Feb. 4—Mark Dennehy, the recently retired activities director for Glacier High School, was awarded the James C. Haugen Meritorious Service Award by the Montana High School Association at its annual meeting on Jan. 19. Dennehy was the only AD Glacier High had from the time its doors opened in 2007 until he stepped down last summer. Dennehy spent 33 years in education in the Flathead Valley, with 25 years as an AD — starting at Flathead High for seven years before he moved over to the school at Glacier. This award is presented in recognition of outstanding contribution to the Montana High School Association. It was originally established in 1979 to honor deserving recipients for their commitment to MHSA. In 2004, the Executive Board renamed this award the James C. Haugen Meritorious Service Award. Jim Haugen spent from 1977-2002 serving with the MHSA, the last six years as executive director. During Dennehy's tenure as athletic director Glacier racked up 17 state titles decided on the field of play, from golf to tennis to wrestling to football, soccer and boys basketball. Glacier boasted several excellent speech, drama and debate teams as well. Whitefish AD Aric Harris, the Class A Representative for the MHSA, presented Dennehy with his award.

Feb. 4—Aiken High recently expanded its athletics Hall of Fame with the induction of two of the Hornets' all-time greats.

Nessie Harris and Faye Norris were honored midway through a basketball doubleheader between Aiken and Gilbert, with their names now forever etched into a Hall of Fame that inducted its inaugural class in 2022.

Both were multi-sport athletes, and both played prominent roles on Johanna Gibbs' basketball teams that were among the state's very best, playing in three Class AAAA state championship games in a four-year span, capped by an undefeated title in 1975.

Harris, who also competed in track and field and volleyball, was the co-captain of the basketball team for two years and like Norris was part of a senior class that departed with a career record of 61-4. Her list of individual honors at Aiken High include first-team All-State and Upper State selections, Class AAAA Player of the Year, CSRA Player of the Year, Aiken Standard Player of the Year, All-County and an MVP award from the Aiken County Christmas Tournament.

She continued her playing career at the College of Charleston, earning multiple All-America and State Player of the Year honors as one of the nation's top front-court players. She led CofC to three consecutive Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national championship appearances, and in the 1979-80 season she helped the team to 32 wins.

She graduated from CofC as a four-time All-State performer in addition to two All-America nods, and she ranks third in program history with 1,796 points scored. Her jersey hangs from the rafters at TD Arena, and in 1996 she was inducted into CofC's Hall of Fame.

Norris won the Hornets' Offensive Award in 1975, made the Upper State All-Tournament Team in 1974, made multiple All-CSRA and All-Tournament teams before following Gibbs to USC Aiken to be a member of the first women's basketball teams there.

She put together a Hall of Fame career at USCA, where her jersey No. 10 was retired. She played from 1976-79, capping her USCA career as a first-team All-American — making her the first in the school's athletic history. She was an All-State selection by the SCAIAW and South Carolina's sports writers in her final season, and in 2007 she was inducted into the Randy Warrick Athletics Hall of Fame.

She had a highly successful coaching career in South Carolina, and between her years at North Augusta and later Dutch Fork she amassed more than 500 wins with a dozen region titles, including three consecutive state championships at Dutch Fork. She was inducted into the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association's Hall of Fame in 2019.