Hall of Fame ceremony an added highlight to Cobra win

On a night when the stars aligned from Parkland's past, the men's basketball team shined the brightest. At halftime of Saturday's game, a ceremony was held recognizing the newest inductees to Parkland's athletic Hall Of Fame.

Each inductee was introduced and followed by their accolades. They were then walked to center stage to receive their plaque from members of the Hall of Fame committee, including Athletic Director Rod Lovett. An annual event, the ceremony honors outstanding athletes and thanks them for their contributions as a Parkland Cobra. Tonight, they had one more reason to be proud as the Cobras held off Lincoln Land CC for a 64-60 victory.

Playing in front of a packed house, the Cobras executed with poise and determination. These two characteristics are welcomed signs of consistency as March and the postseason inch closer. Head Coach Nate Mast's team had dropped three consecutive games on the road to John Wood, Lincoln, and Danville, but responded with a much needed 88-84 home victory against Illinois Central prior to last Saturday's contest against Lincoln Land.

The Cobras dominated for most of the first half. A Shaquille Lowery three point basket gave the home team a 27-16 edge. These were the last points of the half for the Cobras, as the Loggers closed strong with eight straight points to close the deficit to 27-24. The Loggers opened the second half with a bucket to complete a 10-0 run narrowing the Cobra lead to just one. It was at this point that Jamel Johnson took over. Scoreless in the first and unstoppable in the second half, Johnson scored all 18 of his points in the second half. A force in the paint, he helped the Cobras build a 10 point advantage late, an advantage that would prove to be too much for the opposition to overcome.

One person that could identify with Johnson's dominance Saturday was Billy Mock. The lone men's basketball player inducted into the Parkland athletic Hall of Fame Saturday, he is best known for his record setting performance of 45 points in a single game. Mock was one of several names called to center court during halftime of the Cobra's victory.

"It's a great honor. A long time coming," said Mock, referring to the 40 years passed since his playing career at Parkland.

Other honorees included Dave Rear and Jesse Griswold for baseball, Brooklyn Robbins and Coach Brenda Winkeler for volleyball, athletics contributor Jennifer Smith and the 2005 Baseball NJCAA World Series runners-up team. Nine players from the team were on hand to receive the awarded plaque including former Eastern Illinois Panther and key contributor Tyler Brandon.

"It was a great thing," said Brandon. "When you put in your heart and soul, it's always great to get recognition." His Cobras got all the way to the championship game before losing a close one to Grand Rapids CC. "Our coach told us you have to be willing to run through a wall to make it to a championship game," Brandon recalled. He and the rest of the 2005 team accomplished just that, allowing them to be inducted into Parkland's fifth Hall of Fame class seven years later.

The Hall of Fame, started five years ago, is not easily entered. Both the prospective inductee's individual and team accomplishments have to have been very high for the candidate to make induction.

"We have different criteria for each category," said Lovett, current Hall of Fame committee member. "A player must have been a first Team All-Region or All-America, made it to the professional rankings, been in Olympic participation and have given special contribution to the sport." Additionally, coaches must have been here at least three years, while teams must have competed for the national title, he added.

Those are the standards that many athletes, coaches, special contributors, and teams have been able to reach in Parkland's 44 year athletic existence. Eight coaches or administrators, five contributors, five teams, and 17 players have been inducted in the five years of the Hall of Fame, including its new 2012 class.

Potential candidates are nominated by former coaches and administrators and a five person committee is responsible for deciding who gets in each year. It is not always an easy process because there are so many individuals that have been involved with the Cobras.

"The most difficult part is comparing players of different eras since the number of games and competition is very different," Lovett acknowledged. The committee tries to keep the class small with about seven inductees each year.

The purpose and goal of the Hall of Fame are very clear to Lovett. "Parkland Athletics has had some amazing athletes, coaches, and teams, and we felt it was important to recognize them. It is important that our current and future athletes know about those who have come before them," he explained.

Those ideals were certainly recognized Saturday, as many former and current Cobras were on hand to witness the fifth class of athletes inducted into Parkland history. The second straight win for the Cobra men capped off a great night for Parkland athletics.