News Photo by James Andersen The Alpena Sports Hall of Fame inducted its Class of 2018 on Saturday during its 36th annual banquet at the APlex. Pictured left to right are: sitting: Nancy Garant and Brenda Gebauer (both representing Rachel (Gebauer) Garant; standing: Hall of Fame board members Gary and Barbara Mischley, Marilyn Bauer, Rudy Bauer, Jiim Mott, Janet Mott, Don Deadman, Wayne Christopherson, Melissa (Brousseau) O’Dell and Bill Romstadt Sr.

For the second straight year, the Alpena Sports Hall of Fame has canceled its annual banquet and enshrinement dinner due to ongoing coronavirus concerns.

The new date for the banquet, per Hall of Fame president Gary Mischley, is May 7, 2022.

The Hall of Fame board met last Wednesday and agreed that safety was a priority for all involved.

The 2020 banquet was also canceled due to coronavurus concerns, marking the first time in the Hall of Fame’s history that the banquet was cancelled.

It means that the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019 will have to wait a little longer to be formally inducted.

The Class of 2019 includes

∫ Eric Puls, a former Alpena High basketball star, who went on to play for the University of Michigan.

∫ Shannon Woloszyk, a former Alpena High softball star, who went on to play at Alma College.

∫ Terry Thomas and Tom Lavoie, former Alpena High girls basketball coaches, who led the Wildcats to two regional championships.

∫ James Hubert, a former Alpena Catholic Central basketball player, baseball player and longtime coach.

∫ Bob Kelley, a multi-sport athlete at Alpena High, who also starred in slow pitch softball and speed skating before getting into coaching.

∫ Bruce Vanderwall, a former Alpena High basketball star, who was a leading scorer for the Wildcats in the late 1960s.

Additionally, Jim Townsend and Joyce Gohlke will be honored as Boosters of the Year and Alpena’s 2010 district champion baseball team will be honored as the Team of the Year.