Steve Dillard |
Sports figures from three county high schools have been chosen for induction into the Jackson County Athletic Hall of Fame.
Steve Dillard, Joe Hicks and the late Jeff Owen will be honored at the eighth annual banquet at 5 p.m. Sunday, May 7, at the Sylva Comfort Inn. Tickets are $15 and are available from any Hall of Fame board member or at Sylva Insurance Agency on Main Street. For ticket information, call 586-2512. The banquet is being held two weeks earlier than usual this year. Therefore, those planning to attend are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible. The 1974 Sylva-Webster state championship baseball team will be honored. Awards will be given to outstanding senior athletes at each county high school. Student-athletes will receive scholarships, and a Patron Award will be presented. The Hall of Fame is seeking donations to defray costs. Sponsorships are $325 and memberships are $25. Any level of giving is appreciated. Checks should be made out to Jackson County Athletic Hall of Fame. Donations may be mailed to Sports Editor, P.O. Box 307, Sylva, N.C. 28779. Following is a brief look at the inductees: Steve Dillard - Dillard was a basketball star at Glenville High School, where he graduated in 1966. He was chosen all-conference three years and All-Western North Carolina twice. As a junior, Dillard averaged 25 points and 18 rebounds. He also averaged 25 points as a senior. Dillard resides in Seneca, S.C., and is in the construction business. Joe Hicks - Hicks was basketball coach at Cullowhee High School from the 1956-57 season through the 1965-66 campaign. His teams posted a 199-69 record for a .743 winning percentage. He led the Rebels to Smoky Mountain Conference championships in 1958, '60, '61, '65 and '66. Cullowhee won district titles and appeared in the state 1-A tournament in 1960, '65 and '66. His last team in 1966 went 27-2. A graduate of Franklinton High School and the University of North Carolina, Hicks served as principal at Cullowhee and Sylva-Webster High School. He also was an administrator in the central office. Hicks is retired and lives in Murfreesboro. Jeff Owen - Owen was a four-sport star in the glory days of Sylva-Webster High athletics. He excelled in football, basketball, baseball and track and graduated from S-W in 1973. As a tailback and linebacker, Owen helped the Golden Eagles to the 1972 state 2-A football championship. He averaged 8.6 yards per carry and scored 12 touchdowns before being sidelined with a knee injury late in the season. He was center for the S-W basketball team that won the district championship and played in the state tournament in 1972. He also was an outstanding baseball player as a pitcher and infielder. Owen received a football scholarship to the University of North Carolina. He was living in Morristown, Tenn., at the time of his death in 1998. |
Joe Hicks |
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Jeff Owen |