Halls’ Road to Fame sparkles even more with Class of 2024
By Steve Williams
Halls High School athletics’ Class of 2024 Road to Fame includes four outstanding inductees:
A high school baseball All-American in Jeff Lockwood, the first recipient of the TSSAA Mr. Football Kicker of the Year award in Ian O’Connor, one of the state’s top golfers who went on to become one of the top teachers of the game in Brad Rose and a state heavyweight wrestling champion who also excelled in football and came back to his alma mater to serve as a team chaplain in football and assistant coach in wrestling in John Vandergriff.
“We’re excited to introduce these Road to Fame Class of 2024 inductees at our home football game on Friday, Sept. 6,” said Spencer Long, Executive Principal at Halls. “These athletes were not only some of the best in HHS history in their respective sports, but they have built an outstanding legacy beyond their years at HHS as collegiate athletes and members of the community.
“On a personal level,” added Long, “I was blessed to play ball alongside some of this year’s inductees, and I’m honored to still call them friends to this day.”
Lockwood, a graduate of Halls’ Class of 2006, made both the Baseball America and Louisville Slugger All-American teams. A district MVP and Pitcher of the Year, the lefty was outstanding as a slugger and pitcher.
Jeff blasted 44 home runs and posted a .450 batting average in his prep career plus recorded 31 wins, 351 strikeouts and a 1.32 ERA on the mound.
He played three years at UT and one year at Carson-Newman.
O’Connor (Class of 2003) is still in the football record books after 20 years. His five field goals in one game is a state record and his 52-yard field goal is a school record. He’s tied for the school mark of 17 field goals in one season.
Ian, also an All Academic Region honoree, signed scholarship papers with Marshall University.
Rose (Class of 1991) was a Top KIL golfer and on the All-KIL team. He also was a district and region champion in high school and placed fourth at the state before signing a full golf scholarship with UT-Chattanooga.
Vandergriff (Class of 2006) posted a 43-1 record on the mat his senior year and a 119-39 career record with 100 pins. In 2005 and 2006, he was a team captain, KIL champion, region champion and state medalist.
John played on the offensive and defensive lines in football for the Red Devils and was two-time All-Region (2004 and 2005).
After high school, he was on the UT football team in 2006, served as team chaplain for Halls football in 2007-2009 and was an assistant wrestling coach at Halls in 2008-2012.
