling Drew Williams, who has spearheaded the MHS Hall of Fame, although Kropog told Williams, “I couldn’t do the job you did.”
Kropog also referred to one of Wiliams’ mottos which he said became his mantra: “Don’t count the minutes, make the minutes count.”
In addition he said he couldn’t have accomplished his success without his teammates, giving them his “heartfelt thanks.”
Rusty Loflin
Fittingly the video show presented to introduce Loflin featured the song “Sweet Home Alabama” in the background for Loflin, who went onto play in the College World Series for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
A multi-sport athlete at Monache, the 1991 graduate played for Monache’s Valley Championship baseball team in 1991 in which he earned all-league first team honors. He went onto earn All-American honors at Porterville College in 1994 during a season in which PC advanced to the State Playoffs.
He was also drafted by the Colorado Rockies along with playing at Alabama. “Monache was a great foundation for me to build on,” Loflin said.
Brian Hull
The 1992 Monache graduate competed in football, wrestling and golf at Monache before serving in the U.S. Marines from 1992-1996. In wrestling, Hull won the prestigious CIT Championship and went onto to win a Valley title and was a two-time state qualifier.
Hull shared a story in which he didn’t make weight and so on the way to a meet in Clovis, he said Williams ordered him off the bus and to run the rest of the way. Assistant coach Rich Lambie, a longtime coach and educator at Monache and Granite Hills who attended Saturday’s event, ran along side Hull.
“They were there to help me do whatever it takes to succeed,” said Hull about Williams and Lambie.
“I would like to thank coach Williams and coach Rich Lambine for all the opportunities they gave us.”
Tonya Baker-Childree
The 1992 graduate played volleyball and basketball at Monache and became one of five players under coach Tom Fiormonti to score 1,000 points in her career. Fiormonti became the first coach in the Central Section to have five 1,000 point scorers. Childree surpassed 1,000 points during her senior year on the birthday of her mom, Gerry.
Childree’s sister, Amanda Baker, also congratulated her sister in a video at the dinner. Baker couldn’t make the event because she was officiating in the State Basketball Championships in Sacramento.
Baker is another player under Fiormonti who scored more than 1,000 points and she will surely take her place in the MHS hall of fame as Childree mention as she said she hopes to be back next year to see her sister honored.
Childree also credited legendary Oakland Athletics broadcaster Monte Moore who moved to Porterville when he bought KTIP Radio for teaching her the game of basketball. Moore was at Saturday’s event. “I owe him probably everything for what I learned in basketball,” Childree said.
Dennis Townsend
The 1979 graduate was also a member of the 1978 Valley title team. He also played football and was a state qualifier in wrestling.
After Monache Townsend wrestled at COS where he finished fourth in the state and went onto wrestle at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He went onto to establish his own architectural firm and to serve the community and county in numerous capacities and now serves on the Tulare County Board of Supervisors.
“I really have a blessed life,” Townsend said. He also referred to his faith, saying he knows God is all-knowing because “He still loves me.”
About all of his coaches and mentors, Townsend said, “You have helped us win in life. Thank you for that.”
Pam Kessler
Kessler taught and coached at Monache for 33 years from 1969 to 2002. She’s considered the “Driver of Girls Golf in The Valley” as she established the Valley’s first girls golf team at Monache.
“I didn’t think it was fair for a girl to play on a boys golf team if they wanted to play golf,” Kessler said. “There was absolutely no girls golf from Fresno to Bakersfield.”
“I’m probably the luckiest of the inductees tonight,” Kessler added. “I got to see all the inductees. They only got to be there for four years. I got to be at Monache for 33 years.”
Kessler also began the volleyball program at Monache.
Something else that has “a special place in my heart” that Kessler began in the 1990s was a role model program in which local high school female athletes served as role models to young girls – and boys.
“From the bottom of my heart, thanks for the memories,” said Kessler in closing.
After she was done a woman in attendance stoop up and told Kessler “Coach Kessler because of you I got to do what I love.”
The event was catered by Monache Culinary Pathway students.