The Southwestern High School Athletic Hall of Fame will induct four new members on Jan. 29.
The fifth induction class includes David Hamilton, Kenneth “Butch” Gorrell Jr., Bryce Rowe and Derrick Smith.
Hamilton is a 1991 graduate that excelled on the basketball court and baseball field at Southwestern. Hamilton played for what is still Southwestern’s highest scoring basketball team at 83.9 ppg.
During his senior year, Hamilton scored 489 points (23.3 ppg) – third most in a single season in school history. He ended his career with 1,198 points and is one of just six players to surpass 1,000 career points.
He graduated with the most made three-pointers in program history. That record was broken in 2002.
In his final two seasons, Hamilton helped the Spartans win back-to-back conference championships.
Hamilton was an All-Conference baseball player during his three-year career. An injury forced him to switch to golf his senior season and he helped Southwestern capture its first Shelby County Tournament title.
Gorrell Jr. was Southwestern’s first state finalist in school history in 1963 when he competed in the 200-yard dash at the track and field state championship meet. He was a four-sport athlete playing basketball, baseball, and running track and cross country.
Gorrell Jr. set six track and field records (long jump, 100-yard dash, 200, 440, 1600 and the 880 relay with Morris Emerick, Larry Williams and Jerry Petro) and his 200 time of 22.20 still stands today as the program’s best.
Gorrell Jr. is one of 11 state finalists in school history, and was the lone state finalist up until 1983.
He was part of the school’s first Shelby County Cross Country Meet champions in 1962.
Gorrell Jr. scored 251 career points as a member of the basketball team. He won the all sports award three times.
Gorrell Jr. went on to attend Ball State University where he set track and field records, including the Little State 100 yard dash record.
He went on to become a school teacher and officiate high school and college basketball games. He worked 13 sectionals, 11 regionals, eight semistates and three state finals in his career and received the 2016 Center Circle Officials Award from the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
Rowe won two sectional titles and three county tourney titles in basketball and tennis.
As a freshman, he scored 240 points, which was second most in school history. He set the program record for a junior with 486 points.
And when his career ended, Rowe landed second on the basketball program’s career scoring list with 1,452 points. He also was fifth all-time in 3s with 129.
In addition, Rowe set records for career made free throws with 424 and points scored in a game when he tallied 46 against Eastern Hancock on Dec. 4, 2015.
On the tennis court, Rowe helped the Spartans win three county tourney titles and the program’s first conference championship.
Smith was part of Southwestern’s most successful basketball program in school history.
In 2003, Smith helped the Spartans win sectional, regional and semistate championships to put the program into the Class A state championship game. Although the Spartans did not win the state title, Smith was bestowed the Trester Award, given to a state finals participant who excelled in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and basketball ability.
A four-year starter at point guard, Smith holds the record for most assists in a season (120) and a career (379). He was selected All-Conference three times.
With 670 career points, Smith sits at 25th all-time for the program and he is 17th in 3s made with 68.
Smith also played tennis for three years at Southwestern and graduated as the school’s salutatorian in 2003.
The Southwestern Hall of Fame currently has 15 members: Ray Hamilton, Jeremy Wright, Russell Swift, Ryan Rooks, Delena White, JeannAnna (Gore) Yarling, Marty Echelbarger, William Golden, Travis Kuhn, Rick Parmer Jr., Josh Mohr, Don and Naomi Fuchs, Annie Thomas and Oda Shackelford.
The Hall of Fame will add four new members on Jan. 29 when Southwestern hosts Herron for boys junior varsity and varsity basketball games.
