State medalists honored by Hall of Fame
By Sam Waller
Five Shackelford County students were among area athletes honored Sunday, June 5 at receptions hosted by the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame museum at the Mall of Abilene.
Albany’s Sarah Cotter, who earned gold medals in tennis and track, boys tennis player Luke Marshall, track athletes Kiana Roberson and Adam Hill as well as Moran’s Alli Scott were among athletes from 26 schools in the 19-county area to claim state medals in track, tennis, golf, or powerlifting.
Separate receptions were held for track and the other sports.
Cotter achieved a rare double, winning the Class 2A girls singles title in tennis and the girls high jump crown in track. She became the first Albany entry to win a state tennis championship.
Scott claimed Moran’s first state track gold medal in 50 years when she won the Class 1A 100 hurdles. She also took a silver medal in the 300 hurdles.
Hill earned a silver medal in the Class 2A boys 110 hurdles. Roberson earned a bronze in the Class 2A girls shot put and Marshall received bronze for reaching the semifinals in Class 2A boys singles.
Mindy Myers, who was in her first year as head track coach at Haskell, addressed the track and field athletes along with her 2022 Class 2A State Championship track team.
Myers, a 1990 graduate of Munday. is the most decorated athlete at the state level in Texas high school history. She was named the Texas Track Athlete of the Year in 1990. In all, Myers won 11 gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal during her career at the state track meet in leading Munday to three state team championships. She also won two state championships and had one second-place finish in guiding Munday to two team titles and one second-place finish in cross country. And Myers earned all-state tournament honors in leading Munday to one appearance in the Class A state basketball tournament. She was inducted into the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.
Rick Meyers, who was inducted into the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989 and into the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame, addressed the tennis, golf, and powerlifting medalists.
Meyers was the 1976 State singles champion at Abilene Cooper and was named the Texas High School Tennis Player of the year. He was a four-time all-Southwest Conference selection at TCU before turning professional and competing in all four Grand Slams. He reached as high as a No. 280 ranking in the world. He has taught tennis for more than 40 years.
