2021 Mesa City Sports Hall of Fame Inductees
Derrick Deshay Land - Red Mountain 1991
Derrick Land was a three-sport letterman in football, basketball and track and field. Land was All-Regional and All-State track and field champion in the 100-meter, 200-meter and running long jump. Land excelled on the grid iron where he was named first team with All-Region, All-State and All-American honors. He represented the state of Arizona in the “Down Under Bowl” in Australia where he was named Most Valuable Player.
Derrick attended and played football for Arizona State University.
Rob Leatham - Mesa High 1979
Pistol Shooting
Rob is highly regarded as one of, if not the most, winning Practical
Pistol Competitor in history. His sheer number of National and World Trophies
make him unique. Rob’s MAJOR U.S. and World Championships wins in United States
Practical Shooting Association (USPSA), International Defensive Pistol Association
(IDPA), International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) Steel Challenge
and NRA Bianchi Cup combine for over 100 major championship titles.
Curtis Ray - Westwood 1999
Cross Country, Wrestling, Track & Field
Two
Sport Varsity athlete, Curtis Ray competed on the 1996 Boys Cross Country State
Champion Team, 1998 & 1999 Boys Track and Field State Champion Teams and
was a 1996 Western Regional Champion. Ray also excelled on the wrestling mat
where he was a two-time East Valley Regional Wrestling Champion, a two-time All-State
champion, and a two-time high school wrestling All-American champion. Curtis
attended Arizona State University where he was a two time All Pac 10 Scholar athlete
and was a University Greco-Roman Wrestling All-American.
Matt Parry’s years at Dobson High were trailblazing and rewarding. He set over thirty USA Junior Wheelchair records in Track and Field during this time and earned the Most Outstanding Athlete at the 1992 USA Junior Nationals. Matt attended the University of Arizona on a partial athletic scholarship for his wheelchair racing. He was a two-time world champion in the 100-meters in 1994 Berlin World Games and 1998 Birmingham England World Games. Matt was selected to Team USA for the 1996 Paralympic Games, capturing a bronze medal in both the 100 meter and 4 X 100-meter relay. In 1995, he was the recipient of the Gene Autry Courage Award from the Tempe Diablos. Matt earned a Law Degree and a PhD in Western Civilizations from Arizona State University.
Bobby Williams - Mesa High 1977
Wrestling & Swimming
Bobby Williams competed at the highest level. Williams captured the All-Sate wrestling championship in 1977, was the recipient of the 1977 Zedo Ishikawa Award for Most Outstanding Athlete and attended Mesa Community College where he became a National Junior College Athletic Association All American. He attended Arizona State University where he was chosen team captain and Pac 10 Runner up. Bobby returned to his alma mater, Mesa High School, to begin his coaching career. During this time, he was honored as the Arizona All-Star Coach 1999, 2002, 2005 and Arizona Wrestling Coach of the Year 2006, 2008. Coach Williams was honored and recognized with the “Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award” at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
2000 & 2001 Championship Teams Honored
2000 Mountain View Wrestling - Coach Chris Gallegos
2000 Mountain View Boys Track & Field - Coach Robbie Robinson
2000 Red Mountain Football - Coach Jim Jones
2001 Red Mountain Football - Coach Jim Jones
2000 Red Mountain Boys Golf - Coach David John
2001 Red Mountain Boys Golf - Coach Kurt Saunders
Football, Basketball
Max earned
all-state honors his junior and senior year by The Arizona Coaches Association,
offensive honors with the East Valley Tribune and Player of the Year by Phoenix
Metro Football Magazine. He compiled a 27-1 record his junior and senior season
and was honored “Most Valuable Player” in two consecutive high school championship
games. Max attended Brigham Young University where he received 2007 Academic,
First Team All Mountain West Conference Honors, and the Andy Reid Competitive
Greatness Award. Max Played in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals and in the
Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Bombers. In addition to Football,
Hall played Varsity Basketball.
Paulla Hart competed on the high school Track and Field team where she was the 2006 and 2007 Arizona State High School Track and Field Triple Jump Champion. In addition to track and field, Paulla competed in varsity basketball.
Paulla attended the University of Arizona and lettered in Track and Field and was honored with the Senior award in 2012.