By Al Rabenold
“Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s . . . Katie-girl!”
Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
As a “baby boomer” I was fascinated watching Superman perform superhuman feats in the fictional city of Metropolis on our small black & white TV.
Four decades later along came this petite dynamo from Generation Z who performed superhuman feats right here in Montezuma! She is my superhero — I call her “Katie-girl”!
Katie (Maschmann) Thomason – 2022 hall of fame inductee
As it should be in a small school, our best athletes need to compete in multiple sports in order for our high school teams to have success and Katie Maschmann was one of the best.
In girls track, she very well might have been the best in MHS history and she wasn’t too shabby in the “other sports” as well. Let’s take a look.
As the softball team’s center fielder, she covered a lot of ground, using her speed to take away the opponents’ potential base hits. Katie holds our school records in career stolen bases and the number of base hits in a single season.
In the fall, Katie earned all-SICL honors in volleyball and set the school record for digs in a single season.
An all-conference performer on the basketball court, Katie holds the school record for steals in a single season, as well as free-throw percentage.
Her senior season she led the Bravettes to the regional final game, losing to the eventual state champion. Her post-season honors included being named Academic All-State and being selected to play in the senior all-star game.
But track is where Katie’s star shined the brightest. While there is not enough time or newsprint to list all of her lofty achievements, here is a snapshot of her star-studded career.
Katie is a seven-time state track champion and is the current Class 1A State Meet record holder in the 100-meter dash.
She owns six different school track records and is a three-time Drake Relays finalist in the 100-meter dash. Katie ran nder the previous school record time of 12.5 in the 100 and lost that race just five times in four years!
After her graduation from MHS in 2016, Katie accepted an athletic scholarship from the University of Northern Iowa. As a sprinter, she competed in relays and individual events while earning a bachelor’s degree in finance in just two and a half years!
Today, Katie is still on the run as she holds down a full-time job while being a wife and a mother to her two children. At 24 years old, Katie is the youngest MHS Hall of Fame inductee ever!
Congratulations to Katie Maschmann Thomason on her induction into the Montezuma High School Hall of Fame!
The late Dennis Wilson impacted lives
As a head coach or an assistant, the late Dennis “Wils” Wilson played a large role in developing championship teams in four different sports at MHS.
But most important, he made an impact in people’s lives.
His greatest accomplishments were developing amazing relationships that created tremendous leaders for the future through a variety of activities he coached.
In the fall, Wilson served as Coach Darrell Brand’s assistant football coach where Ron Willrich was his mentor.
During the winter months, Wilson served on the sidelines for both boys’ and girls’ basketball throughout his career.
Coaching boys first with Al Rabenold, he helped win conference championships. Coaching on the girls’ side was unique as he helped transition the Bravettes from 6-on-6 to the five-player game with Coach Greg Criswell.
On the oval, Wilson teamed up with Jerry Rohach to produce several outstanding individual performances while featuring record-breaking relay teams and a state runner-up team finish in the spring of 1987.
Wils was also seen on the diamond coaching softball at all levels with Coach Tony DiCecco.
Overall, Coach Wils will be remembered for being a tremendous person, mentor and coach who helped impact many teams and athletes to reach their fullest potential.
Congratulations to the family of the late Dennis Wilson on his induction into the Montezuma High School Hall of Fame!
Induction ceremony is Saturday, Aug. 27
The class will be introduced on Friday night, Aug. 26, at halftime of the varsity football game.
The hall of fame induction ceremony will be Saturday, Aug. 27, at 4 p.m. in the North Gym.
Here are the 2022 inductees:
Katie (Maschmann) Thomason
Ruth Fleming
Brad Arendt
Marty James
The late Coach Dennis Wilson
The 1987 Boys Track Team