Six Named To PMHS Hall

Induction Ceremony Set For Oct. 4

The Parry McCluer High School Athletic Hall of Fame will induct six new members on Saturday, Oct. 4.

The inductees of the 12th class are Ray Barger (Class of 1965), Ben Burks (1982), Troy Clark (1983), Roger Dyer (1966), David Fitzgerald Jr. (1981) and James Radick (1970).

Barger was a three-sport athlete for the Fighting Blues. He played football from 1962-64 and was the team’s Most Valuable Player in 1964. Barger played basketball all four years at PM, and he was the team’s co-captain and MVP his senior year. He also played baseball all four years. Burks also excelled academically, graduating as PM’s salutatorian. After high school, Barger was a Division I quarterback for the College of William and Mary football team from 1965-67.

Burks wrestled and played golf and football for the Blues. As a wrestler, he won the state championship at 145-pounds his senior year, when the Blues placed second in the state. Burks, who was the team captain his junior and senior years, won district titles his sophomore and junior years. As a sophomore, he was the regional champion and placed fourth in the state, and he was the regional runner-up as a junior. Burks, who graduated as PM’s valedictorian, went on to become a Division I wrestler for the University of Virginia.

On the golf course, Burks was a member of the 1981 team that won the district, regional and state championships. As a senior in 1982, he was the individual district champion. During his sophomore year, Burks placed third in the region and helped the Blues win the district title and place second in the state. As a freshman, Burks was a member of the district and regional championship team.

Burks played football all four years for the Blues and, as a freshman, was a member of the 1979 state championship team. As a senior, he was a tri-captain.

Clark played football and basketball for the Blues and was a member of the track and field team as a senior. He played football his sophomore through senior years. As a senior, Clark was named all-district, all-region, all-state and All-Timesland. He was then selected to play in the Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star Game. Clark went on to play Division I football for Virginia Military Institute, where he was a three-year letterman.

For the Blues’ boys basketball team, Clark played for three years and was co-captain as a senior, when he was named all-district and all-region and was selected as the Rockbridge All-Area player of the year. Clark also earned all-district honors as a junior. For his senior year, Clark was named MVP, and his field goal percentage was 65 percent. During one stretch, he made 20 consecutive shots.

Clark later returned to teach and coach at PM, and he’s currently the school’s head softball coach and assistant principal. He served as an assistant football coach for 17 seasons and has been the softball team’s head coach for the last 11 years.

On the softball field, Clark has guided the Blues to six district titles, two regional titles, and two state championships. In 2015 and 2016, when the Blues won their regional and state titles, Clark was named Region 1C and Class 1 state coach of the year. He was a coach for the VHSCA All-Star Game in 2016 and 2017.

Dyer played football, basketball and baseball for the Blues, and he was a member of the track and field team.

In track and field, which he competed in all four years, Dyer set school records in the low hurdles and the long jump. As a senior, he was team captain, and he was the team’s MVP his sophomore through senior years. Dyer went on to compete in Division I track for Gardner-Webb University and the University of North Carolina.

Dyer played football his sophomore through senior years and was a co-captain as a senior. After his junior and senior seasons, he was named the team’s best defensive player.

For the boys basketball team, Dyer played his junior and senior years and was a co-captain as a senior. He played baseball all four years and was a senior co-captain.

Fitzgerald ran cross country and indoor and outdoor track for the Blues. For the cross country team, he was a four-time district champion, and he won the regional and state championships as a senior, leading the Blues to the team state championship. Fitzgerald served as team captain all four years.

For the indoor track and field team, Fitzgerald was the regional and state champion in the mile as a junior, when his time was 4:30. He also won the regional championship in the 1000-meter run that year and helped the Blues win the state championship as a team. As a senior, Fitzgerald was the mock state champion in the mile and 1000-meter run.

In outdoor track and field, Fitzgerald won district titles in the mile and 2-mile all four years. As a senior, he was the regional and state champion in the mile, running a time of 4:31 at the state meet. Fitzgerald set a school record in the 2-mile as a junior, clocking 9:58.

Radick was a shot put thrower for the Blues’ track and field team and also played football and baseball. As a senior, Radick set a school record in the shot put with a throw of 52 feet, 6 inches.

Radick played baseball as a senior and played football his sophomore through senior years, serving as a captain as a senior. He went on to play Division II football for Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Caroline, where he was a starter all four years and was named all-conference his sophomore through senior years.

The activities for PM’s Hall of Fame weekend will start on Friday, Oct. 3 with a reception before the Fighting Blues’ 7 p.m. home game against Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy at Bobby Williams Field in Buena Vista.

The new members of the Hall of Fame will be formally inducted at a banquet in the PM gymnasium on Saturday, Oct. 4. The doors will open at 4 p.m. for a meet-and-greet, with the banquet scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. and the inductions to follow.

Tickets for the banquet are $30 for adults and $20 for children and students and may be purchased at the Buena Vista School Board office at 2329 Chestnut Ave. or at PM (540261-2128). Reservations for will call tickets may be made by calling the BV School Board office at (540) 2612129, and tickets can be picked up at the door on Oct. 4.