Photo Credit: Nick Smith/PrepsKCFriday at the DM Injury Law Kansas vs. Missouri All-Star Game the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association honored its 10th Hall of Fame class. This year eight coaches a contributor and a player were inducted at the game at Liberty High School.
Here are this year's inductees:
DeMarea graduated from O’Hara in 1974 and then attended the University of Kansas DeMarea began coaching at O’Hara in 1978 as an assistant coach under Hall of Fame Coach Paul Montiel. In 1995 he took over the program and continued the success winning four conference titles, eight district championships. He led the Celtics to the quarterfinals five times and the semifinals twice finishing with a 139-102 record. DeMarea also served as an assistant coach on several All-Star Games and hosted the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association meetings when the association was getting started in the early 1990s.
Dumpert was born in Lincoln, Nebraska and graduated high school in Colorado Springs. He then attended Ottawa University graduating in 1980. In 1981 Dumpert began coaching at Paola as an assistant before becoming the head coach in 1998. During his time the Panthers made the playoffs in 21 of 22 years, won 12 district titles and made the state championship game four times finishing with a 189-77 record. Dumpert coached 200 All-League players and 24 1,000-yard rushers. He has coached in three Shrine Bowls, three Metro All-Star games and was named the GKCFCA Dave Bassore Coach of the year.
Griffin was born in Colby, Kansas and graduated from Frankfort, Kansas High School in 1981. He graduated from Kansas State in 1985 and started his teaching and coaching career that same year at Louisburg. Griffin served as an assistant coach for the Wildcats until taking over the program in 2000. From 2000-2011 Louisburg advanced to the state championship game in 2007 and won the Kansas 4A title in 2010 with a perfect 14-0 record. Griffin led the Wildcats to the playoffs in 10 of his 12 seasons and finished with a career 113-44 record. He also served as an assistant at Drexel, Missouri high school helping that program to a Missouri 8-man championship in 2021.
Harless was born in Oklahoma City and graduated from North Kansas City in 1963. After graduating from Bethany College in 1967 he began his teaching and coaching career at Northgate Middle school in the North Kansas City School District. In 1972 Harless became an assistant coach at Harmon High School and helped lead the program to the playoffs for the first time in school history. In 1975 he moved to Washington High school as the head football and wrestling head coach. During his time with the Wildcats Harless led them to their first playoff appearance and first Kansas City Kansas League title. In 1985 he took over Shawnee Mission North’s football and wrestling and was named the Johnson County wrestling coach of the year. He finished his career coaching at Baker University and Benedictine College.
Hedrick graduated from Holden in 1987 and then played football at Missouri Valley College graduating in 1992. He served as an assistant coach at Blanchard, Oklahoma, Fort Osage, Blue Springs, Richmond, Park Hill South and Kearney. Hedrick was a head coach at Lone Jack, Holden, Pleasant Hill and Raytown. During his time as a head coach his teams won seven district championship games and three quarterfinals. Hedrick also led Lone Jack and Holden to their first-ever state semifinal appearances finishing with a 94-82 record. He has served on nine All-Star coaching staffs for the Missouri Lions and GKCFCA All-Star Games. Hedrick was named the KMZU Coach of the Year in 2012 and served as a district representative for the Missouri State High School Activities Association.
Keeton was born in Adrian and graduated from William Chrisman in 1958. He graduated from the University of Central Missouri in 1962 and began his teaching and coaching career at Fort Osage. Keeton moved to Grandview in 1965 before starting his college coaching career in 1968 at Kansas State. He would then coach at Missouri S&T from 1969-1992 when he returned to the high school coaching ranks as the head coach at his alma mater William Chrisman. At Chrisman Keeton was able to coach with his brother Terry and coach his nephew Kevin. was a mentor to many young coaches in the KC Metro over the years. It was nothing unusual to have a young coach sitting in his home on a Saturday or Sunday asking the best way to run plays or how to defend certain plays. Keeton passed away Oct. 5, 2018.
Pekarek was born in Salina, Kansas and graduated from Salina South in 1974. He graduated from Kansas Wesleyan in 1978 and began his coaching and teaching career at Kinsley, Kansas High School. He moved to Larned Kansas in 1981 and then Lansing as an assistant in 1995. Pekarek became the Lansing Head Coach in 2001 before retiring in 2014. During his time as a head coach his teams won 8 district titles, three conference titles and earned the first playoff win in Lansing history. Pekarek finished his head coaching tenure with a 154-129 record in 30 years. He has coached 47 years total and served as an assistant at Park Hill and currently St. James. Pekarek has coached in three GKCFCA All-Star Games and served on the board from 2011-13. Even though he retired from teaching more than a decade ago he is still coaching and giving back to football in the Kansas City Metro.
Shouse was born in Excelsior Springs and graduated from the high school in 1960. After graduating from the University of Central Missouri in 1965 he started his teaching and coaching career at Community Seymour, Indiana High School. In 1965 Shouse returned home to Excelsior Springs as an assistant coach. He was on staff from 1970-2009. During that time, he was a member of two state championship teams in 1994 and 1996. In 2010 he joined the staff at Lee’s Summit West. Shouse was a part of two more state championship teams in 2010 and 2013. He was named the Dave Bassore Assistant Coach of the year in 2008. He is in the Excelsior Springs Hall of Fame and has coached in the Missouri East-West All-Star Game and the GKCFCA All-Star Game.
Evans was a longtime broadcaster and radio DJ in the Midwest and the East Coast. During his career he was the play-by-play broadcaster for Missouri State, the Norfolk Tides AAA baseball club and called 21 games for the Montreal Expos. In 2015 he returned the to area and became the play-by-play announcer for Blue Springs and Blue Springs South. Evans broadcasted more that 20 state championship games for Vision Sports and Sideline Sports. He was honored as the best Large Market Play by Play Announcer six times by the Missouri Broadcasters Association. He loved his family, his faith and sports. Evans passed away November 24, 2024.
Stuckey played at Washington high school graduating in 2006. He then played at Kansas starting all 13 games during his sophomore season in 2007. Stuckey’s junior season saw him finish with 98 tackles for second best on the team. His senior year he was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award given to the top defensive back in Division I college football. Also, his senior season he was named the Big 12 Sportsman of the Year. In 2010 he was drafted by the San Diego Chargers where he played seven seasons. Stuckey was named the special teams captain and made the NFL Pro Bowl in 2014. He was inducted into the Kansas Ring of Honor in 2019 and currently serves as the Jayhawks Director of Football Relations.
