2016 Hall of Fame Inductees
Lorance Eickworth '60
Jackie Ford '55
Gary Gehlert '60
Marty Johnson '79
Lane Johnson '82
Bart Martindale '86
1997 State Championship Cheer Team
Jackie Ford '55
Gary Gehlert '60
Marty Johnson '79
Lane Johnson '82
Bart Martindale '86
1997 State Championship Cheer Team
Article by Sam Barbee, The World newspaper, Oct 2 2016
Rainey Elwood reassured the crowd after breaking down during her speech that she was all right.
“They all know this is normal,” she joked, waving down to her teammates, who were laughing and giggling. One was holding a phone with an absent teammate on FaceTime.
Elwood was a sophomore on the 1997 state champion Marshfield cheer team that was honored at the 14th Class of the Marshfield Hall of Fame induction dinner Saturday night at the Salmon Room at The Mill Casino.
“When we were a younger team, we didn’t really have the respect and the acknowledgement from the school,” Eldwood said. “And so, even after the years, even after we won and stuff, we weren’t an established championship team, like football or the dance team. To be acknowledged, I think for all of us, that it happened. We created something that was amazing for that time period that we were in high school.”
Along with the 1997 cheer team, comprised of Kallie (Aakre) Mill, Rainey (Adams) Elwood, Natasha (Caffey) Laidlaw, Heidi (Cotton) Robbins, Sandra Dunn, Alyssa (Hall) Barrett, Kathryn (Hooten) Tietz, Melissa Loudenbeck, Billie (McMananaway) Wingfield, Deanna McMananaway, Mariane Rogers and Bobbi Joe Smith; 1955 graduate Jackie Ford, 1960 graduate and longtime faculty member Gary Gehlert, 1960 alumnus Lorance Eikworth, brothers Marty and Lane Johnson (1979 and 1982 respectively) and Bart Martindale, a 1986 grad, were inducted.
Members of the 1997 Marshfield Cheer Team head back to their tables after being inducted into the school's Hall of Fame Saturday night. The team took top honors in the state championship that year.
Lou Sennick, The World“You never play sports for the accolades. You shouldn’t,” Martindale said. “Just to be recognized after so many years is a privilege.”
The 1997 cheer team saw a rapid improvement from an afterthought into a state champion. Elwood talked about a team-wide decision that they were tired of losing and wrote out a list of why they wouldn’t compete any longer.
When head coach Barbara Bassett heard the team's message, she wouldn’t let them quit.
After that, they recruited girls and “strong-armed” them into cheering. Eventually they finished second at a state qualifying meet against larger schools such as Jesuit, Springfield, West Linn and Thurston. Being in the largest classification in the state at the time, Marshfield had a disadvantage, but the runner-up finish was a “glimpse of hope,” as Bassett called it.
After their routine at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, the team was despondent when they didn’t hear their name in the first two podium awards.
When they were announced the victors, it was truly a special moment. Now, being honored by their school nearly 20 years later, was an unbelievable surprise.
“It was emotional even just getting the nomination,” Elwood said. “(It was) like, ‘Wow.’ We’re finally getting credit for all that hard work we did.
“We all got on Facebook immediately as a team and started reaching out to everyone. It was like our sisterhood was back together.”
Bart Martingale '82
Martindale scored the first goal in the history of Marshfield boys soccer, a corner kick bent in from the unlikely angle. He was a sophomore.
Bart Martindale, a 1982 grad, listens as Greg Mulkey introduces him Saturday night at the annual Hall of Fame induction dinner at the Mill Casino and Hotel.
Lou Sennick, The World“Scoring the first in any sport is a privilege and something that I’ll always remember,” he said.
It’s no surprise, though, that he became a talented soccer player. He grew up playing for coaches hailing from England, Scotland and Germany.
“I grew up around people who knew the game and loved the game,” he said in his remarks.
Martindale, who now lives in Virginia, also expressed surprised at the induction. He had to make sure the news was real.
“I had to call my dad to confirm with him,” Martindale said. “Turns out they had gotten my number through him.”
Lane Johnson '82
Marty Johnson '79
After leaving Marshfield, the Johnson brothers embarked on coaching careers at Sheldon High School in Eugene. Marty has since moved to Cottage Grove, where he is an assistant coach after posting a 137-27 record in 14 years at Sheldon (1997-2010). Lane is 61-8 in six seasons since taking over for Marty and also coached the basketball team at Sheldon for four years as well as being defensive coordinator throughout his brother's tenure as football head coach. Between them, they have four state championships and two runner-up finishes at Sheldon. Lane also was part of the coaching staff for a state champion team at Glencoe before joining his brother at Sheldon.
In their remarks, both credited their father, John, who is also enshrined in the Marshfield Hall of Fame, with instilling the values that ultimately led to athletic success, coaching success and life success.
“There’s tons of people, probably, as much or more deserving than me,” Marty said. “It means a lot especially coming from a family as close as ours. To be able to share it with your parents and your brothers and everything makes it a special evening.”
Marty and Lane stood on stage as each spoke, and told stories about their time coaching together. During Marty’s first game at the helm of Sheldon, which, coincidentally, was against Marshfield, Sheldon was trailing 43-0 at halftime. Marty turned to Lane and asked, “What are we gonna tell the kids?”
Lane responded, “I don’t know, you’re the head coach.”
“There’s really not words to describe it,” Marty said. “It’s an honor, it’s a privilege, it’s all those things. But what makes it super special is you get to share it with your dad and share it with your brother.”
Lorance Eikworth '60
Speaking for the departed Eikworth was Mel Counts, a former NBA basketball player and Marshfield great. Counts remembered Eikworth, the 1959 doubles state champion with fellow inductee Gehlert, as “a super guy.”
“If Lorance could be here, he’d say, ‘Wrap your arms around your family or your friend and tell them you love them,’” Counts said.
Gary Gehlert '60
Gehlert was a longtime faculty member at Marshfield High and was an accomplished tennis player, and a founder of the Marshfield High School Memorial Scholarship. He is survived by daughters Sarah Wolf and Jennifer Kifer.
Jackie Ford '55
Ford was called a pioneer of girls athletics at Marshfield, as she played tennis with the boys and also received MHS Athletic Awards in softball, basketball, ping pong, kickball and volleyball. Despite the recognition as being a trailblazer, Ford, didn’t consider herself to be one.
Jackie Ford graduated in 1955 and played tennis for the Pirates, on the boy's team. There were no girl sports at the time. I enjoyed playing tennis. That’s all,” Ford said. “I never even dreamed it would happen. It was a real thrill when they called me and told me I would be inducted.”
Rainey Elwood reassured the crowd after breaking down during her speech that she was all right.
“They all know this is normal,” she joked, waving down to her teammates, who were laughing and giggling. One was holding a phone with an absent teammate on FaceTime.
Elwood was a sophomore on the 1997 state champion Marshfield cheer team that was honored at the 14th Class of the Marshfield Hall of Fame induction dinner Saturday night at the Salmon Room at The Mill Casino.
“When we were a younger team, we didn’t really have the respect and the acknowledgement from the school,” Eldwood said. “And so, even after the years, even after we won and stuff, we weren’t an established championship team, like football or the dance team. To be acknowledged, I think for all of us, that it happened. We created something that was amazing for that time period that we were in high school.”
Along with the 1997 cheer team, comprised of Kallie (Aakre) Mill, Rainey (Adams) Elwood, Natasha (Caffey) Laidlaw, Heidi (Cotton) Robbins, Sandra Dunn, Alyssa (Hall) Barrett, Kathryn (Hooten) Tietz, Melissa Loudenbeck, Billie (McMananaway) Wingfield, Deanna McMananaway, Mariane Rogers and Bobbi Joe Smith; 1955 graduate Jackie Ford, 1960 graduate and longtime faculty member Gary Gehlert, 1960 alumnus Lorance Eikworth, brothers Marty and Lane Johnson (1979 and 1982 respectively) and Bart Martindale, a 1986 grad, were inducted.
Members of the 1997 Marshfield Cheer Team head back to their tables after being inducted into the school's Hall of Fame Saturday night. The team took top honors in the state championship that year.
Lou Sennick, The World“You never play sports for the accolades. You shouldn’t,” Martindale said. “Just to be recognized after so many years is a privilege.”
The 1997 cheer team saw a rapid improvement from an afterthought into a state champion. Elwood talked about a team-wide decision that they were tired of losing and wrote out a list of why they wouldn’t compete any longer.
When head coach Barbara Bassett heard the team's message, she wouldn’t let them quit.
After that, they recruited girls and “strong-armed” them into cheering. Eventually they finished second at a state qualifying meet against larger schools such as Jesuit, Springfield, West Linn and Thurston. Being in the largest classification in the state at the time, Marshfield had a disadvantage, but the runner-up finish was a “glimpse of hope,” as Bassett called it.
After their routine at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, the team was despondent when they didn’t hear their name in the first two podium awards.
When they were announced the victors, it was truly a special moment. Now, being honored by their school nearly 20 years later, was an unbelievable surprise.
“It was emotional even just getting the nomination,” Elwood said. “(It was) like, ‘Wow.’ We’re finally getting credit for all that hard work we did.
“We all got on Facebook immediately as a team and started reaching out to everyone. It was like our sisterhood was back together.”
Bart Martingale '82
Martindale scored the first goal in the history of Marshfield boys soccer, a corner kick bent in from the unlikely angle. He was a sophomore.
Bart Martindale, a 1982 grad, listens as Greg Mulkey introduces him Saturday night at the annual Hall of Fame induction dinner at the Mill Casino and Hotel.
Lou Sennick, The World“Scoring the first in any sport is a privilege and something that I’ll always remember,” he said.
It’s no surprise, though, that he became a talented soccer player. He grew up playing for coaches hailing from England, Scotland and Germany.
“I grew up around people who knew the game and loved the game,” he said in his remarks.
Martindale, who now lives in Virginia, also expressed surprised at the induction. He had to make sure the news was real.
“I had to call my dad to confirm with him,” Martindale said. “Turns out they had gotten my number through him.”
Lane Johnson '82
Marty Johnson '79
After leaving Marshfield, the Johnson brothers embarked on coaching careers at Sheldon High School in Eugene. Marty has since moved to Cottage Grove, where he is an assistant coach after posting a 137-27 record in 14 years at Sheldon (1997-2010). Lane is 61-8 in six seasons since taking over for Marty and also coached the basketball team at Sheldon for four years as well as being defensive coordinator throughout his brother's tenure as football head coach. Between them, they have four state championships and two runner-up finishes at Sheldon. Lane also was part of the coaching staff for a state champion team at Glencoe before joining his brother at Sheldon.
In their remarks, both credited their father, John, who is also enshrined in the Marshfield Hall of Fame, with instilling the values that ultimately led to athletic success, coaching success and life success.
“There’s tons of people, probably, as much or more deserving than me,” Marty said. “It means a lot especially coming from a family as close as ours. To be able to share it with your parents and your brothers and everything makes it a special evening.”
Marty and Lane stood on stage as each spoke, and told stories about their time coaching together. During Marty’s first game at the helm of Sheldon, which, coincidentally, was against Marshfield, Sheldon was trailing 43-0 at halftime. Marty turned to Lane and asked, “What are we gonna tell the kids?”
Lane responded, “I don’t know, you’re the head coach.”
“There’s really not words to describe it,” Marty said. “It’s an honor, it’s a privilege, it’s all those things. But what makes it super special is you get to share it with your dad and share it with your brother.”
Lorance Eikworth '60
Speaking for the departed Eikworth was Mel Counts, a former NBA basketball player and Marshfield great. Counts remembered Eikworth, the 1959 doubles state champion with fellow inductee Gehlert, as “a super guy.”
“If Lorance could be here, he’d say, ‘Wrap your arms around your family or your friend and tell them you love them,’” Counts said.
Gary Gehlert '60
Gehlert was a longtime faculty member at Marshfield High and was an accomplished tennis player, and a founder of the Marshfield High School Memorial Scholarship. He is survived by daughters Sarah Wolf and Jennifer Kifer.
Jackie Ford '55
Ford was called a pioneer of girls athletics at Marshfield, as she played tennis with the boys and also received MHS Athletic Awards in softball, basketball, ping pong, kickball and volleyball. Despite the recognition as being a trailblazer, Ford, didn’t consider herself to be one.
Jackie Ford graduated in 1955 and played tennis for the Pirates, on the boy's team. There were no girl sports at the time. I enjoyed playing tennis. That’s all,” Ford said. “I never even dreamed it would happen. It was a real thrill when they called me and told me I would be inducted.”