The Scotts Valley High School Falcon Club this week announced the 2017 inductees into the Falcon Club Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame honors student athletes, coaches, and community members who have made a unique or outstanding contribution or accomplishment to the high school and beyond at the college and community level. The class of 2017 consists of:
Ken Kannegaard (posthumous), a wrestling coach (over 20 years) who coached at both the middle and high school levels. He was the key driver from the wrestling program’s inception and quickly embraced the entry of girls into the sport, mentoring and encouraging every athlete. He was a patient and technical coach, frequently grappling with his wrestlers to demonstrate a hold or escape. He often equated wrestling with life lessons, and dispensed inspirational wisdom to all he encountered. His athletes include 5 State champions, a CCS championship (2017) in a 96-school field, and a current World team member. He was named Coach of the Year in 2014, and is a recipient of the Golden Whistle Award.
Doug Chase, 9-year cross country coach who built the SVHS program into a Division and State contender. For every year beyond his first year in the program he had one or more individuals or teams advance to the State level, with the girls’ team making it 6 years in a row (2010-2015) and the boys’ team qualifying 3 years in a row (2013-2015). He coached the two-time Div 4 State Champion (girls) and a boys’ team (2015) that took the SCCAL & CCS titles and placed 3rd at the State meet. His coaching style fosters a sense of autonomy and builds on inner strength in his athletes, motivating them to grow both personally and athletically.
Sam Gordon, 2006 graduate from SVHS and a three-sport athlete who played football, basketball and baseball where he was team captain, MVP, and nominated to various all-county teams. He played middle linebacker at Portland State where he graduated in 2010 with a BS in Health Science, then attended the McGeorge School of Law graduating in 2014 and passing the bar in 2015. In high school he was the youth representative to the SC Chapter of the Red Cross and has continued his community service by serving as a commissioner of the SCC Integrated Community Health Center, overseeing three clinics and a $20M budget. He is a partner with the Gordon Law Group in San Jose, and volunteers as an assistant coach at SVHS.
Robbie Erlin, 2009 graduate from SVHS where he played baseball (pitcher) all four years. He was named the Sentinel All-County 2009 Player of the Year after going 9-1 with a 0.63 ERA and 125 strike-outs over 62 innings. He pitched 4 complete-game shutouts, including a 15-strike-out no-hitter, and compiled a 45 inning scoreless streak. He won a scholarship to Cal Poly but declined it when selected by the Texas Rangers in the third round of the 2009 MLB draft. In 2010 he played Class A, then Double A in 2011. He was traded to the San Diego Padres in Jul 2011 and played in San Antonio and Arizona until 2013 when he was promoted to the Major Leagues. He has had several starts at that level, and is currently the longest-tenured Padre on the roster.
Jim Hart, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff, was an 8-year girls’ basketball coach (2006-2014) where he amassed a 135-91 record overall and a 122-41 record over the last six years. He coached the team to two league championships and two undefeated league seasons, receiving CCS bids 7 out of 8 seasons. Eleven players went on to play at the college level, and 24 players made all-league teams, along with three league MVP’s. He is three-time SCCAL coach of the year, CCS coach of the year in 2014, and State Div 4 coach of the year in 2014.
The induction dinner will be held at Kiss Catering in Scotts Valley (915 Disc Drive) beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct 7. The community is invited to attend and can make reservations through the Falcon Club website: https://www.falconclub.org/hall-of-fame. Reservations must be made by Sep 30.
