Sep. 9—Former local football standouts Blaise Bauer and Mac Whitehead will soon be honored by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
The two were listed among the Sports’s Hall of Fame’s Elite 11, which recognizes former high school and college standouts who have made positive contributions to the game.
The two will join the Hall of Fame’s Football Luncheon at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13, at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield.
Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased by calling the Hall of Fame, 417-889-3100.
At Monett High School, Bauer played tight end, slot and some quarterback for the Cubs while earning three varsity letters as well as all-conference and all-district his senior season in 1983.
He initially signed with the Arkansas Razorbacks, but opted to play football at Pittsburg State. Bauer was twice an NAIA All-America tight end (1987-88) and was team captain and MVP in 1988.
An inductee of the PSU Athletics Hall of Fame, Bauer is now the Superintendent at Girard.
At Seneca, Whitehead put up video-game like numbers as an all-state running back in 1992 and 1993. He finished with 4,947 yards rushing on 598 carries (8.2 yards per carry) and scored 46 touchdowns.
Whitehead went on to play two seasons at Southwest Baptist and then finished as a two-year lettermen at Missouri Southern. There, he was a 1997 All-MIAA kicker returner as he averaged 14.7 yards per return, which ranks as sixth-best in school history.
Whitehead is currently the football coach at Diamond.
As for inductees, the Hall of Fame will induct Kansas City Chiefs pass rusher Tamba Hali, Missouri running back Devin West, Kickapoo and Central Missouri quarterback Scott Loveland, Salem coach Bill Schuchardt and Lebanon radio broadcaster Kevin Stubblefield.
Cassville’s 2008 and 2009 state championship teams will also be inducted, along with the Harrisonville football program.
The Wildcats were coached by David Large during that time. The 2008 Cassville team beat Cardinal Ritter 31-7 in the finals and finished 12-3, while the 2009 team toppled Bowling Green 24-7 in the finals and finished 14-1.
It’s only loss was to Branson in the season-opener before the Wildcats won 13 of their next 14 games by an average of 25.6 points.
The coaching staff included now head coach Lance Parnell (formerly defensive coordinator), Jay Rogers, Rick Lawson, Kyle Wood and Clay Weldy — with Robbie Atherton joining the 2009 staff.
Other Elite 11 honorees include Brock Baker, Joe Close, Lance Johnston, Marcus Klund, Drew Newhart, Jeff Portman, Jack Randolph, Casey Shadel and Nathan Stokes.