Hernando will induct eight individuals into its athletics hall of fame this fall, the school announced Friday afternoon. They are:
Phillip Jones (basketball), who set the school’s single-game scoring record of 45 points;
Earl Deen (football/track), who won a state title in the 100 meters and holds the school record with a 99-yard punt return for a touchdown in 1968;
Grover Ellis (football), a former quarterback in the mid-60s;
Tim Sims (baseball), a former Alabama infielder who became head coach and has turned the Leopards into the North Suncoast’s top baseball program;
Mike Walker (baseball), a right-hander who was a second-round pick in 1986 and spent parts of five seasons in the major leagues with the Indians, Cubs and Tigers;
Dee Brown (football/baseball), the son of legend Jerome Brown and a former UCF two-sport athlete and minor leaguer;
Chrissy (Hartley) DuShane (softball), the state’s Class 3A softball player of the year as a softball pitcher in 1999;
Monica (Hysell) Lovett (softball/basketball), a former softball star in the 1980s who graduated as one of the best basketball players in North Suncoast history.
The induction banquet will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 17 at the school’s gym. The Leopards will also honor the inductees at halftime of the Hernando-Pasco football game the next day. Tickets for the banquet are $25.