Anthony, Barrett headline NIAA Hall of Fame class
There are no shortage of state championships, national championships or professional accolades in the NIAA’s most recent Hall of Fame class.
In fact, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association’s nine-person class includes some of the biggest names in local high school sports history.
Former Rancho standout Greg Anthony, a 1986 graduate who led the Rams to a state title and helped UNLV to the NCAA championship in 1990, leads the two athletes set to be inducted Feb. 21 at Orleans Arena.
The other athlete also hailed from Rancho. Marty Barrett, a 1976 graduate and baseball standout, went on to play 10 seasons in the major leagues.
Highlighting the coaches to be inducted is Rodger Fairless, who became one of the most successful coaches in NIAA history. He finished his 20-year baseball coaching career with 493 wins, including 12 state championships.
The other coaches in the class are Dave Gerber, Tona Lytle, Mike O’Dea and Greg Spencer.
Gerber won 106 games and two state titles as a football coach at Bishop Gorman and Valley.
Lytle guided Chaparral’s girls volleyball and softball programs. She led the Cowboys to state volleyball crowns in 1982 and 1984, and the school won the softball title in 1983.
O’Dea was a coach at Eldorado, Durango and Palo Verde and finished his career with 10 region championships and seven state titles.
Spencer, who died in January 2009, coached football at Chaparral, Valley and Cimarron-Memorial. He won state titles in 1998 and 1999 at Cimarron-Memorial.
Two administrators also will be inducted. Mark Coleman was with the Clark County School District for 27 years and worked as a coach, athletic administrator and principal and was a member of the NIAA board.
Dean Thornock will be the other inductee. He was at White Pine for more than 30 years and coached football, boys and girls basketball, baseball and cross country. He was the school’s athletic director for 13 years and won a state titles in girls basketball and baseball, both in 2005.
