DeWitt to induct two individuals, three teams in 2023 hall of fame class
Two individuals and three teams comprise this year's class to be inducted into the DeWitt High School Athletics Hall of Fame.
The 2023 class, which will be honored at halftime of Friday night's home football game against Waverly, includes: Ryan Anderson, a 2013 graduate who starred in football and basketball; Dan Hill, a 1965 graduate and longtime volunteer scorekeeper and statistician; and the 2002, '03 and '04 Panther football teams, who all finished as state runners-up.
Anderson excelled as both a wide receiver and a punter in football in his junior and senior seasons when DeWitt went a combined 19-5, won consecutive CAAC Red championships and reached the state semifinals in 2012. Anderson holds the school record for receptions in a season with 80 in 2012 and his 101 career catches put him third on the school's all-time list.
“Ryan will go down in DeWitt football history as one of the top receivers to ever wear a Panther uniform,” DeWitt coach Rob Zimmerman said.
As a punter, Anderson holds the school record for average yards per punt (39.5) and total punt yards (2,996). And it was as a punter that Anderson excelled in college — first at Saginaw Valley State, then Olivet and, finally, at Rutgers University. Anderson was a Division III All-American at Olivet and then was First Team All-Big Ten in his one season at Rutgers. He also went on to take part in NFL camps with the New England Patriots, New York Giants and Chicago Bears.
Hill, who taught in DeWitt Public Schools for 41 years, is being inducted as an honorary member, stemming from decades volunteering as a scorekeeper and statistician in both the girls and boys basketball programs.
“Dan was not only our statistician for over 30 years, but a mentor to me as a teacher and a great friend,” said Scott Palmer, a longtime DeWitt teacher and coach. “He is as loyal as it gets and someone you can always count on.”
The teams being inducted are the championship Panther football teams from 2002-04, all coached by Zimmerman.
The 2002 team went 13-1, won the final Ingham County League championship as well as district and regional titles, and reached the Division 3 state finals before falling to East Grand Rapids in the title game.
In 2003, DeWitt went 11-3, bouncing back after a slow start. The Panthers lost two regular-season games but got hot at playoff time, rattling off dominating wins over Linden, Flint Powers Catholic, Caro and Richmond before falling in the championship game to Three Rivers.
The 2004 team again went unbeaten in the regular season and finished 13-1. The Panthers captured the CAAC III title and won playoff games over Corunna, Battle Creek Harper Creek, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Grosse Ile before losing to Muskegon Orchard View in the Division 4 championship game.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: DeWitt to induct two individuals, three teams in 2023 hall of fame class
