Hansen's Sunday Notebook: Pima County HOF class has bit of everything

Newest Pima County Hall of Fame class has a little bit of everything  

The Pima County Sports Hall of Fame began 25 years ago, hatched by two former UA wrestlers and Sahuaro High coaches, Al Sye and Tom Pierson. They couldn’t have imagined how successful their venture would become.

This afternoon, the 26th class of inductees will be honored at the DoubleTree Hotel, expanding the list of Hall of Famers to about 350.

The Class of ’15 is typically diverse, loaded with deserving athletes, coaches and administrators from all walks of Tucson life.

Jeff Lockwood, for example, coached Sahuaro to state cross country championships in 1980, 1984, 1988, 1989 and 1990. His Cougars girls teams once won 58 consecutive meets.

But what strikes me about Lockwood is his life beyond coaching has been one of those most-interesting-man-in-the-world tales. After teaching astronomy and physics at Sahuaro, after graduating from the UA with a degree in geophysics, Lockwood has gone on to be a writer/editor and visionary, moving to Portland, Maine, where his current projects include climate literacy, energy awareness and the bio complexity of a habitable planet.

Today’s class also includes another multiple state champion, former Salpointe Lancer Kelly Walbert Cagle, who led the Lancers to the 1990 and 1992 state soccer titles. She went on to be a consensus All-American at Duke and head coach at Virginia Tech. Today, Cagle runs a soccer club in Phoenix, helps to operate The 180 Group, a team-strengthening, leadership and life-skills business, and has been a consultant to the ASU soccer team.

What makes the PCSHF go is the devotion of president John Gleeson, a volunteer who is in his 17th year with the group. Gleeson coached Flowing Wells to the 1983 state baseball championship and has been surrounded by terrific volunteers such as ex-referee Jim Markert, former Star sports editor Tom Foust, one-time Cincinnati Reds pitcher Pat Darcy, Dale Lopez and Ed Ackerley, among others.

Gleeson, who is coming off a long recovery from back surgery, isn’t sure how much longer he will operate the PCSHF. “I’m almost out of juice,” he said. “I hate to let it go, but Pat Darcy will be a good president. He’ll carry on and take it to another level.”

Since the first PCSHF class, in 1990, the list of those honored has included rodeo cowboys, bowlers, boxing referees and all the way on to Steve Kerr.

It has been a job well done.

Upchurch, star of UA's '1-2-3' backfield, dies 

Jim Upchurch arrived at the UA in the summer of 1971 as one of the most highly-coveted running backs in Arizona history.

He had been a legendary high school running back in Vallejo, California, and signed with UCLA — recruited by Dick Tomey, of all people. But after encountering difficulties at UCLA, he transferred to Arizona.

Upchurch rushed for 1,184 yards in 1973, on Jim Young’s first UA team, and set a school record with 232 yards rushing against UTEP. He entered this season ranked No. 11 on the UA career list, with 2,389 yards.

Upchurch died of a diabetes-related disease last week in his hometown. He was 64.

In the “1-2-3” backfield, Upchurch was No. 3. Quarterback Bruce Hill was No. 1 and tailback Willie “Tuzo” Hamilton was No.2.

When Hamilton, now a minister in Richmond, California, discovered that his old backfield teammate was seriously ill, he spent days commuting from Richmond to Vallejo to be with Upchurch.

He was with him when he died.

“We lost touch for about 10 years, from 2004-13, but we reunited,” Hamilton said. “I loved him. He was a good man.”

Upchurch had a tryout with the New Orleans Saints after his UA career. He worked for many years in the automotive shop at Southwest Gas in Tucson. He coached with Art Acosta at Rincon High School.

Upchurch’s family is having difficulty paying for a funeral service. A GoFundMe account has been established at gofundme.com/cr7a748k.

Thus far, many of his ex-Arizona teammates and coaches, including Bob Bockrath, Rex Naumetz, Wally Broomfield and Jerry D’Arcy, have contributed almost $2,000.

Amphi grad Derksen a preseason all-WCC choice 

Arizona’s 2012 Gatorade basketball Player of the Year, Amphitheater High guard Tim Derksen, was chosen to the West Coast Conference preseason first team last week. A senior at San Francisco, Derksen averaged 12.6 points last season. His Amphi career included a 2011 state title and a career record of 114-16. 

Tucsonan Gonzales the head statistician for Pac-12's China game

Washington and Texas will play in China on Nov. 14 as part of Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott’s “China initiative.” The league hoped Arizona would be part of the first Chinese game, but Sean Miller wisely passed. Who needs to travel thousands of miles to Shanghai and spend a week there in the formative part of a season? Miller has four games between Nov. 13-22. The Pac-12 was successful in wooing one Tucsonan to Shanghai. Jay Gonzales, who has been a key part of the McKale Center statistics crew for almost 20 years, will be the head statistician for the Longhorns-Huskies game. 

Former Wildcat 'killers' buried on NBA benches 

Here’s how difficult it is to make the jump from college basketball to the NBA: Wisconsin’s two Wildcat “killers,” Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker, are buried deep on NBA benches. Dekker hasn’t scored in two brief appearances with Houston, and Kaminsky averaged just 2.5 points in Charlotte’s first two regular-season games. 

Sabino grad, Gold Glover Hardy becomes dad 

Baltimore Orioles two-time Gold Glove shortstop J.J. Hardy, a Sabino High grad, and his wife, former Marana High and UA softball standout Adrienne Acton, became parents last week. Jay Jax Hardy was born Oct. 20. J.J. and Adrienne live in Chandler in the offseason. 

Despite struggles, future is bright for UA cross country 

Two years ago, coach James Li’s Arizona cross country teams were national powers. The women’s team won the Pac-12 and finished No. 2 at the NCAA. The men’s team, led by the NCAA’s top distance runner, Lawi Lalang, had been a national power for 30 years. But in Friday’s Pac-12 championships in Washington, Li’s men’s team finished last. Of the 79 runners in the field, the UA had Nos. 76, 77, 78 and 79. The UA’s women’s team finished in eighth place. The future is more promising; Li redshirted perhaps his two top runners, Carlos Villarreal and Bailey Roth. 

Sabino gymnast Mariani nominated for international honor 

Sabino High freshman gymnast Maddie Mariani, who has accepted a scholarship to NCAA power Michigan, has been nominated for the 2015 International Gymnast of the Year award. Mariani is one of 35 nominees; the winner will be announced Feb. 13 in Las Vegas. 

Brunenkant's Caballeros are team of year 

In my opinion, the team of the year in Tucson prep football is Mark Brunenkant’s 9-1 Flowing Wells Caballeros. Brunenkant has engineered one of the most telling turn-around projects in years, going 16-4 the last two seasons after a 3-17 run in 2012 and 2013. Cabs’ running back Dionte Flores enters the playoffs with 1,912 rushing yards, and that includes a two-game stretch in which he was limited by injuries. Yet Flowing Wells must play a road game at 8-2 Phoenix Northwest Christian in the playoff opener this week. Tough business. 

Foothills' Cohen, Salpointe's Werbylo could win state golf championship 

The Division II state golf championships will be held Monday and Tuesday at the Randolph Golf Complex. The AIA is charging an outrageous $10 for admission, per day, but Monday’s 8 a.m. pairing at Randolph North might be worth the money. Catalina Foothills’ Gavin Cohen and Salpointe’s Trevor Werbylo have as good a chance as anyone to win the individual state championship. 

Flowing Wells grad Thomas turning UPS program around 

Flowing Wells grad Jeff Thomas has transferred long-suffering University of Puget Sound from a Division III bottom-dweller. After an 0-20 streak in recent years, Thomas’ UPS team took a 4-2 record into Saturday’s game against rival Pacific Lutheran. Thomas’ team was picked to finish last in the Northwest Conference this season. The Seattle Times last week published a lengthy article documenting Thomas’ coaching success in Seattle. 

Controversial call could burn Cats in soccer playoffs 

If you watched the final hour of Thursday’s 61-55 Oregon triple-overtime victory at ASU, you were stalled by about a half-dozen official reviews of plays that could have been called either way. Controversy? That doesn’t begin to describe it. But on Friday afternoon at Colorado, the UA’s 3-3 soccer tie against the Buffaloes went a step beyond the Ducks-Devils game. The UA’s Paige Crouch scored what should have been the winning goal in the 104th minute, in overtime. But a referee disallowed the goal, even though Pac-12 Networks replays clearly showed Crouch’s shot eluded CU’s goalkeeper. That tie could haunt Arizona when the NCAA selection committee chooses home sites for the women’s NCAA tournament next week. Tony Amato’s Wildcats, 11-4-2 overall, project to be one of the teams on the bubble as a host site. 

Former Cats should finish in top three in All-Century team 

The Pac-12’s All-Century football team for safties and cornerbacks has been whittled to 10 players at each position. Arizona’s Darryll Lewis, Chris McAlister and Antoine Cason are among the cornerback finalists. Safety Chuck Cecil is one of 10 on the final ballot. In my opinion, McAlister and Cecil should finish among the top three. 

New Padres manager Green was part of elite Tucson team 

In 2005, Andy Green, new manager of the San Diego Padres, produced what is perhaps the top individual season in the history of the Tucson Toros/Sidewinders/Padres. The infielder hit .343 with 42 doubles, 13 triples and 18 home runs. He was chosen the Pacific Coast League Player of the Year. That ’05 Sidewinders team was as identifiable as any in Tucson history; it included manager Chip Hale, a former Arizona standout, ex-UA shortstop Keoni DeRenne, Sunnyside grad Jesus Cota, CDO grads Colin Porter and Scott Hairston and 1989 Arizona All-American catcher Alan Zinter. 

Ex-Cat Allred a financial contributor 

In a list of notable ex-UA athletes who have been financial contributors to the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, I omitted 1950s football player Doug Allred. After leaving the UA, Allred became a Navy SEAL and for the last 40 years has operated the Douglas Allred Company, one of the leaders in real estate and property development in San Diego County. 

Rincon/University grad McCoy earns spot in Tulane HOF

Katherine McCoy, a former swimming standout at Rincon/University High, will be inducted into the Tulane Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 6. McCoy led Tulane to the 2005 Conference USA championship, set a school record in the 200 freestyle and graduated cum laude in management and marketing. She is the public relations manager of McGlinchey Stafford, a defense law firm in New Orleans. Well done. 

My two cents: Smith's injury not the career-ender it used to be

UA freshman basketball player Ray Smith has torn the ACL in both of his knees in a 16-month period. What are his chances for recovery? There is precedent.

In 2009, NBA shooting guard Michael Redd tore the ACL in his left knee. He had averaged 20 or more points from 2004-09. He returned a year later and averaged 11.9 points. In 2011, Redd tore the same ACL. When he returned, he averaged 4.4 and retired a year later, at 32, averaging 8.2 points per game.

Pueblo High and ASU grad Fat Lever tore his ACL in 1990 when he was 29. A two-time All-Star guard, Lever did not play a full season again. Arizona’s 2001 Final Four guard Gilbert Arenas wrecked his knee in 2007, and after three All-Star seasons averaged just 16 starts per year over his final five NBA seasons. Arenas retired at 30.

Smith has youth, time and advanced medical technology on his side, which Redd, Lever and Arenas did not.