FIVE FROM COUNTY TO BE INDUCTED INTO VPA HALL OF FAME
The Vermont Principle’s Association is naming five Franklin County residents to their Hall of fame, that’s one-third of the induction class for the entire state.
Since the creation of the Hall of Fame in 2001, the VPA has honored more than 250 student-athletes, coaches/advisors, administrators, officials, media members, and contributors for their efforts.
Frank Martel, Elle Purrier St. Pierre, John Raleigh III, Matthew Raleigh, and Todd Raleigh will all be honored among the 15 total new members of the VPA Hall of Fame.
Frank Martel, of Berkshire, is one of two officials being recognized for his more than 50 years with a whistle. He has served the Vermont Soccer Officials Association in numerous positions including president. Martel, who also referees college games, is often seen at many of the top games. He offers annual clinics to new referees to help grow the profession. Martel has served as the game assigner, as well as a mentor, evaluator, and guide to countless officials through the years. Martel also taught Physical Education at Enosburg Falls High School for decades, impacting the young lives of thousands of students over the years.
Elle Purrier St. Pierre, also of Berkshire was a record-breaking track and field runner, as well as a cross country state champion for four years. She was the Gatorade Player of the Year for Vermont in cross country in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Purrier showed her dominance in the sport by capturing the 2011 and 2012 New England Cross Country Championships and two Nike Northeast cross country titles. Although the VPA Hall of Fame is awarded based upon High School level achievements, Purrier St. Pierre has gone on to compete at the highest of levels, including at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
John Raleigh III of Missisquoi Valley Union in Swanton was an outstanding soccer, basketball, and baseball player for the Thunderbirds in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Raleigh helped the T-Birds to two state titles (and one runner up) in baseball and one state crown (and one runner up) in soccer and a 1,132-point scorer in basketball. In 1983, he died from lymphoma at age 19 and the Swanton Recreation Field was renamed in his honor in 2000.
Matthew Raleigh of Missisquoi Valley Union in Swanton was an excellent baseball player and an All-State Hockey player for the Thunderbirds. He also was a 3-year varsity soccer standout. As a pitcher, shortstop, and top hitter, Raleigh led the baseball team to three consecutive state titles (1986-1988). He was the Vermont Gatorade Player of the Year in baseball his senior year.
Todd Raleigh of Missisquoi Valley Union in Swanton helped the Thunderbirds win two state baseball championships, including in 1987 while serving as team captain. Raleigh scored over 1,200 points during his high school basketball career and was an all-state soccer goalie.
The remaining 10 new members of the 2022 Class include six athletes, two coaches, and a referee.
John Dellipriscoli of Montpelier High was an all-state athlete in both soccer and basketball for the Solons in the early 2000s. His biggest moment was hitting a last-second game-winning 3-point shot to provide Montpelier with the 2005 Division II State Championship – the first in 49 years. A four year varsity soccer player, Dellipriscoli led Montpelier to the state title game in his senior year only to lose in triple overtime.
Kyle Dezotell of North Country Union in Newport was a record setting soccer player, including Gatorade Player of the Year for Vermont. He also was the individual state champion Nordic skier for North Country in the late 1990s. He broke many NCU records that still stand today and he led the Falcons to the Division I State Championship in soccer and Nordic in 1998-99.
David Eddy of Champlain Valley Union in Hinesburg was a standout 3-sport varsity athlete for four years in the late 1970s and team captain his senior year in soccer, basketball, and baseball. He helped CVU win the 1978 Class L Championship, earning all-state selections several times across the different sports, and was named an All New England soccer player.
Kari Greenbaum of Brattleboro Union was a standout student-athlete playing four years on varsity in basketball, field hockey, and three years on softball. Greenbaum, an all-state basketball player, is the all-time leading scorer in Brattleboro history finishing with 1,439 points in 1991. She also helped the Colonels win two state championships in softball (and one runner up), along with one state crown in field hockey.
Heather Pancake (Fincher) of Brattleboro Union was a star student-athlete in track/field, basketball, and soccer in the mid-1990s. Pancake won the state crown in the 100-meter hurdles and javelin as both a junior and senior and also captured the 300-meter hurdles as a senior. She also took New England championship in javelin her senior year. She captured the Vermont State Heptathlon her final year.
Rachel Powers (Daily) was a champion gymnast in Vermont. She won the state’s best all-around competition three straight years (2003-2005), after finishing second as a freshman. She also represented Vermont in the all-region team as a USA gymnast in levels 9 and 10.
Corrie Smith of Bellows Falls Union was a 4-sport athlete in the mid-1990s. Smith was a standout in soccer, basketball, and tennis and joined the Bellows Falls Track and Field team as a senior and helped win a State Championship. She won individual state titles in the long jump, 400 meters, and triple jump.
Tim Eno of Bellows Falls Union coached track and field for the Terriers for more than 25 years and directed cross-country for more than 22 years. Eno has captured 18 team championships: six in girls track, nine in boys track, two in girls cross country, and one in boys cross country. He also was named the U.S. Track and Field Coach of the Year for Vermont in 2019.
Gary “Mac” MacDonald of Poultney and Mill River Union in North Clarendon served as the baseball coach for Poultney (1979-2004) and as softball (2008-09) and baseball (2010-15) coach for Mill River Union High School for more than 30 years. MacDonald has collected more than 300 career varsity wins including a state championship with Poultney in 1992 and the Division II state baseball title with Mill River in 2014.
Joe Davine Jr. of Rutland has been a dedicated, conscientious, and overall top-rated basketball official for more than 35 years. His work each year leads to him often being selected to handle the big games in the postseason tournaments. He also has been a regular contributor to the mentorship of new officials in Vermont and is a past president of the state association.
The VPA Hall of Fame class of 2022 will be formally inducted on Friday, May 20 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Montpelier. Social hour begins at 5 pm, a buffet dinner at 6 pm and the induction ceremony at 6:45 pm.
Tickets for the Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Ceremony can be purchased through the ticket order form on the VPA website or by calling the VPA office at (802) 229-0547. Tickets are $45 each.
Each year, nominations are accepted from the general public to honor those that have helped with sports and activities at VPA-member schools. The VPA’s Hall of Fame Committee considers the nominations based on the criteria outlined on the website. For more information about the committee, the nomination process, the criteria for selection and more, please visit: https://vpaonline.org/athletics/vpa-hall-of-fame/
