Last Friday, May 12, the Fountain Hills High School Athletic Department inducted 16 former athletes into the school’s Hall of Fame. Friends and families reconnected after years apart, and former teammates picked up conversations with each other like no time had passed at all.

The former Falcons earned a combined 17 state championships and nine state runner-up trophies for their alma mater. Many of the athletes and former coaches traveled across state lines and some even flew internationally to be back home for the ceremony.

The inductees included Greta Vogel and Jake Vaught, class of 2010; Michael DeGroote, class of 2011; Kayla Patton and Jeffrey Bonner, class of 2012; Scott Jarriel and Andrew Bryniarkski, class of 2014; Jalin Yoder and Devin Foyle, class of 2015; Sierra Jarriel, class of 2016; and Erika Yost and Kelsey Schultz, class of 2017.

Fountain Hills High School had not inducted anyone into the Hall of Fame for several years, but Superintendent Dr. Cain Jagodzinski wanted to bring back the tradition in his first year back in Fountain Hills.

The Athletic Department also inducted Anna Realdsen, class of 1997; Jerrad Trulson, class of 2006; and Alex Bunk and Pat Keating, class of 2007.

Thirteen of the 16 inductees continued their careers collegiately, and one even continued professionally. Some athletes went to local colleges, like ASU, GCU, NAU or Embry-Riddle, and some ventured out to California schools or Kansas, Oklahoma, and Columbia University in New York City.

Jagodzinski would like to make the Hall of Fame ceremony an annual celebration in the future, and he plans to honor inductees with banners on campus moving forward.

Inductees were grateful for the ceremony and for the time and energy their parents and coaches gave to them while they were student athletes. They got to see their former coaches and reminisce about good times, close matches, and other unforgettable memories.