VIN'S PEOPLE: Manatee High School to celebrate 2023 Athletic Hall of Honor inductees
A bow to Manatee High’s 2023 Athletic Hall of Honor to be celebrated Thursday at the Seafood Shack.
Inductees include Kenny Bowers (1984), the late Wesley "Chad" Choate, Dan Gilmore (’85), Thomas Orehowsky (’60), Richard Pearson (’76), the late Andrew Torgeson (’67), and the 1985 boys tennis state champions.
Bowers was a starter on the 1982-83-84 soccer teams, captain and MVP as a senior, a North Carolina Wesleyan All-America (’88) and Hall of Famer (2014).
Choate, who died in 2018, was the quintessential educator-coach-administrator for 40 years. The Tennessean arrived in 1962, coached football and track, taught economics, became an administrator and eventually principal in 1974, overseeing four state football championships before retiring.
Gilmore was 135-pound state champ (35-1) in 1985 and remains a program supporter.
Orehowsky began coaching boys cross-country in 1976, girls cross-country in ’77, track in 1988 and the former Coach of the Year remains a track-and-field official.
Pearson was golf captain in 1975-76, Florida State Amateur champ in ‘78-80, SEC Player of the Year (’80) at Florida, joined the PGA Tour in ’82 and found success on the now Korn Ferry Tour and Nationwide Tour.
Torgeson, who died in 2017, was a gifted four-sport athlete. The son of major league pitcher Earl Torgeson, he played two seasons in the Yankees minors.
The 1985 boys state tennis champions included individual state champs Trevor Kronemann, Darby Meadowcroft and Chris Westberry, along with Hurricanes Steve Bovio, Sam Coyner, Chris Egan, Chad Florian, Greg Fox, Anil Inalsingh, Mike Landry, Steve Lieberman, Jay Lipker, Doug Morrison and Tom Wilhoit.
· Speaking of Manatee, the top honorees at the 40th annual Mr. Sugar ‘Cane show were Mr. Sugar Cane Liam Benford, runnerup Daniel Zoller and Sugar ‘Cane Choice Alex Papale.
· Shawna Kerley is 39. Again.
· It was cool watching Peter Pinnock on "The Voice" last Monday night, even though his rendition of Josh Turner’s “Your Man” didn’t sway judges. The Manatee School for the Arts alum’s career as a backup dancer has flourished in Los Angeles.
· Michael Ameres is 43.
· Southeast High senior Caden Kitchie is on a cool trip this weekend with his dad, Noles Athletic Director Matt Kitchie and Matt’s wife Brittany. They’re at Notre Dame to check out the school for Caden, a senior in Southeast’s prestigious International Baccalaureate program. And they also had tickets to see the Fighting Irish take on Southern Cal.
· Say it ain’t so! James Fair Jr. is one year shy of the Big 6-0!
· You know those recyclable plastic bags you collect from shopping?
Living Lord Lutheran Church, 11107 Palmbrush Trail, Lakewood Ranch, is holding a class Tuesday at 1 p.m. to show how they can be crocheted into mats for the homeless to use as blankets or ground cover for their sleeping bags.
Several area church groups have been doing this, according to Sue Daidone, who got started at Parrish United Methodist Church.
“It’s a worthwhile thing, a unique way people can do something good for the homeless,” she said.
For more details, call Living Lord Lutheran Church at 941-753-9365.
Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. Twitter: @vinmannix.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: VIN MANNIX: Manatee Athletic Hall of Honor induction ceremony Oct. 19
