John Marshall Inducts 2026 Class Into Athletic Hall Of Fame

MOUNDSVILLE — The John Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame has inducted 11 new members into its ranks. The newest Hall of Fame members were together during this past weekend’s home football game against Weir. Below are capsule looks at each of the Hall’s newest members.

Joe Darmafall

A four-year letter winner in golf at John Marshall, Darmafall was a member of hte 2003 and 2004 WVSSAC Class AAA state championship teams and the 2004 OVAC championship team. He made Class AAA All-State and All-OVAC teams in 2004, as well as being the Class AAA state championship medalist. He attended West Virginia Wesleyan on a golf scholarship.

Robert R. Eaton

A three-sport athlete in football, basketball and track, Eaton was a member of the 1973 OVAC All-Star Football Team and was named Mr. Monarch. He played both football and basketball at Potomac State College, winning the 1975 Dana “Horse” Lough Award and setting Potomac State records for points in a tournament game with 46. He was inducted into the Potomac State Hall of Fame in 2004. Eaton was the head football coach at West Liberty from 1990-2005 where he was the 2000 Conference Coach of the Year and his Hilltoppers were 2000 WVIAC Co-Champions. He also coached the 1985 OVAC champion football team at St. John Central.

Dr. James "Jamie" Hall

A three-sport athlete in soccer, tennis and swimming, Dr. Hall was undefeated in the 200- and 500-meter freestyle during his junior and senior swim seasons. He was a state champion in the 200-meter and 500-meter freestyle, part of state championship 200-meter freestyle relay and 400-meter freestyle relay teams, and earned first team All-State recognition on his way to helping lead John Marshall to its first overall boys swimming state championship. He won six state championships in-all as a Monarch, and held five John Marshall school records when he graduated. He competed in both swimming and tennis at Bethany.

Kylie Howard

A standout in softball and basketball, Howard was a member of the 2012 WVSSAC Class AAA state champion softball team, and was named the 2012 ESPN Gatorade W.Va. Softball Player of the Year and 2012 OVAC Class AAA Softball Player of the Year. She made first-team All-State and All-OVAC four times for her work on the softball field, and scored 1,303 points in her basketball career. She was the 2013 Ms. Monarch and played softball at Marshall.

Mike Knox

A three-time W.Va. state wrestling place-winner and two-time W.Va. state wrestling champion, Knox wrestled under Hall of Fame coaches Ed Dugas and Ed West. He wrestled collegiately at West Liberty where he competed in numerous national tournaments.

Jim Meeker

A four-sport athlete in football, basketball, wrestling and track, Meeker made All-State and All-OVAC teams in football, and was an OVAC All-Star Football Game participant. On the mat, Meeker was a Mountaineer Wrestling Champion, OVAC champion and Regional champion. He helped establish John Marshall records in the high jump and shuttle relay. Meeker played football at Salem where he was All-Conference in 1974 and 1975, won the 1975 WVIAC Defensive Player of the Year award, and was a member of Salem’s NAIA National Championship finalist team. He was inducted into the Salem Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

Evan "Dedsi" Saunders

A three-year starter in basketball and football, Saunders was the first boys basketball player in John Marshall history to score 1,000 career points. He holds multiple school records in basketball and football. He was a three-time All-Conference selection as a basketball player and one-time All-Conference selection in football. He was an OVAC All-Star Football Game participant and was named 1989’s Mr. Monarch. He played basketball at Potomac State, where he was a member of the conference All-Freshman team, and at Glenville State, where he was a member of the Newcomer All-Conference team and won Sixth Man of the Year. He was a first-round selection in a semi-pro basketball draft and played two seasons for the Frederick Flyers.

Kevin Schwing

A standout in track and cross country, Schwing set numerous John Marshall and Ohio Valley records, including the Monarchs’ school-record mile relay team, and a 4:22.8 mile time, which remains a John Marshall record due to the transition to metric distances since. He was the 1975 Trackman of the Year and was the first Monarch runner to earn All-State cross country honors in three consecutive years. He earned a track and field scholarship to WVU where he lettered in track and cross country for four years. He helped establish a WVU four-mile relay record and was captain of the WVU cross country team as a senior.

The Storm Sisters -- Cassie, Barb & Patti

The Storm sisters are recognized for their decades of dedicated support of John Marshall athletics. Cassie, Barb and Patti attended Monarch athletic events at home and on the road and continued the John Marshall tradition established by their parents, John and Mary Ann Storm. They represent three generations of Monarch athletic support. All six of their children graduated from John Marshall High School and participated in athletic and academic activities.