The Camdenton Lakers are Named to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
The Camdenton Lakers Football Team now has a place of honor among the great teams of the State of Missouri and we could not be more proud. At McGrath Insurance Group, we’re especially excited because of our long-time connection to the team. The Lakers are the hometown team for so many of us at McGrath. We grew up going to their games, cheering for friends and neighbors on the field. Four members of our team – Patrick McGrath, Mike McGrath, Ed Rowe, and Ralph Franklin – played for the Laker football team and Mike McGrath’s brother, Marshall, was the Laker’s Junior High football coach for many years. Also, Mike McGrath and Ed Rowe were starters on the 1966 team that has the longest winning streak of 29 games.
But the roots go even deeper than that. Two of our clients were among the founding members of the Laker football team, Mike Fera and Carl Hunter. They served as co-captains along with Richard Ducan (now deceased).
The induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame happened earlier this year. The Camdenton High School football program had an especially large showing in the room with 40 former players, including Fera and Hunter. Fera long-time McGrath customer and owner at our local Radio Shack was was accompanied by his wife Rita who was on the first cheerleading squad.
The Feras and Hunter were at the Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony. “I was glad to see Camdenton get that honor. We’ve had a lot of good football since it started.” said Fera.
Both Fera and Hunter hold claims to fame on the Camdenton Laker team to this day. Fera still holds the record for the 76-yard quick kick. Hunter is the oldest Camdenton football player and scored the first touchdown. The pair graduated together in the class of 1960, as did Fera’s wife. In fact, Mike and Rita Fera were high school sweethearts. They’ve now been married 54 years.
Many of the high school football teams started the same year. The year Fera, Hunter and Duncan played, they tied with California for the tri-county.
Fera still goes to quite a few games. He cheers extra loudly these days for his grandson who was a senior playing center for Camdenton.
Since the start of the program, the Laker team has held an impressive record. With 54 winning seasons under their belt, 26 district championships, and 5 state championships (1986, 1987, 1995, 1999, and 2005) this team has good reason to hold a spot in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
If you’d like to show your support for this thriving program, make sure to attend one of their games.
