Amber (Oliver) Grubb

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Tracie (Drain) Price

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Tim Roberts

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Kelly Riffle

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Jim Tatterson

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Heather (Rawson) Austin

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Darrell Mitchell

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Buck Jamison

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Amy (Doss) Grady

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Clifford Simpkins

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William “Bill” Rice

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POINT PLEASANT — This year 11 former PPHS Big Blacks will be inducted into the Point Pleasant High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

The PPHS Athletic Hall of Fame banquet will be held on Aug. 25, at the Trinity Community Christian Center, located behind the Trinity United Methodist Church. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. with the induction ceremony beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person and are available at the Point Pleasant River Museum, Farmers Bank of Point Pleasant, and City Insurance Agency. This year’s class will be introduced at the first football game on Aug. 24.

So who makes up this class? Names and biographes are listed below.

Heather (Rawson) Austin – Player

Heather (Rawson) Austin graduated from PPHS in 1994. She participated in softball, basketball, track and cheerleading but is known for her stellar softball career. She played first base and outfielder for the Lady Knights. She was a key part of the girls who helped put Point Pleasant softball on the map. She had a back-to-back no-hitter and perfect game at one point while in high school. She was named First Team All-State (Captain) her senior season and was also voted MVP and team co-captain. She was also voted Most Athletic in her class. She went on to pitch at William Carey College in Hattiesburg, Miss. and has gone on to continue her coaching career there as well.

Amy (Doss) Grady – Player

Amy (Doss) Grady graduated from PPHS in 1998. She played basketball, softball and ran track. She was the co-captain of a sectional championship basketball team in basketball. She was named All-State Honorable Mention all four years, all-SEOAL all four years, scored 1,000 points in her career and played in the North/South game. She was the co-captain of the 1998 state championship softball team. She was named First Team All-State her senior year, team offensive MVP, and played in the North/South game. In track, she was a regional long-jump champion and was a state qualifier in long jump all four years. She was also a qualifier in the 800 for three years.

Amber (Oliver) Grubb –Player

Amber (Oliver) Grubb graduated from PPHS in 1998. She played basketball, soccer, and ran track. In basketball, she started every game for four seasons and scored 1,105 points in her career. She was named Honorable Mention All-State two years. She scored 387 points her senior year, which is believed to be the school record. In soccer, she was the team co-captain, team defensive MVP, All-SEOAL, and Special Honorable Mention All-State. In track, she still owns the school record in the 100 HH and in shuttles. She placed fifth in the state (300 hurtles), fourth and seventh place in high jump, third in 100 HH, and fourth and fifth in shuttles. She later went on to play basketball at Marietta College.

Buck Jamison – Coach

Buck Jamison first started coaching at PPHS in 1940. He served in World War II from 1941 to 1945 and came back and coached throughout the rest of the 1940’s. His more notable basketball seasons at PPHS include: 12-6 (1941), 12-2 (1947), and 15-2 (1948). After his time at PPHS, he moved on to South Charleston and coached three straight teams to the state basketball tournament. He was later elected to the Marshall University Hall of Fame for his stellar football, baseball, and basketball career there.

Darrell Mitchell – Player

Darrell Mitchell graduated from PPHS in 1986. He was named First Team All-State and First Team All-Conference in football. He was named to the North/South game in football. He was also named the Team MVP. He was named All-State in basketball as well. He was a member of the state champion track team and was the High Point Award winner. He was a state champion in discus and sixth place in the shotput. He went on to play at West Virginia University on full scholarship in football. He played tight end and special teams. He went to three bowl games and played in the national championship game in 1989. He later played on the West Virginia Lightning semi-pro team.

Tracie (Drain) Price – Player

Tracie (Drain) Price graduated from PPHS in 1997. She played basketball, softball, and soccer. She started every game for four seasons in basketball, was the first girl in PPHS history to score 1,000 points, and is the all-time leading scorer in school history. She was named Second Team All-State as a senior and Special Honorable Mention and Honorable Mention as a junior and sophomore. In softball, she was First Team All-State for three years – her senior, junior, and sophomore years, and was Second Team All-State as a freshman. In soccer, she was the co-captain her senior season. She was named Co-Defensive MVP, Second Team All-State, and was named to the North/South game. She later attended Marietta College where she earned seven varsity letters in basketball, softball, and soccer.

William “Bill” Rice – Player, Coach

Bill Rice graduated from Point Pleasant High School in 1969. He played football and baseball while in high school. He was a tight end/defensive end in football and played outfielder/pitcher for three years on the baseball team. He went on to Glenville State College and pitched on the baseball team for three seasons. He was named to the All-WVIAC baseball team as a freshman. He came back to Point Pleasant after that and has coached basketball, track, baseball, and football. In baseball, he coached pitchers and outfielders, and helped coach the Big Blacks to the 1983 regional championship. In football, he coached defensive ends and running backs and was also the offensive coordinator for the Big Blacks. He helped coach the team to the playoffs three straight seasons – 1996, 1997, and 1998. He is beginning his 40th year as a teacher at Point Pleasant this fall.

Kelly Riffle – Player

Kelly Riffle graduated from Point Pleasant High School in 1986. He lettered all three years in football, basketball and track. His sophomore season, he scored 162 points in basketball and was a member of the third place track team at the state meet. His junior season, he was Honorable Mention All-PAC 8 in football. He had six interceptions that season. He was named Honorable Mention All-State in basketball and was second on the team in scoring. He was a member of the second place track team as well. His senior season, he was named First Team All-PAC and named Special Honorable Mention All-State in football. He had six more interceptions that season. In basketball, he was named First Team All-PAC, All-State Honorable Mention, and co-team MVP. In track he was a member of the state championship track team. He is part of many school records that still stand today including the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, and shuttle hurdles and set school records at the time in the 110 HH and the 300 H. At the state meet he was second in the 110 HH, second place 300 H, fourth place in the 400 and a state champion in the 4x400. He received a scholarship to Marshall University and lettered all four years. He was named three times All-Southern Conference and set a school record in the indoor distance medley relay that still stands today.

Tim Roberts – Player

Tim Roberts graduated from Point Pleasant High School in 1978. He played football and baseball. He played linebacker in football. He was named First Team All Southern, Second Team All-State, and All TVAC Offensive End. In baseball, he hit .383 and played outfield. He was named offensive player of the year. As a booster, he helped put the scoreboard on the new and old football fields as well as on the baseball field. He has been involved in several other projects involving Point Pleasant athletics as well.

Clifford Simpkins - Player

Clifford Simpkins graduated from PPHS in 1986. He was a member of the 1986 state championship track team. He was named the 1986 Ray McCoy Award winner for “West Virginia State Track Athlete of the Year.” He was named Honorable Mention USA Today All-American in track and field. He held the state record in the 400 meters and had a top 20 time in the entire nation. He was the high point award winner in the 1986 state track meet and has five total state titles. He was undefeated for two years in the 400 meters and won state titles in 1985 and 1986. He was undefeated in the 200 meters during the regular season for two years and won a state title in that event in 1986. He was also part of an undefeated 4x400 state championship relay team in 1986. He won the long jump state championship that year as well. He was a First Team AAA All-State linebacker. He was co-captain of the football team and went on to play in the North/South game. He was also the team Iron Man. He was named Co-Defensive MVP in that game. He was awarded a full track scholarship to Marshall University and was named All Southern Conference in his one season there.

Jim Tatterson – Player

Jim Tatterson graduated from PPHS in 1976. He lettered in football for three seasons and played running back, split end, and punter/kicker. He lettered three seasons in basketball. He is the second all-time leading scorer in school history and scored over 1,000 points. He was named Second Team All-State as a junior and Special Honorable Mention All-State as a senior. He was named First Team All-TVAC and All Regional both his junior and senior season. He was a member of the 1975 state tournament basketball team. He lettered three years in baseball, where he played pitcher and first base. He was 9-3 his senior season with 105 strikeouts. He batted .392 his senior year with 3 home runs and 23 RBI’s. He set PPHS records for walks and most runs scored. He was named First Team All-TVAC as a senior. He went on to attend Ranger Junior College to play baseball and was a member of their national championship team in 1978. He chose Marshall University to continue playing baseball after Ranger JC.