Retired South Bend superintendent Mike Morris facilitated the evening while joined by Andy Mullen as the keynote speaker, and Steve Koplitz and Mike Rogers introducing Brent Koplitz and Scott Taylor. Board chair Chuck Spoor and superintendent Jon Tienhaara assisted with the awards.
The first Wall of Fame induction since 2002, the speakers and inductees all shared stories and pastimes as each team and individual were recognized. Listening to each individual brings recognition to how South Bend Schools have impacted generations of students. Team and individual bios are included below the ceremony videos.
Welcome & Introduction: Mike Morris
Keynote Address: Andy Mullen
1950 Football Team Honors
1976 Boys Basketball Team Honors
Tim Taylor, Class of '77, Introduced by Mike Morris
Brent Koplitz, Class of '76, Introduced by Steve Koplitz
Scott Taylor, Class of '69, Introduced by Mike Rogers
Closing Remarks, Mike Morris
After Video & Team Pictures
1950
Football Team,
2016 inductee to the "Wall of Fame" in the Koplitz Fieldhouse, was
led by head coach Frank DiNapoli and assistant Dick Mason. The Indians finished the season with a 9-0
record and as the highest rated B team in the final state Associated Press
rankings. It also won the school’s first
league championship in football in five years, as well as its first undefeated
season since 1932.
The team was led on the field by all-everything
senior captain Stewart Crook. Crook, who
eventually went on to become a three-year letterman at the University of
Washington, set the state scoring record in 1950 with 167 points. His 45-point effort in a 51-6 win against
Naselle still stands as a school record.
He was also selected to play in the All-State game in Spokane in the
summer of 1951.
The Indians did not surrender a point in their
first three games – a 13-0 win over Valley, 37-0 victory over Naselle, and a
26-0 win over O’Dea (when Crook scored all of the points despite having three
touchdowns nullified by penalty). After
defeating Ilwaco 20-7, three close wins over Elma, Ilwaco, and Valley
(surrounding the lopsided victory over Naselle) set the stage for the season finale
with arch-rival Raymond. Raymond led for
most of the contest before an Indian touchdown in the final minute gave South
Bend the victory and secured the undefeated season.
Players
on the 1950 team were: Doug Allen, Don
Bailey, Larry Beck, Bob Bishop, Tom Coma, Stewart Crook, Al Davis, Fred
Dracobly, Franklin Duty, David Frank, John Gabriel, Gary Gibbons, Mel Gibbons,
John Gill, Fred Gray, Dick Green, Leo Hads, Clark Hamer, Phillip Hawks,
Lawrence Hicks, James Major, Mike McNamara, Charles Mills, Howard Moe, Kenneth
Mullins, Melvin Padgett, Evan Prior, Bill Raschkow, Edgar Rhoades, Allan
Robinson, Buzzy Russell, Herby Slingerland, Chuck Smith, Jerry Sowers, Herschel
Standifer, Ron Taylor, Dale Walthers, Tom Wolleson, Ernest Woodfield.
1976 Boys
Basketball Team,
2016 inductee to the "Wall of Fame" in the Koplitz Fieldhouse, was
guided by head coach Don Koplitz and assistant Dick McGovern. The Indians finished the season with a 27-1
record and placed 3rd in the state A basketball tournament at the University
of Puget Sound in Tacoma. It also won
the Far West League championship and the Southwest Washington District
championship.
Returning four starters from a team that won the
Far West League and placed 7th at state in 1975, the Indians figured
to be tough to beat. While getting
contributions from the entirety of the squad, Brent Koplitz, Chuck Getchell,
Dan Lee, Robbin Rhoades, Tim Taylor provided consistent, excellent play. Tight wins early in the season over Naselle,
Montesano and Willapa Valley propelled the Tribe to enter into the Seaside
Holiday Tournament rolling, and they won the tournament handily. Two wins over rival Raymond and a key late
season victory at Ilwaco allowed the Indians finished the league slate and
regular season unbeaten.
Entering district tournament play, the Tribe
defeated North Mason, Castle Rock, and Orting, before beating Woodland 56-46 to
capture their first district title since 1956.
At the state tournament, South Bend beat Cashmere 54-43 and defeated
Lynden 57-44 before falling to Royal 43-42, ending the unbeaten run. The Tribe then beat Lake Roosevelt 66-64 to
cop the 3rd place trophy.
Players
on the 1976 team were: Jim Anderson,
Brian Ashley, Keith Brown, Stuart Corcoran, Chuck Getchell, Brent Koplitz, Dan
Lee, Mick Pine, Robbin Rhoades, Larry Spoor, Tim Taylor.
Tim Taylor, a 2016 Wall of Fame
nominee, graduated from SBHS in 1977.
He was born in South Bend to the late Dick and Irene Taylor.
Tim
had an illustrious athletic career at South Bend, earning 12 athletic letters
in football, basketball, track and baseball.
A two time 1st team All-State basketball performer, Tim
helped lead the Indians to 4 consecutive state trophies under the direction of
Hall of Fame coach Don Koplitz. In 1976,
the Indians finished 27-1, winning the District IV ‘A’ Championship and losing
by a single point in the semi-final game of the state tournament. He set a single game scoring record of 45
points in a district tournament game in 1977, while averaging 27 points a game. Tim scored 1,645 points in his four years at
South Bend, while he and his teammates won an amazing 91 games over his four
years. Tim was honored his senior year
by being selected to play in the All Classification All State game.
Following
graduation from SBHS, Tim went on to be a 4 year letter winner at the
University of Puget Sound where he was a two year starter for the nationally
ranked Loggers and Hall of Fame coach Don Zech.
After
college, Tim moved to Brewster WA, where he and his wife Sonya raised their
family, Michael, Martha, Stockton, Becky Mae, Timbo and Joe while working in
the apple, cherry and pear industry.
Tim’s oldest son Michael was the 2011 National Division 3 Player of the
Year while playing for Whitworth College.
In
1997 Tim became the head coach of the Brewster Bear’s basketball team that he
still coaches today. Over his 16 years,
he has lead Brewster to 14 straight state tournament appearances, 12 tournament
trophies, including 5 straight championship games, winning three State A
titles. Additionally, his teams have
won 11 league titles and 10 district titles.
His current record is 374-80 and counting.
Tim was selected as the State A coach of the
year 3 times in addition to being selected league coach of the year 5
times. He has also served 5 years as a
coach for the Washington – Oregon Game coaching staff, including one year as
the head coach.
Brent “Boot” Koplitz, 2016 inductee to the “Wall of Fame,” was born
in Seattle on July 28, 1958. He attended
South Bend Schools from kindergarten through high school and graduated in
1976. At South Bend, Brent lettered 14
times in basketball, baseball, track and field, and cross country while
representing the school at the state level on eight different occasions, at
least once in every sport. He won individual
league titles in cross country as well as sprinting, but is most proud of his
team’s achievements in basketball, including only one loss in this building
during a three-year span where the combined regular season record was 55 wins
and 5 losses.
Brent went on to
Willamette University where he earned a B.A. degree in chemistry and
mathematics. Subsequently, he received a
Ph.D. degree in chemistry from Princeton University. After postdoctoral work at the University of
Southern California, he joined the faculty at Tulane University in New Orleans
where he is a professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry. His wife, Lynn, and two children, Shannon and
Trevor, have enjoyed many trips to South Bend over the past 30 years.
Athletic endeavors for
Brent in New Orleans have included 20 years of coaching elite fastpitch
softball and baseball teams. Over 50 of
his former players have earned college scholarships, and their accolades
include all Pac-12, Big12, and SEC honors as well as All-American and national
team selections.
Scott Taylor, a 2016 Wall of Fame
inductee, started kindergarten in South Bend in 1956 and graduated with the
class of 1969. During high school, Scott
was active in band, Letter Club, Boys Club, and was a member of the National
Honor Society.
As
an athlete, Scott earned ten letter awards in football, basketball, and
track. As a senior, he captained the
football team, the basketball team, and was presented with the Merle Millam
Award, given to the year’s outstanding track athlete.
As
a track athlete Scott helped continue the tradition of excellent South Bend
distance runners under legendary coach Don Weisel. In 1968 he won the state championship in the
mile run after an undefeated season and was selected as the Twin Harbors’
outstanding track athlete by the Aberdeen Daily
World. In his final race as a high
schooler, Scott established a school record or 4:18.1 in the mile run, which
still stands.
Scott
attended Western Washington State College where he won the Evergreen Conference
Championship and the WIAA District title in the mile run. He continued running after graduation as a
road runner, winning numerous races in Washington and Oregon.
Scott
retired in 2005 after working for the state of Washington and the Washington
Public Ports Association. In recognition
of his service he was made a Life Member of the WPPA.
Scott
has been married to his wife Charlotte since 1976. They have two sons, Troy and Owen, and two
grandsons, Cameron and Alex.
