Huskies’ Hall of Fame adds five athletes, one team

The Owatonna High School Athletic Hall of Fame inducted five athletes and one team of distinction into its 2024 class last week.

The event saw athletes Casey Dehn, Kyle Melcher, Holly Noble, Derek Skala and Glen Stoltz be honored for their contributions to Huskies’ athletics.

After the individual ceremonies, the hall of fame board inducted the 2004 Owatonna adapted floor hockey team into its 2024 class as a team of distinction to commemorate its undefeated season and state title.

Members of the team showed up in numbers for the big day and were introduced to thunderous applause from the audience for their endeavors 20 years ago.

Leading off the individual athlete inductions was Melcher – a current Owatonna teacher and football coach.

Melcher was a three-sport athlete at Owatonna playing football, basketball and baseball, and graduated with 11 letters to his name.

He was an all-state selection twice in football and played both football and basketball at Winona State University.

Up next was Owatonna’s Noble, a 15-letter winner between hockey, soccer and golf.

Noble was a standout across all three sports and elected to play hockey and golf at the University of St. Thomas where she went on to become the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference individual champion in golf in 2006.

Following Noble was Skala, who’s contributions to football, wrestling and baseball earned him a no-brainer induction.

Skala was awarded 10 varsity letters and helped win Owatonna a state team title in wrestling in 2004-05 before winning the state individual wrestling title at 160 pounds in 2006.

Skala went on to become a Division Two national title winner for St. Cloud State University at 184 pounds in 2011-12 and played football for the Huskies for two years as well.

Owatonna’s Stoltz was then recognized posthumously for having been awarded nine varsity letters across four sports during his time as a Husky.

Stoltz’s resume included being an all-state selection in football in 1962 and an all-Big Nine Conference selection in basketball twice.

He went on to play football and basketball at North Dakota State College of Science.

Rounding out the ceremony was Dehn, who was commemorated for his stellar contributions to Owatonna athletics across football, wrestling and track and field.

Dehn was awarded 11 varsity letters and was an all-state selection in football, a fourth-place heavyweight wrestler at the state tournament, and a repeat state champion in both the shot put and discus in field during his time as a Husky.

Possibly the moment of the day came during Dehn and Melcher’s speeches when they both acknowledged being recognized together as “special” due to them growing up as close friends.