Sports Hall of Fame Inducts Rick Knight '74 & Coach Chris "Fred" Hearon
Reprinted on the web from the Fall/Winter 2006 Issue of Highlights
By Viviane Varin Till

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For many of our alumni, Friday, September 29, 2006 was an historic and memorable evening in the life of CCES. On hand for the Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony were family, teammates, classmates, coaches and players, all here to celebrate the achievements of one very deserving alumnus, Rick Knight ’74, and one record-breaking coach, Chris Hearon.

Prior to the ceremony, CCES friends and the award recipients’ families were treated to a white-tablecloth, VIP dinner in the new Cavalier Training Center. Tours were offered as the football team used the new changing room for the first time before the Homecoming victory against Southside Christian School.



During the dinner Lang Cheves awarded the annual Cheves Achievement Award to the Classes of 1968 and 1977 for the highest dollars raised by a class for the Annual Fund. The Class of 1986 received the Cheves Award for the highest class participation to the Annual Fund. Receiving the awards on behalf of their classes were Libby Knight Fowler ’68, Kathy Marion Hunt ’77, and Chelle Kelaher ’86.



Marguerite Ramage Wyche ’65 was on hand to present the 2006 Marguerite Ramage Wyche Alumni Service Award to Bob Nachman ’82 for his unwavering service to CCES. He has served as Chair of the Annual Fund for two consecutive years and last year surpassed the goal for the first time ever.



Nancy Yeargin Furman ’73 and Smyth McKissick ’75 delivered moving testimonials on the effect CCES has played in their lives, especially in the area of athletics, and the effect on their own children in their academic and athletic careers here. As an example of the Christian education she values at CCES, Nancy Furman displayed a photo of the junior varsity football team in prayer, along with the crowd, after a game.

Bill Mitchell ’88, a player on the 1988 State Championship Tennis Team, delivered the induction speech for Coach Chris Hearon, who, he said, “truly changed the face of Christ Church tennis….His teams won more state championships than any coach in our school’s history, eight in boys varsity tennis and seven runner-up finishes. From 1981 to 1994 he took his tennis teams to 14 consecutive state finals. To put this in perspective, there are only five coaches in the annals of the South Carolina High School League (we’re talking all sports in all divisions) who have more state titles than Coach Hearon. In other words, Coach Hearon is the sixth winningest coach in South Carolina High School history!” Coach Hearon, who now teaches the winningest group of Middle School Latin students, is shown on opposite page in a dashing photo from the 1979 Hellenian.



John Kittredge ’75, Rick Knight’s teammate and co-captain, inducted Rick into the Sports Hall of Fame, calling him “a remarkable Cavalier legend.” During his athletic career at CCES, Knight lettered not only in football and basketball for three years, but also in track. “CCES won its first football championship in 1973, thanks to two people,” said Kittredge. “One was the first high school football coach and athletic director at CCES, Jim Tate, an exceptional coach and mentor for many….The second was Rick Knight. Rick could do it all—run, pass, inspire and lead with confidence….Without Rick, there would have been no football championship…. Rick excelled in more than just football. The whole school would fill the gym to watch Rick Knight play basketball.” Pictured above, with the Sports Hall of Fame plaque, from left are John Kittredge, Jim Tate, and Rick Knight ’74.



Coach Hearon’s State Championship Tennis Team players were invited to the Sports Hall of Fame ceremonies and given a Special Recognition by Rod Grandy, Chair of the CCES School Board, and Headmaster Lee Cox. Pictured, from left, with members of the varsity cheerleading team are tennis champions Ashley Hyche ’89, Brian Marchant ’91, Walt Wilkins ’92, Bill Mitchell ’88, Clayton Jennings ’91, a beaming Coach Chris “Fred” Hearon, Robert Austell ’86, Tod Hyche ’86, Bo Russell ’88, and Morgan Buffington ’87.



Following the dinner, Wesley Walker ’93, President of the CCES Alumni Association, started the Sports Hall of Fame ceremonies by recognizing all the previous Sports Hall of Fame inductees that were present. On hand, from left to right, were Brian Marchant ’91; John Kittredge ’75, presenter for Rick Knight; 2006 inductee Rick Knight ’74; Coach Jim Tate, who came all the way from Alabama; inductee Coach Chris Hearon; Emory Vandiver ’78; Park Owings ’82; Mills Ariail ’91; and John Jennings ’84 (with his son and future Hall of Famer). Also present, but not pictured, were Nancy Yeargin Furman ’73 and John Sterling ’79. This was the largest gathering of previous inductees ever.