Six named to Kennett Sports Hall of Fame

Lyford "Skip" Smith, David Clancy, Danny Mulkern, Stephanie (Carey) Miller, Ron Sallade and Kristen (Umlah) Noyes make up the 17th group chosen for Kennett High's Sports Hall of Fame. They will be inducted Friday, Sept. 28, in a ceremony at the Red Jacket."Again we've got another great group," Sut Marshall, nomination committee member, said, "The thing I like is we've got the '70s, '80s and '90s represented in this class and they've all give and continue to give back to their communities."To be eligible for the Kennett Sports Hall of Fame, athletes must be at least seven years removed from high school. Former coaches are also eligible.This year's inductees will be enshrined at a ceremony at the Red Jacket in North Conway. The festivities begin at 6 p.m. followed by a dinner at 7 with induction to begin at about 8 p.m.. Tickets, which include dinner and a social hour, are $28 per person and can be obtained by contacting Bob Russell at 447-5257. All tickets must be purchased by Sept. 22. There will be no sales at the door.The inductees:Lyford "Skip" SmithClass of 1962Smith, who lives in Vista Ray, Calif., and retired from the Pasha Services Worldwide Transportation in San Diego, Calif., in March, is excited about returning to Eagle Country for his induction. Smith brings an impressive resume from his playing days at Kennett High School.Smith lettered in five sports. He lettered in baseball as a freshman and sophomore; played four years of basketball (lettering three times) and making the Class M All-Tournament team his senior year and was part of three state championship teams. In golf, he played his junior and senior years, earning letters both times, and he was the N.H. Schoolboy Champion in 1961. Smith also received a letter in cross-country, running just his sophomore year. The other three years, he was a member of the Kennett football team, lettering as a senior.Aside from competing on the high school level, Smith was a force to reckon with on golf links across the Granite State from 1958-62 when he played in the junior program. He was the N.H. State Junior Champion in 1959; won the McDonough Trophy and was a medalist at the New England Hearst Championships in 1961; and was a medalist at the United States Golf Association's National Junior Qualifier in 1961 in St. Louis, Mo., where he was a quarterfinalist.David ClancyClass of 1970Clancy, who lives in Freedom, with Cindy, his wife, and four children (Jennifer, Emily, Elyse and Marcus) was a two-sport standout at Kennett High School. He lettered in skiing three years and was a four-year letter winner in track and field.In track, Clancy qualified for the prestigious New Hampshire Meet of Champions all four years as an Eagle, competing in two events: pole vault and javelin. He established school records in both that lasted for more than 12 years.Clancy won the N.H. Meet of Champions in pole vault in 1969 and again in 1970. He pulled off a rare double by also taking top honors both years in the javelin. In 1969 at the New England Championships, he placed sixth in the javelin. Clancy also posted an impressive 10th place finish in the New Hampshire Decathlon his junior year at Kennett.Danny MulkernClass 1988Mulkern, who lives in Stratham with Amy (Marsden), his wife, and their two children (Madeline and Eiley), lettered in three sports while at Kennett High and even earned a letter while in eighth grade from Josiah Bartlett Elementary School. In 1983, Mulkern, then at Bartlett, earned a letter playing for the Kennett golf team, which dropped the sport the following year. Mulkern was a standout on the varsity soccer team, earning three varsity letters, and he was team's leading scorer from the sweeper (a defensive position) one season. He was named to the Granite State All Star team three times. Mulkern also earned four letters in tennis and three more on the Kennett ski team. In tennis he was a part of the Northern Division championship team, making it to the state semifinals his senior year. In the semifinal match against Gilford, Mulkern showed his grit, suffering a dislocated shoulder early in the match (at 2-3). He fell behind 4-7 at one point yet battled back to force the match to a tiebreaker. "It characterized the play of this team all season," Coach Mike Veilleux said. "We never gave up."Mulkern also found time in the winter to suit up for the North Conway Nordiques hockey team that represented Kennett High before hockey became a recognized varsity sport.Stephanie (Carey) MillerClass of 1989Miller, who lives in Center Conway with Todd, her husband, and three children (Sadie, Rachel and Seanna), lettered in three sports at Kennett High, including receiving six in cross country. She also received five letters in track and field while being elected captain her junior and senior years, and she ran indoor track for the Eagles for two years.In cross country, which she was team captain as a junior and senior, Miller was the No. 6 runner for the Eagles as a seventh grader, helping Kennett win the prestigious New England Cross Country Championships in 1983.Miller, who attended the Empire Beauty School and is currently a hairstylist at Studio 24, where she is self-employed, received the Kennett Cross Country Award in 1989; earned the Don Trimble Track Award in 1989; and was selected to Who's Who Among N.H. Athletes in 1989.Ron SalladeClass of 1991Sallade, who lives in Illinois with Katherine, his wife, and their son (Aaron), was a three-sport standout at Kennett High, earning three letters in soccer (he was first team All State for two years and led the Eagles in goals twice); received three letters in alpine skiing and was part of the 1990 state championship team; and won three letters in track and field. On the track, Sallade was a natural in the pole vault. He won the Class I championship in the event his junior and senior years. He won the prestigious Meet of Champions in the pole vault in 1990 and went on to place eighth in New England. Sallade, who received the Mark Butler Award his sophomore year, set the school and class record in the vault, clearing 13 feet, 6 inches.Sallade went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania where he continued his athletic prowess. He lettered in track three years, setting a Division I personal best in the pole vault of 15 feet, 3 inches. He also received a varsity letter in soccer at University of Pennsylvania. He was one of only two walk-ons out of 45 candidates selected to the soccer team and went on to be the only two-sport athlete at the university, lettering in track and soccer.Kristen (Umlah) NoyesClass of 1999Noyes, who lives in Freedom with Nate, her husband, and their son (Camden), had a stellar athletic career wearing the black and white of Kennett High. She earned 11 varsity letters during her playing days at Kennett, including four letters in basketball, four in softball and three in field hockey.In field hockey, she was a captain her senior year and also was the team's stop scorer, helping the Eagles reach the Class I finals.In softball, Noyes was captain her senior year and was a member of the 1999 state championship team and also earned All State honors.As good as she was in field hockey and softball, Noyes left her biggest mark in basketball where she shined on the hardwood. Captain her senior year, she went on to score over 1,000 points and is today the second leading scorer all-time for the Eagles. She led the team in scoring her junior and senior years and was named to the All Tournament team her senior season.Noyes was The Conway Daily Sun's Athlete of the Year in 1999.