Search Results

SCHOLARSHIPS Chase Football Photo: Dustin's Way FAQ about our Scholarship 1 Who is it for? One male student and one female student that is a senior and attends one of the four county high schools that compete in the NCHSAA. Those schools being: Chase High School East Rutherford High School R-S Central High School Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy 2 What does it take? Recipients are chosen based on: Having a good academic standing Participation in a sport Financial need 3 How do you get chosen? There is no formal application for students to complete. They are chosen by a group of coaches from each school. Info about Scholarships One of our goals when we began the RCSHOF was to start a scholarship program for student athletes. While the RCSHOF was founded in 2017 It was not until 2019 when we were able to make that goal a reality. We give one male and one female scholarship to each of the four county high schools that compete in the NCHSAA . The first class of Scholarship recipients were in 2019 and we awarded eight. Due to covid-19 we were unable to grant scholarships to the classes of 2020 and 2021. But in 2022 we were able to revive that program of work again and grant eight students with scholarships. 2025 Recipients 2024 Recipients 2023 Recipients 2022 Recipients 2019 Recipients East Rutherford Quay Logan Abbey Ranta RS Central Daniel Luke Ferguson Caitlin Dailey Chase Thomas Jefferson Heath Waldrop Sidney McCranie Issac Roberson Lauren Bennett - Don't Miss Out - SIGN UP FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS‭, ‬INFO AND UPDATES‭!‬ SUBSCRIBE Thanks for submitting!

Induction Year Sort by Name Sort by Class Year Angela Hamilton-Jones Basketball Induction Year: 2018 Billy Ray Haynes Jr Football Induction Year: 2023 Carl Bartles Football Induction Year: 2024 Charles "Dean" Huffstickler Boxing Induction Year: 2023 Anthony "Chuck" McSwain Football Induction Year: 2017 Billy Ray Vickers Football Induction Year: 2022 Carolyn Dewberry Bratton Basketball Induction Year: 2019 Chris Michael Basketball Induction Year: 2023 Belus Smawley Basketball Induction Year: 2017 Bobby Reynolds Coach Induction Year: 2022 Chad Flack Baseball Induction Year: 2024 Conner Stroud Wheelchair Tennis Induction Year: 2025 1 2 3 4 1 ... 1 2 3 4 ... 4 **No Class of 2020 or 2021 Members due to COVID-19 Pandemic.**

< Back Conner Stroud 2025 Conner Stroud is one of the most decorated young athletes in Rutherford County history. The 24 year-old Rutherfordton native is already a two-time Paralympian in Wheelchair Tennis and is currently ranked as the 33rd best Men’s Wheelchair Tennis Player in the world by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), winning numerous awards, medals and honors on his assent up the rankings. Stroud was born with Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD) which left him without femurs, hips, ankles or knees. That did not stop him from picking up a racket at the age of five, however, where he played against able-bodied competitors. At age 12, Stroud transitioned to playing wheelchair tennis and immediately began climbing the ITF rankings. He won the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Sportsmanship Award in 2012. From 2013-17, Stroud played for Team USA in the ITF Junior World Cup. He helped guide the Stars & Stripes to a trio of Gold Medals in the event. Those successes on the tennis court led Stroud to receive the USTA (Wheelchair) Excellence Award in 2014. During that time, Stroud also played against able-bodied competitors for the Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy tennis team. He found success playing in the #2 position for the Gryphons. Upon graduating from TJ in 2018, Stroud earned a scholarship to the University of Alabama to play Wheelchair Tennis Stateside. He was also ranked as high as #2 in the world in the Wheelchair Junior Division Internationally. After 2018, Stroud made the jump to the Adult Men’s Wheelchair Division and has been a member of Team USA ever since. He has held the #2 spot on the World Cup team since 2018. Individually, Stroud has represented his country well, qualifying for the 2021 Paralympics in Tokyo and the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. While in Paris, Stroud won his first match, upsetting Costa Rica’s Jose Pablo Gil 6-3, 6-1. “It is incredibly special,” Stroud told members of the Parisian media following the match. “I could never have dreamed of playing on Court Philippe Chatrier and I will always remember playing on such an historic court. To play in front of a big crowd to kickstart the Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event here, I was quite nervous going into it. The feeling, however, was unbelievable and I will always cherish it.” Overall in his career, through March of 2025, Stroud has amassed an impressive record of 241-100 in singles play and 148-63 in doubles. He has garnered 28 ITF Singles Championships and 35 Doubles Titles and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Stroud is currently in the process of qualifying for the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles.

Induction Year Sort by Name Sort by Class Year Angela Hamilton-Jones Basketball Induction Year: 2018 Billy Ray Haynes Jr Football Induction Year: 2023 Carl Bartles Football Induction Year: 2024 Charles "Dean" Huffstickler Boxing Induction Year: 2023 Anthony "Chuck" McSwain Football Induction Year: 2017 Billy Ray Vickers Football Induction Year: 2022 Carolyn Dewberry Bratton Basketball Induction Year: 2019 Chris Michael Basketball Induction Year: 2023 Belus Smawley Basketball Induction Year: 2017 Bobby Reynolds Coach Induction Year: 2022 Chad Flack Baseball Induction Year: 2024 Conner Stroud Wheelchair Tennis Induction Year: 2025 1 2 3 4 1 ... 1 2 3 4 ... 4 **No Class of 2020 or 2021 Members due to COVID-19 Pandemic.**

< Back Larry Ross 2025 Coach Larry Ross was equally at home coaching on the high school level as he was the AAU circuit. He founded the Forest City Heat AAU program in 1998, winning several prestigious tournaments, including a National Championship. During that time, he also coached the East Rutherford Lady Cavaliers for 20 years, picking up approximately 400 wins in the process. Ross was a 1978 graduate of East Rutherford High School and went on to play basketball for the Isothermal Community College Patriots. While at ICC, Ross set the record for the most rebounds in a single game with 15 vs. Davidson during the 1979-80 season. As good as an athlete as Coach Ross was, he made his name as a coach. He founded the Forest City Heat Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) program in 1998 and it is still going strong today. He won State and National Championships at multiple age groups. Ross garnered 14 State Titles, including eight straight AAU State Titles from 2012-2019. In 2015, Ross and the Heat brought home the State Title in seven different age groups. Ross’ most impressive achievement on the AAU circuit may have come in 2019 as the Heat brought a National Championship back home to Forest City. Along the way in his AAU coaching career, Ross oversaw the development of numerous professional and college players. They include former NFL player Brandon Spikes, current NBA player Ish Smith, along with former Clemson Tiger Gabe Devoe and Georgetown’s LJ Peak. Due to his impact on those athletes and countless others, Ross was elected to the AAU Hall of Fame in 2024. As impressive as Ross’ accomplishments on the AAU level were, his accolades coaching the Lady Cavaliers might have been more impressive. Over a 20 year career in Forest City, Ross led the Lady Cavs to approximately 400 wins. Those numbers included numerous conference titles and deep playoff runs, making the 2006 State Championship game. East Rutherford went 27-1 in 2021-22 and 23-3 during the 2013-14 season. Rachel Camp was the star of the 2013-14 team. Under Ross’ tutelage, she averaged 28.4 points per game that season and scored over 3,000 points in her career. “He pushed me for sure,” Camp said in an interview with The Daily Courier. “But I knew that was just because he cared about me and wanted me to reach my full potential.” In addition, Ross also coached the East Rutherford boys team for a few seasons. Due to Ross’ success during his career and the impacts he made off the court, he won the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association Transformational Coach of the Year Award in 2022. According to the NCBCA, the award is given each year to a coach that “must have a significant positive impact at their school and with their community.” “This means a lot,” Ross told The Daily Courier after receiving the award. “I have won national championships coaching AAU teams but this award is right there at the top of the list. What makes this so special is that it shows that something you have done has impacted somebody’s life. It’s not about me and if I know I have made a positive impact on somebody, that means more to me than winning ballgames.” Several of his former players spoke about the impact Ross made on their lives. NC State signee Mikey Wilkins says, “His legacy meant everything. He was like a second father to me.” Former University of South Carolina Wide Receiver Shaq Davidson adds: “Coach is an understatement of what you (Ross) were to me. After I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life, you took me in and helped turn it around for the better. I could never repay you.” Ross passed away on April 10th 2023, but his legacy lives on as the former Cool Springs Gym was renamed in his honor.

< Back Dr. Warren T. Forney 2025 Dr. Warren T. Forney has not only made impacts on gridirons here in Rutherford County and Clemson, but off the field, he has made lasting contributions as a motivational speaker and with humanitarian work in Africa. The Rutherfordton native played on the Defensive Line for the R-S Central Hilltoppers from 1986-1990 and was named to the Shrine Bowl after his Senior season. At Clemson, Forney was a major part of the Tigers’ success from 1991-1995, winning several awards and honors before becoming an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Forney decided to focus on football during his career with the Hilltoppers and it paid off. He was named Tri-County Player of the Year as a Senior, earned All-Conference honors, and was selected to play in the prestigious Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. By the time Forney graduated from R-S Central, he was ranked as one of the top Defensive Line prospects in North Carolina. After spending a post-graduate season at Fork Union Military Academy, Forney enrolled at Clemson in 1991. He played in seven games that season for the Tigers, making four tackles and breaking up one pass, helping Clemson win the ACC Regular Season Title. Forney had a breakout season as a Sophomore in 1992. He started all 11 games for Clemson, garnering 83 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Forney’s best game that season came against Virginia where he led the Tigers with a team-high 11 stops. Forney was injured during his Junior Season playing in just 3 games with 2 tackles. However, due to his commitment and perseverance, Forney was awarded the Texaco Athlete of the Year Award. Now known as the “Rudy Award”, this national recognition is given to any Division I football player that exhibits Character, Courage, Contribution and Commitment. In fact, Rudy Ruettiger was on hand to present Forney with the honor. Forney made a triumphant return for his Senior Season in 1994, garnering 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 1 Pass Break Up. As a Redshirt Senior in 1995, he played in all 12 games for Clemson, registering 20 tackles while helping the Tigers reach the Gator Bowl. Forney also finished strong in the classroom, earning All-ACC academic honors for three straight seasons. As a result of his overall contributions to the Clemson program and community, Forney earned the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. The award is given annually “in recognition of the recipient’s influence for good, excellence in maintaining high ideals of living, and genuine service to others”. Forney also received the prestigious Brian Piccolo Award after the 1995 season, given to the most courageous football player in the ACC. After spending some time in the San Francisco 49ers’ organization in 1996 and brief coaching stints at Clemson and Georgia Tech, Forney turned his attention to the corporate world. He was part of General Electric’s Africa Initiative, helping to bring sustainable electric power systems to the continent. After living in Nigeria and Cape Town, Forney returned to the United States and is currently working as a Human Resource Executive for Humana. He also earned a Doctorate degree in Philosophy. Forney spends his free time as a lecturer and motivational speaker for various colleges and Universities across the country. Due to all of these contributions, Forney was honored with the 2015 Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award from Clemson. Even with all those awards and honors, Forney says being selected to the RCSHOF is special. “I’m humbled and grateful,” Forney said. “I grew up watching my two older brothers play here, and I just followed in their footsteps. Whether it was at R-S Central, Clemson or all over the world, I think football has given me the opportunity to be an ambassador for Rutherford County because it gave me such a great foundation.”

< Back David Davis 2025 Not only did David Davis excel at one sport during his time as a student athlete in Rutherford County, he did it in three: Football, Basketball and Baseball. He won numerous awards during his career as a R-S Central Hilltopper from 1978-82, including being named as team MVP in each of the three sports his Senior season. After graduation, Davis went on to put up impressive numbers in football at three different colleges and then had a successful high school basketball coaching career. The awards and accolades started rolling in for Davis during his Junior season for the Hilltoppers. In football, Davis earned All-Conference honors on both sides of the ball as a Free Safety and Wide Receiver. In addition, Davis garnered All Rutherford County and All-Region accolades as a Free Safety after pulling down seven interceptions. Davis equaled those numbers as a Senior. He recorded 7 more interceptions, once again earning All-County and All-Region honors. In addition, Davis was named to the All-State Team, an Adidas All-American and played in the East-West All-Star game. Davis also put up impressive numbers on the basketball court, leading the Hilltoppers by averaging 18.1 points per game and led the baseball program with a .389 batting average as a Senior. Consequently, Davis was named as team MVP in all three sports for the Hilltoppers and Rutherford County Athlete of the Year in 1982. After concluding his career in Rutherfordton, Davis played football at NC State University for one season and made the All-ACC Freshman Team. Davis transferred to Taft College in California where he was a part of the 1984 Junior College National Championship. During that season, Davis rewrote the record books with the most catches in a single game (10), most yards in a single game (201) and most touchdown catches in a single game (3). Davis finished that season with 798 total yards. As a result, he was named as a JUCO All-American and inducted into the Taft College Hall Of Fame. Davis attended Baylor University to finish his football career where he helped the Bears win a pair of Bowl games. He was named the Southwestern Conference Newcomer of the Year in 1985 and finished his career at Baylor averaging 19.2 yards per catch. His exploits on the college gridiron earned Davis an invite to the Houston Oilers training camp. After his playing career was over, Davis turned his attention to coaching high school basketball. He began his coaching career as an assistant at East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte before becoming the head coach at Olympic High School from 1994-2000. He also coached at Trinity Prep in Florida from 2009-13. Davis was named the head coach of several renowned high school basketball showcases over the years, including the Nike Hoop Summit, The Pittsburgh Hoops Classic and the Senior Showcase National All-Star game where he also served as the game’s Director for five years. In all, Davis coached over 24 college players, including a pair of All-Americans during his career. “It’s very humbling to be elected into the Rutherford County Sports Hall Of Fame,” Davis said. “I’m in my Junior College Hall Of Fame and I thought that was a big deal, but when you are recognized by your peers in your hometown as one of the best athletes, it is amazing. To be part of this group is truly exciting.”

< Back Wade Byrd 2025 Dr. Wade Byrd was an outstanding athlete not only on the football field and basketball court for R-S Central, the Spindale native also excelled in two sports at Duke, football and Men’s Lacrosse. After graduation from Duke, Byrd embarked on a distinguished military career before becoming a lawyer and judge, retiring in 2019. Byrd says he could not wait to join the football and basketball teams at R-S Central. While Byrd enjoyed basketball, even earning All-State Honors in the sport, his biggest impact came on the gridiron. He earned All-State honors at the End position as a Senior after the 1954-55 season. After graduation from R-S Central in 1955, Byrd attended Duke University on a full football scholarship. While in Durham, Byrd played on the same Duke teams with fellow RCSHOF member Burt Lattimore and Rutherford County native Doug Padgett. Since Byrd played on the offensive line as a Center at Duke, he does not have that many stats, but he was a key contributor during his time in Durham. Most notably as a team captain in 1957, Byrd helped the Blue Devils reach a #14 national ranking. After posting a 6-2-2 record in the regular season, Duke played #4 Oklahoma in the prestigious Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida on New Year’s Day 1958. Even though Duke lost that game, the Blue Devils were competitive for most of the contest. As a Senior in 1958, Byrd was once again a Duke captain and finished his career in style by helping defeat rival UNC 7-6 on the final day of the season. In the Spring of 1959, Byrd tried out for and made the Duke Men’s Lacrosse team, earning All-American Honorable Mention honors at the conclusion of the season. After graduating from Duke in 1959, Byrd went on to have a distinguished military career as a member of the Marine Corps. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune and saw duty in Guantanamo Bay and the Mediterranean. After being on active duty for 30 years, earning the rank of Captain, Byrd went to Law School at Chapel Hill and then earned a Doctorate of Law Degree from the University of Florida in 1965. During that time, Byrd was also serving in the Marine Corps Reserves until he was Honorably Discharged in 1975. Byrd settled in Florida with his wife and three children and had a successful career as a trial lawyer and a judge. In his spare time, Byrd stayed connected with Duke, serving as President of the Palm Beach County Alumni Association during the 1980’s. Byrd also played Polo and helped establish the National Museum of Polo and Hall Of Fame, where he served as Secretary for the organization until 2022. Byrd’s other hobbies include hunting, sailing, racquetball and golf.

Contact Us hello@rcshof.org Download Board Member Bylaws First Name Last Name Email Phone Message Send Thanks for submitting!

< Back Keenan Carpenter 2023 Keenan Lee Carpenter could score the basketball and he proved it against all levels of competition. After scoring over 1,000 points in his high school career at R-S Central, Carpenter did the same at Anderson (SC) Jr. College before becoming a record-setter at Auburn and in the SEC. Carpenter developed his notoriety as a scorer on the hardwood for R-S Central. He scored over 1,000 points during his Hilltopper career while leading the Southwestern Conference in points as a Junior and a Senior in 1983 and 1984. As a result, Carpenter was named to the All-Conference team after both of those seasons. His career-high in scoring came on January 27, 1984 when Carpenter dropped 41 points against Rutherford County rival East Rutherford. At the conclusion of his Senior season, Carpenter was named to the All-Piedmont team, and he was selected to play in the East/West All-Star game where he led the West with a team-high 18 points. After spending one year away from basketball in 1985, Carpenter enrolled at Anderson Jr. College in 1986. That year, he was voted the Region X MVP and also earned first-team All-Conference honors In 1987. Carpenter had no sophomore slump as he scored a then career-high 43 points vs. Mercer. Carpenter also joined the 1,000-point club during that season on his way to repeating as league MVP and earning NJCAA All-American honors. After finishing his career at Anderson, he moved to the SEC and Auburn University where he played from 1988-89. He set scoring records for the Tigers, too. As a Senior in 1989, Carpenter scored a career-high 44 points vs. LSU including a then-program record eight three-pointers. Those exploits led Carpenter to be named SEC Player of the Week. That was far from Carpenter’s only monster game for the Tigers though, as he scored 30 points or more five times while at Auburn. Carpenter also scored 32 points against Ole Miss in 1989 and 33 points vs. the University of Florida as a Junior in 1988. Putting up those kinds of scoring numbers earned Carpenter many accolades. He was named one of Playboy Magazine’s Top-5 Players in the Nation in 1988. He also led the SEC in three-pointers made as a Senior in 1989, shooting at a 41 percent clip from beyond the arc. During his final season, Carpenter’s scoring average jumped from 4.7 points per game to 19 points per game (7th best in the SEC) and he was named 2nd Team All-SEC by United Press International. Carpenter also shot an impressive 81.7 percent from the foul line for his career. In all, Carpenter scored 667 points (11.2 ppg) during his two seasons at Auburn and was selected to the Tigers’ Centennial Team in 1999. Carpenter still resides in Auburn, Alabama where he owns a life insurance and credit repair company, Keenan Carpenter & Associates.

< Back Troy Harris 2024 Troy Harris was a true Renaissance Man for the R-S Central Hilltoppers. During his four-year prep career in Rutherfordton (1977-81), Harris played football, basketball and baseball. Upon graduation from R-S, Harris attended Spartanburg Methodist on a baseball scholarship before transferring to Elon to finish his career. Harris is also a member of the Elon Hall Of Fame. Harris made an immediate impact when he arrived in Rutherfordton. He was the starting quarterback on the Hilltoppers’ JV football team as a Freshman and went on to be the signal caller for the varsity squad during the next three seasons. As a result of his exploits on the gridiron, Harris was an All-Conference selection after his Junior and Senior seasons. The skills Harris honed on the football field translated well to the basketball court. After being called up to the varsity team late in his Freshman season, Harris became the Hilltoppers’ starting point guard for the rest of his high school career. Harris was the floor general during the 1979-80 season that saw the Hilltoppers post a perfect 32-0 record and win the 3A State Championship. As a Senior, Harris was named to the All-Tournament Team at the prestigious Freedom Christmas Tournament. When asked what made Harris such a good basketball player, his coach Stacy Lail says, “Troy was one of the most respected players I have ever coached. He was respected by teammates, opponents, fans and even officials. His leadership qualities led us to two State Championship games.” Harris was also a leader on the baseball diamond at R-S. He lettered all four seasons, winning team MVP honors as a Freshman. In addition, Harris was a two-time All-Conference selection, finishing his Hilltopper career with an overall batting average of .497. Harris posted an impressive average of .426 during two summers of playing American Legion baseball with Post 74. Due to his achievements in all three sports, Harris was named The Daily Courier Athlete Of The Year in 1981. Upon graduation from R-S, Harris earned a baseball scholarship to play at Spartanburg Methodist Junior College. Though he was a solid defensive player in the outfield, his real contribution was at the plate. As a Freshman, Harris batted at a .435 clip, with 14 home runs and 28 stolen bases. He helped Spartanburg Methodist qualify for the 1982 Junior College World Series, batting .410 for the Series and being named to the All-Tournament team. Harris then transferred to Elon where he continued to put up impressive numbers. In two seasons with the Phoenix, he hit for a .377 average, garnering 113 hits, including 15 home runs and 18 stolen bases. Harris was inducted into the Elon Hall Of Fame in 2003. Harris and his wife Tonnie have served the local community in Rutherford County in several different capacities for many years. He is currently a Social Worker at Willow Ridge Rehab Center in Rutherfordton.

< Back Angela Hamilton-Jones 2018 Angela Hamilton-Jones attended R-S Central High School from 1985-1989. While there she was a standout member of the basketball, volleyball and track teams. Hamilton-Jones accumulated many honors during her high school athletic career. She played center on the basketball team and right-hitter on the volleyball team. As a member of the track and field team, she ran the 100-yd. dash, 100 and 200 hurdles, and mile relay. She also did the long-jump, discus and shot-put. She was MVP in Track and Volleyball, and a member of the All Tournament, All Conference, and All Regional teams, named Spartanburg Herald Journal Player of the Week and Charlotte Observer's First Team. Hamilton-Jones attended Johnson C. Smith University from 1985-1989, where she continued her athletic career as a member of the volleyball and basketball teams. She was the first female to receive the ML Edwards Memorial Athletic Award; she received the Cathy Callahan Memorial Award, was named the SWC Player of the Year. She was a member of the NCAA Division 2 All American team, CIA 1987-1989, CIA Tournament 1987-1989, and was named MVP. Hamilton-Jones was inducted into the JSU Hall of Fame and holds the record for the most field goals made at 742. Hamilton-Smith said her most memorable quote from Tim Duncan, who said, "Good better, best, never let it rest until your good is better, and your better is best." JCSU Coach Steve Joyner said, "Good team don't last forever, but good people do." Asked about her most significant sports career moment, Hamilton-Smith said, "During my career, all moments were significant in learning who you are and experiencing the sport." As a team member, Hamilton-Jones said, "I believe the most significant moment..is always to be a team member in each game. It's not all individual; you are always playing together to win."