SALUTE “THE GENERAL!” RANGERS HONOR HALL-OF-FAMERS | KC recognizes 2024 class (w/video)
Kilgore College honored its hall-of-famers and flexed its muscles in a non-conference win over Community Christian College on a hot Saturday afternoon at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.
KC led 49-0 at halftime and won, 63-0. KC paid tribute to folks who have played special roles in Ranger athletics in the hours before the game.
“The General,” Jerry Grafton, who has been a part of the day-to-day operations of Kilgore College football for decades, was among those who heard his name called when honorees of the class of 2024 Kilgore College Athletics Hall of Fame was introduced prior to the contest. Grafton and other hall inductees were honored at a brunch at the Devall Student Center Saturday morning, then recognized in front of the crowd before kickoff – see our video of that recognition below.
Grafton, of course, has been not only a friend and loyal supporter of the football program at KC, but has worked diligently to help ensure its success, and still had his own regular gameday role to fulfill as equipment and field manager, even with the hall induction. He was inducted as a contributor.
Other inductees Saturday:
- Former Rangers basketball standout Nolan Johnson, who played for the Rangers in the 1996-97 and ’97-98 seasons, and went on to stand out at the University of Oklahoma and in professional basketball. He helped the Sooners to their first Big 12 Conference championship.
- Deborah “Stretch” Richardson, a former Lady Rangers’ basketball player for coach Evelyn Blalock in the 1986-86 and ’86-87 seasons. The 1985-86 team was the first-ever conference championship team at Kilgore College, and went 28-9 overall, 8-2 in the TEC, and finished seventh at the national tournament, and the 1987 team went 25-7, were co-champions of the conference, and finished sixth at nationals. Richardson and teammates Pam Wells and Pam Hudson were All-TEC that season, and Roseland Hodge and Paige Persful were honorable mention All-TEC. Richardson went on to play at Kansas after her time here at Kilgore College.
- The 2012-13 softball team, the very first softball team at KC. It had long been a dream of former athletic directors David Castles and Jimmy Rieves to establish a softball team here, and it was finally done in ’13, when Rieves was athletic director. Leslie Messina, the former Texarkana College head coach, was brought in to coach the team, who did quite well that first season, actually: a 20-34 overall record, 8-12 in conference play.
- Former softball standout Molly Mackey Savell, who was also a member of that inaugural team, a softball coach herself.
- Former football assistant coach Jim Prewit, inducted posthumously. Prewit was an assistant for the Rangers from 1976-1984, under coach Jim Miller. The Rangers had an incredible run during that period, winning the national championship, of course, in the 1978 season with a 10-0-1 record, and winning three more conference titles – three in a row (1980, 1981, and 1982, sharing it in 1981). In all, Prewit helped guide the Rangers to a 62-30-1 record during that time period.
- Former football standout Bo Adams, who played for the Rangers in the 1991 and 1992 seasons, and went on to play at Texas Tech. Adams was a wide receiver here, and for coach Spike Dykes at Tech, and went on to play for the Texas Terror of the Arena League.
- And Kevin Everett, the former Rangers tight end from Port Arthur, who received the Spirit of Excellence Award. Everett came from Jefferson High in Port Arthur, and was on the 2001-02 teams at KC. He was all-conference twice, and was a part of the Rangers’ unbeaten 2001 team (12-0) under Rieves, along with current head coach Willie Gooden. As a sophomore here at KC, he had 18 catches for 310 yards and two touchdowns.
Everett moved on to the University of Miami, and was the 86th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft by Buffalo. He had to rehab a torn ACL, though, early in his career, and two years later, during week one of the 2007 season, he gained national attention when he was injured while attempting to tackle Domenik Hixon on a kickoff return against Denver.
Everett suffered a cervical spine injury, was on a respirator for some time, and two days later, regained voluntary movement in his arms and legs.
Months later, two days before Christmas, Everett walked onto the field at Ralph Wilson Stadium in front of Bills fans, before the home finale against the New York Giants – ironically, Hixon was there, too, as a member of the Giants. He had been released by the Broncos and picked up by the Giants in the weeks after.
Everett accepted the invitation by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to sit with him at Super Bowl XLII later that season.
Everett and Richardson weren’t able to be present for Saturday’s events. But here is our video from the stadium introduction, prior to the game against Community Christian College.
