BY JABRIA WILLIAMS

Five new members of the Iredell County Sports Hall of Fame were inducted in a grand ceremony on Monday evening.

Steve Rankin, the executive director of the Iredell County Sports Hall of Fame, opened the event by announcing that 12 high school athletes would also be honored. Jeff Stutts gave the invocation and Ashton Loyd sand The National Anthem.

After a catered dinner, Kenny Miller, chairman of the Iredell County Sports Hall of Fame, addressed the attendees. Miller, who spent 52 years in the Iredell-Statesville Schools as a coach and administrator, thanked the sponsors of the ICSHOF.

Miss North Carolina Taylor Loyd and her father, Ashton Loyd, served as masters of ceremonies, starting with the high school seniors nominated by their peers and coaches.

High School Athletes of the Year

The high school athletes of the year included:

♦ Lake Norman: Caleigh Suddreth and Eli Murray;
♦ Mooresville: Campbell Schaean and Johnathan Merman;
♦ North Iredell: Eliza Jenkins and Garrett Chase;
♦ South Iredell: Preston Jones and Drew Bryant;
♦ Statesville: Janiya Johnson and Mekiaum Davis; and
♦ West Iredell: Kaitlyn Stroud, Eli Josey

Eli Murray, with a 4.2 GPA, who is committed to wrestle at Duke, was named the 2024 Iredell County Male Athlete of the Year. Janiya Johnson, with a 3.2 GPA, who is committed to run track at Virginia Tech, was named the 2024 Iredell County Female Athlete of the Year.

Community Partner Service Award

Harold Johnson, a four-time Emmy Award-winning sportscaster and Statesville native, presented the Community Partner Service Award to retired Mooresville Police Captain Frank Owens. Owens has been an “ardent booster of many sports and athletes at many schools for over 50 years.”

Hall of Fame – Class of 2024

Josh Ladowski

Rob McNeely, head football coach at Fort Mill High School in South Carolina, introduced the first member of the Class of 2024, Josh Ladowski. McNeely highlighted Ladowski’s unparalleled work ethic and competitive spirit.

“In my 27 years of coaching, he was the best high school football player I’ve ever seen,” McNeely said.

Ladowski reflected on the bonds he forged through sports, saying, “Through playing sports, I’ve met so many families and built lifelong friendships.”

Lawdowski played quarterback at Lake Norman High School from 2010-2014, producing eye-popping statistics. He set a state record for 5,647 yards of total offense in 2014, ranks sixth all-time in North Carolina high school history with 155 career TDs and fourth all-time in total yards from scrimmage with 13,361. Ladowski also played baseball at LNHS, and took those talents to the University of North Carolina to play for the Tar Heels. An accident during his freshman year that resulted in a back injury cut his college career short.

Matt Matheny

Bob McKillop, a recent inductee into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, introduced Matt Matheny, who expressed gratitude for his wife’s support.

“Your support is there when I need it the most,” Matheny said.

Matheny, who played quarterback at North Iredell High School, led the Raiders to their only 10-0 football regular season and has been a successful college basketball coach. A 1988 graduate of North Iredell, Matheny was a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, tennis) for the Raiders. He was a three-time all-conference performer on the tennis courts. Following a brief pro football career in Germany, Matheny returned to his alma mater as an assistant basketball coach under McKillop. After a 10-year (1993-2003) stint as an assistant coach. Matheny returned to Davidson in May of 2022 for his second stint on the men’s basketball staff.

Jimmy Popp

Tom Renedo, a former co-worker, introduced Jimmy Popp, who congratulated the inductees and award winners, becoming emotional when speaking about his sister, who has been his mentor, lawyer, and agent.

Popp is a 1983 graduate of Mooresville High School, where he won 11 letters in four sports (football, basketball, baseball and golf). He was an all-conference performer in all four sports. As a senior, he won team MVP honors in football, basketball and baseball. After college, he became a successful college coach with stints at the Citadel, North Carolina, Alabama State and UNC-Charlotte. He also worked as general manager for 21 seasons in the Canadian Football League, directing three different franchises to five Grey Cup titles. Popp also worked as a vice president of the USFL.

Amy Cartner Rogers

Kent Blackwelder introduced Amy Carter Rogers, praising her as a “difference maker.” 

Rogers acknowledged her parents, mentionning how her father inspired her love for sports as well as her mother’s vocal support from the stands.

Rogers is a 1984 graduate of North Iredell High. She played on the Raiders’ first state girls basketball championship team (1983-84). Rogers was named conference player of the year and the Associated Press 3A girls basketball player of the year. She was also named to the West squad in the annual East-West All-Star Classic. Rogers skills and accomplishments earned her a scholarship to Wake Forest University. She was a successful player for the Lady Deacons and was a GTE Academic All-American selection and led the Lady Deacons to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

Keith Walker

Ashton Loyd introduced Keith Walker, noting his achievement as the highest-scoring junior college player in the nation. 

“This game of basketball has taken me all around the world,” Walker said.

Walker had a record-setting career at Statesville High from 1975 to 1977. He averaged 23.7 points as a junior and 28.3 as a senior and also averaged over 10 rebounds per game both seasons. He was named team MVP, all-conference and all-region in the juco ranks. Walker left Mitchell College for Clemson from 1979-81 and was a co-captain for the Tigers. He continued his playing career overseas in Turkey, Belgium, Italy and France. From 2000-2018, Walker served as head coach at Delaware State University. Most recently, he was head coach at Allen University in Columbia, S.C., from 2021-23.

Steve Rankin closed the program, offering final congratulations to the Class of 2024 and thanking the Hall of Fame Committee.