The Cary High Sports Hall of Fame will welcome three new members when it inducts Mark Scalf, Brennan Fish Liming and Harry Thomas on Friday, Sept. 22.

This yearÂ’s class brings the number of inductees to 81 since the schoolÂ’s Hall of Fame was created in 1994.

Supporters of Cary High began the Hall of Fame 13 years ago as a way to recognize athletes, coaches, volunteers and administrators for their contributions to excellence in the schoolÂ’s sports program.

Inductees also are chosen for their ability to serve as role models to current students, and the 2006 group has been honored at several events today at the school and in the community.

The Class of 2006 will be honored in daylong ceremonies at Cary High and will be officially inducted during halftime ceremonies of the ImpsÂ’ game against Lee County High.

Following are capsules of this yearÂ’s inductees.

MARK SCALF

Mark Scalf was a three-sport athlete from 1974 to 1976, but was best known as an all-conference performer in baseball.

One nominator said of Mark: “Mark was the type of player every coach, if he is lucky, has the pleasure of coaching once or twice in his career. He is a born leader.”

After graduating from Cary, Scalf went on to play four years of baseball at UNC Wilmington and later received his masters from the University of North Carolina, where he also served as a graduate assistant baseball coach under Mike Roberts.

Scalf then returned to UNC Wilmington as an assistant baseball coach and was promoted to head coach in 1991. He has since built a powerful program in the Colonial Athletic Association. This past season, Scalf, in his 15th season as head coach, led the Seahawks to their fourth straight 40-win season — a new conference record. He has compiled a 483-392 record.

Scalf, who led UNC Wilmington to its second conference championship in three seasons, was named the 2006 American Baseball Coaches AssociationÂ’s East Region Coach of the Year.

This was the second such honor for Scalf, who also served as an assistant coach for the 2003 USA National Team that competed in the Pan-Am Games.

Scalf lives in Wilmington.

Harry Thomas

Harry Thomas served one of the longest known tenures at Cary High in any capacity, serving as clock operator for the ImpsÂ’ boys and girls basketball games from 1970 to 1995.

Cary High’s “man behind the clock,” as one nominee described him, Thomas often devoted five hours on Tuesday and Friday evenings throughout the basketball season and seldom missed a home game.

Thomas never expected or received compensation, but his loyalty to Cary High ran deep. One year, he treated the girls basketball team to a pizza party after the Imps had advanced to the state playoffs.

Today, Thomas lives in Wendell.

Brennan Fish Liming

A member of the Class of Â’94, Fish was the anchor on some of coach Jerry DotsonÂ’s early Imp girls cross country teams. Beginning with her freshman cross country season, Fish was among the top 30 runners at the NCHSAA 4-A Championships. FishÂ’s junior year probably epitomized her talent as a runner.

Fish finished ninth at the NCHSAA 4-A Cross Country Championships in the fall, finished fourth in the 1,000-yard run at the Indoor Championships in the winter and then was a member of the ImpsÂ’ state title-winning 3,200-meter relay team in the spring.

After Cary High, Fish went on to star at UNC Wilmington, running both cross country and track.

In 2002, Fish Liming earned USA Triathlon all-American status, and she continues to compete in road races, duathlons and triathlons.

She lives in Apex.