The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s Elite 11, a group of former high school and college standouts, will be recognized during the upcoming NFL Kickoff Sports Enthusiasts Luncheon presented by Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper, President and Executive Director Jerald Andrews announced Thursday.
The luncheon is at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center. The Hall of Fame will induct former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Eddie Kennison, former Missouri State football All-American lineman and coach Rich Johanningmeier and former Carrollton High School football coach Steve Kee.
The second annual Elite 11 features: defensive lineman Brett Potts (Bolivar, Pittsburg State); quarterback Eric Czerniewski (Montgomery County, Central Missouri); lineman Rusty Shadel (Lebanon, Missouri State); running back Rex Sawyer (Ava, Missouri Valley College); linebacker Steve Forbis (Republic, Missouri Southern); defensive tackle Lorenzo Williams (Mizzou); punter/quarterback Chuck Blair (Camdenton, Central Missouri); kicker Jeremy Flores (Willard, Colorado); defensive back T.J. Onstott (Lamar, Missouri Southern); split end Steve Newbold (Aurora, Missouri State); and running back Justin Gerald (Hillcrest, Central Methodist).
An individual ticket to the luncheon is $40. A table of eight is $400 and includes associate sponsor recognition in the printed program. A head table ticket is $100. For tickets, call the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame at 417-889-3100.
About each Elite 11 player:
Brett Potts (Bolivar/Pittsburg State): A standout defensive lineman at Bolivar High School, Potts was all-state for the Liberators in 1984, when he was also named to the News-Leader’s All-Ozarks team. That season also marked his fourth time as an all-conference selection. He played college ball at Pittsburg State (Kan.), where he was a two-year captain and lettered from 1986 to 1989. He was a second-team all-conference in 1987 and a first team all-conference in 1988 and 1989, plus was an academic All-American in his final two seasons there.
Eric Czerniewski (Montgomery County, Central Missouri): A graduate of Montgomery County High School, Czerniewski led the team to the 2005 Class 2 state championship. He finished his career as the state’s all-time leader in pass attempts (1,236), completions (775), yards (11,557) and touchdowns (140). At Central Missouri, he won the 2010 Harlon Hill, considered the Heisman Trophy in NCAA Division II. That year, he set D-II records with 5,207 yards passing and a nation-leading 46 TD passes. He threw for more than 12,000 yards in college and 107 career TDs. He holds virtually every passing record at Central Missouri.
Rusty Shadel (Lebanon, Missouri State): Shadel was a standout at Lebanon High School in the late 1960s and early 1970s before going on to Missouri State University. Shadel was all-conference three years at Lebanon, which recently retired his No. 64 jersey. Shadel also lettered three years at then-Southwest Missouri State (1972-1974). He moved from offense to defense before his junior season at SMS and earned all-conference honorable mention in his final two seasons. He tallied 18 total tackles as a junior and 52 as a senior. The 1974 SMS media guide called him the “Biggest man on the Bruin football squad” at 6-foot-1, 245 pounds.
Rex Sawyer (Ava, Missouri Valley College): Sawyer was a standout running back at Ava High School, where he was all-conference as a junior and senior before graduating in 1977. He was a 1982 graduate of Missouri Valley College, where he was a first team NAIA All-American as a senior, all-conference and all-district as a junior and senior as a running back as well as a three-year letterman. Sawyer, who also was a four-year baseball letterman for the Vikings, was selected as Mr. Viking by the V-Club. The title of Mr. Viking embodies the true spirit of what a student-athlete should represent in upholding high standards as an athlete on the field and as a student in the classroom.
Steve Forbis (Republic, Missouri Southern): Forbis became one of the best Republic High School football players, helping Republic to its first two undefeated regular seasons in 1980 and 1981. He was named a first team all-state linebacker in 1981. He later was hired as coach of Springfield’s Central High School, for nine seasons. Forbis also lettered in football at Missouri Southern State University, setting the school record for most tackles in a season (148) and ranks third in career tackles with 365. He was also named NAIA first team All-District in addition to all-conference and academic All-American. He is a member of Republic High School football’s coaching staff and is the head track and field coach at Republic.
Lorenzo Williams (Mizzou): Williams, now the coach at Springfield’s Central High School, was a standout for coach Gary Pinkel’s Mizzou teams from 2004 to 2007 as the Tigers reached a No. 1 national ranking and played for the Big 12 Conference championship. A stalwart defensive lineman, Williams was voted team captain in 2007 and was a 2007 first team All-Big 12 selection after earning 2006 honorable mention All-Big 12. Williams’ 19 career sacks are tied with Shane Ray for fifth-most in Mizzou history. Williams, a standout athlete at Midwest City High School (Okla.), finished with 142 total tackles and went on to play on practice squads of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers as well as the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.
Chuck Blair (Camdenton, Central Missouri): A first team all-state selection at Camdenton High School in 1977 as a punter, Blair also was the first quarterback (as a sophomore in 1975) to play for the legendary Bob Shore, a Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductee. He also quarterbacked Camdenton to its first playoff appearance in 1977. Blair went on to play at Central Missouri, where he holds several program records, including most punts in a game, season and career. Blair lettered four seasons for the Mules, also playing tight end his senior year, and was an all-conference selection in 1979, 1980 and 1981.
Jeremy Flores (Willard, Colorado): Willard’s Jeremy Flores made national headlines by kicking a 63-yard field goal in a Nov. 5, 1997 game against Marshfield. He became an All-American his senior year in high school and was also an honorable mention running back. In two seasons at Colorado, Flores made 20 of 26 field goals, or 18 of 24 his senior year when the Buffaloes finished 10-3 overall in winning the Big 12 North and finished ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25. His game-winner secured the Big 12 Conference championship win against Texas. Flores also punted for 2,841 career yards on 75 attempts, or an average of 37.9 yards per punt. He was also good on 43 of 45 extra-point attempts, a majority of those during his senior year. Flores was a Lou Groza candidate, the top honor college placekickers, his senior year — two years earning a juco All-American as a place kicker at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College. He was also an All-Big 12 Conference placekicker and was top three in the country for most field goals that year. When he left Colorado, he had broken school records for most field goals in a season, most field goals in a row and most PATs in a game. Flores also played in the Division I All-Star game his senior year.
T.J. Onstott (Lamar, Missouri Southern): Onstott was a standout at running back and defensive back for Lamar in the late 1990s, graduating in the year 2001. His single-season 21 touchdowns and 1,533 yards rushing set school records. He was a three-time All-Southwest Conference selection and named to the Joplin Globe’s All-Area team three consecutive years, plus a repeat selection on the Southwest Missouri Football Coaches Association squad. At Missouri Southern, he made 176 tackles, including 68 as a sophomore, 55 as a junior and 38 in 2005, a year after sitting out because of a medical redshirt.
Steve Newbold (Aurora, Missouri State): Newbold emerged as a standout football player at Aurora High School and was a honorable mention all-state his junior season and first team all-state his senior year as a split end. He was all-conference twice. Newbold also was a split-end for then-Southwest Missouri State, where he was a four-year letterman and three-year starter (1977 to 1980). With Mitch Ware at quarterback, Newbold was the Bears’ leader in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown catches each season. Newbold caught 34 passes for 586 yards and five TDs as a sophomore, 35 receptions for 773 yards and six TDs as a junior and hauled in 30 passes for 611 yards and six TDs as a senior. Nearly two decades after his career, his season receiving yardage totals all rank among the Bears’ top 10 campaigns in that category. He ranks fifth in career receptions with 101 and still owns school career records for receiving yardage (1,990 and career touchdown receptions (18).
Justin Gerald (Hillcrest, Central Methodist): Gerald was a standout at Hillcrest High School in the early 2000s, earning Class 4 all-state in 2003 and All-City MVP award from the Springfield Quarterback Club in the same season as a running back/defensive back – despite playing the second half of the season with an injured knee. His play helped the Hornets to only their second playoff berth in school history. Gerald went on to become an NAIA All-American at Central Methodist University in Fayette, where he was a dual-threat running back in rushing for a career 1,160 yards and hauling in 28 passes for 366 yards in his junior season.