Prairie adds to its Athletic Hall of Fame

Posted

BRUSH PRAIRIE – The 2016 inductees into the Prairie High School Athletic Hall of Fame were honored prior to the school’s home basketball game with Columbia River Thursday night.

Members of the 2016 class of inductees included Steve Stuart, Rip Ramsay and the 2000 state championship softball team.

Here’s a look at this year’s inductees:

2000 softball champions

Led by coach Al Aldridge, Prairie’s 2000 state championship softball team was dominant throughout the 2000 season, finishing with a 23-5 overall record.

At the state tournament, the Falcons advanced to the state semifinals with a 5-0 win over Eisenhower and a 3-1 victory over Central Kitsap. Prairie earned a berth into the title game with a 5-4 win over Olympia. In the championship game, the Falcons defeated Greater St. Helens League-rival Kelso 3-2 to earn the title.

Members of the team included Angie Domreis, Crystal Marquiss, Kristan Kellogg, Kelly Lind, Blaire Woodward, Crystal Steinmuller, Jennifer Steinmuller, Barbara Simpson, Carlyn Arteaga, Brittany Warner, Sandra Sperry, Ciara Hugie and Brenda Pickup. Aldridge’s assistant coaches were Larry Douglass, Scott Schram, Dawn Rowe and Stuart Rowe.

Steve Stuart

Steve Stuart graduated from Prairie in 1989 and earned letters in football, basketball and baseball for the Falcons.

Stuart was a three-year varsity football player and was a key member of Prairie’s 1988 co-Greater St. Helens League championship team, earning all-league status as an inside linebacker. He also won the 1988 Gordon Buslach Scholar Athlete Award.

Stuart earned two varsity letters in basketball and he was a starter on the Falcons’ 1989 team that placed seventh at the state tournament. He was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player that year and was also named to the all-league team.



Stuart also excelled at baseball for the Falcons, starring on Prairie’s 1989 state championship team. At the state tournament that year, Stuart had a 2-0 record as a pitcher with two complete games, 26 strikeouts and just five runs allowed. He was voted the GSHL Player of the Year and was also named to the all-state team.

Stuart was offered scholarships to play baseball at Washington, Washington State and San Diego State and was also selected by the Minnesota Twins in the Major League Baseball draft.

Stuart is currently the city manager for the city of Ridgefield.

Rip Ramsey

Rip Ramsey was a 1986 graduate of Prairie.

Ramsey was a three-year letterman in baseball and led the Falcons to the state championship in 1986. He had a 17-strikeout performance in a regional game that season.

In his career, Ramsey had a 26-3 pitching record at Prairie. He was an all-league and all-state pitcher and infielder during his career with the Falcons.

As a student, Ramsey was the junior class president and ASB president his senior year at Prairie.

After high school, Ramsey was selected as the NWAACC Player of the Year in 1988 while playing for Yakima Valley College. He then went on to play at Washington State University and was the Cougars’ team captain in 1991.

Ramsey currently lives in Spokane. He has two sons – Jake, 23, and Spencer, 22. He works in the real estate industry and also serves as an associate scout for the Seattle Mariners.