New Hillman Hall of Fame class named

The Hillman High School Sports Hall of Fame earlier this week announced its 10th class to be inducted. This year's class consists of three all-state baseball players, a coach who carried on great tradition in female athletics and an all-state basketball star, who held the school scoring record for 29 years.

The members of the 10th Hall of Fame class are:

∫ Greg Jones

∫ Pat Kennard

∫ Mark McMurray

∫ Paul Bennett

∫ Cory McDonald

Jones graduated in 1994 and was all-state, all-district, all-region and all-North Star League for baseball. He was a two-time state champion in 1992 and 1994. In baseball, Jones ranks first in career saves and saves in a season. On the hardwood, Greg ranks seventh all time in scoring with 1,139 points, first for three-pointers in a game (10), and fourth in career three-pointers (168).

Jones still ranks second all-time for points in a game with (40). He earned multiple varsity letters in baseball, basketball, and golf and was a scholar-athlete who earned a baseball scholarship from Central Michigan University.

Kennard began her career under legendary coach Bev Cordes, who was a pioneer in Hillman and Northern Michigan for girl's athletics. During her time, Kennard coached track, softball and basketball. In softball she coached 10 years, accumulating a record of 198-19-2 overall and 119-17-2 in the North Star League. Her teams had impressive streaks winning 18 straight in 1982 and 22 straight in 1990. Overall, Kennard won five league championships and four districts.

McMurray graduated in 1995 and was all-state in baseball in 1994 and 1995. He was a two-time state champion in 1992 and 1994 as well as a state runner-up in 1995. To this day, he ranks first in career ERA (.98), career strikeouts (417), career wins (39), and wins in a season (13).

McMurray earned varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball. He was a scholar-athlete who earned a baseball scholarship to Central Michigan University. He was the freshman who laid down the "bunt" that "squeezed" Hillman into the history books in 1992.

Bennett graduated in 1986 and was UPI's all-state special mention and Detroit Free Press sixth team in basketball. Bennett was first team all-North Star League in his junior and senior year as well as league MVP. Bennett was Hillman's all-time leading scorer in basketball from 1986-2015 and is currently fourth (1,285). He still ranks first in points scored in a game (41), career rebounds (947), rebounds in a game (26), and rebounds in a season (315).

Bennett is in the top five in every category for blocks and rebounds. He participated in baseball, basketball, and track for four years and also played football for two. He earned a basketball scholarship to Alpena Community College.

McDonald graduated in 2003 and was all-state, all-district, all-region and all-North Star League in baseball.

In baseball, McDonald ranks first in season batting average (.595), doubles (15), and ERA (.13). He is also first in career hits (131), runs scored (155), doubles (34), and triples (6). McDonald finished second in career ERA (1.65) and third in career batting average (.465) and hits in a season (44).

In McDonald, Cory was all-conference, all-area and ranks 15th all-time in scoring (779). He was a Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan All-Star nominee and was also all-conference in football. He was a two-time Male Athlete of the Year and earned a baseball scholarship to Saginaw Valley State University.

This year's recipient of The Richard Brown Trailblazer Award in memory of Richard who passed away at the age of 102 will be Earl Seybert, former superintendent at Hillman Community Schools.

Seybert was instrumental in advancing the school district's athletic facilities and academic rigor. The Richard Brown Trailblazer Award honors athletes/individuals from a distant generation that helped blaze the trail for our past and present athletes at Hillman High School.

The Hall of Fame invites all who would like to attend the induction ceremony on Oct. 7, 2023 at Hillman High School at 2 p.m. The new inductees will also be honored at halftime of the Tiger football game to go along with the other homecoming activities on Oct. 6 vs. Atlanta.