April 24, 2003
This is another "B" Line column, a periodic collection of news items of particular interest to members of the Baylor "B" Association. Contribute news about you or your teammates via e-mail to Lee Harrington (leenelaine@281.com), Dutch Schroeder (Dutch_Schroeder@baylor.edu), Reba Cooper (Reba_Cooper@baylor.edu) or Jack Loftis (Jack.Loftis@chron.com). The mailing address is Baylor "B" Association, P. O. Box 8120, Waco, TX 76714.
Former Baylor running back Jerod Douglas, who was a two-time all-state selection at Converse Judson High School, will be inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night (April 26) during ceremonies at the Ferrell Center in Waco.
Douglas led the Rockets to state championships in 1992 and 1993 and is considered one of the finest runners in the history of Texas schoolboy football. He will be saluted at the dinner as the representative for the 1990s.
In the 1992 title game against Euless Trinity, Douglas rushed for a 5A record 237 yards and shattered his own record as a senior when he rushed for 245 yards and four touchdowns in a 36-13 win over Plano.
According to his bio on the Texas High School Hall of Fame website, as a junior he set the 5A single season rushing record with 2,966 yards and was named the Associated Press' 5A Offensive Player of the Year.
In 1993 he was a member of the Parade magazine All-America Team and the All-Southern Team.
Douglas graduated as the top rusher in class 5A history with 6,188 yards and 85 touchdowns. He was also selected to play in the 1994 Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Game.
At Baylor he had an excellent career from 1994 thorough 1997. rushing for 2,811 yards - second on the school's all-time list. He was an All-SWC running back in 1995 and set the school's single game rushing record in 1994 with 210 yards against Texas.
He currently works for Southwestern Bell Corporation in San Antonio.
The others . . .
Other players being inducted as part of the Class of 2003 include Tommy Vaughn (Brownwood and Texas A&M, Pre-1940s), Kein Konz (Weimer and LSU, 1940s), Jerry Hopkins (Mart and Texas A&M, 1950s), John LaGrone (Borger and SMU, 1960s), Britt Hager (Odessa Permian and Texas, 1980s).
The 2003 coaching inductee is D. W. Rutledge, whose Converse Judson teams have advanced to the 5A championship games seven time and won four titles. A special award is going to Ronny Flowers, a sporting goods representative who has been a longtime and loyal friend to the high school coaches of Texas.
Mike Singletary, the most decorated football player in Baylor's history, originally was to be honored as the high school standout representing the 1970s. However a longstanding rule requires honorees to be present and Singletary, who starred for Worthing High School, had to miss the ceremonies due to the weekend National Football League college draft. Mike is now an assistant coach for the Baltimore Ravens.
Members of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame are selected by a statewide committee made up of eight sportswriters, eight high school coaches and eight members of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame's board of directors.
The dinner begins at 6 p.m. and tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students. For additional information call 1-800-567-9561.
INDIVIDUAL HONORS - As previously reported, Baylor's men's and women's tennis teams each took honors for recording the highest team grade-point averages during the school year. They received their awards at the Student Achievements Banquet at Ferrell Center, an annual event sponsored and funded in part by the Baylor "B" Association. Individuals honored for having the highest cumulative grade-point averages in their respective competitions included: Baseball: Zach Dillon, Men's Basketball: Andre White, Women's Basketball: Jessika Stratton, Football: Chris Neilson, Men's Golf: Will McDonald, Women's Golf: Melanie Hagewood, Soccer: Whitney Barrett, Softball: Kim Wilmoth, Men's Tennis: Barry McLaren, Women's Tennis: Allison Bradley, Men's Cross Country: Kyle King, Women's Cross Country: Megan McCoin, Men's Indoor Track: Mark Henkes, Women's Indoor Track: Stephanie Bennett, Men's Outdoor Track: Jordan Lewis, Women's Outdoor Track: Lindsay Price, Volleyball: Kara Kennedy, Managers/Video: Michael Snaufer, Strength: Daniel Capps and Trainers: Ben Basden. The 2002-2003 Student-Athletes of the Year were Ross Bennett (baseball) and Whitney Barrett (soccer) . . . Plans are shaping up for the 21st Annual Curtis Hankamer Golf Classic. The May 12 event will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will be held on the Arnold Palmer Course at Woodlands Country Club. Proceeds go to Baylor athletics. For more information contact Karen Edwards at 1-800-229-5678, Ext. 6, or Candice Herchenhahn at 713-871-9681. . .
JACK LOFTIS
CHAIRMAN
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
