Three locals enter Hall in May

Prep sports: Denny Humphrey, Gene Smith and Ron Cox (in photo) are among the members of the 2011 Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Hall of Fame class.

The class will be inducted May 11 at the Spirit of Washington Events Center in Renton.

The induction ceremony also includes the Gareth Giles Memorial Recognition Award, which will be presented to Greater Spokane League secretary Randy Ryan for his service as a Representative Assembly member and as the District 8 Director.

Humphrey, a 1958 graduate of Reardan High School, coached basketball at LaCrosse, Chewelah, Ritzville and Cheney. He is the fourth winningest coach in Washington with a record of 552-277.

Cox was a football, baseball and basketball player at Coulee City High School, where he played from 1970-1973.  He finished his career as the all-time State B career record holder with 270 rebounds.  He played college basketball at Eastern Washington and was twice namd to the NAIA All-America team. Cox was drafted in the sixth round by the Cleveland Cavaliers and He coached Tekoa-Oakesdale to the State B championship in 1993.

Smith coached football, basketball and track and field at Reardan. In football, he took the team to state eight times and won the title in 1991. In basketball, Smith went 501-152 for his career, averaging 21 wins a season and winning 13 Bi-County championships and four state championships.

Other inductees include athletes Doug Porter of Seattle’s Lakeside High, Drew Miller of Lakes and Otto Olson of Everett; coaches Dave Johnson (a Shadle Park graduate) of Ephrata and Kim Cox of DeSales. The WIAA will also honor official Virgina Hayes, contributor Scooter Chapman and band director Clarence Acox.