By Don Rush

Family and friends of former Oxford Wildcat athletes gathered for dinner and ceremony on Sept. 9 for the Oxford High School Athletics Hall of Fame induction.

Leading the induction ceremony was Athletic Director Tony Demare. He introduced the inductees or those representing inductees who could not attend. This year’s inductees were Gayle Smith Tucker, Prescott Line, Haley Kornburger, Sarah Courtright Green and Connor Bandel. Since 2010, 48 athletes have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Now, there are 53.

The late Gayle Tucker spent her entire life as a Wildcat as student athlete and later teacher coach. She earned five varsity letters in basketball and softball and was awarded her basketball team’s Most Valuable Player in 1973 and 1974 and won the Oakland All Star Medal in Basketball. After graduating from OHS in 1974, she earned her teaching degree from Central Michigan University. She started teaching and coaching in Oxford in 1979. From 1979 to 1982 she coached varsity cheer and freshman softball. She was varsity volleyball coach from 1984-1992. She coached the Middle School volleyball team from 1996-2015. She was also a middle school assistant track coach. Accepting an official Hall of Fame plaque for Tucker was her son Chase.

Prescott Line (Class of 2012) was captain of the Wildcat football team in 2011. He was selected as a Parade All-American as well as named Michigan’s 2011 Mr. Football. He was the Associated Press’ Division 1 State Player of the Year and was featured in Faces in the Crowd in the Jan. 30, 2012 issue of Sports Illustrated. As a running back he set school and league records with rushing 2454 yards on 364 carries, with 38 touchdowns. In his senior year as linebacker he had 159 tackles. He was captain of the 2011 and 2012 wrestling team, compiling a perfect 49-0 record in his senior year. He won two state titles in wrestling. He played college ball at Southern Methodist University and then at Michigan State University. He is currently a police officer in Farmington Hills.

Haley Kornburger (Class of 2014) was a swimming standout for the Wildcats. She was the first female swimmer in school history to compete in the Michigan High School Athletic Association finals. She was team MVP in both her junior and senior years. She was All-State in the 50 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle and 100 Butterfly. She is the current Oxford record-holder in the 200 Freestyle, 50 Freestyle and 100 Butterfly. She was team captain in 2013 and 2014. She attended MSU and lettered in swimming. She is currently the head swimming coach for Lake Orion High School.

Sarah Green (Class of 1998) was an “all around” student athlete earning 12 varsity letters. In her senior year she was named MVP in volleyball, basketball and soccer. She was captain of the basketball team for two seasons. As a senior she averaged 13 points a game and was named 1st Team all Flint Metro League, 1st team all County and All State honorable mention. In her senior year on the volleyball court she was named 1st team All Flint Metro League and 1st team All Tri District. During her four years on the varsity soccer team she was named four times as 1st team All Flint Metro League, four times 1st All Regional. She earned an athletic scholarship to play soccer at CMU.

Connor Bandel (Class of 2016) enters the Oxford Hall of Fame as “one of the most prolific track and field athletes in the State of Michigan.” He broke school records in both shot put and discus. He broke the state record in shot put and is second all time in the state in discus. He was named 2016 Gatorade Track and Field athlete of the year in Michigan and was High School National Champion for participants under the age of 20. After graduation he continued to dominate his sports for the University of Florida. He was a 5-time all SEC performer in shot put and is in the top 10 list for the schools track throwers. He currently lives in Florida. Accepting for him was his father David.