Warren County High School Announces 2026 Athletic Hall of Fame Class

Warren County High School will honor four individuals and one historic team this fall as part of the 2026 Lawrence “Sweeney” Shiflett Athletic Hall of Fame class.

This year’s inductees are former student-athletes Zach Beckner, Kelsea Potts, and Robert Grimsley; longtime athletic contributor Mary Jane Myers; and the 1978 Warren County High School baseball team.

The school will hold the induction ceremony on Friday, Sept. 25, during halftime of the Wildcats’ varsity football game against James Wood.

The group represents decades of athletic success, school service, leadership, and lasting influence on Warren County sports.

Zach Beckner

A 2016 graduate, Zach Beckner left Warren County as one of the most accomplished wrestlers in school history.

Beckner won district, conference, and regional titles in each of his final three seasons. He finished as state runner-up as a sophomore before winning back-to-back state championships as a junior and senior.

He became the second state wrestling champion in school history and the first Wildcat to win two state titles.

Beckner set the school’s single-season wins record with 49 and finished his high school career with a 159-4 record. At the time of his graduation, that was the best career record in program history.

He also ranked first in career titles, nearfalls, and team points, finishing with 687. As a senior, he earned the wrestling Triple Crown by leading the team in pins, takedowns, and wins.

Beckner was a three-time Wrestler of the Year, three-time WCHS Performer of the Year, and two-time Northern Virginia Daily Wrestler of the Year. He also earned national recognition as an NHSCA and MAWAS All-American.

His accomplishments were not limited to wrestling. Beckner also competed in cross country, where his best time still ranks among the top performances in school history.

He continued wrestling at Ferrum College, becoming a three-time NCAA Division III national qualifier and two-time All-American. As a freshman, he finished as national runner-up, the highest collegiate finish by a Warren County High School wrestler.

Beckner graduated magna cum laude and later returned home to begin a career with VDOT Tree Care. He continues to give back to the sport as a volunteer coach with Shenandoah University’s wrestling program.

His advice reflects the work ethic that shaped his career: “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.”

Kelsea Potts

Kelsea Potts, a 2014 graduate, rewrote the Warren County girls soccer record book during four standout seasons.

As a sophomore, she broke the single-season scoring record with 18 goals. By the end of her junior year, she had also claimed the program’s career scoring record.

Her senior season became one of the greatest in school history.

Potts scored 39 goals in 2014, breaking her own single-season record. That mark still stands. She finished her career with 74 goals, a record that remained in place for more than a decade.

She also tied the single-season assist record with 19 and contributed to more than 75% of the Wildcats’ goals during her final season.

Potts earned First-Team All-District, All-Area, All-Conference, and All-Region honors. As a senior, she became the first player in program history to earn First-Team All-State recognition.

She was also named the Northern Virginia Daily Girls Soccer Player of the Year in 2014.

Potts balanced soccer with cross country, honors coursework, and band. She later attended James Madison University, where she played club soccer for four years and helped her teams reach the national collegiate club tournament each season.

Her JMU team finished as national runner-up in 2015.

Potts graduated with a degree in business management and now lives in Arizona, where she continues to enjoy the outdoors and play soccer whenever possible.

Robert Grimsley

Robert Grimsley, a 1984 graduate, was a three-year varsity standout in football and track before beginning a lifetime of military and public service.

On the football field, Grimsley started at multiple defensive positions and served as defensive team captain during his senior season.

He earned First-Team All-Area honors at linebacker, Second-Team All-District recognition on the defensive line, and the Golden Helmet Award as the Wildcats’ Defensive Most Valuable Player.

Grimsley was equally successful in track.

He served as team captain in 1984, earned All-District honors in the 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles, and qualified for the state meet.

His times of 14.4 seconds in the 110 hurdles and 39.7 seconds in the 300 hurdles stood as Warren County school records during his high school career.

He was named Track Team MVP and the Northern Virginia Daily’s Outstanding Male Athlete in 1984.

After graduation, Grimsley enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and earned the title of Honor Man as the top recruit in his boot camp class.

Following his honorable discharge, he played football for one season at Shepherd College before beginning a 25-year career as a police officer in Charleston, South Carolina.

At the same time, he served 24 years in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and retired as a chief master sergeant, the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force.

Grimsley and his wife, Marci, his high school sweetheart, raised two sons and continue to live in Charleston.

His view of leadership is summed up in one sentence: “If you think you’re a leader, take a look behind you. If no one is following, you’re not a leader — you’re just going for a walk.”

Mary Jane Myers

Mary Jane Myers will be inducted as a contributor after more than 30 years of service to Warren County athletics.

Long before the school had an official assistant athletic director, Myers quietly filled many of the duties needed to keep athletic events running.

While working full-time as a teacher, she coached women’s basketball and tennis, announced varsity basketball and soccer games, sold tickets, prepared fields, welcomed visiting teams, and helped coordinate tournaments and meets.

She served as a scorer for district, regional, and state golf tournaments and as a timer and scorer at track meets.

She was also known for preparing homemade spaghetti dinners for football, basketball, and tennis players, helping make the athletic program feel like a second home.

Myers carried out much of that work before computers and cell phones became part of daily athletic administration. She helped manage events across scattered facilities using walkie-talkies, handwritten schedules, and determination.

Her Hall of Fame induction places her alongside her husband and son, both of whom have also been honored. Her daughter continues the family’s tradition of service in athletics as a trainer at Loudoun Valley High School.

Myers now enjoys retirement with her husband, Bob, spending time with family and playing golf.

Her philosophy is simple: “Attitude makes all the difference in sports and in life.”

The 1978 Warren County Baseball Team

The 1978 Wildcats baseball team made history as the first Warren County team in any sport to reach a state championship game.

The team finished 21-3, won 18 consecutive games, and posted a 15-1 district record on the way to Northwestern District and Region II championships.

Warren County defeated Culpeper and Turner Ashby to claim the regional title, then beat Randolph-Henry 5-1 in the state semifinals.

The Wildcats fell 5-2 to Amherst in the championship game, facing future Baltimore Orioles pitcher Ken Dixon.

Four Wildcats earned First-Team All-District honors: Tony Carter, Garnett Henry, Barry Jenkins, and Dale Henry. Mike Corbin earned Second-Team All-District recognition.

Garnett Henry and Dale Henry were named All-State and selected for the East-West All-Star Game.

The team was coached by Yates Hall and Robert North, with Tony Frazier and Steve North serving as managers.

Its legacy reached far beyond the 1978 season. Many players later coached youth and high school baseball, passing their knowledge to future generations.

Athletic Director Matt Wadas described the group as more than a collection of talented players.

“The 1978 baseball team was a true team; a brotherhood was built on the diamond, but lasted the test of time,” Wadas said. “They loved baseball, they loved WCHS, and they loved their team. Their legacy continues to inspire today.”

The 1978 roster included Butch Rutherford, Danny Johnson, Mike Kenney, Garnett Henry, Chris Hutzell, Mike Corbin, Randy Wertz, Tony Green, John Updike, Greg Updike, John Ramey, Jeff Bowers, Frank Blankenship, Tony Carter, Dale Henry, Barry Jenkins, Robert Nickens, Kelly Hibbs, and Julian Sarrategui.

Nearly five decades later, the team remains a landmark in Warren County athletics — the first Wildcats to reach a state final and a group whose bond endured long after the final out.

(From Warren County Hall of Fame Press Release)