Julie (Beekman) Willmert
Julie’s love for tennis started at an early age learning to hit tennis balls over the net at the age of three. Her father, Bill Beekman (Grant County Sports Hall of Fame 2010), has been her life-long coach from early childhood through college play at Indiana Wesleyan where he assisted head coach Terry Porter (Grant County Sports Hall of Fame 2010).Coach Porter, a long time family friend, shaped Julie’s tennis career.Julie played #1 singles for four years at Marion High School, going undefeated during the regular seasons and finished with a 98-4 career record. A three-time state runner-up, ...Read more
Amie (Owsley) Ott
Amie’s love for basketball began in 5th grade when she started attending Lakeview Christian Schools. She was introduced to the game through her friend and teammate Kristen (Whitton) Weig and and began playing AAU basketball for Coach Steve Burkhart, who was instrumental in teaching her the fundamentals of the game. From then on, Amie was determined to hone her skills and spend countless hours in the gym practicing and competing.At Lakeview, Amie’s game was greatly influenced by Coach Greg Whitton who coached her through her junior high and high school career. During four years as a starter...Read more
Deb (Porter) Wuertley
Deb Porter grew up on the basketball and tennis courts of Marion Indiana.Deb is a graduate Marion High playing both basketball and tennis all four years, and golf her senior season. On the basketball court, Deb averaged 18.1 points and seven rebounds her senior year and shot a school record 53% from the floor for her career. In tennis, Deb played four years at #1 singles, compiling an 85-13 record. After finishing 5th in the state as a sophomore and 3rd in the state as a junior, Deb had her best season as a senior with a 25-1 record with her only loss coming in the state finals. She was named ...Read more
Jim Barley
At an early age, Jim Barley developed a passion for basketball that has lasted a lifetime. During his elementary days he played for the school teams during the season, but, spent most of his time playing basketball on outdoor courts in the alleys of Marion.Barley was a 1952 Marion High School graduate where he was a three year letterman for the Giants playing in 78 consecutive games as a starter. Barley played on three sectional championship teams and thre eregional championship teams plus one semi-state championship team.When Jim graduated, he held school records for most points in a game(30)...Read more
Harold Curdy
Harold was one of the finest basketball players ever to play for the Giants.He was one of only a few freshmen to play varsity in MHS history going on to become a member of the starting five for the following three years.He had two things going for him that made him a great player – he was an outstanding shooter, and possessed that soft touch that great shooters are seemingly born with. He scored 402 points his sophomore year,468 his junior season, and 594 points his senior year. His career record for total points, 1488, remained #1 in Giant history for the next eleven years and still ranks 6...Read more
John Fredenberger
John Fredenberger was born in Marshall Illinois, and graduated from Marshall Township High School when he was sixteen where he played football and basketball. John went on to attend Indiana Central College,which is now The University of Indianapolis. He played football and basketball for the Greyhounds from 1939-1942. The 1942 basketball team went undefeated and was ranked 3rd in the Midwest and 9th in the nation. The team was inducted into The University of Indianapolis Athletic Hall of Fame in February 2010.Upon graduation, John enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He was assigned to ...Read more
Sally Leyse
Sally was raised on a farm in Adams County and graduated from Adams Central High School in Monroe, Indiana in 1969. She was involved in all sports, lettering in volleyball, six player basketball, softball, and track.After graduating from high school, Sally played one year with the All-American Red Heads, a women’s professional basketball team. They traveled throughout 35 states, playing against men’s teams, compiling a record of 176-25.In 1970, Sally enrolled at Ball State University where she lettered in field hockey, volleyball, and lacrosse. Sally graduated with a Bachelor of Science de...Read more
Phil McCarter
Living across from the Fulton School gym gave Phil McCarter the opportunity to watch a practice and observe coaching at an early age. He grew up with a love for sports. He graduated from Fulton HighSchool in 1947, having played varsity basketball for four years, scoring 1182 points in his high school career. In 1947, he was chosen as theFulton County Outstanding Basketball Player. Phil went on to play at Ball State University, and lettered three years in both basketball and baseball.His first coaching position was at Akron High School from 1951-56. He recalls the highlight of this posi...Read more
Joseph Price
One of the most skilled offensive players to don a Marion Giants uniform, Joseph Price takes a place in the Grant County Sports Hall of Fame with older brother Jovon Price (2011). In three seasons with the Giants, Joseph was a three-time all North Central Conference selection, named Grant County boys’ player of the year twice, and made second team All-State in his senior year. As a sophomore, Price helped lead the Giants to a NCC championship and the state finals. Two of his teammates were hall of famers James Blackmon (2009) and Jeff Todd (2011). The Giants lost in the semifinals ...Read more
Robin Scott
Robin Scott attended Madison Grant High School from 1983 – 1987, lettering in several sports during her high school career. She lettered in track by participating in the 800, 4x1600, shot put, and went to sectional in the discus. Robin lettered in tennis two years, playing number one doubles. She played volleyball two years, making All-County in 1985 and 1986, and was selected All-Central Indiana Conference in 1986. Although softball was not offered as a school sport, Robin participated in local leagues from age 5 to 18.During her basketball career, she had single-game highs of 42 po...Read more
John Sutter
John Sutter was a stellar basketball player for the Marion Giants in the mid 60’s. Standing 6’8”, he was one of the tallest players to play for MHS. He was an outstanding shooter, an excellent rebounder, and could play out on the wing or underneath, depending on where he was needed.A fractured foot held him back some in his sophomore season, but he came on strong his junior and senior year to lead the Giants to two very successful seasons, winning 38 games while losing only 13. His junior year, the Giants were 17-7, winning the NCC with a 7-1 record, Marion’s first Conference C...Read more
Team Category
1968-1969 Marion Giants Boys Basketball Team
Marion High School boasts seven boys’ basketball state championships, one behind alltime leader Muncie Central. Yet,the 1968-69 Giants who lost a controversial state finals game to George McGinnis-led Indianapolis Washington are arguably the greatest of them all. No less an authority than Mike Lopresti, former Richmond Palladium-Item and USA Today sportswriter, considers the ’68-69 Giants the finest team to play in the North Central Conference, which has produced 25 boys’ basketball state champions. Marion won 28 straight games by a 15-point average until running into Washington in the s...Read more