By Al Rabenold
Members of the 2022 class of the Montezuma Hall of Fame 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.
Members of the new class are:
- Katie (Maschmann) Thomason
- Ruth Fleming
- Brad Arendt
- Marty James
- Coach Dennis Wilson
- The 1987 Boys Track Team
This week, we begin a series about the 2022 inductees, with more coming in the week leading up to the ceremony.
Marty James was a true multi-sport athlete
Marty James was a four-sport standout at MHS from 1985-1989. A first team all-SICL choice on the gridiron, James led the Braves to an undefeated 8-0 conference season, and a spot in the state playoffs.
On the hardwood, the rangy southpaw scored 1,138 career points. Marty averaged nearly 20 points per game while leading the Braves to a 21-win season.
He was named first team All-State by the IBCA, first team all-SICL, KGRN All-Area and the Braves most valuable player. James shared the Honor M Award and captain duties with teammate Brad Arendt, a fellow 2022 Hall of Fame inductee.
Marty’s competitive nature was never more evident than on the track. His 50.38 time in the 400 meter dash is best in school history. As a member of the 4×800 relay team he anchored the Braves to a school record time of 7:59.50. His sophomore year saw him help the Braves to the 1987 Class 2A State runner-up title.
In baseball, James holds the school record for both season and career triples. The summer of ’89 James’ big bat helped the Braves to one of the most successful seasons in school history with 22 wins!
James continued his athletic career at Simpson College where he lettered in basketball, football, and track. Marty was inducted into the Storm Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.
Congratulations to Marty James on his upcoming induction into the Montezuma High School Hall of Fame!
Ruth Fleming helped end a Bravettes drought
In the late 1960s and early 1970s a bunch of wide-eyed Montezuma elementary school girls spent their Tuesday and Friday winter nights standing on the wooden bleachers of packed gyms screaming for their 6-on-6 heroines, while dreaming for their own chance to perform on the big stage in Des Moines known as Veterans Auditorium.
They worshipped high-scoring Bravette forwards like Sandy Van Cleave, Stephanie Stripling and Laine Lundy.
As the 1978-79 hoops season approached, the MHS girls hadn’t been part of the Sweet Sixteen in six years, a long drought for Bravette fans.
Surrounded by a strong supporting class of seniors on both ends of the court, a 5’9” scoring machine by the name of Ruth Fleming helped change that.
Ruth’s offensive fireworks led the mighty Bravettes to a regular season SICL title as well as Sectional, District, and Regional Championships as they reached the promised land they yearned for while growing up — punching their ticket to State for the first time since the 1971-72 season!
In her magical senior season, Fleming scored a whopping 1,137 points, propelling the Bravettes to 24 wins, including four games in which they broke the century mark. Ruth averaged over 42 points per game, shooting 60% from the field and nearly 80% from the charity stripe.
In her 4-year career, 1975-79, (prior to the introduction of the 3-point shot in 1982) Ruth scored 2,834 points as a Bravette, second only to the legendary Sandy Van Cleave.
Congratulations to Ruth Fleming on her upcoming induction to the Montezuma High School Hall of Fame!