The latest Caldwell County Football Hall of Fame class will be honored at halftime of Friday’s home game against Trigg County at Tiger Stadium in Princeton.
The 2020 Hall of Fame class includes running backs Rodney Bell, Brandon Sigler and Kent Wells along with quarterback and wide receiver Donovan Dame. Center/linebacker Timmy Beshear and Ben VanHooser, who started on both sides of the line, are also in the 2020 Hall of Fame class along with “Coach Earl,” Earl Hammond.
Here is a brief look at the 2020 class:
• Rodney Bell was fifth on Caldwell’s career rushing list following his senior football season of 2006. Bell’s 2,369 yards are still eighth all-time.
Bell’s 1,489 yards in 2005 is fifth on Caldwell’s single-season list.
Bell was a member of late head coach David Barnes’ first team at Caldwell in 2006. That squad won 10 straight games while going 10-2 that season.
• Brandon Sigler was named the 2010 Class 2A state Player of the Year in 2010 after rushing for 1,458 yards and scoring a total of 24 touchdowns as a senior that season.
Sigler is fifth on Caldwell’s all-time rushing list with 3,112 yards.
Sigler is third on the Tigers’ career receiving list with 139 receptions and 11th on the career receiving yardage list with 1,199 yards.
Sigler still owns the Caldwell single-game rushing record with 329 yards against Reidland in the 2010 season.
• Kent Wells is fourth on Caldwell’s career rushing list with 3,121 yards.
Wells still has the eighth-highest single-game rushing mark in Tiger history, rushing for 263 yards against Trigg County in 2002.
Wells is also remembered for bulling his way into the end zone on a two-point conversion in overtime as the Tigers won 22-21 at Fort Campbell in the 2002 season.
• Donovan Dame was Caldwell’s leading receiver in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
As a senior in the 2004 season, Dame was moved to quarterback where he passed for 717 yards and 12 touchdowns while running for 368 yards and nine TDs.
Dame was also a four-year starter at defensive back and returned punts and kickoffs for the Tigers.
Despite the move to quarterback for his final season at Caldwell, Dame is still 14th on the career receiving yardage list with 1,157 yards. He is 19th in career receptions with 69.
• Timmy Beshear was a starter at center and linebacker for the Tigers.
As a senior in the 1990 season, Beshear was third on the team in tackles with 66.
Beshear has had two sons play for the Tigers. Will is 11th on Caldwell’s career tackles list and Russ is the starting quarterback and a linebacker on this year’s Tiger squad.
• Ben VanHooser was a tight end and defensive lineman for the Tigers.
As a senior in 1990, VanHooser was fifth on the team in tackles with 60 and led the team in sacks with 4.5. VanHooser also caught 11 passes for 168 yards and four touchdowns that season.
VanHooser has had three sons play for the Tigers. Hunter is first on Caldwell’s career tackles list. Drake was a four-year starter on defense and later played football at Murray State. And Tate is a senior on this year’s team and starts at both receiver and linebacker. This is the 10th straight year that at least one VanHooser sibling has been a member of the Tiger football team.
• Earl Hammond is widely recognized as Caldwell County’s No. 1 fan. He loves it when the Tigers win and is saddened when the Tigers lose.
Coach Earl has been credited for his rousing pregame speeches to the team.
He has also been known to say “I’ve coached for (how many years it currently is) and haven’t been paid yet!”
Hammond has missed only one Tiger football game going back many, many years.
The annual 139 Bowl game between Caldwell County and Trigg County kicks off at 7:00 Friday night.
Here are the previous classes that have been inducted:
2019—Will Barnes, Cameron Williams, Marc Kanipe, Bob Hudson, Chad Lane, Gary Goodaker
2018—Carl Copeland, Jason Faughn, Garrick Sigler, Chris Cochran, Mark Hooks, William Fralick, Dann Hughes
2017—Ken Barrett, Bradley Stallins, Stan Hudson, Mark Barnes, Ken Argo, Andy Davis, Kelly Tinsley, Todd Griffin
2010—Ronnie Ladd, Chris Childress, Philip Phelps, Rumsey Taylor Jr.
2009—Junior McGowan, Stewart Childress, Kelly Davis, Jerrold Fuqua
2008—1998 Class 2A state championship team
2007—Randy Bruce, Byron Copeland, David Stephens
2006—Trevor Aikins, Eddy Hawkins, Bryan Jaggers, Dexter Lander
2005—Bart Griffith, George “Bubs” Harralson, Cray Lewis, John H. Stevens
2004—Dimitri McGowan, Steve P’Pool, Dickie Thomas
2003—Don Reid, Dixie Jones, Johnny McCalister, Pat Gates
2002—Billy Joe Grooms, Ron Hunter, Norman Jackson, Johnny Stone
2001—Michael Brown, Trice Hughes, Steve Kukahiko, Waynee McGowan
2000—Mark Blackburn, Twyman Boren, William F. “Bill” Brown, Norman Carner, David Mallory
1999—Larry Curling, Bobby Franklin, Joby Loftus, Wayne Sweeney
1998—Everett Cherry, Gary Childress, Chip Hutcheson, Dickie McCalister, Sammy Newsom, Clarence Robinson
1997—Neal Cummins, Tony Franklin, Bill Giannini, Leslie “Moe” Mallory, Donnie Miller
1996—David Barnes, Carrell Boyd, Tommy Giannini, David Mitchell, Chris Lewis, Gid Shelby Pool, William “Chick” Walker
1995—Tommy Atwood, Craig Clayton, Jimmy Johnson, Pete Moore, Garnett Scott
1994—Bill Henry Cartwright, Randy Dorroh, John Hopper, Richie Hughes, Johnny Jaggers, Rayburn Pickering, Dennis Tomek
1993—Marvin Copeland, Charlie Davis, Hayden Kelly, Ronald “Duck” Lacey, David “Gut” Lewis, Charlie Mitchell, Oscar Mitchell, the 1963 Class 2A state championship team
1992—Jackie Crider, Hollis Curling, Scotty Edwards, Al Giordano, Ray “Red Rider” Hammonds
1991—Dr. Ralph Cash Sr., Fred Clayton, Kerry Curling, Joe Jaggers, Wayne Kelly, Gladys Knott, Ed Settle, Irl Stevens, Rumsey Taylor Sr.
