The Moses Lake wrestling program stood as one of the most storied in Washington state history. Founded in 1952 by Eric Beardsley, the program established a tradition of excellence known as “Great Expectations,” a philosophy that passed from generation to generation. After Beardsley moved on to college wrestling in 1959, the legacy continued under successive coaches.

Over the decades, Moses Lake became a powerhouse in high school wrestling. The program captured 41 district championships and placed in the top 10 at 46 of the first 52 state tournaments. The team won 17 state titles, the first under Beardsley in 1959, and recorded 11 second-place finishes. Moses Lake produced 57 individual state champions, 46 runners-up, and 36 third-place finishers, totaling 207 state-placing wrestlers over the years. Spencer Wolfe became the first of many two-time state champions, exemplifying the program’s dedication to both skill and leadership.

Former head coach Ron Seibel noted the strong community support that accompanied the program, saying, “Support is a rewarding thing,” a sentiment reflected in the pride and commitment of the Moses Lake community throughout the years.

Kelly McDonald’s passion for forensics began as a high school sophomore and continued to flourish for nearly two decades. While at Auburn High School, he and his debate partner became the first team from the school to qualify for the National Forensic League tournament in cross-examination debate. During his senior year, the pair finished third in the AAA state tournament, the highest finish by an Auburn student up to that time. Kelly was also named to the All-District team for the South Puget Sound League and was recognized as one of the nation’s top high school debaters. In 1989, he received the Forensics Award, honoring the top individual in the program that year.

Kelly lettered three years in debate and graduated with honors. He earned a double major in communication studies and history at Pacific Lutheran University, graduating cum laude in 1993. He continued his studies at the University of Kansas, where he completed a master’s degree focusing on rhetorical criticism and communication theory, and a Ph.D. in 1998. During his time at PLU, Kelly also served as the tournament director for one of Washington’s largest high school speech and debate competitions.

Kelly McDonald went on to serve the forensics community as a professor at Arizona State University in the School of Communication and as Director of Forensics, leaving a lasting impact on generations of students and competitors.

Ron Howard, a standout athlete from Pasco High School, excelled on the field, the court, the track, and in the classroom. In high school, he was an All-Conference football selection, an All-Conference, All-State, and All-American basketball selection, and the state champion in the triple jump. In 1970, he was named First Team All-State and First Team All-American in basketball after leading his team to the state championship game, falling in overtime to Snohomish for their only loss of the season.

Ron attended Seattle University, where he was a two-year starting forward on the basketball team. Despite receiving an offer to play professionally in France, he chose a path that would make an even bigger impact. Without having played a single college football game, Ron was drafted by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. He went on to play six seasons in the NFL, suiting up for the Dallas Cowboys (1974–75), the Seattle Seahawks (1976–78), and the Buffalo Bills (1979). He appeared in Super Bowl X with the Cowboys and caught the touchdown pass that helped the Seahawks secure their first franchise victory.

Beyond his playing career, Ron committed himself to education and coaching. He served as an administrative intern at the middle school level and coached multiple sports, including boys’ basketball, football, and girls’ track, leaving a lasting influence on student-athletes.

Bill Cheatley served as a state basketball clinician for 17 years and built a career officiating football, basketball, baseball, and slow-pitch softball. He concluded his baseball and slow-pitch officiating careers in 1984 but continued to focus on football and basketball throughout his later years.

In basketball, Bill worked 22 state or regional tournaments, demonstrating a consistent dedication to the sport. In football, he officiated four KingBowl championships as well as annual District 4 playoff and play-in games. During his tenure in baseball, he worked in the state playoffs each year from the 1970s until his retirement from the sport in 1984. His career also included assignments at prestigious events such as the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu and the Downunder Bowl in Australia.

A graduate of Prosser High School, Kelly Blair-LaBounty was a three-sport standout who was declared “arguably the best schoolgirl athlete ever in the state” by the Seattle Times. She earned all-league honors in volleyball, was a three-time all-league and two-time all-state basketball player, captured basketball state tournament MVP honors while leading her team to a state championship, and won 10 individual state track titles.

Although basketball was her first love, track emerged as her strongest sport. Heavily recruited for her basketball skills, Kelly chose to attend the University of Oregon, where she competed in both basketball and track. After earning two varsity letters on the court, she shifted her focus entirely to track, a decision that proved highly rewarding.

At Oregon, Kelly became Pac-10 and NCAA champion in the heptathlon. She was named a two-time NCAA All-American, one of NCAA’s Top Eight athletes, and became the second woman ever to win consecutive Pac-10 heptathlon titles. Her performance placed her sixth all-time on the U.S. collegiate performers chart. Kelly later represented the United States on the 1996 and 2000 Olympic teams in the heptathlon. A highlight of her career came in 1996 when she won the U.S. Olympic Trials in the heptathlon at age 25, edging out Jackie Joyner-Kersee by three points and becoming the first woman to defeat her in the event in 12 years.

Washington state gymnastics and Nola Ayres became synonymous over her legendary coaching career. She held her athletes to high standards in the gym, in the classroom, and in life.

Ayres compiled a record of 384-1, the national coaching win/loss record at the time, and led Sehome High School to 26 league championships, 26 district championships, and 22 state championships—the most in the nation during her tenure. Sehome won its first state title in 1973, then captured 13 consecutive championships, followed by seven more consecutive titles under Ayres’ direction. After her retirement in 1993, Sehome added four more state championships, bringing the program’s total to 24.

Throughout her career, Ayres received widespread recognition for her achievements. She was named Washington State Gymnastics Coach of the Year in 1978, National High School Coach of the Year and National High School Regional Coach of the Year in 1985, and National Federation Coach of the Year in 1986. She was inducted into the Western Washington University Hall of Fame in 1991 and both the Washington State School Gymnastics Hall of Fame and the WSGCA Gymnastics Coaches Hall of Fame in 1999.

Her influence extended beyond coaching, as she became a respected gymnastics judge and was named USAG Optional Judge of the Year in 2001. One of Sehome’s alumnae, Vicky Vanderpol, remarked, “If it wasn’t for her, we’d be just like all the other teams.”

Wayne Lackman was widely recognized as one of the premier choral instructors in the state of Washington. A 1993 Golden Apple nominee, Lackman earned national recognition as both an adjudicator and clinician and was named the Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA) Outstanding Music Educator for the Pierce County League in 2000.

Throughout his career, Lackman led his choral groups to performances and competitions across the United States and internationally, from Washington, D.C., to London. Under his direction, the Gig Harbor High School choral program became the first performing group to perform on the floor of the Washington State Senate in 2002. In 2003, one of his groups earned second place at the San Francisco Choral Festival. Additionally, the Gig Harbor Meistersingers received an invitation to represent Washington State at the Cultural Arts Festival connected to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Lackman’s dedication to choral music and his students left a lasting impact on Washington’s music education community, inspiring generations of singers and fellow educators.

Between 1960 and 1983, the Wilson Boys Swimming program dominated Washington state high school swimming, winning 24 state championships under the guidance of coach Dick Hannula. This remarkable streak was recognized by the National Federation of State High School Associations as the longest recorded by a single coach at one public school in high school boys swimming history.

During that era, the Wilson program produced 48 All-Americans and remained undefeated in 323 meets, including district and state championships. The 1970 team excelled at the state championship, winning 10 of 11 events and sweeping the top four places in the 200-yard freestyle. That team’s performance earned national recognition as one of the top two high school swimming teams in the United States.

Several Wilson swimmers achieved national distinction, including Dave Hannula, who recorded the fastest U.S. high school time in the 200-yard individual medley in 1972; Rod Steward, who led the 100-yard butterfly in 1972 and 1973; Dick Hannula Jr., who set national records in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle in 1975; and Mark Smith, who led the 100-yard freestyle in 1975.

Barbara Twardus served 25 years as an administrator, including 23 years as an athletic director within the Seattle School District. She was a member of the WIAA Executive Board for 10 years, serving as president in 1986-87, and participated on the WIAA Representative Assembly. In 1985, she served as president of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).

Barbara was a past president of the Washington Secondary School Athletic Administrators Association and contributed to numerous WIAA committees. She directed the Metro League for 14 years, managing and organizing tournaments across most sports. In 1976, she served on the Title IX Compliance Steering Committee and authored articles and presentations on athletic safety, women’s athletics, and the purpose of interscholastic programs. She was widely regarded as a model athletic director and was at the forefront of legal and safety issues, including football helmet construction and equality for girls in sports.

Barbara was inducted into the WSSAAA Hall of Fame and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Hall of Fame. She received the NIAAA Award of Merit, the association’s highest honor, and a NFHS Citation for athletic directors in 1978.

Chuck Richards was a three-time All-American at Stadium High School and a six-time state swimming champion. As a sophomore, he won the 400 freestyle and 200 individual medley; as a junior, he captured the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly; and as a senior, he won the 100 freestyle and 200 individual medley. During his senior year, he held seven of the eight individual state records.

After high school, Richards attended Indiana University, where he earned two Collegiate All-American honors. He went on to compete in the Modern Pentathlon, winning the Junior Modern Pentathlon Championship in 1967 and setting the 300-meter swim record in 1969. Richards became the National Modern Pentathlon Champion in 1970, 1971, and 1972, and as a member of the 1972 Olympic Team in Munich, he won the Pentathlon 300-meter swim with an Olympic and World Record time.

Richards was inducted into the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and established the Bruce Suttles Scholarship to support college-bound swimmers from Stadium High School.

Jack Reynolds officiated wrestling and softball in the state of Washington for 38 years, including 36 league tournaments, 30 regional tournaments, and 24 state wrestling tournaments. He was named head official for the state wrestling championships 12 times.

Reynolds also served as a wrestling clinician, assignor for the Pacific Northwest Wrestling Association, Washington Officials Association (WOA) Executive Board member, and wrestling evaluator. His dedication earned him numerous awards, including the WOA Meritorious Service Award, the Joe Babbitt Contributor Award from the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Association, NFHS Wrestling Official of the Year (2001), and Seattle Metro Umpire of the Year (2004).

A respected leader and mentor, Reynolds exemplified the highest standards of officiating, setting a positive example for young officials throughout his career. He was inducted into the WOA Hall of Fame in 2006.

Jake Maberry spent 29 years as a boys basketball coach, compiling a career record of 521-176 and holding the state record for most victories until 1989, six years after his retirement. Only six coaches have surpassed his career win total since that time.

During his 27 years at Lynden High School, Maberry guided his teams to 16 Whatcom County “A” League titles, nine Northwest District championships, and four state “A” titles in 1961, 1962, 1967, and 1981. His 1981 squad completed an undefeated season, and Lynden teams qualified for the state tournament 15 times, placing in all but three appearances.

Known affectionately as “Mr. Lion” by the Lynden community, Maberry emphasized character development alongside athletic excellence. In recognition of his impact, the Lynden High School gymnasium was named the “Jake Maberry Gymnasium” in 1983. Maberry was inducted into the Washington Coaches Hall of Fame in 1992.