National News

 August 7, 2012

It’s a special year for the Cardinal Hall of Fame at Trinity Valley Community College.

Five new members have been selected to become the fifth induction class for the shrine and the 1989 cheerleading squad will become the first team honored.

“We are very excited about the five inductees selected (for the hall of fame) this year,” said Benny Rogers, sports information officer and chairman of the hall of fame selection committee. “We feel they all played vital roles in contributing to the success and tradition on which our athletic program is built.

“We are also extremely proud to be honoring the 1989 cheerleaders. They were the first team at the college to win a national championship, so, as we celebrate 65 years of cheerleading at the college this year, it’s fitting they are recognized with hall of fame status.”

The 2012 class is scheduled to be inducted on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 11 a.m. Tickets for the induction luncheon are $10 and will be available at the door at the Student Union Building ballroom.

Inductees this year are:

Yaleshia “Boo” Barnes
Women’s Basketball
(1997-99)

In 1999, the Lady Cardinal basketball team produced the first unbeaten season in the college’s history and Barnes was largely responsible. The two-time first-team All-American was named NJCAA Player of the Year to cap a season in which the Lady Cardinals claimed their fourth national title in six years.

Barnes was named the Region XIV Conference Most Valuable Player as a sophomore. In her first season, she was named the conference’s Freshman of the Year in helping the Lady Cardinals to a national runner-up finish.

In her two seasons, the Lady Cardinals were 70-1 and never lost a conference game.

She played one season at the University of Alabama, where she turned in 15 double-digit scoring performances. Barnes was named the Most Valuable Player in one tournament and named to the all-tournament team in another.

Scotty Conley
Football
(1996-99)

When it comes to coaching football at the college, Conley takes a back seat to no one. In four seasons at the helm of the Cardinal football program, he compiled a 34-10 record, giving him a college-best .780 winning percentage. Included in the numbers were a 12-0 record and national championship in 1997, two conference championships and two bowl victories.

As a result of the Cardinals’ unbeaten national championship season, Conley was named NJCAA Coach of the Year. He was twice named Southwest Junior College Football Conference Coach of the Year, at one point winning 19 of 20 games.

After leaving the college, he was Special Teams Coordinator at the U.S. Naval Academy for one season before becoming head coach for five seasons at Texas A&M-Commerce. He led Texas A&M-Commerce to the Lone Star Conference North Division championship in 2007.

Currently in his fifth season at the University of North Texas, where he serves as Director of Football Operations and Recruiting Coordinator, Conley has also had coaching stints at Texas A&M, Texas, Kansas, Tennessee, Rice, Arkansas and Howard Payne.

Niles Dockery
Men’s Basketball
(1980-82)

One of the most exciting players to ever don a Cardinal uniform, Dockery helped the Cardinals to their most successful season in the college’s history in 1982. With Dockery running the show on the floor, the Cardinals advanced to the national tournament for the first time, finishing third and completing the season with a 33-3 mark.

Dockery established two school records his sophomore season – free throws made in a game (22) and free throws made in a season (218). He hit 86 percent of his free throws that season, which still ranks No. 17 on the all-time NJCAA list. His 22-of-23 free throw shooting exhibition against Lon Morris in 1982 ranks 11^th on the all-time NJCAA list.

He was named honorable mention NJCAA All-American as a sophomore and was a two-time all-Texas Eastern Conference selection.

Dockery played two seasons at the University of New Mexico after leaving the college.

Kynan Forney
Football
(1997-98)

As a freshman in 1997, Forney helped pave the way for the Cardinals to claim their second national championship -- literally. Playing on the offensive line, he played a key role in the Cardinals leading the Southwest Junior Football Conference in rushing, which resulted in a perfect 12-0 season.

In his two seasons, the Cardinals went 19-3. He was named first-team all-conference offensive lineman as a sophomore.

Forney continued his playing career at the University of Hawaii, where he played every game and made five starts as a junior and was named All-Western Athletic Conference as a senior.

He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft and went on to have a nine-year pro career, playing for the Falcons, San Diego Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars. He started eight games as a rookie and for his NFL career started in 89 of 95 games.

Joe Bob Johnson
Football
(1959-60)

It didn’t take Johnson long to make a name for himself, both at the college and nationally. In his first season for the Cardinals, he led the nation in both rushing and scoring, which earned him first-team All-America honors at halfback.

Johnson went on to play two years at East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce), where he was a two-year starter and was named small college all-state both seasons.

The spotlight would be back on Johnson once he began his career as a successful high school coach. He served 12 years as athletic director/head football coach at Lake Highlands, where he claimed the Class 5A state championship with a 15-0 record in 1981.  His first squad in 1975 went 13-0-1. In all, he led Lake Highlands to three playoff appearances.

His father, Cecil Johnson, served as the Cardinals’ head football coach for two years in 1949-50.

Note: More information on the 1989 cheerleading squad will be released as hall of fame/homecoming weekend approaches.