By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

GULFPORT — The Gulfport Sports Hall of Fame will induct ten new members at its annual banquet at the Lyman Community Center on Saturday night.

The class includes eight men and two ladies. Most of this year’s class are multi-sport athletes, and the majority of them have some connection to basketball. One of them played college basketball. Three of them played college football, and one was a standout college baseball player. Four members of this year’s class competed on the professional level.

Two members of the class are either a coach or are involved in work that supports the development of youth in their respective sport.

“This is a very athletic class,” said GSHOF vice president, Prince Jones. “This class is stacked with talent and accomplishments.”

Tim Bowers led Harrison Central to the 5A State Championship in 2000. He was named Mr. Basketball Player of the Year during his senior year of high school and then went on to play four seasons at Mississippi State University. Bowers was named Scholar Athlete, two-time All SEC, and is recognized as Mississippi State University’s “Winningest Player.” He started his professional career on the Los Angeles Lakers Summer League team in 2004, which was followed by a stint with the Ashville Altitude (North Carolina) of NBDL (which is now knows as the G League). He played with the Phoenix Suns G League team in the summer of 2005, and he followed that with a lengthy international career, beginning with Givat Schmuel Basketball Club in Tel Aviv, Israel, where he was named MVP of the Israeli League, while averaging 21.8 points per game. His professional career spanned a total of sixteen years, including stints in Jerusalem, Israel; as well as Italy, and Greece.

In 2013, Bowers started The Bowers Basketball Group to help kids enhance their skills on and off the court. In 2022, he created the Cream of the Crop Basketball Camp, which is run on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the top middle and high school boys and girls to help create notoriety and scholarship awareness. Bowers resides in Houston, Texas.

Sara Carter is a 2000 graduate of St. John High Catholic High School, where she was a four-year starter for the Lady Eagles basketball team. Carter led the Lady Eagles to a 35-3 record her senior year and the 2A state championship. She also played baseball, softball and ran tract for St. John.

Carter accepted a scholarship to the University of South Alabama, and was a starter at point guard for four seasons helping to transform the Sun Belt Conference team into a winning program. During her time there, the Lady Jaguars recorded wins over Southern Miss, Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

Sara is a four-time recipient of the Sunbelt Conference All-Academic Award, and in 2004 she was presented the Wilma Rudolph Award as the Outstanding Woman Athlete. Sara spent eight years as an assistant college basketball coach, including three years on the staff at Ole Miss and five years at Louisiana Tech. In 2013, Sara returned to Gulfport and founded Portside Fitness, where she serves as a personal trainer, and mindset & nutrition coach.

Rod Davis was a standout linebacker for the Gulfport Admirals, which led to a football scholarship to the University of Southern Mississippi.

During his tenure at Southern Miss he was twice selected First-team-All-Conference USA (sophomore and junior seasons). He recorded 122 tackles and 10.5 sacks as a junior, which earned him Conference USA defensive player of the year and Third-Team All-American.
He recorded 526 tackles, 18.5 sacks and four interceptions during his college career.

In 2002, Davis was the recipient of the Conerly Trophy as the best college football player in the state of Mississippi.

Davis was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2004 draft. He played in a total of forty games in his professional career, including 39 games in Minnesota and one game as a Carolina Panther.

Robin Fairley-Collins was a three-year starter for the Lady Admirals under Coach Rosetti, picking up the school’s record for the most assists in a season. She received a number of honors during her basketball career, including helping leading the Lady Admirals to the Coastal Big 8 Championship.

Robin earned a basketball scholarship to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College where she was a two-year starter for the Lady Bulldogs. She was selected to play in the Junior College All Star Game. She finished her collegiate career, playing her final two seasons at William Carey University in Hattiesburg.

Charles Harris is a 1979 graduate of Gulfport High School, where he excelled in basketball and track. As a member of the Admirals basketball team, he led the team to its first Overall and State Championship. He was named MVP during his junior and senior seasons. He played in the Mississippi All-Star Classic and was named the game’s most valuable defensive player.

Harris played for two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, earning MVP for both seasons. His team won the Junior College National Championship during his sophomore season. For his last two years of college, Harris attended Southwest Oklahoma University, and he led Bulldogs in scoring as a senior, earning All-Conference and NAIA Honorable Mention in the All American consideration.

Harris was also a sprinter in high school, participating in both the 4×100 and 4×200 relays.

Leroy Johnson was a three-sport athlete at Gulfport High, excelling in football, basketball and track. He was recognized as a two-time Sun Herald All-Coast Team member in both football and basketball. He was also named Harrison County Football Offensive Player of the Year twice.

In football, he shattered the school’s single-game rushing record with an outstanding 280-yard, 4-touchdown performance against Wayne County during his senior season. He rushed for more than 2000 yards a season as a junior and senior. In track and field, Johnson played a crucial role in two state championship teams as the lead off leg in the 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 championship relay teams. As a member of the Admirals basketball team, he was the starting point guard, culminating with first-team All-Tournament selection in the state tournament.

At Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, he played two seasons of football and one season on the basketball team. He transferred to the University of Southern Miss where he distinguished himself as a senior ranked third in interceptions in Conference USA, while recording 34 tackles and 16 pass deflections.

Cedric Scott was a two-way starter on the offensive and defensive lines during both his junior and senior years at Gulfport High School. His accolades include All-Coast Team, preseason All American, Honor Roll, and he was selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All Star Game.

Scott was a standout defensive end at the University of Southern Mississippi, earning All American Honors and the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Southern Miss won three Conference USA Championships during Scott’s tenure: 1996, 1997 and 1999. He was also an Academic All American while at Southern Miss, earning a degree in Exercise Physiology and a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration.

Scott’s professional career began with him being drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round. After several years in the NFL, he played three seasons in the Canadian Football League, including being a part of the Edmonton Eskimos 2005 Grey Cup Championship team.

Scott began his coaching career as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater from 2009 – 2011. He spent a year at the University of North Carolina before moving on to the Jacksonville Jaguars where he served the organization for fourteen seasons, the last four as the Head Strength and Conditioning coach.

Cedric credits 2018 GSHOF inductee and first cousin, Tommy Armstrong, as a consistent inspiration towards his success.

Syniker Taylor was a three-sport prep All-American – football, basketball, and track and field at Gulfport High. He possessed a unique combination of speed, power, and quickness, which distinguished him as a super talent in all three sports.

A three-event State champion in track and field, Taylor earned first place in the high jump, long jump and triple jump.

In basketball, he was a prolific scorer, leading the Gulfport Admirals with an impressive 28 points per game. After high school, he participated in the Nike All American basketball camp, which provided a showcase for the top talents in the country. He was a starter in the Mississippi-Alabama All Star game, where he led his home state in scoring.

On the football field, he attracted the attention of more than thirty Division 1 schools, signing with Ole Miss where he was a four-year starter. He was an All American as a freshman, and he was named to the All-SEC team three years.

Richard “Rick” Villarreal was a three-sport athlete at St. John High School. He excelled in football, basketball, and tennis. He was the recipient of the 1974 Jay-Jay Chevrolet Gridiron Trophy, which was awarded annually to the most outstanding football player at each Gulfport high school. The following spring, he and Mary Seymore won the Mississippi State Mixed Doubles Tennis Championship.

After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Villarreal and his brother built an eight-store Domino’s Pizza franchise. However, his passion for football brought him back to the sport as he returned to the University to pursue a teaching certificate in order to coach high school football. As fate would have it, he joined the USM coaching staff, first as a student assistant and later as a graduate assistant, launching a coaching career that would span for decades. In 1991, he joined the LSU football staff, and his journey in college football continued with positions at TCU under Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan, then back at USM under head coach Jeff Bower.
In 1999, he transitioned into athletic administration as he became Associate Athletic Director at USM. He was largely responsible for establishing the Circle of Champions initiative, which raised more than $4 million and led to the construction of a new athletic center.

His success at USM led to an appointment Athletic Director at the University of North Texas, a role he would hold for fifteen transformative years.

Trent Weaver was a two-sport athlete at Gulfport High, playing football and baseball, but the shortstop excelled at baseball, captaining the Admirals and shining at the plate with a .437 batting average. He was selected to the Mississippi All State Team in 1984.

Weaver selected Mississippi State University over offers from Southern Miss, Ole Miss, LSU, Alabama and others. He was named All Academic SEC in 1987. After receiving limited playing time in Starkville, he transferred to Baylor University, where he appeared to be a good fit. He set a record for stolen bases with 25, and he batted .325 during his senior season.

He was drafted by the Oakland A’s organization, and played three seasons, which included two exhibition games with teammates Ricky Henderson, Jose Canseco and Mark McGuire, one of the highlights of his career.

He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers organization towards the end of his career.

Weaver also played quarterback for the Admirals and was offered football scholarships to Delta State University and Emporia State University.