Antioch Sports Legends honor Class of 2023 Hall of Fame inductees

The official photo of 13 of the 15 inductees in the Class of 2023 Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame. Photo by Steve Nosanchuck

By Allen D. Payton

On Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, the Antioch Sports Legends honored and celebrated 15 members and a team in this year’s class of inductees during their 16th annual dinner and ceremony. Founded by four organizers in 2006 as part of the Antioch Historical Society, they established a wing inside the Antioch Historical Museum that honors the city’s past athletes, teams, coaches and volunteers. The board recently incorporated as the Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame, Inc.

This year’s class includes athletes Devon Almarinez, Matt Baugh, Clark Davidson, Erica Helms, Mason Hibbard, Ashley Hodges, Lynn Lohmeier, Eddie Loretto, Lisa Ma’ake, Cassie Mann, Eddie Miller, Bob Olds, and Andy Sample, the Antioch High School 1986-1987 Golf Team, Antioch High cross-country coach Mike Amorosa and Community Leader Recipient Joanne Bilbo.

Inductees, family and friends enjoyed the annual Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame dinner and ceremony held at the Lone Tree Golf & Event Center on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Photos by Allen D. Payton

Gary Bras served as Master of Ceremonies for the evening’s event. Following the dinner at the Lone Tree Golf & Event Center, he introduced Board of Directors President Mike Hurd to welcome the honorees, their families and friends in attendance.

“This is your night, inductees. This is a night you’ll always remember. We’re excited to have you here,” he said. “They were voted on by past inductees.”

“It costs about $70,000 per year to run the Sports Legends program. Volunteers and contributions are welcome,” Hurd added.

Class of 2007 Hall of Fame inductees, former professional baseball players and brothers Butch and Rally Rounsaville (left & center) were among the past recipients honored during the dinner on Oct. 7, 2021. Photo by Allen D. Payton

Past inductees were asked to stand and given a round of applause. This year’s honorees were then introduced for a group photo, and individually presented with a plaque, and given the opportunity to share a few words. Golfer Bob Olds received the largest round of applause.

Photo by Allen D. Payton

Following is the information about each Class of 2023 inductee and their photos provided in the event’s program:

Devon Almarinez, 2002 DVHS All-Around Male Athelete

Devon Almarinez

Devon Almarinez was selected to the varsity soccer team his sophomore year which enabled him to compete alongside his older brother Sports Legends Inductee, Niles Almarinez. The two of them were instrumental in helping Deer Valley High Schools win its first North Coast Section Division 1 Soccer Team Championship over perennial powerhouse De La Salle in the NCS Championship Game.

Following the championship season, Devon decided to compete in cross-country, and track and field to improve his endurance for soccer. He won his first cross-country race at the Contra Loma Reservoir Meet which inspired him to continue to compete and train resulting in him being selected 1st Team All-Bay Valley Athletic League and Most Valuable Runner on the Deer Valley Cross Country Team.

Devon was a strong and fast runner who excelled in the 800 meters in track and field. He was undefeated his senior year in the 800 meters and placed 2nd at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions with a time of 1:55.17 that qualified him for advancement to the California Interscholastic Federation Track & Field Championships. At the conclusion of the season, he was selected 1st Team North Coast Section 3A and 1st Team All-BVAL in Track & Field.

As a senior, he was selected 1st team All-BVAL in all three varsity sports in soccer, cross country and track and field. He was honored as the 2002 Deer Valley High School Male Athlete of the Year and a member of the prestigious Contra Costa County Times Top 50 Male Athletes.

Following high school graduation, Devon earned an athletic scholarship to play soccer at the University of San Francisco. After completing his first year of soccer at USF, he decided to transfer to Saint Mary’s College to join his brother Niles on the Saint Mary’s College Soccer Team

Matt Baugh, 2004 DVHS Baseball

Matt Baugh

When Deer Valley reached the 2003 NCS championship game for the first time in school history, Coach Dennis Luquet chose junior southpaw Matt Baugh to start the game. Baugh did not disappoint, holding Clayton Valley to 1 run on 3 hits over 6 innings in the Wolverines’ 4-1 victory. His 10 wins that season tied the then school record, leading Deer Valley to a 23-8-1 record. Baugh was dominant that season with 96 strikeouts (3rd in school history) with an ERA of 1.96. His accomplishments that season were recognized by Cal-Hi Sports when they named Baugh to their All-State Underclassman team.

Baugh first opened the eyes of local baseball fans when he pitched a no-hitter against Ygnacio Valley as a sophomore. His 5 victories that year were a key contribution to the NCS-bound Wolverine team. Unfortunately, arm injuries shut down Matt after only 9 innings as a senior. When Baugh wasn’t pitching, he still played a big role for the Wolverines ending his career with a .319 batting average. His 15 wins are currently 5th in school history despite a shortened senior season.

Matt’s accomplishments earned him a scholarship to the University of Arizona. In his two seasons at Arizona, Baugh had a 2-1 record and 1 save. In the 2005 Pac-10 season, he had a 2.38 ERA and 1-1 record and led the Wildcats with 10 appearances. He transferred to USF for his final two years where he appeared in 27 games for the Dons, starting 22 times. He finished with a career mark of 8-5 with 98 strikeouts in 152 innings and was named USF’s top pitcher in 2008. One highlight was a 10-inning complete game victory over Portland as a senior.

Baugh was a 26th round selection of the Colorado Rockies, pitching in 19 minor league games over two-seasons.

Clark Davidson, 1980 AHS Football

Clark Davidson

Strong, burly and quick, Clark Davidson was a star in numerous sports and excelled in football at Antioch High. As a junior Clark was a member of the DVAL Championship football team as a defensive lineman. That set the stage for a fabulous senior season where he was named 1st team ALL-DVAL defensive lineman and was also named to the 1st team All-East Bay squad. He was selected and played in the Contra Costa-Alameda County All-Star Football Game.

Clark went on to play two years at Los Medanos College as a defensive lineman. He garnered Camino Norte Conference Honorable Mention selections in both his freshman and sophomore season. Davidson parlayed those achievements into a full ride scholarship to the University of Nevada at Reno. While at Reno, Davidson was a two-year letterman on the defensive line and was part of the Wolfpack’s 1983 NCAA Division 1-AA semifinalist team.

Clark also starred on the track and wrestling mat at Antioch High. He won a varsity letter his sophomore year in wrestling and enjoyed a stellar career in Track and Field in the weight events. Davidson’s specialty was the shot

put and during his senior season he won the DVAL championship and the North Coast Meet of Champions which qualified him for the California State Meet. His mark of 58’8’’ ranks him third all-time on the AHS shot put record board. He was also a member of the 1979 DVAL Championship track and field team.

Clark continued his track career during his two years at LMC participating in the shot put, discus and javelin setting a then school record in the javelin. Davidson continued in track at UNR, taking 6th place in the Shot Put at the Big Sky Conference Championships his junior year and 6th place in the javelin his senior season.

Mason Hibbard, 1992 AHS Baseball

Mason Hibbard

It is hard to remember when Mason Hibbard was not actively playing one sport or another. From an early age you would find him either in the pool, on the baseball diamond, the basketball court or the ski slopes. To say that being involved in sports was paramount to the Hibbard family would be an understatement. It was a way of life and what one was expected to do growing up.

While Mason is being inducted in the sport of baseball, he truly was a multi-sport athlete at Antioch High which recognized him as Antioch High School Senior Athlete of the Year for his exploits on the diamond as well as the hardwood.

In the era of single sport athletes Mason was the exception. As a junior he was 2nd Team All-League in baseball and 1st Team All-League and 1st Team All-East Bay in baseball his senior year. He was also 1st Team All-League in basketball both his junior and senior seasons and was Antioch High School’s Most Valuable player in both sports. In addition, the Oakland Tribune recognized him as one of Bay Area’s 1992 Spring Athletes of the Year in baseball.

When it was time to decide on where to go to college and what sport to play, Mason chose Santa Clara University where he was a baseball walk-on his freshman year. He would go on to become a three-year letterman for the Bronco’s. His hard work and performance on the field would earn him a baseball scholarship his senior year. Mason was truly a player who would “take one for the team”. That is exemplified in the Bronco baseball record book where he is still #8 all-time in being hit by a pitch which happened 28 times during his career and #3 all-time with 21 his senior season.

Erica Helms, 2007 DVHS Basketball

Erica Helms

After spending her freshman and sophomore years commuting from Antioch to Stockton to play for State Champion basketball powerhouse St. Mary’s High School, Erica Helms made two decisions. She would verbally commit to play basketball for the University of Nevada Las Vegas and also return home to play her last two years as a Wolverine under the tutelage of coach Lindsey Lopez Wisely whose team had just won the North Coast Section Title in 2005.

To say that decision was a good one would be an understatement. As a junior she would be named to the 2nd Team All-State Underclass Team and 1st Team All-League. As a senior she would average 27.6 points and 3.2 assists per game and was named Co-BVAL Most Valuable Basketball Player. She would set the DVHS single game scoring record with 38 points versus Liberty and would end her high school career with 1,052 points ranking her fifth all-time at DVHS. Along the way she would also be named 2nd team All-CC Times as a senior and one of the CC Times top 50 girl athletes both years.

At UNLV she would become only the 19th player to score 1,000 career points. She led the Lady Rebel freshmen in scoring her first year and was one of only three UNLV players to average double-figures while leading the team in assists with as a sophomore. Her junior year she was named 3rd Team All-Mountain West Conference and led the team in scoring with 412 points which ranked 10th in the conference, scoring in double figures 23 times. Her senior season started a little slowly as she gave birth to her daughter in late September, but she was back on the court one month later and finished the season as the team’s third leading scorer with 208 points.

Ashley Hodges, 2007 DVHS Track & Field

Ashley Hodges

Ashley Hodges success has been the product of hard work, dedication, and a drive to excel. From her triumphs in high school to becoming a standout athlete at Howard University, her journey serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and the pursuit of excellence.

Throughout her high school career she showcased her exceptional talent by qualifying for the CIF State Track and Field Championships in the 800-meter run in both 2006 and 2007. Her accomplishments also included winning the North Coast Section Meet of Champions 800-meter race in 2006 and the North Coast Section Tri-Valley 800-meter championship both as a junior and senior. In addition, she had a 1600-meter personal best of 5:02.96, which ranked her second in the North Coast Section.

Ashley’s exceptional talent during high school was further recognized when she was offered a scholarship to prestigious Howard University in Washington, D.C., competing at the NCAA Division I level. During her college tenure she continued to excel, capturing the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference individual championship in Women’s Cross Country in 2010, advancing her to the NCAA Division I Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. In addition, Ashley showcased her prowess in the indoor 5,000-meter run in 2011, further solidifying her status as an exceptional athlete. Her remarkable achievements were honored with the prestigious Howard University Most Valuable Player Award for the 2010-2011 track and field season.

After graduating from Howard University, this exceptional student-athlete pursued her passion for law, earning a juris doctor degree from the renowned Georgetown University Law Center. Leveraging her expertise, she embarked on a career as an international anti-corruption lawyer for a prominent New York law firm and is based in Paris, France. Her commitment to justice and integrity, continue to drive her forward, making a positive impact on global efforts to combat corruption and promote ethical practices.

Lynn Lohmeier, 1991 AHS All-Around Female Athlete

Lynn Lohmeier

“Lynn has always been involved in sports” said Lorraine Lohmeier, Lynn’s mother. Lynn earned eight varsity letters at Antioch High School, three each in soccer and softball and two in volleyball. She received her first varsity soccer letter playing for Antioch High as a freshman while still a student at Park Junior High. Lynn was All-BVAL in soccer 3 times, and softball twice. An injury in Lynn’s junior year stopped her from being the first Antioch High student-athlete to earn four varsity letters in girls’ soccer.

In softball she was named the Queen of the Mountain Tournament’s top defensive player. She was athlete of the week for the Contra Costa Times, chosen AHS softball team MVP and was named to the All-East Bay Softball team.

To add to her accomplishments, she was named to the 1991 Contra Costa Times All-Star Team after breaking Antioch High School records for bunting and stealing. She also set AHS records that season batting .571 with 28 runs scored, 32 stolen bases with 30 in a row. Her 28 hits were all singles.

Lynn then took her softball talents to Merced Junior College starting at shortstop and second base becoming 1st Team All-Camino Norte Conference. She had the talent of throwing right-hand and batting left-handed and used

her speed on the bases to help lead Merced to the Northern California Regional Softball playoffs.

East County had a number of softball players in Division 1 at the college level in the 1990’s including Lynn at Sacramento State. In 1995 the Sac State softball team made it to the NCAA Collegiate Women’s Division I Softball championships.

Additionally, Lynn received the Golden Key award from the National Honor Society in recognition of her outstanding scholastic achievement and excellence. She was also named to the Western Athletic Conference All-Academic team.

Eddie Loretto, 1984 AHS Football

Eddie Loretto

Eddie Loretto decided to focus on becoming a full-time kicker his junior year at Antioch High School. After a year at the JV level, Loretto became an offensive weapon as a senior for the Panthers. He had four field goals that season of 40 or more yards missing only one and was 31-33 on PAT’s. His 47-yarder set the Panther record for longest field goal, a record that stood for 15 seasons. As a senior his accomplishments were recognized by being named 2nd Team All-League and 1st Team All-East Bay. In addition, Loretto was named to the San Francisco Examiner’s All-Bay Area team.

Upon graduation, he took his powerful left leg to UC Davis to become a member of the Division 2 powerhouse Aggie football squad. After redshirting his first year, he was named the starting kicker for the Aggies. In that 1985 season, Loretto hit 16-21 field goals setting a school record for most FG’s in a season. He was also 37-40 on PAT’s and his 85 points set another school record. As a sophomore, Loretto was 12-15 on his field goals, landing him a spot on the All-Conference 1st team. His senior year saw Loretto connect on all 26 of his PAT’s and 7-12 on FG’s, again earning him 1st Team All-Conference and Honorable Mention on the Little All-American list. He graduated as the Division 2 all-time career scoring leader, setting school records for most FG’s, PAT’s and scoring for both a season and career. He still holds school records for most PAT’s (8) and FG (4) in a game and his 273 career points rank second among all Aggie kickers.

Loretto is currently a history professor at the College of Alameda. He retired from coaching in 2022 after 12 seasons as special teams coach for Pittsburg High School.

Lisa Ma’ake, 2007 DVHS Track & Field

Lisa Ma’ake

It didn’t take long for Lisa Ma’ake to stand out as Deer Valley High School’s top shot putter. As a ninth-grader she would finish first in the North Coast Section Tri-Valley Championships and would go on to qualify for the California State Track & Field Championship, her first of four consecutive trips to the CIF State Meet. Her top performance at State would see her finish in 8th place as a sophomore with a throw of 39’ 11½’.

Along the way to the CIF Championships, she would become a three-time 1st team All- BVAL winner in the shot and two-time winner in the discus. In addition to her 1st place at the NCS Tri-Valley Championships she would also claim the title in the same meet the next two years in both the shot put and discus. At the North Coast Section Meet of Champions shot put final she would finish in the top 4 each year. Her 2nd place finish as a senior with a throw of 40’ 10 1/2” and a 4th place discus throw of 121’ ½” would earn her a trip to the top high school track and field meet in California in both events.

Beyond her individual achievements Lisa would be honored as the BVAL Field Event Athlete of the Year after her junior season. As a senior she would be recognized by the Contra Costa Times as one of the Top 50 Female Athletes in the East Bay.

After high school Lisa enrolled at Fresno State University where, as a freshman, she would set a personal best of 43’ 0” at the prestigious Brutus Hamilton Invitational held at U.C. Berkeley. She would also have the opportunity to complete internationally finishing 3rd at the Ponce Segunda Classificatoria in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Cassie Mann, 2000 AHS Softball

Cassie Mann

The Antioch High School girls’ softball program has had a long list of talented pitchers with several inducted into the Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame. Cassie Mann joins that elite group because of her fabulous careers at Antioch High School and Dominican University. In high school she was the BVAL Player of the Year in her junior season and team MVP as a senior. She was first team All-League both years and was selected as the MVP of the prestigious Queen of the Mountain Tournament in Concord where she was 3-0 and didn’t allow an earned run. She was also included in the Contra Costa Times top 50 Athletes of the Year and was a NCS Scholar Athlete her junior year.

In her sophomore year, the Antioch High School team won the BVAL championship and lost in the North Coast Section semi-finals. In her junior season they lost the NCS championship game to Carondelet High School. Leading up to that tournament game, Cassie won 14 straight games, eleven of which were shutouts. She pitched 54 consecutive innings without opponents scoring a single run.

After high school, she received a full scholarship to Dominican University of California in San Rafael and graduated Cum Laude in 2004 with a degree in International Business Management. She played all four years in college and was team captain her last two seasons. In her first two years, she was awarded the NAIA California Pacific Conference Most Valuable Pitcher. In 2004 she pitched a perfect game and was chosen the Team’s MVP.

After college Cassie embarked on a career in law enforcement and is employed by the Kings County Sheriff’s Office as their Fiscal Manager. She resides in Hanford with her husband and 11-year-old son.

Eddie Miller, 2007 AHS Basketball

Eddie Miller

Following a 2-22 season in 2004-05, the Antioch Panthers stunned local basketball fans when they compiled a record of 43-13 over the next two seasons, including an impressive 23-7 in the formidable BVAL. A major contributor to that turnaround was point guard Eddie Miller. As a junior, Miller averaged a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Panthers finished the season 21-7 with their first NCS playoff berth in many years. Miller’s accomplishments were recognized by being selected 1st Team All-League and 3rd Team All-Contra Costa Times.

Miller’s impressive junior year was just a warmup of what was to follow. As a senior, Miller led the Panthers to another NCS record of 22-6, finishing 14-2 in the BVAL. That season marked the first victory over De La Salle in the program’s history. Miller led the league in scoring with a 15.6 average over the 16-game league schedule and was named the league MVP. Again, the Contra Costa Times recognized Miller by placing him on the All-CC Times regional squad. The Times also named Eddie to its top 50 male athletes list in both his junior and senior years. Dinally, Miller was named the Panther’s Senior Athlete of the Year in 2007 for his exploits in both basketball and track and field.

After graduation, Miller walked on to the basketball program at U.C. Berkeley where he appeared in 15 games over two seasons. He then transferred to UC Davis on a scholarship for this final two years of eligibility. Over the next two seasons, Miller started 52 games as a point guard, scoring a total of 631 points. His senior year was highlighted by a 35-point outburst versus league opponent U.C. Riverside. Miller concluded his basketball career by playing professionally in Brazil for one year.

Bob Olds, 1957 AHS Golf

Bob Olds

Bob Olds didn’t play golf in high school because his passion was baseball, and the two sports were played at the same time of the school year. His brother Jim introduced Bob to the game of golf in 1960 and that’s when Bob’s love affair with golf started and is still going strong over 60 years later.

In 1990, Bob became eligible to start playing senior golf and that’s when his career really took off. In 1992, he became only the second Antioch golfer to qualify to play in the USGA Senior Open held in Bethlehem, PA. He was a NCGA Senior Cup Member from 1994 through 2012 and again in 2014. In 1995 and 2004 he was the Low Amateur at the Northern California Open. Perhaps his most prestigious and hard-earned honor came in 1996 when he was named the NCGA Senior Player of the Year. Bob played in the USGA Senior Amateur Tournament in 1996, 1997 and in 2007 when he qualified for match play. In 1997, at the famous Wing Foot Golf Club in New York, he won the Senior Division Two Man Championship and followed that in 1998 by winning the California State Fair Senior Amateur Championship.

Bob Olds (in dark blue coat) received the greatest applause while being introduced during the induction ceremony. Photo by Allen D. Payton

The new millennium didn’t stop Bob’s winning ways. In 2002 he won the San Francisco City Senior Championship and the Sacramento City Senior Championships in 2003 and 2004. As proof of his longevity, in 2005, at age 65, he became the oldest winner of the California State Senior Championship. Bob’s last win came at the age of 76 when he won the 2016 Sacramento City Super Senior Championship. He has multiple career holes-in-one with the last one coming at the age of 82.

Bob worked for US Steel for 30 years and retired at the age of 55. He currently resides in Brentwood with his wife Sandy.

Andy Sample, 1988 AHS Track & Field

Andy Sample

Andy Sample loved to run, and his talent would become apparent early in his Antioch High School career. As a sophomore he won the varsity 400-meter title at the BVAL league meet, a feat he would repeat two more times as a junior and senior. At the North Coast Section Meet of Champions he qualified for the State Track & Field Championships twice, once in the 300 intermediate hurdles and once in the 400 meters. He was also named AHS track and field Co-MVP his senior season.

Andy had a very successful high school career but for him the last year ended in disappointment. You see, his senior year was supposed to be his breakout track season. However, in a tournament basketball game at Liberty High School Andy broke his ankle and for the next 16 weeks was in a cast. Shortly before the league meet with the cast off and limited training, he still was able to win his third DVAL 400-meter title and go on to qualify for the State Meet. But his goals remained unfulfilled.

That would change the following year when he enrolled at Diablo Valley College. Over the next two seasons at DVC Andy would break the school 400-meter record running 46.61, the fastest 400 meters ever run by any Antioch High School alumnus. He was also part of the record breaking 4×100 and 4×400 meter relay teams. All three records still stand today some 33 years later.

After DVC, Andy received a track scholarship to U.C. Berkeley. At CAL he competed for the Bears in the prestigious Penn and Texas relays and Pac-10 Championships among others. Injuries held him back, but he still was able to run anchor leg on the 4×400 meter relay team that beat UCLA for the first time in 25 years.

AHS 1987 Golf Team – Outstanding Team

Legendary Sports Legends Hall of Fame golf coach Joe Gambetta felt his 1987 team was well prepared and confident prior to teeing it up at the C.I.F. Northern California Golf Championship held at Butte Creek Country Club in Chico. His team didn’t let him down as they would go on to claim the Northern California Golf Championship, completing the season with the highest finish of any sports team in Antioch High School history at that time.

“No, I’m not surprised,” Gambetta said. “These guys play a lot of junior golf, and they love courses like this. The course conditions were good with no wind and the greens were excellent.”

At the NorCal championship, AHS recorded a five-man team score of 396, seven shots better than Merced and Marin Catholic High School. On the 6,897-yard, par 72 course, senior Scott Olds claimed the first medalist spot with a two-day total of 147 followed by Sam Raines who finished tied for second at 148 and Jeff Lyons who tied for sixth at 155. Making up the rest of the team were Rob Heaton, Brian Vieira, Kevin Sullivan and Dave McCoey all of whom contributed to the record-breaking season with key match wins along the way.

On the way to the NorCal championship, after completing a 16-1 dual match record and winning their own Antioch Invitational, the golfers would finish second in the DVAL Championships before elevating their performance to win the North Coast Section title. At NCS the team was led by Scott Olds who finished the  day tournament in 3rd place shooting 151 followed by Jeff Lyons at 153 and Rob Heaton and Sam Raines who each shot 160.

Three of the team members have previously been inducted as individuals in the Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame, Scott Olds in 2014, Jeff Lyons in 2019 and Sam Raines in 2022.

Michael Amorosa, 1996-2008 AHS, Outstanding Coach – Cross Country

Michael Amorosa

Through three decades, Michael Amorosa left his footprint on the trails around Antioch High School. He excelled as a cross country athlete at AHS graduating in 1988, and DVC where he went to the State Championships. Earning a full scholarship to the University of Hawaii, Hilo he qualified and ran in the snow at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Wisconsin.

Michael came back to Antioch and became an Assistant Cross Country coach with Tom Torlakson in 1995. He was hired as the boys and girls head coach in 1996 and for the next thirteen years enjoyed some of the most successful seasons in AHS cross country history. During that time, Coach Amorosa’s runners never had a losing season and racked up a string of highlights, including a 3rd place finish in Division II Girls Cross Country State Championships and his boys’ team beating De La Salle in 2001 to end their 10-year dual meet win streak at 99. His 1999 girls’ team was inducted into the Antioch Sports Hall of Fame in in 2019.

In 1999 and 2000 his girls’ team won the BVAL Cross Country Championship title. In 1998 his boys won the Division II NCS Championship and in 1999 his girls’ team won the Division II NCS Championship. During his tenure, he coached many outstanding runners including previous Antioch Sport Legends inductees Janie Nolan, Chris Hernandez and Christine Perez Michael and his wife Amanda currently work in the medical field and live in Placerville, CA with their two children Ameliana and Vinnie who both run for their high school’s cross-country team.

Joanne Biblo – Community Leader Recipient

Joanne Bilbo

Joanne (Viera) Bilbo is a lifelong resident of Antioch and grew up attending Antioch schools. She joined the Young Ladies Institute of the Holy Rosary Church chapter at the age of 16 and has held numerous offices including President. She recently was presented with a 75-year member award.

Joanne graduated from AHS in 1949 and was active in the Girls Athletic Association (GAA) where she earned the distinguished Emblem A four years in a row. During her senior year she was honored as the Queen of the Block A Carnival.

In 1960 she married Marshall Bilbo and they raised two children, Ken and Kathleen. Joanne kept very busy with the activities of her children and was Clerk of the Course for the Pittsburg swim club for over 15 years where Ken and Kathleen swam.

Joanne and Marshall owned and operated Ernie’s Liquors for many years and were very active in Rotary and Antioch Chamber of Commerce activities. She was also an active member of the Native Daughters of the Golden West and the Friends of the Arts.

Since the inception of Antioch Sports Legends Joanne has been an enormous force behind ASL serving on the Executive Board for over 10 years and coordinating the ticket sales and seating for every Induction Gala where she garnered the nickname of “The Ticket Lady”. She has served as a Board Member of the Antioch Historical Society for nearly 20 years and chaired many of their committees.

In 2014 Joanne was recognized by the Antioch Chamber of Commerce as a finalist for the Citizen of the Year-Lifetime Achievement Award. She earned the prestigious Founder’s Award in 2011 from the Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame and was presented with a special Lifetime Achievement Award from Sports Legends in 2021.

To see more photos of the event, learn more about or to support the Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame visit their website, Facebook page or the museum at 1500 W. 4th Street on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.


the attachments to this post:


Joanne Bilbo


Michael Amorosa


AHS 1987 Golf Team


Andy Sample


Bob Olds


Eddie Miller


Cassie Mann


Lisa Ma’ake


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