Around 60 people braved the snowy conditions Friday to attend the Knoxville High School Hall of Fame induction luncheon at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Four former Panther athletes were honored for their careers at Knoxville. Brian Hiemstra, Elizabeth (Haning) Hadler, Graham Fee, and Mike Stults were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Hiemstra, who played football and baseball for the Panthers, told KRLS Sports he appreciated the juniors and seniors during his high school years when he was brought up as a freshman on the baseball squad.

Hiemstra:
“The upperclassmen played a huge role, especially when I was younger, they were great big brother that were able to give me rides home. They were able to team me a lot and help me out.”

Elizabeth (Haning) Hadler, who went in as one of the most decorated athletes in Knoxville history told KRLS Sports her coaches and teachers were a huge influence in her high school years.

Haning-Hadler:
“Coach Johnson always pushing me. They were times I wasn’t playing well, I got technicals sometimes and he sat me down, knew how to discipline me and he cared about me. I think that’s true about all the coaches and teachers that they cared about us and wanted us to better ourselves.”

Graham Fee, from the class of 1957 was the quarterback on the 1954 Knoxville Football Squad, which was the first to complete an undefeated season. Fee says as the only sophomore playing on that team, much of the pressure was off as his teammates made sure they were not going to lose a game that season.

Fee:
“They had confidence in their teammates. They knew every guy would do their part to make it a winning team. When I got in there as a sophomore playing with ten seniors, it demanded that I be OK, because they have the confidence they were not going to lose.”

Mike Stults was unable to attend the luncheon. Thursday all four inductees were enshrined between the girls and boys basketball games with Clarke at Knoxville High School. Hear the full interviews during Wednesday’s Radio Sports Page on KNIA/KRLS at six.