Wilson Memorial hall of fame announces 2023 class
FISHERSVILLE — Wilson Memorial High School will induct its hall of fame class at halftime of Friday's home football game. It's the final home game of the regular season for the Hornets. This is the first hall-of-fame class inducted since before the COVID pandemic.
The four inductees will be honored at a reception in the gym lobby before the football game.
Those being honored this year:
Summer Ramsey Powers
Summer Ramsey Powers was a member of the Wilson Memorial softball team from 2004-2008. During her career, she accrued four varsity softball letters, and was a member of the Wilson Memorial chapter of the National Honor Society.
In 2004, she was a member of the junior varsity softball team's perfect season (19-0). In the 2006 Region B tournament, she tossed a 47-pitch victory over Clarke County, throwing just two balls out of the strike zone during the game, recording six strikeouts, and allowing just one hit.
In 2007 she earned a VHSL state record pitching 21 innings in a 1-0 win over Riverheads in the semifinals of the district tournament. Her senior year, the team made it to the state tournament, which was believed to be the first time in school history. Powers helped lead the team to district championships in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Some of her individual honors include: 2005 rookie of the year, 2006 second-team all-district pitcher, 2006 and 2008 varsity co-MVP, 2007 team MVP, 2007 and 2008 first-team all-district pitcher, and 2007 and 2008 second-team all-Region B pitcher. Ramsey posted a 0.44 ERA during her final season at Wilson Memorial. Additionally, during her senior year, she was a WMHS nominee for The News Leader student-athlete of the year and was a United States Marine Corps distinguished female athlete award recipient.
After graduating from Wilson, she went on to pitch four years for Bridgewater College. In 2009, she was a member of the Bridgewater softball team that advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament resulting in being part of the final 16 teams in the nation. She is 10th in shutouts and ninth in ERA at Bridgewater. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education in 2012 from Bridgewater College and a Master's degree in career and technical education from Virginia Tech in 2018.
Powers currently teaches family and consumer sciences at Wilson Memorial High School.
Emilie Miller
Emilie Miller was a member of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams at Wilson Memorial High School during the 2014-18 scholastic years. During her time in Fishersville, Miller was also a member of the cross country team and the Wilson Memorial chapter of the National Honor Society.
During her time in the Green Hornets track program, Miller became a 13-time individual state champion. At the time of her induction, she holds 10 track and field school records, and two VHSL state records.
Notably during her career, after recording a time of 13.96, Miller was ranked No. 20 all time in the United States in the 100-meter hurdles. During her senior year in 2018, Miller was named the MileStat VHSL 2A athlete of the year after scoring 58 out of 92 points to lead the Green Hornets girls outdoor track team to the VHSL 2A outdoor track and field state championship.
Miller was coached by two other Wilson Memorial hall of fame members, Steve Geiman and the late Gary Kessler, throughout her Wilson Memorial track and field career.
William F. Duke, Jr.
Bill Duke began his teaching and coaching career at Wilson Memorial High School in 1966. He taught driver's education at Wilson Memorial High School, and physical education at Wilson Memorial, Stuarts Draft Middle School and Beverly Manor Middle School over a 30-year career. During that time span, Duke coached five varsity sports for the Green Hornets:
Assistant football coach
Assistant baseball coach
Head football coach
Head volleyball coach
Head golf coach
Head track and field coach
Since his retirement in 1999, Duke has served as a volunteer for the Wilson Memorial football program, where his primary responsibility has been scouting future opponents.
Duke was inducted into the Bridgewater College athletic hall of fame as a football player in 2015. At the time of his selection to the Wilson Memorial hall of fame, Coach Duke had coached 21 members of the school's athletic hall of fame.
Kyle Walling
Kyle Walling was a four-year letterman for the Wilson Memorial varsity baseball team from 1996-1999. During his career, Walling’s batting average was .495, including .529 (57 for 70) as a sophomore. He is one of only two Wilson players to hit over .500 in a season, which he accomplished three times from 1997-1999. Walling’s 96 career hits and 40 hits in 1998 are both school records. He concluded his career with 71 RBIs, was part of two teams to reach the VHSL Class A state tournament quarterfinals, and is the top hitter in modern school history.
Following high school Walling committed to play baseball at James Madison University, and later finished his college career with Bridgewater College. Since then, he has gone on to complete his doctorate in physical therapy and owns and operates a clinic with his wife Kayla in Sarasota, Florida, where they are raising their four children.
“The four years of baseball under Coach Bowers, and with that group of guys, were the best years of ball I experienced," Walling said in a press release. "This plaque represents not just personal achievement, but the collective efforts of those who inspired, supported, and guided me along the way."
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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Wilson Memorial hall of fame announces 2023 class
