The Jackson R-2 School District announced its third-ever athletic hall of fame class last week. Each member of the class was honored at halftime of Friday night’s football game against Cape Central.
Jackson’s hall of fame inductees are selected by a 15-person committee, which will always include the current Jackson principal, athletic or assistant athletic director, at least one member of the Tribal Council Booster Club, current and former Jackson coaches and alumni.
Former Indians ranging from athletes, coaches and individuals who have given praiseworthy service to any Jackson athletic program can be inducted. Athletes aren’t eligible until five years after they’ve graduated from Jackson. Teams that have won state championships are automatically nominated, while teams placing in the top four at state are eligible as well.
Here is the official Jackson R-2 School District Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2023:
Andrea Siemer Marchi (Class of 1992): Andrea Siemer Marchi was a three-sport athlete while at Jackson, competing in volleyball, basketball and track and field.
In basketball, Andrea was all-conference and all-district three years and received the outstanding athlete award for basketball. Andrea was the SEMO Conference player of the year her senior season. She was second team all-state her junior year and first team all state her senior year, along with academic all-state her senior year.
As a senior, Marchi was voted on as Miss Missouri Basketball Player of the Year (this is the top honor in the state for all classes). Andrea holds the all time scoring record for the Jackson girls basketball program with 1,610 points.
She played at Mizzou from 1992 to 1996 and played in every game while in college as a guard. Andrea was named the MVP of the Chesebrough-Pond Tournament in 1996. While in College, Andrea had a career average 7.5 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Ronnie Hobeck (Class of 1982): Ronnie Hobeck was a three-sport athlete while attending Jackson, playing football, wrestling and track and field. Ronnie was all-state in football his senior year as a defensive linemen. In 1982, he was named to the all-conference and all-district teams.
During his senior year in wrestling, he won the State Champion with a 36-1 record. He was also named an all-district and all-conference wrestler his junior and senior year.
In his track career. he was a state qualifier in shot put and 4×100. After high school in 1993, he competed in the Police and Fire World Games in wrestling and won his weight division.
Brandon Norman (Class of 1988): Norman was a three-sport athlete while attending Jackson. In 1987, he was named to the all-conference track and field team. In wrestling, Brandon was a all-conference and all-district wrestler in 1987. As a senior in 1988, Norman was all-conference, all-district and a state champion while going undefeated at 34-0.
In football in 1986, Brandon was named all-conference and all-district, and in 1987 he was all-conference, all-district and second team all-state linebacker. Norman attended Southeast Missouri State on a full scholarship for football.
After attending SEMO, Brandon started teaching and coaching at Scott City 1993 and then came back to his alma mater to coach football for 28 years under head coaches Carl Gross, Van Hitt and Brent Eckely.
Brandon was on the 2020 staff at Jackson that won the state championship and recorded a perfect season 14-0. Brandon was also on the Jackson wrestling staff as an assistant coach for seven years from 1994-2001 and coached numerous state champions.
Lane Lohr (Class of 1983): Lane Lohr was a three sport athlete while attending Jackson, competing in football, wrestling and track and field. In football, Lohr was all-state his senior year and all-district and all-conference. The same year he excelled in wrestling, winning the Tiger Classic, districts and was a state qualifier.
During Lane’s junior and senior year of track, he was all Conference and all District. His track career at Jackson had many highlights, including being a two-time state champion in pole vault, two-time state-record holder in pole vault and all-state in the 165-meter low hurdles.
After high school, Lohr continued his track career at Illinois in pole vaulting. He was a three-time NCAA runner-up in pole vault, four-time Big Ten Champion, Big Ten Meet Record, five-time All-American and placed fifth at the World University Games.
Post college he continued to pole vault and competed for New York Athletic Club/Nike and was a seven time finalist at the US Track & Field Championships (1986-1992), a two time Finalist at US Olympic Trials (1988, 1992), 3 time Medalist US Olympic Festival and 1989 IAAF Golden League Finalist.
Lane then went to be the Director of men’s and women’s cross country and track teams at Lindenwood. There he was National Assistant Coach of the Year three times and National Coach of the Year.
He also was an assistant track coach at Washington University, where he coached nine athletes to 14 individual and relay national titles, 31 athletes to 116 All-American performances, 40 team conference titles, 16 top -five NCAA team finishes and three NCAA National Championship teams. Lane is a member of the Missouri Track and Cross Country association Hall of Fame and member of the Lindenwood Athletics Hall of Fame as the Head Coach of the 2005 Men’s Indoor National Championship team.
Carl Gross (Coach from 1982-2007): Carl Gross was a head football coach and track and field coach in his career at Jackson. Gross started his coaching career at Jackson in 1982 as an assistant coach with the Jackson football program. He became the head coach in 1989 and coached till 2007, serving 19 years in the head role for the tribe. In his time leading the Indians, Gross compiled a record of 137-69 with a 66.5 winning percentage.
While in charge, he won eight conference titles, eight district championships and finished second in the state tournament twice, third once, fourth once and sixth once. While coaching, he produced 26 first team all-state selections. He was named the Coach of the Year six times for the SEMO Conference.
Carl was also on the staff of the track team from 1981to 2007, coaching numerous athletes and state champions. Carl has been inducted into the inaugural Cape Central Athletic Hall of Fame as an athlete. He was the recipient of the Sam Giambelluca Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 in honor of a lifetime of dedication and service to Missouri High School Athletics.
Bruce Thomas (Coach T): Bruce Thomas was a four-time undefeated MIAA Conference Champion in Wrestling and two-time All-American. Bruce finished third in Olympic Trials and third in Pan American Trials twice. Coach T was also a member of the USA Freestyle Wrestling team team and in 1983 ranked fifth in the world in the heavyweight class.
Bruce was a teacher for Jackson R-2 School District for 26 years. While at Jackson, he coached the football team’s defensive line and was the head wrestling coach. While leading the Indians wrestling team, Coach T’s record included 105 wins and a career record 105-10-3, 52 straight dual meet wins.
Bruce was also an official for football for 16 years and wrestling for eight years. Seven of those years he was named the SEMO Conference Official of the Year and officiated the state wrestling tournament twice.
Coach T has been inducted into the National Hall of Fame for Wrestling, State Hall of Fame and the Southeast Missouri State University Hall of Fame. He has received the Sam Giambelluca Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of a lifetime of dedication and service to Missouri athletics.
