Hall to get 7 new inductees in October
MEDFORD ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
The Medford Athletic Hall of Fame will gain seven new inductees later this fall, including six outstanding studentathletes from the past 20-plus years and one head coach.
During an Aug. 11 meeting, the Hall of Fame selection committee selected Ethan Hemer, Kris Friedenfels Lekie, Megan Strama, Josh Sperl, Michelle Butkus, Patricia Kloth and Dave Vaara for induction following a two-round voting process.
The induction will take place Friday, Oct. 8 as part of Medford’s homecoming activities. The new Hall of Fame members will be introduced at halftime of the homecoming game with Mosinee and there will be a reception at a venue to be determined following the game.
Hemer participated in hockey, baseball and track in his time as a Raider, even qualifying for the state track and field meet in the discus as a senior, but is most known for a three-year varsity football career that led to a solid fiveyear run with the Wisconsin Badgers from 2009-13. Hemer earned multiple All-State honors as a senior at Medford and was named the Great Northern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in the league’s first season of 2008.
Lekie was a three-sport standout in volleyball, basketball and softball before graduating in 2003, earning a combined 10 letters and numerous All-Lumberjack Conference honors and was a school record holder for spike kills and block kills in volleyball.
Strama was a two-sport star in gymnastics and track and field who graduated in 2004. She lettered all four years in those sports and placed individually at state in both. She was part of Medford’s Division 2 state championship 800-meter relay team in 2004 and earned multiple conference championships in the sport. She was a two-time team MVP in gymnastics, held multiple school records and took sixth in the floor exercise at the 2004 Division 2 state meet. Her floor score of 9.375 from the 2004 sectional meet still stands as a school record.
Kloth, a 2004 graduate, was another member of the 2004 state championship 800-meter relay team. Her younger sister Barb was also on that team and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2016. Patricia Kloth earned multiple All-Lumberjack track and field honors, was a fourtime state place winner and, thanks to a year spent at Washburn High School, holds the rare distinction of competing at state in all three divisions.
Butkus was also part of Medford’s run of girls sports success in the mid-2000s. A 2004 graduate, she lettered in basketball for two years, but was outstanding on the softball field, ranking among Medford’s all-time leaders in several offensive categories and All-State accolades in 2003 and 2004. She helped lead Medford to its first state appearance in 2003 and was a key part of UW-Eau Claire’s NCAA Division III national championship team in 2008.
Sperl is a 1998 Medford graduate who earned eight letters, two each in football and baseball and four in wrestling. He earned several All-Lumberjack and team awards in wrestling and capped his career with a 145-pound Division 1 state championship in 1998. He’s also held school football records for highest kickoff return average and most kickoff yards in a game.
Vaara retired from his teaching and coaching career at Medford this spring. He was the school’s volleyball head coach from 1994-2017. His teams won four Lumberjack Conference titles and backto- back GNC championships in 2015 and 2016. Medford made its lone state appearance in the sport under Vaara in 2002, with Lekie being one of the top players on that squad. Vaara’s teams won 483 matches.
Vaara was the school’s golf coach for 22 years, leading the Raiders to GNC titles in 2016 and 2017 as well as multiple Lumberjack Conference titles and sectional appearances. He coached the girls basketball team for one season as well.
