Richard Stickney was called the “best male gymnast I ever coached” by his coach Darrel Lickliter and now the 1968 grad is being inducted to the Mt. Diablo High School Sports Hall of Fame on Nov 2. Stickney was a three-time DVAL and East Bay sidehorse champion.
Mt. Diablo introduces new Hall of Fame members, team
Mt. Diablo High will honor its 2019 Sports Hall of Fame class on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Zio Fraedo’s in Pleasant Hill with proceeds from the induction dinner helping fund girls and boys athletic and academic programs at the Concord school.
This year’s recipients are Bill Duby (Class of 1984, football, basketball, baseball, track), Earl James March (1962, swimming, wrestling), Heath McInerney (1984, wrestling, track), Art Pargament (1957, basketball, baseball), Richard Stickney (1968, gymnastics) and the 1960 football team.
Bill Duby
Bill Duby played three years of varsity football, basketball and baseball while earning 10 letters. He was all-league football as a junior and senior and was also all-East Bay Examiner section in his final season. He also joined the track team as a senior and competed at North Coast Section in the triple jump and 440-yard relay for the Red Devils. He played football at San Francisco State after graduation.
Earl James March
Earl James March was a rare wrestling and swimming dual letterwinner for MDHS. In the pool, March set several meet and school records in the backstroke, butterfly and on Red Devil relay teams. After a big meet against Pittsburg his junior year he was named Concord Quarterback Club Prep of the Week. He was swim team MVP as a senior. He also competed in AAU swimming away from school.
Heath McInerney
Heath McInerney was another versatile athlete with varsity letters in football, track and wrestling. As a senior he was a team captain and was all-DVAL offensive lineman. His all-around excellence won McInerney the P.J. Kramer Award as athlete of the year in 1984. He went on from Mt. Diablo to play a pair of seasons each at Diablo Valley College and Boise State. He was a team captain at DVC, team MVP and all-Golden Gate Conference as well as throwing the javelin for the track team. The Vikings were Golden Valley Bowl champions capping an undefeated season. At Boise State he played for former MDHS coach Lyle Setencich and was voted most improved lineman. He coached as Boise for three years before starting a teaching career.
Art Pargament
Art Pargament helped his team to league championships in his final two seasons, named all-league shortstop both times. He led the league in home runs in 1957. He was part of Mt. Diablo’s first two of 10 baseball titles in 11 years from 1956-66. He earned three baseball and two basketball varsity letters. He played freshman basketball at College of the Pacific in Stockton and then played basketball and baseball at Chico State where he was part of a Far West Conference 1960 baseball championship team.
Richard Stickney
Richard Stickney was a four-year varsity gymnastics member and his coach Darrel Leckliter described him as the “best male gymnast I ever coached.” His final three years at the school he was the DVAL and East Bay side horse champion. As a junior he won the Northern California Invitational side horse championship. He was a two-time East Bay winner on the rings. He later participated in the Olympic Trials at DVC. Besides the horse, his over events were the rings and parallel bars.
1960 Football Team
1960 Football Team lost one game, 13-12 to Las Lomas while compiling an 8-1 record and taking the DVAL championship. Twelve members of that team earned all-DVAL recognition, including seven on first team for coach Hart Fairclough. Fullback Tom Brown and quarterback Marty Piscovich were part of the North-South Shrine Game along with their coach. The duo also got all-America recognition. The Red Devils set a slew of school records. The senior class members as sophomores (JV) and juniors and seniors lost only one game each year for a combined 22-3-1 mark.
Hall of Fame dinner tickets are available by contacting Lou Adamo at 212-9332 or mailing a check to Lou Adamo, 1401 Stonecreek Ct., Martinez, CA 94553. Make checks payable to MDHSSHOF. Tickets are $55 person.
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