Eight in first RHS Hall of Fame Class

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on October 28, 2004 1:56 PM

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Rosewood High School will induct the first members of the school's Hall of Fame on Friday during halftime of the Rosewood-North Duplin football game Friday night at Branch Pope Field.

The Hall of Fame project is being sponsored by the Rosewood Booster Club. The inductees will be honored with plaques that will be located in the lobby of the high school gym. All former athletes of the school are encouraged to attend the game.

The following former Rosewood athletes and officials will be inducted.

Edward "Tank" Davis

(1971-1975)

Lettered in football for four years, basketball for four years and baseball for three years. He was all-conference his junior and senior years in both football and basketball. He was All-East in football in 1974. He went on after graduation to play quarterback at Fayetteville State University for four years making All-CIAA in 1980. Now lives with his wife, Valerie, in Wendell.

John L. Deans (1944-1962)

Principal and coach at Rosewood for 18 years. Under his coaching, the basketball team won the county championship in 1954. In 1948-1950 the gym, now located on the middle school property, was constructed largely due to his efforts. Mr. Deans had a positive influence on many students in the Rosewood area. He died on October 10, 1997.

Ted Holmes (1975-1979)

Lettered in basketball and baseball all years in high school. He was all-conference in basketball his junior and senior years and three years in baseball. Ted was a great high school pitcher and won many important games. One of his major accomplishments was never missing a day of school from kindergarten to graduation. Ted, his wife, Jan, and their children now live in Four Oaks.

Clark Hood (1968-1972)

Lettered in basketball and baseball all four high school years, making all-conference each year in each sport. Clark also lettered in football his senior year when he played on Rosewood's first varsity football team. After high school, Clark went on to Southwood Junior College on a baseball scholarship. He lives with his wife, Joann, and their children in Garner.

Cathy Ellis Jarrell (1979-1983)

Started on the varsity girls basketball team all her years of high school. Voted all-conference three times, All-East her junior and senior years and All-State as a senior. She led Rosewood to two conference championships and finished third in the state as a senior. After high school, Cathy accepted a scholarship and played basketball at ECU. Today Cathy flies airplanes for the U.S. Army. She is also a helicopter pilot and is currently stationed in Seoul, South Korea. She is married to Van, an Army officer, and they have a daughter, Megan.

Chuck Lucas (1970-1974)

Chuck lettered three years in basketball leading Rosewood to conference championships his junior and senior years. Rosewood lost in overtime in the state finals in 1974. Chuck was all-conference three years, All-East two years and All-State his senior year. He played in the East-West All-Star game in 1974. Chuck signed a grant-in-aid to Virginia Tech after high school and went on to play there and at Mount Olive College. Chuck lives in Goldsboro with his daughter.

Branch Pope (1970-1996)

Served as coach and athletic director for twenty-six years. He coached eight different sports at one time or another. In his years at Rosewood, the athletic department increased from four teams to twenty-four. He was coach of the year eleven times in six sports. In 1995, he served as President of the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association. He was awarded the North Carolina State Award of Merit in 1996. Coach Pope lives in Rosewood with his wife, Sally, and their two dogs.

David Simmons (1971-1975)

Lettered in football and basketball each year in high school. David was all-conference in football his sophomore year, All-State as a junior and All-Metro, All-East, All-American as a senior. David was All-Conference in basketball all three years. In 1976, David accepted a football scholarship to UNC. He also played in the North Carolina Shrine Bowl and the East-West All-Star game. David was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1979. He played a total of seven years in the NFL with Green Bay, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Colts and the Chicago Bears. David lives with his wife and family in Miami, Florida.