ATHLETIC
HALL OF FAME
Class of 2023
*Byers Phelps
1972
At ORHS – Earned 6 varsity letters during his career at Oak Ridge in 2 sports – Cross Country and Track and considered one of the first great star’s in Oak Ridge’s rich history. In Cross Country, he earned 3 varsity letters, while winning the MVP award in his senior season. In track – he earned another 3 letters and as a junior won the Metro championship in the 880-yard run, breaking the Metro record in the process. He excelled to new heights as a Senior winning another Metro Championship in the 880 while breaking his own record – which lasted 22 years. He went on to place second in the 880 in the State meet – and helped lead Oak Ridge to the State Championship in the Mile Relay – running the fastest time in Orange County history, and the 4th fastest time in FL history at the time. Named the Sentinel Star Central Florida Track Athlete of the year as a Senior. He ranks #2 All-Time in Oak Ridge history in the 880, #3 in the Mile run, and his Mile Relay team ranks #12. Post HS - Went on to graduate from FTU – later known as UCF – with a degree in Finance.
Gerald Jackson
1982
At ORHS - A 3-year letterman in track in field, he helped the Pioneers win 3 straight Metro, District, Region, and State championships. He earned All-Metro, District, Region, and State honors, excelling in the long jump and relays. He ranks #2 all-time in the long jump and is the only athlete in school history to run on 3 State Championships Relay Teams in the same season – 440 Relay, Mile Relay and the Mile Medley. Those relays still rank #5 (440 relay), #2 (Mile Relay), and #2 (Mile Medley) all time. He went on to earn All-American honors as a member of the Mile Relay team, and the Burger King Coaches Achievement award as a senior. Post HS – He went on to compete at Santa Fe College, where he helped the track team to a runner-up finish indoors in 1983. He was inducted into Santa Fe College Hall of Fame in 2016.
Margaret Turman
1983
At ORHS – A 3-year letterman in track and field, she helped the Lady Pioneers team find success at the Metro, District, Region and State levels as they swept championship titles for 3 years straight in each. She was a 7-time Metro, 10-time District, and 7-time Region champion and among some of the winningest females in Oak Ridge’s rich track and field tradition. She won 3 State Championships as member of the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams, while going on to rack up All-American honors as a senior. In her junior & senior seasons, she propelled arguably some of the best 4x100 teams ever , as they went on to run the fastest times in Florida history twice – in back to back seasons (1982, 1983). She also earned All-State honors in the 300 hurdles, where she still ranks 5th all time in school history. Post ORHS – Went on to pursue a career in Education.
Darnell Harrison
1991
At ORHS – A 2-sport athlete for the Pioneers earning 8 varsity letters in total – 4 in Football and 4 and Track. On the football field he was a 3 year starter at Wide Receiver. He earned All-Metro honors as a junior, while leading his team to a 9-2 record and a victory in the Rotary Bowl where he earned MVP honors. In his senior year, he earned All-Metro honors again, as well as All-County – leading his team with 15 TD receptions, as well as being named team MVP. On the track, he ran on both the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams, as well as a triple jumper. He was a member of 2 Metro Conference Championship Teams, and 1 District Championship. Post ORHS – Went on to play football at Kemper Junior College where he earned All-American honors as a freshman, before transferring to Western Illinois University for his final 3 seasons – where he earned All-Conference honors his junior and senior seasons. He went on to become a successful high school football and track coach – where is has won a State Championship along with the Florida Dairy Farmers Coach of the Year award.
Monica Ekeroma
2001
At ORHS – Arguably one of the great female all-around athletes in Pioneer history, totaling 14 Letters in 6 different sports - Basketball (4), Volleyball (4), Softball (2), Weightlifting (2), Flag Football (1) and Track (1). In volleyball, she was a 3-time All-Metro and All-District player. She took home Defensive Player of the Year Honors 3 times, while winning team MVP honors 3 times as well. As a junior she was named the MVP of the Oak Ridge and Zephyrhills Tournaments. In her senior season she again won the Oak Ridge Tournament MVP award, along with racking up All-State honors respectively. She led the Lady Pioneers to Back-to-Back-Back District Championships (1998-2000). In basketball, she earned All-Metro and All-District honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. She was also named team MVP both her junior and senior seasons. On the softball field, she earned All-Metro and All-District honors as a Sophomore, while going on to win team MVP honors as well. In Weightlifting she was a 2-time Metro Conference champion, winning her junior and senior years, while going on to also win a District Championship in her weightclass as a Senior. She led the first Girls Flag Football team in Oak Ridge history at the Quarterback position, and was a thrower for the track & field team her Senior year. During her time at Oak Ridge she swept Best All-Around Female Athlete of the Year 4 years in a row (Freshman through Senior year). Post HS – Went on to serve in the United States Army.
Lou Fiorelli
Coach
During a amazing coaching career spanning 4 decades, 9 of those years were spent at Oak Ridge High School. His career started as a Football scout for the Pioneers while coaching at Conway Junior High School in 1974. The following year he came over to ORHS to coach JV Football for one season, before leaving back to the Junior High ranks. During his time at Memorial Junior High, Coach Fiorelli turned the program into an athletic powerhouse. He was instrumental in the development of feeder pattern for some of the greatest athletes in Oak Ridge History. He coached 5 athletes who went on to become High School All-Americans for the Pioneers, as well as 2 Oak Ridge Athletic Hall of Fame members – Reggie Pressley and Vincent Smith. The “legend” was born. With pit stop at Jones HS, Coach Fiorelli returned to Oak Ridge in 1994 as the Dean of Students and began his second stint coaching football for the Pioneers. He led the Freshman Football team to a 7-1 record in his first season as head coach. Leading with that success, the following season he was name head coach of the varsity where he stayed at the helm for 3 seasons. He went on to become the Head Girls Bowling Coach, as well as the Assistant Boys Track coach – where he worked with many All-Metro and All-State athletes. In 2001, he teamed up with Oak Ridge Athletic Hall of Fame Coach John Hemmer to head the freshman football team to dominance. As head coach, he amassed a record of 15-1 over 2 seasons before leaving to become an Athletic Director at Freedom HS as it opened in 2003. During his coaching career, Fiorelli coached many players that went on to play Division 1 football, with 6 former players going on to careers in the NFL.