2017Â INDUCTEES
2017 Inductee Highlights
Ben Allen's career highlights
Ben Allen played a role in two of the biggest moments in the history of Cotaco basketball. The first was as a sophomore reserve on the 1966 team that won the school's only Morgan County Tournament championship with a 69-65 victory over Decatur. Then in 1968, Allen was the starting point guard for the Indians when they made Cotaco's only appearance in the state tournament. The Indians averaged 76 points a game that season with Allen leading the team with a 20.4 average.
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Ricky Allen's career highlights
Ricky Allen played high school basketball at Priceville before starring at Brewer in 1972-73. That team, in the school's first season and coached by Wally Sanders, advanced to the state tournament. Allen went on to play at Snead State Junior College before beginning a 30-year run as girls basketball coach at Brewer in 1985. His teams went 604-272 including 17 Morgan County Tournament championships; 15 area championships; five regional championships; and the 2012 Class 5A state championship. Allen coached nine All-State players.
Jeffery Dunlap's career highlights
Jeff Dunlap first made a name for himself as a star baseball and basketball player at Decatur High. He continued his baseball career in college at Calhoun and Columbus College in Georgia. In 1999, he joined Decatur Parks and Recreation and worked his way to eventually becoming executive director. Under Dunlap's leadership, Decatur saw the development of the Jack Allen Soccer Complex and the Ingalls Harbor Pavilion, plus improvements at the Point Mallard Aquatic Center and Jimmy Johns Tennis Center.
Don Logan's career highlights
Don Logan grew up in Hartselle and played high school football, basketball and baseball for the Tigers. As Chairman and CEO of Time Inc., Logan oversaw numerous publications, including Sports Illustrated. After retiring in 2006, he and two other investors bought B.A.S.S., the largest organization of bass anglers in the country. Also in 2006, Logan and his sons purchased the Birmingham Barons baseball franchise in the Southern League. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
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Jack Mooneyham's career highlights
Jack Mooneyham was a two-sport star in high school at Cotaco and in college at Snead State playing baseball and basketball. He starred on the Cotaco baseball team that won the 1955 Morgan County Tournament. Mooneyham helped Snead's basketball team to two conference championships and a No. 10 national ranking. He played three years of minor league baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals, but his promising pitching career was cut short by a shoulder injury.
Wade Tomlinson's career highlights
Wade Tomlinson had the distinction of playing basketball at both Hartselle and Decatur. He was known for his knack of making big plays. Tomlinson arrived at Lipscomb University in 1986 just as the college game was changing with the 3-point shot and the shot clock. Under legendary coach Don Meyer, Tomlinson elevated his game. In four seasons, he made 274 3-point shots for a 45.5 percentage and scored 1,792 career points. Lipscomb had a four-season record of 139-16, including a national record 41 wins in the 1989-90 season.
Yonanda Watkins' Highlights
Yolanda "Yo" Watkins was the USA High School Player of the Year in 1992. She starred on Decatur state championship teams in 1990, 1991 and 1992. The three-year Parade All-American and two-year USA Today All-American averaged 21.7 points and 15.4 rebounds in her high school career. She was a three-time All-State selection and twice named the Class 6A Player of the Year. She went on to star for the University of Alabama and helped the Crimson Tide to the 1994 Final Four.
Vickie Orr''s career highlights
Vickie Orr led the Hartselle Tigers to state high school basketball championships in 1984 and 1985. She led the Auburn Tigers to the NCAA national championship games in 1988 and 1989, was a three-time Kodak All-American, MVP of the SEC Tournament in 1987 and SEC Player of the Year in 1988. Orr played on Gold Medal teams in the 1990 World Championships and the 1990 Goodwill Games before helping the U.S. win a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics. Orr was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.