Madison County Sports Hall of Fame
2026 Hall of Fame Members
Jeff Cruse, Class of 2026, Baseball Player
Jeff Cruse was an outstanding high school and college pitcher. He helped lead Madison Central to a perfect 40-0 season in 1982, the KHSAA State Championship and the USA Today mythical National Championship. His remarkable high school career included a record 24 consecutive wins on the mound and three straight final four state tournament appearances for Madison Central. He went on to pitch for the EKU Colonels from 1984-87. He was inducted into the EKU Hall of Fame in 2020 after leading the team to three straight NCAA Regional Tournament appearances from 1984-1986 and three OVC North Division titles. Cruse holds EKU’s career record for most victories with 30, including a sparkling 30-6 career mark and an impressive 10-1 record as a junior. Other career totals include a record 20 complete games among 43 starts and 208 strikeouts. He was a first-team All-OVC pitcher in 1986 and 1987 and was a member of Eastern Kentucky’s All-Century baseball team announced in 2009. He signed with the Kansas City Royals upon graduation.
Larry French, Class of 2026, Football Coach
Larry French, a Berea native, was a three-sport athlete at Berea Community High School and went on to enjoy a 54-year high school hall of fame football coaching career that resulted in an all-time record of 381-182 which ranked third in KHSAA history when he retired last fall after leading Middlesboro to a 9-0 regular season and a 11-1 overall record, the sixth time that a French-coached team had an undefeated regular season. French’s greatest success came at Boyle County, where he led the Rebels to consecutive state titles in 2009 and 2010. In his high school coaching career, French also made stops at Mercer County, Meade County, Lincoln County, and Southwestern. His 1991 Meade County team finished as Class 3A state runner-up. French is a two-time Courier-Journal Coach of the Year (1991, 2001), the AP Coach of the Year (2009), finalist for National Federation of High School Sports Coach of the Year (2012) and has coached the Kentucky All-Star Team three times. He was inducted into the Mercer County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2025.
Damien Harris, Class of 2026, Football Player
Damien Harris was the first 5-Star recruit in Kentucky high school football history after being selected a two-time high school All-American at Madison Southern. He ran for 6,748 yards and 122 touchdowns in high school before starting three years at Alabama and helping lead the Crimson Tide to two national championships in 2015 and 2017. He ran for 3,070 yards and 22 touchdowns at Alabama and earned All-SEC honors in 2018. He holds the school record for yards per carry at 6.40. He was picked in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. His NFL career spanned five seasons with the New England Patriots (2019-2022) and Buffalo Bills (2023). He enjoyed a breakout season in 2021 with 929 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. His career was shortened by a neck injury sustained in 2023 that forced his retirement at age 27.
William (Bill) Maupin, Class of 2026, Baseball Player
Bill Maupin was a two-sport star at Waco High School from 1951-55. He excelled at both basketball and baseball for the Cardinals before graduation. Maupin then enrolled at the University of Kentucky in the fall of 1955 after being recruited to play basketball for Adolph Rupp. He changed his course that year and committed to playing professional baseball. The Detroit Tigers signed him to a minor league contract and his course was set. Over six seasons as a catcher, Maupin compiled a career batting average of .258 with 30 home runs and 175 RBI in a 366-game career with eight minor league teams. His best year occurred in 1958 while playing with the Erie Sailors when he appeared in 75 games and hit .293 with 14 HRs, 54 RBI, 13 doubles and 4 triples. He retired after his 1961 season with the Statesville Owls, but not before making his greatest catch, a young P.E. teacher who he marrried a year later while in the U.S. Army before returning to Madison County where he has operated a very successful cattle farm for nearly seven decades.
Sylvia (Tracy) Powell, Class of 2026, Administrator and Coach
Sylvia (Tracy) Powell is recognized as the pioneer for starting girls’ sports at Madison Central High School. After graduating from Eastern Kentucky State Teacher’s College in 1960 where she was heavily involved in the Women’s Recreation Club (WRC) and participated in baskeball field hockey, volleyball and softball, Sylvia began her teaching career at Central. She became the first girls’ basketball coach in the early 1960s after several girls approached Principal J.B. Moore requesting him to give Sylvia permission to organize and coach the team. As a result of her leadership, upwards of 40 female students became involved in sports after Powell worked to establish the Central Girls Athletic Association (CGAC) which oversaw girls sports offerings for 14 years until Title IX took effect in 1975 and the KHSAA began offering equal opportunities for girls in sports.
Goebel Ritter, Class of 2026, Basketball Player and Coach
Goebel Ritter was a four-sport athlete at Madison-Model from 1939-1942. After graduation from Madison-Model, he earned a scholarship to play football at Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College, but instead chose to join the U. S. Marine Corps and served through 1944 after he was awarded two Purple Hearts with Oak Leaf Clusters for valor during the battles of Iwo Jima and Guam in the Pacific Theater. He then returned to Eastern, but gave up football for basketball, baseball and track. Ritter earned Little All American honors in Baseball, Basketball and Track at Eastern. He was drafted by the New York Knickerbockers of the NBA in 1951, and played 151 professional games (averaging 5.1 points per game). Following his NBA career, he returned to Kentucky and began a high school basketball coaching career that included 10 years at Hazard High School where he led the Bulldogs to four KHSAA Sweet Sixteen appearances, and the 1955 KHSAA state basketball title.
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Benny Roop, Class of 2026, Baseball Player
Benny Roop made his name as a high school baseball player at Madison Central. He was a power-hitting catcher. He helped lead the Indians to an appearance in the 1964 KHSAA State Tournament after hitting the longest home run in the history of UK’s Shively Sports Center that led to a 9-4 win over Bryan Station in the championship game of the Lexington Regional. Following high school, he was signed by the Detroit Tigers and played two years in the minor leagues. He was a three-sport athlete at Berea High School and Madison Central, playing football, basketball and baseball. He was a member of the first Madison Central football team in 1963. In 2004, he teamed up with former high school teammate Tony Cox to coach the Model High School boys’ basketball team and led the Patriots to 18 victories. He retired from EKU after serving for many years as the Bookstore Manager.
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Luke Stocker, Class of 2026, Football Player
Luke Stocker was a standout tight end for Madison Southern High School and was a highly-touted recruit known for his big plays. He signed with the Tennessee Volunteers and earned All-SEC Freshman honors. He finished his Vols career with 85 receptions for 956 yards and 8 touchdowns and led UT tight ends in catches and touchdowns during his college career. His athleticism at the NFL Combine (4.79 40-yard dash and 33-inch vertical jump) helped solidify his draft status. He was drafted in 2011 by Tampa Bay and played 142 games with the Bucs (2011-17), Tennessee Titans (2017-18), Atlanta Falcons (2019-20) and Minnesota Vikings (2021). During his NFL career he made 85 catches for 703 yards and 5 touchdowns. Following an 11-year career, he transitioned into coaching as he joined the Tennessee Titans staff in 2023. He rapidly advanced the coaching ladder to serve as assistant tight ends coach in 2024 and being promoted to tight ends coach in 2025.
Ray Vencill, Class of 2026, Basketball Coach
Ray Vencill was an outstanding high school basketball coach for 16 years and led two different Kentucky schools to the KHSAA Sweet Sixteen. He was voted Kentucky High School Coach of the Year four times and ended his career with an overall record of 311-101. He was elected to the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. He is remembered in Richmond for leading the 1969 and 1970 Madison High Royal Purples to the state tournament and his 1970 team advanced to the state finals before falling to Louisville Male. His overall record in eight years at Madison High was 141-53. He continued his career in his hometown of Elizabethtown where he led the Panthers to three state tournament appearances in 1972, 1975 and 1978. The 1972 team finished as state runner-up to Owensboro. His eight-year record at E-town was 170-48. He graduated from Elizabethtown High School in 1954 before attending Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College where he played basketball under Paul McBrayer. .
2026 Hall of Fame Teams of Distinction
1960 Madison-Model High School Football Team
Front row, from left: Bill Strong, manager; Jim Parks, Charles Noland, Joe Parks, Tyronne Cunningham, George Wlcox, Andy Rucker, Gordon Adams, Jay Roberts, J.C. Long, Bill Blount, Billy Humble; middle row, Robert Walker, Albert Haynes, Richard Elam, Orville Abner, Jerry Walker, Danny Presnell, Johnny Bottoms, Charles Harkleroad, Allen Hughes, Ernest Aldridge, Sam Chambers, Marvin Taylor; back row, Head Coach Roy Kidd, Shirley Smith, Ralph Azbill, J. I. Isbell, Cecil Curry, John Greene, Fred Crump, Harold Lane, Jimmy Hinkle, Wayne Bowlin, John Hancock, manager; Jack Figart, manager; Assistant Coach Zeb Blankenship. Not pictured is manager Bill Buchanan.
The 1960 Madison-Model and 1961 Madison football teams were the best two high school football teams in consecutive years in Madison County history. Roy Kidd’s 1960 team was the undefeated champion of the Central Kentucky Conference (11-0), but was not allowed to compete in the Class AA state playoffs due to a tie breaker system that allowed Lafayette to get the bid. The 1960 season marked the end of the 25-year joint athletic relationship as it was terminated by the KHSAA.
1961 Madison High School Football Team
Front row, manager Harry Lawson, Gary Vencill, William Ray Salyer, Jerry Coffey, Mike Beasley, Mike Blythe, George Ballew, manager Robert Eades, manager James Lee, Second row, Assistant Coach Bob Pike, Arthur Fox, Charles Brown, Robert Durbin, John Davidson, Jimmy Congleton, Freddie Ballou, Jerry Congleton, Bobby Howard, Donald Smith, Assistant Coach Jack Ison,Third row, Head Coach Roy Kidd, George Adams, Bobby Oglesby, James Bosley, Conley Congleton, Ben Robinson, Talbott Todd, David Rivers, Johnny Collins, Conrad Long, Assistant Coach Jerry Boyd, Fourth row, Earle Combs, Monty Joe Lovell, Dale Carrier, Gary Congleton, Kerry Woolum, Harry Long, Ike Norris, Barry Cox
In 1961, Roy Kidd was still the head man at Madison and the Purples won 13 consecutive games capturing the CKC and a Class AA district and region title before a loss to Ft. Thomas Highlands in the Class AA state title game. All told (including the last three games of the ‘59 season) Madison won 27 straight games and shut out their opponent 15 straight times.
2012-13 Madison Central Boys' Basketball Team
Front row, from left: Anthony Hendrix, Brandon Fritz, Daniel Parke, Ken-jah Bosley, Dominique Hawkins, Quan Taylor, Hunter Stocker, Don Stocker; back row, assistant coach Kenny Roberts, Gavin Daniel, Tashad Myers, Devan Cox, John Williams, Ross Ramsey, Zach Irvine, Zach Jarvis, Demarcus George, Donte Cox, Kirkland Humphrey, George Walker, Sam Jones, Coty Alexander, Kyle Congleton, Cameron Thomas, Griffin Hotchkiss, head coach Allen Feldhaus, Jr.
The 2012-13 Madison Central High School boys basketball team, under the direction of head ccach Allen Feldhaus, Jr., captured the school’s first Kentucky High School Athletic Association State Championship and finished the season with a 32-5 school record. The Indians clinched its first state championship by overcoming a 16-point deficit and getting a game-winning 3-point field goal from Ken-jah Bosley with 2.2 seconds remaining to defeat Louisville Ballard 65-64 at Rupp Arena.
1969 Model High School Girls' Swimming Team
Members of the team are pictured, front row, from left: Cathy Combs, Tammy Thompson, Ann Brown, Cheryl Combs, middle row, Valerie Brotherton, Sue Ann Hounchell, Missy Smith, Gail Curry, Nancy Cornelison, Amelia Smith; third row, Janet Bock, Beth Kirkpatrick, Coy Wiggins, Karen Powell.
The 1969 Model Girls' Swimming Team captured the first of three consecutive Kentucky High School Class AA State Championships.
1970 Model High School Girls' Swimming Team
Members of the team are pictured, front row, from left: Betsy Smith, Russie Coy, Mary Mac McKinney, Susan Bladen, Cathy Combs, Valerie Brotherton; second row, Ann Moretz, Tammy Thompson, Ann Brown, Libby Roberts, Margaret Muncy, Julie Powell, Beth Cockerham, Cheryl Combs; back row, Thelma Hume, Nancy Cornelison, Beth Kirkpatrick, Karen Powell, Clara Smith, Pat Metcalf, Missy Smith, Coy Wiggins, Coach Dan Lichty.
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The 1970 Model Girls' Swimming Team captured the first of three consecutive Kentucky High School Class AA State Championships.
1971 Model High School Girls' Swimming Team
Members of the team are pictured, front row, from left: Coach Dan Lichty, Julie Powell, Ann Brown, Mary Mac McKinney, Betsy Smith, Cathy Combs, Libby Hume, Russie Coy, Toosie Smith; middle row, Valerie Brotherton, Ann Moretz, Libby Roberts, Karen Powell, Cheryl Combs, Tammy Thompson, Margie Muncy, Beth Cockerham; back row, Patty Moretz, Leigh Nagle, Missy Smith, Coy Wiggins, Robin Nagle, Beth Kirkpatrick, Nancy Cornelison.
The 1971 Model Girls' Swimming Team captured the third consecutive Kentucky High School Class AA State Championships.