WESTMINSTER — West-Oak High School recently inducted its first class into the school’s Wrestling Hall of Fame as Adam Duncan, Keith Denny, Pat Roeder, Jason Tannery and Jim Tannery were immortalized for their accomplishments both on and off the mat.

“We looked at the history and accomplishments of these guys, and we wanted to try to get them some recognition for all that they have done for this school,” said West-Oak head wrestling coach Jeff Jordan. “Every other school in the county has something like this, and we were a little behind, so I wrote the by-laws and set the criteria for induction. There were plenty of people who were deserving of the honor, but I think we picked the best five for the inaugural class.”

Some of the criteria measured for induction into the West-Oak Wrestling Hall of Fame were accomplishments on and off the mat while in high school and college and service to the program since graduation.

“One of the biggest things that I looked at was what was special about the wrestler,” Jordan said. “For instance Keith Denny was the first ever individual state champion at West-Oak High School. In 1990, he set the standard for what we expect here. But all of these guys have been great to the program and to me personally ever since I got here.”

Adam Duncan and Jason Tannery followed Denny’s example and each won multiple individual state wrestling titles at West-Oak. Duncan was a three-time state champ (’94, ’95 and ’96), and Tannery won two titles (’92 and ’93). Duncan earned a wrestling scholarship to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and was a four-year starter, gaining three Southern Conference championships. Duncan was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1996. Tannery received one of the last wrestling scholarships ever at Clemson University, before the program disbanded in ’96.

After graduating from college both Duncan and Tannery returned to the area and continue to assist the West-Oak Wrestling program. They run an off-season wrestling clinic, JET Wrestling, in Seneca, which trains wrestlers as young as five years old in the sport. Over the years, JET Wrestling has produced five state champion wrestlers.

“It’s a huge honor to be inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame,” Duncan said. “I’m glad that a small group of people here in West-Oak still remember the things that we accomplished, but I hope that they still notice the things that we’re doing now by giving back to the wrestling community as well as West-Oak High School. This was just a big honor to be associated with these great people in the first class inducted.”

Tannery echoed those comments and felt honored to be inducted in the same class with his father, the late Jim Tannery.

“This was a great honor,” Tannery said. “My dad getting put in was the biggest thing for me. He was an Upper State champ, but his biggest accomplishment for the program was fundraising and support. My dad would load up eight to ten guys in a van and take us to tournaments every weekend so we could get better. My dad really grew the sport of wrestling here and got a lot of people interested. We’ve had a lot of successful wrestlers here at West-Oak, and it was an honor just to be inducted in this first class.”

There have been 23 state titles won in wrestling by 16 different West-Oak athletes over the years. Coach Pat Roeder can be credited for some of those state titles, as he guided the wrestling program at West-Oak for 25 years, until his retirement in 1990.

“We have been trying to honor the traditions at West-Oak High School and start new ones,” said West-Oak athletic director Bobby Norizsan. “Coach Jordan has really taken that under his wing, and he’s really trying hard to bring back the tradition of West-Oak wrestling. He felt it was important to honor the people who really gave West-Oak its start in wrestling and continue that strong tradition.”

The West-Oak Wrestling Hall of Fame will be housed in the wrestling locker room. Pictures and information about each of the five initial inductees as well as future inductees will be posted so wrestlers can see their accomplishments.

“I hope this Hall of Fame gives our kids something to look up to and strive for,” Jordan said. “I hope it really just builds a tradition and sense of family for this program.”