By Bob Kelley
Retired RLC Sports Information Director

INA, Ill. – To his credit, if Dean Jackson was a little disappointed in learning he was going to be inducted into the Rend Lake College Sports Hall of Fame with the Class of 2015, he never let it show.

Sure, the timing could have been better.  If only the Selection Committee had realized the irony of waiting one more year before voting him membership into the exclusive club.

Twelve months from now  –  assuming the 17th Annual RLC Sports HOF Induction Banquet falls on the same weekend as this one  –  the special day would fall on Saturday, April 16, the 50th Anniversary of a shutout thrown by the two-sport standout for the Mt. Vernon Community College Warriors in the first game of a doubleheader against Southeastern Illinois. And the 50th Anniversary of his wedding – April 16, 1966 – to his Wayne City High School sweetheart, Juanice.

Mound duties (well) done by 3 p.m. The usual second-game shortstop left the team between games, with the blessing of the coach and his teammates (the wedding save-the-date was planned in January, long before the baseball schedule was etched in stone). All cleaned up and to the church on time, by 6 p.m.

Perfect. What more could a guy want? Marrying the girl of his dreams and a shutout to boot. “I had a pretty good day,” he is the first to admit.

Almost perfect. As Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were leaving the church, Juanice posed a question. “Didn’t you forget to do something?” she asked.

“I forgot to kiss the bride,” he admits.

So will somebody please do what the minister obviously failed to do and remind the groom to kiss his bride when the Jacksons, their family and their new-found Hall-of-Fame Friends enjoy a belated 49th Anniversary celebration on Saturday, April 18, in the RLC Student Center at 5:30 p.m. Perfect.

Joining Jackson (MVCC, 1965-67), who actually enters with Hall-of-Fame credentials in Men’s Basketball, will be fellow hardwood old-timers Jerry Wilson (RLC, 1977-79) of Mt. Vernon and Michael Ayers (RLC, 1984-86) of Cairo, along with relative youngster Jennifer Wren (RLC, 1997-99), the former ace of the Lady Warrior Softball staff.

The Class of 2015 foursome not only represents four distinct decades of athletic prowess, it includes the honoree with the greatest gap between his/her playing days and induction date in Jackson, 48 years. Charter Member Lee Yearwood (MVCC Class of ’62) held the record at 38 years when he helped start the “club” in 2000.

Jackson, who taught mathematics and science, and Wilson are well-acquainted. They were both part of the Wayne City High School faculty for many years before the former’s retirement. The trio of older inductees brings the Men’s Basketball representation to eight among 36 individual student-athletes, nine teams, four relay squads, three coaches and three others to be elected in 16 years.

Jackson was listed at 5 feet 9 during his playing days. In spite of his hometown paper’s attempt to list him at 6-1 following the greatest offensive output of his career, the point guard concedes, “It is strange there was so much discrepancy, but I was 5-7 or 5-8 . . . I wish it had been bigger, but I cannot complain about my life. It has been good.”

During an era when hometown products dominated athletic rosters, the 5-8 import from Wayne City was Big Man on Campus for the Mt. Vernon C.C. Warriors in both sports.

No. 24 penetrated opposing defenses frequently enough with his quickness to set career records which stood for several years – 228 free throws in 317 attempts (.715) – thanks in large part to 78.2 percent accuracy as a sophomore (122-156).

When the 1965-66 quintet lost three starters at mid-season, the freshman was forced into a role which found him producing 27.2 percent of the team’s scoring. He finished with 366 points and 18.3 points-per-game, reaching double-figures in all but three of 20 games, including six with 20 or more. The crescendo came in the post-season, a 40-point explosion vs. the Olney Knights in a 57-48 loss.

“I know one thing… that wasn’t one of my better shooting games,” he recalled. “It was one of those nights a lot of my shots were in and out; I should have had 50. But our coach (first-year mentor R.G. “Bob” Isaacs) told me he wanted me to shoot it every chance I could, so I did what he asked.” His career-best single-game tally still ranks in the Warrior Top 10 all-time. There were four other games between 26 and 29 points that winter.

Sharing the backcourt as a sophomore with another prolific scorer, Mt. Vernon product Bill Kirk, Jackson still managed to record 26 points in the season-opener, reach double-digits in 18 of 21 outings and notch 20 or more a total of seven times.

Included were three consecutive 23-point efforts and later a 33-point gem versus Belleville. He averaged 17.3 ppg (364 points, 23.6 percent of total) and Coach Jim Waugh’s first Warrior team (and last MVCC contingent) finished 8-12. His hardwood career for the Warriors concluded with 730 points, behind only Yearwood and Larry Burkett at the time, and 17.9 ppg.

Complete statistics are not available for his two-year MVCC baseball career, but the pitcher-shortstop was 3-4 as a freshman for a best-to-date 7-9 team.

Jackson played two more seasons as an upperclassman for McKendree College. The winningest men’s coach ever at the four-year collegiate level, Harry Statham, recruited him for his second and third seasons on the Lebanon campus. National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame Coach Statham is still there, with 1,088 wins and counting after 49 seasons.  RLC’s Waugh finished with 500-plus wins and a berth in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

The Bearcats won 19 games with Jackson as a key reserve his junior year and 22 the next as a starter. But his senior campaign was interrupted by a broken ankle which cost him 6-8 weeks; he returned in time to help his team advance in the playoffs to within one victory of the NAIA National Tournament.

Both a husband and father by then, and still feeling the effects somewhat of the broken ankle, Jackson did not play baseball for McKendree as a senior.

Dean and Juanice Jackson are the parents of four adult children  –  next-door neighbors Dena (High School Principal Myron) Caudle and Shelly (Chris) Bailey; oldest son Dennis Jackson of Kansas City, and Scott Jackson of Indianapolis. They are proud grandparents of eight.

Perfect ending to the perfect story? Not quite. That missing kiss. “My wife never lets me forget about it,” he chuckled.

How’s your bracket going? Check here for latest March Madness updates.

PEORIA The Althoff Crusaders advanced to the championship game of the Illinois Class 3A State Basketball Tournament with a 82-74 semifinal win over Morgan Park of Chicago.

Althoff will face the winner of the Peoria-Lutheran and St. Joseph Academy game, currently underway at Carver Arena.

Althoff (29-3) was led by Jordan Goodwin, who had 18 points to go with 14 rebounds and nine assists.

Marcus Lovett Jr. scored 45 points to lead Morgan Park and shatter the state tournament single-game scoring record.

SALEM, Ill – Salem Community High School’s (SCHS) Ashley West, CENTER, signed her letter of intent earlier this week to play tennis next season at Rend Lake College in Ina. The senior is seated alongside her parents, Judy West, LEFT, and Tony West, RIGHT. Also pictured are SCHS tennis coach Janet Holst, TOP ROW, LEFT, and Rend Lake College Tennis Coach Dave Junkins, TOP ROW, RIGHT.
(Photo by Michael Ashby)

INA, Ill. – Baseball athletes with the drive to improve their games can sign up now for the Rend Lake College Baseball Pre-Season Clinic, set for Sunday, April 12, at The Rec, formerly known as the Hitting Zone.

Younger athletes, between the ages of 11 and 14, can register for the morning session at 7 a.m. with instruction following from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. High school athletes can register for the afternoon session at 11 a.m. with instruction starting at noon.

Attendees will be coached by RLC Baseball Coaches Tony Etnier and Curt Courtwright and college athletes in a number of topics and drills to prepare to play at the next level. Rec Director Tyler O’Daniel will also serve as the strength and conditioning coach and will lead a speed and agility workout at the end of each session.

“The Rec offers an all-turf playing surface with two and a half cages to ensure optimal training space for lessons,” said O’Daniel. “When it comes to training and advancing your athletic ability, The Rec is going to prove to be one of the biggest evolving players in Southern Illinois.”

The cost of the clinic is $50 per athlete. To pre-register or to learn more about the clinic or The Rec, contact O’Daniel at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1279 or odanielt@rlc.edu.

The Rec provides the community, athletes, and staff with a great place to train and improve their lifestyles. The Baseball Clinic will be following a very successful softball clinic that was held two weeks ago with a great turnout. Information about the Rec Center can be found online at www.rlc.edu/rec or on The Rec Facebook page.

SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Saluki women’s golf team is seeking volunteers to assist with the team’s upcoming Saluki Invitational beginning on Sunday, March 29. Volunteers will work shifts throughout the tournament to assist in providing hospitality and adhering to the needs of visiting teams.

A shotgun start at 9 a.m. will begin the Saluki Invitational on March 29 and 30. The first shift will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon, followed by the second shift from noon to 3:30, or the end of the tournament. Volunteers should plan to arrive to Hickory Ridge Golf Course at least 30 minutes prior to the start of their shift in order to be transported to their station on the course.

Volunteer positions have been designed according to the needs of the tournament. Most positions require little or no training.

Each volunteer will receive a short-sleeved T-shirt, which can be picked up at Hickory Ridge on Saturday, March 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Those interested in volunteering for the Saluki Invitational should contact SIU head coach Alexis Mihelichto request a date and time. Mihelich will then make assignments that best suit the needs of the tournament. A response from Mihelich indicates that volunteers will receive an assignment.

Potential volunteers should contact Mihelich no later than Friday, March 20.

Mihelich can be contacted at alexis.mihelich@siu.edu or at 815-210-6902.