By 605 Sports Staff

FORT PIERRE — The Stanley County Buffalo Hall of Fame will induct six new members Saturday, June 25 during the Fort Pierre All-School Reunion. 

Inducted into this year’s class will be Dean Frederick (‘63), Joe Nelson (‘71), Shavonne Hannum Mitchell (‘83), Jeremy Holter (‘90), Lindsay Stoeser Heiss (‘02) and Stacy Huss Hegge (‘05).

Below is information on the inductees for the Buffalo Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

Dean Frederick competed in football, basketball, and track for Fort Pierre High School. It was on the hardwood where Frederick shined for Fort Pierre High School, becoming the first all-state team selection in school history.

Frederick was a four-year starter for the Buffalo basketball team (1959-63) and a top player in the region. As a freshman and sophomore, Frederick and the Buffaloes built a championship team. As a junior, he led the team to 14-9 record before a legendary senior season where Frederick led the Buffalos to a 22-3 record. The senior-laden team was ranked much of the year, losing only to Howard, Agar, and Gann Valley. The Buffaloes won the LCAC championship, the District 24 championship, and were Region 6 consolation champions.

Frederick’s reputation as a top regional player culminated in being named to the 1963 Class B All-State Second Team. He was the first in school history to receive this honor. Frederick’s heralded senior season, where the Buffaloes beat four ranked opponents and Frederick won multiple Argus Leader “Ace of the Week” awards, helped him win the award and earn a scholarship to Southern State College. Frederick averaged 24 points per game on 83 percent free throw shooting. In his career, Frederick scored 1245 points on 88 percent free throw shooting. As a junior and senior, he grabbed 291 rebounds and dished out 216 assists. Statistically, Frederick was one of the best. He also set the tone for future generations of Buffalo basketball players.

Frederick played four years of football with the Buffaloes, having a combined record of 21-11. He also ran track, was a member of the Lettermen’s Club, and participated in class plays. Frederick has farmed, ranched, and raised his family in central South Dakota. He has coached youth basketball and now watches his grandkids play.

Joe Nelson was a three-sport athlete at Stanley County from 1967-71 who participated in football, wrestling, track, band and choir. As a young Buffalo, Nelson learned to play many roles, from the wrestling mat to the stage, which helped him excel as a musician and actor.

Nelson’s first taste of varsity athletics was starting on the Stanley County varsity football team in eighth grade. Nelson held a starting position for five years at center and middle guard for Buffalo football. He showed his diversity and also excelled in track and field, competing in shot put and as a member of the mile and medley relay teams.

It was on the wrestling mat however where Nelson shined brightest for the Buffaloes. Coached by Sherman Monroe and Darrell Boots, Nelson was the first state wrestling champion in school history. He blazed a trail for future Buffalo wrestlers and helped establish a competitive wrestling program. Nelson held various records during his career, including the national record for fastest pin. He capped his career with an undefeated senior season and the 1971 State B wrestling championship at 185 pounds. Nelson finished his Buffalo wrestling career with a record of 67-3-1.

Nelson’s athleticism was matched by his interest in art and performance. As a student, his passion was music. Nelson was active in band and choir at Stanley County. He also worked on the movies “Born to Buck” and “Young Rounders.” After graduating from Stanley County and Southern Illinois University, Nelson traveled for 20 years as a solo musician, earning the 1984 Governor’s Award for Tourism. Since 1998, he has worked in California as an actor and musician under the stage name Joe Kady.

Shavonne Hannum Mitchell’s contributions to Buffalo athletics spans the roles of athlete, coach, parent and official. As an athlete, Mitchell excelled in gymnastics, basketball and track. As a coach, her long career helped produce some of the best gymnastics teams in school history.

As an athlete, Mitchell played on winning Buffalo basketball teams and was recognized with the 1982 Miss Hustle Award. As a runner, she was named team MVP in 1983 and placed fifth at the 1983 state track meet in the 100 meter hurdles. As a gymnast, Mitchell was a member of the first-ever SC gymnastics team and qualified for the first-ever state gymnastics meet in seventh grade. She qualified for the state gymnastics meet in the seventh, ninth, 10th and 12th grades, and was honored as team MVP. Mitchell was an active student, serving as a cheerleader, football statistician, and writer for the Buffalo Reporter. She was also 1982 Homecoming Queen, a member of NHS, and participated in chorus, oral interpretation, and journalism club.

Mitchell assisted Cliff Jorgenson as SC gymnastics coach from 1985-1995 and was head coach from 1995-2000. In that time period, Stanley County was state runner-up four times (1990,1993, 1994 and 1995). She coached state champions JuJet Larson, Kristie Hallock and Shelly Scheinhost, all-state athletes Lacey Fravel and Lindsay Stoeser, and many state place winners. Mitchell’s support for gymnastics has been lifelong. She’s received the Judges Leadership award (2013), National Federation Officials Association award (2013), SD 20 year judging award (2020), and Pete Torino Award (2022). She’s served on the SD Gymnastics Advisory board, Official’s Advisory board for SDHSAA, and as a SD Cheer and Dance judge.

Mitchell and her husband Pat live in Fort Pierre. They have raised four children who participated in Buffalo athletics.

Jeremy Holter was an all-around athlete who competed four years in football, basketball, and track. He was also a gifted student and enjoyed success on the stage and a variety of co-curricular activities.

In football, the Buffalos were 7-2 during Holter’s sophomore season, losing in the playoffs to Burke. Against Jones County, Holter caught five passes for three touchdowns. In his junior year the Buffaloes transitioned to 11-man football. In his senior season, the Buffaloes played for a state title. They beat Red Cloud, Bennett County, and Bon Homme before falling to Hamlin. Holter caught 33 passes, averaging 25 yards per catch, ran 29 times for 279 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. His football accolades included being selected to the 11B All-State Team, Academic All-State Team, All-Conference Team, South Dakota All-Star Game, and Stanley County Offensive Back co-MVP.

In basketball, Holter played on competitive Buffalo teams. As a sophomore, he played on a 20-3 team that lost a region championship. As a junior and senior, Holter was a double-digit scorer on winning teams. As a junior, Holter was named SC Most Improved Player, Jones County Invite All-Tourney, and Big Dakota All-Conference. As a senior, Holter repeated as Jones County Invite All-Tourney and Big Dakota All-Conference.

On the track, Holter broke the 25-year-old SC long jump record as a sophomore. He would break it twice more before graduating. He still holds the school records with a jump of 21 feet, 5 inches. In his senior year, Holter collected three firsts (400 relay, 800 relay, long jump) and a fourth (high jump) at the region meet. He competed in the state track meet for three years.

Holter went on to excel in track and field at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. In 1992, he set the still-standing Hardrocker long jump record at 23 feet, 6 inches. In 1994, he set the indoor pentathlon record, the second all-time in Hardrocker history. Holter continues to compete in Master’s and USA Track & Field competitions. He lives with his family in Arizona.

Lindsay Stoeser Heiss was a three-sport star who also excelled in the classroom and other co-curricular activities, Heiss’s name is scattered throughout the record books at Stanley County in basketball, gymnastics and track and field.

A six-year letter winner, five-year starter, and all-conference selection in basketball, Heiss led the Lady Buffs to an unprecedented four straight district championships and capped off her senior year with a fourth place finish at the 2001 State A Basketball tournament. As a starter she helped the team to an 84-28 record, ended her career with 1,046 points, and was named to the 2001 State A All-Tournament team, 2nd Team Class “A” All-State, and Academic All-State team.

In gymnastics, Heiss was a six-year letter winner. She was voted the team’s most valuable gymnast three times. She helped lead the Lady Buffs to a third place finish at the state A meet in 1998, fifth place finish in 1999, fourth place finish in 2000, seventh place finish in 2001, and a third place finish in 2002. Heiss was named to the State A All-Tournament team three times. She captured 22 total state medals, including a State Championship in vault in 2002 and runner-up finishes in all-around and bars in 2002, bars in 2001, vault in 2000, and beam in 1998.

In track and field, Heiss was a fixture at the state track meet. She qualified for the State Meet six times, bringing home 14 state medals. She was a state champion in the long jump in 2001, and was a part of the 4x800 meter relay state championship team in 2002. She was also a state runner-up in the 300-meter hurdles and triple jump in 2001. Heiss currently holds school records in the long jump, triple jump, 4x100 meter relay, 800-meter medley relay, 1600-meter medley relay, 4x400 meter relay and 4x800 meter relay.

Following high school, Heiss went to South Dakota State University where she participated in track and field. Heiss resides in Fort Pierre with her husband and four children.

Stacy Huss Hegge held eight school records when she graduated in 2005, seven of which remain unbroken. Hegge set school records in the 200m, 400m, 800m, 1600m, 3200m, and 300m hurdles, and she was part of the record-setting teams for the 1600m medley and 3200m relays.

Hegge is the only Stanley County athlete in school history to win two individual championships at one state track meet, winning both the 800m and the 1600m as a sophomore. Competing in her first state track meet as a seventh grader, Hegge accumulated thirteen medals at state meets from eighth grade to her senior year, including four golds.

Hegge received numerous other track awards and honors, including selection to the 2004 Howard Wood Dakota Relays 800m run special event. She won the 800m five consecutive years at the Big Dakota Conference Meet.

Aside from track, Hegge participated in basketball and earned recognitions such as Hardest Worker and Defensive Player of the Year. In 2005, Hegge tied the school’s post-season free throw record, going 13-of-15 from the line. Hegge also competed in gymnastics, helping her team achieve third place at the state gymnastics meet in 2002. Excelling academically, Hegge was class valedictorian.

Hegge’s track success continued at South Dakota State University, where she broke SDSU records in the indoor 600m and outdoor 400m hurdles. Hegge was a member of two SDSU record-breaking relay teams, including the 1600m relay and the distance medley relay, which also was a South Dakota collegiate record. Hegge resides in Pierre with her husband and four children.