2014 AHS Sports Hall of Fame
ASHEBORO — Every time a student-athlete or group of student-athletes take to the field or court at the start of the season, and every time a high school coach begins a season no matter what the sport, the goal is to win a state championship.
That in itself is a difficult goal to obtain. Throw in the very minute chance of going undefeated while winning a state championship and it’s a scenario that doesn’t happen all too much. However, one of the new inductees in the Asheboro High School Hall of Fame accomplished just that.
The members of the 1994 AHS volleyball team, which finished undefeated on its way to a state title, will be enshrined into the AHS Hall of Fame tonight as ceremonies will be held at halftime of the AHS-Ledford varsity football game at Lee J. Stone Stadium.
Also honored will be 1963 graduate Jimmy Grimsley, 1958 graduate Don Lineberry and 1975 graduate Chris McKinnon. Grimsley is being honored posthumously. He passed away in 1977.
The varsity volleyball team, which qualified for three straight state championships — also advancing in 1993 and 1995 — came away with its only state title in 1994 after finishing 26-0. The Blue Comets defeated three-time state champion Smoky Mountain in the finals 3-2 on the campus of UNC Greensboro. AHS rallied to win the final two sets in that match for the championship.
“I told them I was so excited because it is one of the most memorable, exciting, relived event in my life,” said then-coach Kim Dickinson Black, who is now teaching at Southwestern Randolph High School. “I think about it time and time again. Especially at the end when we were all holding hands on the bench. That group was totally selfless.”
This senior-dominated team during one stretch over a two-season span won 45 of 46 matches.
Members of the team were: Lori Lemons, Susan Bristow, Carrie Farr, Jamie McDowell, Wendy Potts, Anne Gilliam, LeAnn Robbins, Jessica Harper, Chris Morgan, Codey Cross, Braden Walsh, Heather Woodruff, Ashlee Fisher and, Joy Abbott. The assistant coach was Tracy Jarrett Dawes and the team managers and statisticians included Jennifer Moore, Elizabeth Derr, April Lemons, Jennifer Jester, Beth Sanders, Megan Causey and, Sarah Rice.
In addition to being outstanding on the court, the 1994 volleyball team members were excellent students.
Jimmy Grimsley
A member of the AHS graduating class of 1963, Grimsley is being honored for being an outstanding student-athlete. As a basketball player, he was a three-time varsity letterman, All-Conference performer and member of the 1962 WNCHSAA championship team.
Also a three-time letterman in baseball, he was honored as All-Conference and All-State in 1963. He was a member of a second WNCHSAA championship team, as the AHS baseball team brought home a championship.
Grimsley’s son, Allen, who now resides in Nags Head, said he was searching through some old memorabilia and came across a box with some very interesting items.
grandfather (Otis Grimsley) would go to every game and keep score on one side of an index card, one card for every game,” Allan said. “My grandfather didn’t know all the names, but he did know the first names and he would have those on the card and on the other side he would have the numbers.
After graduating from AHS, Grimsley attended Wake Forest University, where he graduated with honors. In 1970, he graduated from the law school at the University of North Carolina and three years later he returned to his hometown of Asheboro to practice law and coach the youth of the community. He will always be remembered by many for his unselfish sacrifice and tremendous work ethic.
The AHS baseball team still hands out the Jimmy Grimsley award for the top offensive player.
Don Lineberry
Lineberry is a 1958 graduate of AHS, where he excelled as a basketball player. He played in two championship games of the WNCHSAA — in 1956 and again in 1958 as a senior. As a part of the 1958 WNCHSAA championship team, Lineberry was co-captain and leading scorer at 16 points per game and was recognized as an All-Conference performer.
After completing his career at AHS, he accepted a scholarship to Guilford College, where he continued to be an outstanding student-athlete.
While at Guilford, he twice led the team in scoring and as a sophomore averaged 24.9 points per game, which ranked second in the North State Conference. Twice he was named the team’s most valuable player. He led the league in free throws and scored 41 points in a loss to East Carolina. He was team captain and was named All-Conference. He was also recognized as a member of the Who’s Who in Small College Basketball.
Chris McKinnon
A seven-time varsity letterman, McKinnon participated in four sports at Asheboro High — football, basketball, baseball, and track. He is a 1975 graduate who was named All-County in football and then won several recognitions as a baseball player, including team most valuable player honor two years running, Randolph County Player of the Year and South Piedmont Conference Player of the Year his senior season.
“I was thrilled to death,” McKinnon said about hearing of his induction. “I certainly didn’t expect it. I’m happy to be going in. It’s an exclusive group and club.”
He was named All-State in 1975 as the Blue Comets baseball team captured the WNCHSAA championship. In recognition of his excellence in multiple sports, he was named co-winner of Mr. Blue Comet in 1975 and was awarded the Lee J. Stone Scholarship.
“Without a doubt, how many people can say the last game they played, they won a state championship?” McKinnon said of the baseball title the Blue Comets won his senior year. “That is something I’ll never forget.”
McKinnon attended Mars Hill College on an athletic scholarship and played both football and baseball there. Upon graduation with a degree in Business Administration, he relocated to the Raleigh area where he has enjoyed a successful career in sales.
