The illustrious sporting history of White River High School was highlighted recently when the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed four individuals and a state championship team.

The induction ceremony was staged the evening of March 12 and served to honor HOF recipients for the past two years. A ceremony originally planned for 2021 was a COVID casualty.

The 2022 honorees include groundbreaking coach Trena Page and best-of-his-era athlete Thron Riggs. Chosen a year ago were Cindy (Browning) Meyer, Joe Kolisch and the state champion 1995 wrestling team.

This marks the second ceremony for White River athletics. The Hall of Fame launched in 2020 with an inaugural class consisting of John Garnero, Helen (Mills) Horton, John Hyppa, Andy Maris and the 1973 state champion boys’ basketball team.

Here’s a bit of information about those who were inducted March 12.

Trena Page: A teacher and coach from 1974 to 1993, Page was on hand to witness the birth of girls’ sports at the high school level – not just witness, but launch four programs. She was the school’s first head coach for volleyball, basketball, softball and track and field.

“It fell to her to build four athletic programs from the ground up and open athletics to every girl enrolled at the high school,” according to White River’s Hall of Fame website. Her background as a high school and collegiate athlete allowed her to “become a driving force for equity in sports by advocating and promoting opportunities for girls in the White River School District.”

Thron Riggs’ great-nephew Jeff Byrnes accepts his award on his behalf during the White River Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Photo by Kevin Hanson

Thron Riggs: A 1939 graduate of Buckley High School (later White River), Riggs went on to become the most accomplished football player in school history.

He gained all-conference status during his Buckley career then headed off to the University of Washington where he was a three-year starter for the Huskies on both the offensive and defensive lines. His active playing days were capped with a 1944 stint in the National Football League with the short-lived Boston Yanks, an early entry into the NFL.

Riggs’ high school days included postseason honors in basketball and he also threw the discus and shot put for the track and field squad. Much more than an athlete, Riggs also played in the school’s band and orchestra, was voted student body president and was named class valedictorian.

A veteran of World War II who later had a long career with Chevron, Riggs died in 2015.

Grandchildren Marcus Rodriguez and Danielle Markle deliver comments on Hall of Fame inductee Joe Kolisch. Photo by Kevin Hanson

Joe Kolisch: A three-sport athlete during his days as a White River student, Kolisch became a fixture around Hornet athletics and a lifelong supporter of the Hornets.

He played football, basketball and baseball before graduating with the class of 1962. But Kolisch really made an impression during the decades that followed. He was the school’s athletic trainer for more than 20 years, standing on the sidelines or sitting in the gym while serving athletes in the maroon and gold.

He is being honored by the Hall of Fame for his adult dedication to his alma mater.

The HOF website notes how Kolisch could be found “tending to (athletes) when they got hurt, making sure their parents knew what to do.”

The site also mentions his “deep appreciation for kids who were tough and a deep compassion for those who needed help.”

He retired as chief of the Enumclaw Fire Department (while still residing in Buckley) and died in 2013.

Cindy (Browning) Meyer, a two-time state champion at WRHS, accepts her award at the induction ceremony. Photo by Kevin Hanson

Cindy (Browning) Meyer: This two-time state champion is “one of the earliest dominant female athletes in school history and the first female state champion (in any sport) at White River High School,” according to her HOF biography.

Before the javelin thrower’s career was finished, she had captured the Class A state title in 1977 and the AA championship in 1978. Her shot at a third individual title was hampered by injury, but she still managed a second-place finish in 1979.

She landed in the record books with a throw of 150 feet, 8 inches which was, at that time, the best ever recorded at a state meet and the best by a White River female athlete.

She graduated with the White River High class of 1980.

Members of the Hall of Fame wrestling team accept their award from Athletic Director Chris Gibson. Photo by Kevin Hanson

1995 Wrestling Team: After capturing a league title and regional championship, this group proved to be the best of its size in Washington, winning the AA tournament.

The state title effort was the combined effort of eight grapplers, including two state champions.

The title-winning team was coached by Mike Salcido who was assisted by Bob Price and Rod Hodel.