PROSPERITY — Mid-Carolina High School has added a new feature to the school — a Wall of Fame that honors Mid-Carolina graduates who have played at the college level, earned a letter at the college level and graduated from college, or if they played professionally.

Mid-Carolina High School held an induction ceremony on Monday for all of the Wall of Fame athletes.

“We have a huge history, if you look at the number of athletes that played at the college level, its well over 100. We wanted to recognize those individuals, and have something for our students here to see the end product of and give them inspiration, because most of these people are very successful in their careers,” said Zeb Reid, assistant principal at Mid-Carolina High School.

For the first year, 40 graduates were inducted into the Wall of Fame. The oldest graduate was from 1954, when the school was Prosperity High School, and the youngest were 2012 graduates.

Reid said that he hopes the first round induction will spur interest, and will allow them to have even more inductions next year.

During the induction ceremony many individuals congratulated the athletes, including Jim Suber, superintendent, Ray Cooper, MCHS principal, and Louie Alexander, athletic director at MCHS.

“I think this is an absolutely wonderful idea. I saw a lot of names that rung a bell with me, having been able to watch them play over the years. I coached for 22 years, football and boys basketball at Whitmire. So a lot of you, that are going to be inducted tonight, probably contributed to my won/loss column, and I guarantee you there were more Ls than Ws,” Suber said.

Suber added that having been a coach, administrator and now superintendent in the District, he has had many opportunities to attend athletic events at Mid-Carolina, and something that has always impressed him was their spirit.

“I have been very impressed with the way you treat your visitors as they come in, but also the backing of this community, the school spirit that you have, the booster club that you have in place. You are to be commended for being a tight-knit community and staying behind your coaches, and your athletes and the support you give them. They are truly blessed,” he said.

Cooper said that in the school’s history, there have been a lot of talented individuals who have walked the halls of Mid-Carolina High.

“I want to stress the words ‘student athletes.’ It is an athletic wall of fame, but everyone inducted tonight, not only were they great athletes, but equally as great in the classroom. That is where the separation comes. Being a successful student athlete, successful student and athlete, is no easy task. It is a balance that comes with hard work, dedication and sacrifice,” he said. “You are all role models.”

Tammy Wicker, president of the MCHS Booster Club, also congratulated all of the first round inductees for their hard work that lead them to this point.

“Anytime you have a project of this nature, you have a support system. Our support system for athletics is our Booster Club,” Reid said.

Out of the 40 being inducted into the Wall of Fame, about half were able to attended the ceremony. Many of them were not only honored to be included, but were also excited to see the school and old friends.

“It is an honor. I grew up loving sports. I always put all my efforts into performing my best in all my practices and work outs,” said Kyle Curcio, 2012 graduate who played football at North Greenville University. “It is really cool that Mid-Carolina gave us the opportunity for all of these different generations to be honored for the athletic sport that they played.”

“I think it’s an honor to be here, and to be excited about being inducted into the Wall of Fame, it’s a great privilege being here at Mid-Carolina, being a graduate, seeing all the things they have done since I graduated,” said Mike Cromer, 1970 graduate who played baseball at the University of South Carolina. “Things have gotten better. It’s a wonderful school and a wonderful program they have going on. Honor to be a part of a school district and school that has done so much for the community.”

“It is like a dream come true, something I will cherish for a lifetime,” said Lorraine Counts Boyd, 1976 graduate who played basketball at Spartanburg Methodist College.

It is a great feeling to come back and be inducted in. It is the first time I have been in the new school. It is a great place, beautiful. Nice to see a lot of familiar faces that I have not seen in a long time,” said John Chapman, 1999 graduate who played football at Newberry College.

“It is such an honor. I enjoyed my years at USC Sumter and it is an honor to be recognized by my high school,” said Erica Stone, 2012 graduate who played softball at the University of South Carolina-Sumter.

Many graduates were excited to catch up and talk about the Wall of Fame.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_DSC_1013.jpgMany graduates were excited to catch up and talk about the Wall of Fame. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

Before the ceremony graduates were able to catch up and talk about what they have been doing since they graduated.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_DSC_1016.jpgBefore the ceremony graduates were able to catch up and talk about what they have been doing since they graduated. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

The first Wall of Fame induction ceremony inducted 40 graduates, of those 40 about half were able to attend the ceremony.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_DSC_1027-1.jpgThe first Wall of Fame induction ceremony inducted 40 graduates, of those 40 about half were able to attend the ceremony. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer
Mid-Carolina stars feted

By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.