Battery Creek ready to induct first hall of fame class
Erica Brown's schedule this month is planned almost to the minute.
In the final stretch of a run at Spartanburg City Council, Brown and her campaign manager have filled much of her free time fighting for the District 6 seat. And so the former Battery Creek High School basketball standout might have to do some shuffling to make it to the Lowcountry on Oct. 11 for her induction into the school's first athletics hall of fame class.
Her situation mirrors some of the other six inductees -- football standouts Greg Jones and James Saxon, former girls basketball players Sarah Hayes and DeCole Shoemate, wrestling standout Felix Richardson and track star Marwin Kline. Professional obligations might keep them from the halftime ceremony during the Dolphins' football game against Woodland.
But athletics director John Drafts might not mind too much. He said the members of the inaugural class represented Battery Creek well into their professional careers.
Brown scored more than 1,500 points during her four years with the Dolphins and helped them win the 1996 Class 3-A girls state title her senior year. At Wofford, she missed nine months after tearing two ligaments in her knee as a freshman. She now works as a consultant to Hospice Compassus in addition to volunteer work and her political aspirations.
Brown said her best experience from Battery Creek was starting as a freshman and building to the state championship her senior year.
"We were always one step closer," she said. "The senior experience for me was the icing on the cake."
Joining Brown as Battery Creek's first inductees are:
On Battery Creek, Saxon said "It was a lot of fun. I had a chance to spend a year in high school with my older brother. It was fun to be there with him. I had a chance to make a lot of friends, obviously meet and work with a lot of teachers and coaches there. It was pretty much the building block for the foundation of the rest of my life."
Kline said he wants to return to the Beaufort area with some other former athletes to conduct a clinic and help identify future stars.
"I really truly believe Beaufort has a lot of talent," he said. "It's just undiscovered."
Battery Creek Athletics Hall of Fame Induction
What: Battery Creek High School will induct its first hall of fame class
When: Oct. 11, during halftime of the Dolphins' football game against Woodland
Where: Dolphin Stadium
Details: Members of the first class will include former football standouts Greg Jones and James Saxon; basketball players Sarah Hayes, Erica Brown and DeCole Shoemate; wrestler Felix Richardson and track standout Marwin Kline.
This story was originally published October 2, 2013 at 1:20 AM with the headline "Battery Creek ready to induct first hall of fame class."