KMA Sports Hall of Fame Announcement: 1979 Rock Port Track & Field

(Rock Port) -- The final team announcement in our KMA Sports Hall of Fame class from 2018-19 comes from Rock Port.

First year coach Wayne Moore knew he had some talented kids in 1979, but he may not have known their track championship was going to start a dynasty.

“It was easy to recognize that we had some really talented individuals,” Moore said of the 1979 team. “They were a good bunch of boys that wanted to work. Rock Port had never won any state championship at the time, and someone had to start that.”

Moore said he knew that his team was more than capable of beginning that trend.

“During the regular season, we only lost one track meet all that season. That was a big track meet at Northwest Missouri State that year. We finished second behind a really good, I think, Bedford team that year.

“We talked about it all season. As the season progressed, they got more excited about it. They were actually the one that went out and did it. I just planted the seed and tried to direct them the best I could.”

Rock Port picked up state championships from Chris Chamberlain in the 100 yard dash, from Rodney Clark in the 220 yard dash and from their 880 yard relay team of Chamberlain, Clark, Bill Alloway and Audie Jackson.

“Those are really key if you want to win a state (team) championship,” Moore said.

Moore says Chamberlain also placed in the 220 and long jump, Clark placed in the 100 and 220 and Mike Nielsen had placements in the mile and two mile races. In all, the Blue Jays scored 52 points to finish two ahead of the Missouri School for the Deaf.

Capturing school’s first state championship was an incredible moment for the members of the team. However, they also started a trend of state titles at the school and in the sport.

Moore coached the 1988 team to a state championship before Del Stoltenberg pioneered the school to titles in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004 – a total of nine.

“You have to have a bunch of athletes that are willing to win that first one,” Moore said. “Unless you’ve won one, the idea doesn’t soak into the younger athletes’ minds that they can win something like that.

“I was really proud of what was going on (after he stepped away). I asked Coach Stoltenberg if he would want to be the head track coach. At that time, I was coaching three sports in a school year, and after several years of that, you do get a little bit burned out.”

Rock Port became a power in the world of track, but that 1979 team will always be remembered as the one that started it. KMA Sports will welcome their team into our Hall of Fame at a later date to be determined.

To hear the complete interview with Coach Moore click here. (Please send any spelling corrections to sports@kmaland.com.)

Previous announcements are linked below. Listen to KMA's Upon Further Review each day in August for a new Hall of Fame announcement.

Wednesday, August 1st - Dan Martinez, Red Oak (Coach)

Thursday, August 2nd - Ricky Williams, Riverside (Basketball)

Friday, August 3rd - 1989 Glenwood Wrestling (Team)

Monday, August 6th - Bill Blay, Griswold (Track & Field/Cross Country)

Tuesday, August 7th - Madison Frain Peterson, Creston (Softball)

Wednesday, August 8th - 2008 Lenox Football (Team)

Thursday, August 9th - Megan Winkelmann Ivusic, Nodaway Valley (Cross Country)

Friday, August 10th - Connie Shafar, Bedford (Basketball)

Monday, August 13th - Kadie Subbert, Stanton (Volleyball)

Tuesday, August 14th - Joyce Tiarks, Underwood (Coach)