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HOF game tonight at Lions Field

by Herald Staff WriterCONNOR VANDERWEYST
| September 27, 2013 1:00 PM

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake High School will honor the 2013 hall of fame inductees during halftime of tonight's football game at Lions Field.

A social will be held at 4:30 p.m. at Pillar Rock followed by a dinner and introduction of the inductees at 5 p.m. Both events are open to the public.

This year's class includes Roland DeBoer, Cathy Lane, Billy Matthews, VerNon Merkley, Rick Shelby, and the 2008 Molahiettes dance team.

DeBoer participated in football, basketball and track and field for the Chiefs in the late 50's. In 1958 as a member of the basketball team. DeBoer helped Coach Carnovale win the league and district championship and place fourth in state.

DeBoer also led the Chiefs track and field team to a second place finish in state. After high school, DeBoer was invited to the U.S. Olympic trials in the decathlon and earned a track and field scholarship at Eastern Washington State College.

Lane was awarded Moses Lake High School's female athlete of the year in 1982. Her sophomore year the cross country team won the district championship and qualified for state. Lane was a team caption for both the cross country and track and field teams. She also earned track and field team MVP and Most Inspirational her senior year.

Lane went on to run at Spokane Community College and helped the Sasquatch win the NWAACC championship. After SCC, Lane enrolled in Washington State University and ran both cross country and track for the Cougars. She was inducted into the SCC hall of fame last summer and currently coaches cross country for the Chiefs.

Matthews took home the 4A state title for the discus in 2007 and was a three-year team captain for the Chiefs. During high school, he was a district and regional champion. Matthews also qualified for nationals three times for the discus and once for the shot put. In 2006, he placed twelfth in the nation in the discus. Matthews continued his education at Brigham Young University and was a member of the 2012 track and field team before leaving on his mission.

VerNon Merkley was a state champion wrestler his senior year and helped the Chiefs win their first two team championships in 1959 and 1960. He was also a district wrestling champion his junior and senior year. Merkley received the "Senior Blanket Award" as the most outstanding senior athlete.

Merkley played football and wrestled at Rick's College before moving on to wrestle at Central Washington State College.

During his time with the Air Force, he was All-Air Force wrestling champion. Merkley went on to teach and coach at Juneau and Richland High School.

Shelby was named best all-around athlete for the Chiefs his senior year after being named First Team All Big 9 for baseball and second team for basketball. Shelby set the Moses Lake High School career wins record as a pitcher with 19, surpassing fellow hall of famer Ron Groff's total of 18.

Shelby continued his education at Bellevue Community College where he played basketball and baseball.

The 2008 Molahiettes won the USA National Open Kick Championship and the USA National Hip Hop Championship in Anahiem, Calif. The team included Brooke Baker, Mackenzie Baker, Mattie Bergeson, Aja Clardy, Courtney Earl, Kylie Earl, Nicole Erhardt, Lauren Frey, Breanna Haddican, Kayci Johnson, Caitlynn Lawson, Kendra Moberg, Karlee Pearsall, Lilly Pyle, Kiersten Redal, Katelynn Reed, Lindsey Reis, Karissa Sanchez, Micaiah Stones, Ashley Tucker, Whitney Wood and head coach Lori Baker.