Awards ceremonies can sometimes be predictable; lots of thank you's go out to those who have helped the honored person achieve success. But sometimes the unexpected happens too. Such was the case at the 2014 St. Mary’s High School Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony. One of those unexpected moments was poignant; others were amusing. But all of the moments that made up the ceremony pointed to the fact that St. Mary’s is a community that cares.
The Class of 2014 inductees are: Timothy Myers, class of 1971; Michael Ellison, class of 1977; Philip Gray, class of 1977; Lauren Howe, class of 1977; Joseph Moroski, basketball coach; Kelsey Burkett Vance, class of 2003; Ethan Martinez, class of 2008; Samantha Cardenas, class of 2008; and Edward Murphy, basketball coach.
Vance, both a basketball and volleyball player during her years at St. Mary’s, was inducted for her basketball contributions and provided the poignant and inspirational moments of the ceremony. During her senior season, Vance led the Lady Pirates to a 24-4 record, winning the league, district, and regional titles. The team reached the Elite 8 at the state playoffs and ended the season sixth in the state.
She ended her St. Mary’s basketball career holding seven school records, all of which still stand. Vance said she has many fond memories of her playing days at St. Mary’s, many involving her dad who never missed a high school basketball game during her career.
“Well, he didn’t really have a choice because he was my coach,” she said. “Highlights for me would be that before a game I would leave the locker room last so I could high five my dad and he would tell me to ‘Go get ‘em, kid.’ And a lowlight would be me backtalking him causing the whole team to have to run suicides.”
But through all of the fun, excitement and challenges, Vance said her dad and the sports she played helped her to find an inner confidence and strength that she didn’t know she had. She doesn’t remember the statistics from her playing days, Vance said, but she does remember the lessons learned and the friendships made at St. Mary’s.
“One lesson I learned playing here was that win or lose, life moves on with or without you,” she said. “You can either be bitter, complain when things don’t go your way, or you can work hard and no matter how long it takes, eventually you’ll get something good out of it.”
Vance said that’s a lesson she continues to draw on today. Now a kindergarten teacher at Divine Redeemer, Vance is married and has a daughter named, Reagan, who has cystic fibrosis. Vance said facing the challenges this disease brings to her family requires her to draw on the same inner strength she found during her basketball days.
“Everything you guys are doing at St. Mary’s is preparing you for how you will handle what life has ahead; some of it good and some bad,” she said. “I honestly believe that sports gave me the inner strength and determination to not let this disease beat our family, our faith in God, or having fun in life. So basically what I want you to remember from all of this is that whatever you do here at St. Mary’s—sports, drama, math, cheerleading, band, whatever—cherish and be kind to the people here. You never know what they are going through or what they will go through. With God, persistence and hard work, you will be able to overcome any hardship.”
Joseph Moroski, who served at St. Mary’s as a basketball coach from 1976-1981 and again in 1983-1984, provided the ceremony with many of its lighthearted moments. In introducing Moroski, Athletic Director Dennis Vigil said that when Moroski arrived at St. Mary’s as a business teacher and boys basketball coach, the school had not had a girls basketball team in more than 40 years.
“When the girls basketball coaching position was available, Joe saw a chance to take over the program,” Vigil said. “Take over he did, winning league championships from 1976 to 1981. He was named the 1977 Gazette-Telegraph coach of the year.”
In 1979 the Lady Pirates went to their first state tournament after finishing the regular season with a 20-2 record. But Moroski said in the beginning things were rocky.
“I knew my Xs and Os. I knew what core values I wanted to teach, like integrity and perseverance. And I thought I knew girls,” Moroski said.
Moroski said he learned how little he really understood the opposite gender when the whole team walked out of practice one day, deciding to quit. After a talk with his wife about what was happening, he said things got better and better.
“My wife said, ‘You’ve got to let them be girls,’” he said. “Let them cry and they’re going to giggle when they make mistakes because their embarrassed and they’re going to be sassy. But the girls came to me and said they wanted to win and they wanted me to teach them how to win.”
Several of Moroski’s former players were in the audience laughing, nodding, and cheering his remarks.
“I’m a victim of Title 9. They said we have to put girls basketball in and taking it on was the best decision I ever made,” he said. “I thank God for the gift. I love the Pirates. Once you’re a Pirate, you’re always a Pirate.”
The other inductees expressed love for the school. Seth Myers accepted the award for his father, Tim Myers. In a letter read by Seth, Myers, who was inducted for his football career between 1968 and 1971, said he was deeply honored to be inducted.
“It’s marvelous to be admitted and it’s marvelous to be a member with my uncle, Father Rawley, who loved Pirate athletics,” Myers said. “I have to thank my fellow Pirates on those teams so long ago. Really I was just running through open spaces they created through pure grit and determination.”
Ellison, inducted for his baseball career spanning 1974 to 1977, said there were many people who helped him achieve success, including his dad, brother, coaches, teammates and his wife, Pam.
“I have to thank all of the players on those teams, but especially my catcher, Greg Ernster,” Ellison said. “We’ve been friends since third grade and we just knew each other so well that we knew what the other was thinking both on and off the field.”
Gray, inducted for wrestling and football, had outstanding careers in both sports. But his 1976 championship season almost didn’t happen when three weeks after the season started he learned he had mononucleosis. The illness caused him to miss the first part of his junior season and not return to the team until after Christmas.
“When practices started I knew I was really tired and I would go home after practice and go to sleep before dinner,” Gray said. “Once I was feeling better, I thought about quitting the team because I’d already missed so much of the season. My dad said he understood. Instead, he said, I could help him with ditches that needed work. I was back with the team the next day.”
Gray returned to the team in fine form. He finished the season with a 17-0 record, winning 13 matches by pins. And he became St. Mary’s first CHSAA wrestling champion in the heavyweight division.
At 220 pounds, Gray lettered with the football team all four years. He played offensive and defensive backs his first three seasons, but switched to running back for his senior season. And in the fall of 1976, Gray had a breakout football season. He attributes his football successes to training under a great coach.
“Our team all had talent and we knew we could do a lot with the right coach,” Gray said. “And we got that in Bill Rosing. We were the smallest school out there, but we routinely beat schools bigger than us.”
Gray did not wrestle during his senior year because he graduated early to play football at the University of Arkansas under Coach Lou Holtz.
Lauren Howe was inducted for her golf career from 1974 to 1976. Since the school didn’t have a girls golf team, Howe played on the boys team and at times her parents and the school had to fight for her to play in district and state meets.
“I can’t tell you how cool it is to be here,” she said “In my household we believed in two things: God and golf. I have to thank St. Mary’s and my parents for fighting for us to play. We love St. Mary’s.”
Howe turned pro at age 18 and was named the 1978 Female Athlete of the Year. She played on the LPGA tour for 13 years and had numerous top ten finishes. But she said her success came down to two things she learned growing up.
“My dad has this rule that you had to make your bed, and he would check it and if it wasn’t done right, you’d have to do it again,” she said. “What that did was teach us that even in the mundane things you have to do your very best. If you always do your very best, life is simpler.”
The second important lesson Howe said she learned from a player on a pro-am, who said the most important word in your vocabulary should be everything.
“What that meant was that whatever you do, you should try to do things better than you did yesterday,” she said.
Martinez was inducted for wrestling between 2005 and 2008. Vigil described Martinez’s senior season as “truly a dream one.” That year he won his second state title and finished the season with a perfect record of 36-0. He was the first wrestler in St. Mary’s history to have his singlet retired, and he now coaches wrestling at St. Mary’s.
“For my family wrestling was a tradition,” Martinez said. “My dad wrestled at Harrison and my grandfather wrestled in Trinidad. When I was seven, my dad asked if my brother and I wanted to box or wrestle and that’s how it started.”
Cardenas was inducted for her soccer career between 2005 and 2008. During her St. Mary’s career, the soccer team advanced to the state playoffs four times, and she was selected as the coaches and Denver Post 3A Player of the Year. Cardenas now serves as an assistant coach for the Lady Pirates soccer team.
“I have to thank the St. Mary’s community and the support of several people, including my mom, dad and teammates,” she said, “and all of the coaches. They pushed me and some times frustrated me, but I know I’m better for it.”
The last inductee, Edward Murphy, served as basketball coach from 1960 to 1963. Vigil said he’s been called “the most prolific coach in St. Mary’s history.”
“His teams of the early 1960s were the powerhouses of the parochial league and state,” Vigil said. “In his second year as head coach, Murphy brought a state championship to St. Mary’s and was named 1961 Gazette-Telegraph/KRDO Colorado Springs Prep Coach of the Year.”
But Murphy’s life was cut short, with the Parochial League losing what the Gazette called “one of its biggest assets” with his death.
“St. Mary’s had been a colossal flop when it came to basketball prior to Ed Murphy’s arrival in 1960,” the Gazette article said. “Coach Murphy dug deep into the grass roots to establish a sound program.”
Murphy’s son, Dave, accepted the award on behalf of his father.
“I can’t put into words how happy I am that my father has been included,” Dave Murphy said. “What I thought about as I thought about my father was this: small beginnings into great endings. He started small in Iowa. His players described him as tough minded, inspiring, and looking after them both on and off the court.”
By Amy G. Partain, Communications Associate
St. Mary’s High School
Below, the St. Mary's Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2014 inductees, or their representatives, pose with their plaques after the induction ceremony. (Photo: Diane Torrence)