Year after year—for close to two decades—the Llano High School Hall of Fame grows with remarkable class, and 2019 is no different. Let’s start our walk down that Hallway. Induction ceremonies took place September 13.
Brad Hatfield
Brad graduated in 1990 after being named All-District in football, basketball and baseball—Offensive MVP as a tight end in the district. He was a member of the 1989 baseball team which reached the Final Four.
But it was on the gridiron that Hatfield recalled a great memory: “Fredericksburg was up 9-0 in the last game of the 1989 regular season; just before halftime, Jeff Kuykendall threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to me.” 9-7, and what happened in the second half? “Another 40-yarder from Jeff.” 20-9 final, “and Jeff and I were Players of the Week in the Austin American-Statesman.”
The LHS Hall began as, pretty much, for athletes only, but that’s not the case now, and Brad Hatfield is an attorney and CPA.
Zack Shields
“I was fascinated with the weather at a young age,” Zack, Class of 1993, told me by email. “I used to watch the storms roll in across the Hill Country even late at night.”
This one-time fine athlete, three-year class president and Mr. LHS, has been a broadcast meteorologist for more than 20 years. Looks awfully young (to me) from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. each weekday on Fox 7, Austin.
“The competition in sports helped shape who I am today. It taught me work ethic, leadership and how to pick myself up when something doesn’t go my way—and keep trying.”
Shelby Wright
Shelby, Class of ’77, passed away in 2015. Mike Virdell was his presenter on induction night. “From the first game,” Virdell told me, “I saw him throw a pass, I said, ‘Wow,’ he had an arm.” Hall of Famer Gena Schuessler wrote, “Shelby is remembered as one of the best quarterbacks in Llano High history.” The Jackets won district in 1976. “At Tarleton,” Gena added, “he led the team to the NAIA playoffs for the first time in history.”
“He was just a fun guy to be around,” declared Virdell, the former mayor and LHS historian. “He told me many times I got his statistics wrong! I got one right: 18 TD passes his senior year—the school record stood for 35 years.”
Kelly Oestreich
A 1987 graduate, he is this year’s Humanitarian. Did he earn that or what? A paramedic in ’89, Kelly “has worked on numerous rescues with emergency personnel,” according to Schuessler. For his role in saving the lives of two women in a burning apartment building, “he was honored by the Llano City Council for bravery.”
“I’ve always believed it was something I wanted to do,” Kelly told me on Hall of Fame Night. “Fear is not even something in the process while working.”
Teams
1976, 1981 and 2001 Lady Jackets’ mile relay foursomes—silver medalists at state.
1976: Judy Butler Crumrine, Donna Swope Stokes, Rebecca Ahrlett Smith and Leigh Ingram Jackson. It is Rebecca with a “scary” memory. “I took off before the gun. False start.” She got a second chance, unlike today’s rules. “Yes I was nervous, but I knew it was then or never.” It was then. “We just clicked,” added Donna.
1981: Carole Strayhorn Cunningham, Annette Aycock Durham, Beth Healy Coldsmith and Lynne Ward.
“A great group of ladies,” stated Coach Craig Barefoot. “The team was determined and very loyal to each other.” Set a school-record time of three minutes, 57.4 seconds. James Spencer was also a coach.
2001: Kristi Howell Hutson, Jordana Rode Hooper, Tifffany Choate Lundstrom and Michelle Choate (no relation) Clayton.
“All very competitive,” insisted Head Coach Steve Golemon. “Worked hard and had enough talent to do well at state.”
And isn’t that a great sentence by a six-time state championship coach to end the decade of LHS Hall of Fame inductions.
