Eleven selected for 2020 class of Nashua Athletics Hall of Fame

For the first time in almost 20 years, the Nashua Athletics Hall of Fame will be inducting new members, as 11 individuals were announced as new members on Jan. 8.

The Nashua hall of fame, which originally inducted honorees from 1991-2000, will recognize individuals from any of Nashua’s public high schools: Nashua Senior High School, Nashua High School North and Nashua High School South.

Hall of Fame festivities will begin with a recognition of the inductees at the North-South baseball game at 7 p.m. on May 8 at Holman Stadium. The induction will take place starting at noon May 9 at the Courtyard Marriott in Nashua. Information on tickets can be found at Nashua North Athletics or Nashua South Athletics.

Following are members of the class of 2020.

• Farley Gates, contributor and student-athlete: graduated in 1981 and was a member of the 1980 Class L boys basketball championship team; earned a basketball scholarship to the University of San Francisco; Chick-Fil-A Holiday Tournament director and supporter.
• Al Savage, contributor: founder of the NH Decathlon (1957) and the NH Heptathlon (1977); founded Elks Crusaders football in 1969 and an active member of the Nashua Elks.
• Bob DeMello, coach (posthumous): Nashua football coach from 1975-85 and Bishop Guertin football coach from 1999-2001; Nashua indoor and outdoor track coach from 1983-97, winning 10 state titles.
• Mark Russell, student-athlete (posthumous): graduated in 1966; standout in football, baseball, indoor track and basketball; played football and ran track at Bordentown Military Academy and UMass.
• Kole Ayi, student-athlete: graduated in 1997; participated in football and indoor and outdoor track; played football at UMass-Amherst, winning a D1-AA national championship in 1998; played in the NFL for the New England Patriots and St. Louis Rams, earning a Super Bowl ring in 2002 with the former; member of the UMass-Amherst Hall of Fame.
• Amy Ruston, student-athlete: graduated in 1999; ran cross country, indoor and outdoor track in high school and at Lehman University; held several school and state records in all three seasons.
• Laura Gerraugthy, student-athlete: graduated in 2001; threw the shot put during indoor and outdoor track seasons; nine-time state champion and two-time national high school champion; ranked No. 1 in the country in the shot put as a senior; won a national championship in college at the University of North Carolina; was a USA National Champion and an Olympian in 2004.
• John Schroeder, student-athlete: graduated from North in 2006; ran cross country, indoor and outdoor track; was a Class L and state champion.
• Kendall Reyes, student-athlete: graduated from North in 2007; member of first football team at North and scored the program’s first touchdown; played football at UConn and was a member of the 2011 team that won the Big East and played in the Fiesta Bowl; playing in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs; currently an assistant coach at the University of New Hampshire.
• Brad Zapenas, student-athlete: graduated from North in 2008; played football, basketball and baseball for the Titans, and was named the 2008 NH Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year; played baseball at Boston College; played in the Chicago Cubs organization.
• Trevor Knight, student-athlete: graduated from South in 2014; 12-season athlete in football, basketball and outdoor track; was named the 2013 NH Gatorade Football Player of the Year; played football at the University of New Hampshire; currently playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.