27 African-American North State sports influencers honored to celebrate Juneteenth

Members of the African-American community have played an instrumental role in growing sports culture in Shasta and Siskiyou counties for decades.

A select few have reached the pinnacle of their sports by competing in the Summer Olympics and playing professional sports overseas. Other members are coaches and trainers who have held a direct impact by mentoring young athletes around the area.

To celebrate Juneteenth, the Record Searchlight is recognizing 27 outstanding individuals who have contributed to sports in the North State either as athletes, coaches or trainers.

A thorough search was done to include as many noted members of the community as possible using recommendations from teachers, coaches and administrators from Redding, Cottonwood, Palo Cedro and Yreka. If there are contributors that were missed in the story, feel free to leave a comment on the Record Searchlight Facebook page.

Here's our list of the top 27 African-American sports influencers from around the North State.

Greg Gibson

Sport: Wrestling

School: Shasta High School

Influence: Athlete

Summary: Gibson is one of the most distinguished wrestlers in U.S. history. Gibson graduated from Shasta High School and became a two-time All-American wrestler at Oregon University before joining the Marines in 1978. Gibson maintained his service in the military while representing the U.S. in the Olympics and various world championships. Gibson won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics and is the only American in history to win world titles in all three wrestling disciplines: Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Sambo.

Eddie Machen

Sport: Boxing

School: Shasta High School

Influence: Athlete

Summary: Once known as the "Shasta Blaster" Machen stood among some of the most elite boxers during the 1960s. He fought in the elite heavyweight era that was dominated by such greats as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sonny Liston and Floyd Patterson. Machen fought for the World Boxing Association heavyweight title in 1965, losing a 15-round decision to Ernie Terrell. Machen fought Frazier, Liston and Patterson, finishing his boxing career 50-14 (29 wins by knockout). Machen died in 1972.

Jerry Brown

Sport: Basketball

School: Shasta College

Influence: Athlete, coach and educator

Summary: Brown has been a key figure in the lives of African-American students and athletes for nearly three decades. As a coach, Brown helmed the Shasta College women's basketball program from 1994-2020. He helped guide the Knights to the California Community College Athletic Association State Championships and lost narrowly to an undefeated Ventura College in 2000. Brown, since retiring from coaching in 2020, has led the Umoja Program at Shasta College. Umoja is a community devoted to helping enhance the educational experiences of African-American students at Shasta College. In addition to being a winning coach and known educator, Brown was also an All-American center at Mount Shasta High School and played four years at San Diego State University.

Izzy Matthews

Sport: Football

School: Enterprise

Influence: Athlete

Summary: Matthews was a dominant running back during his junior and senior year at Enterprise High School in 2013 and 2014 before a successful 4-year career at Colorado State University. Enterprise was an impressive 24-2 with Matthews as its lead rusher. He ran for 3,626 yards and scored 54 touchdowns in those years while the Hornets won an unprecedented three straight CIF Northern Section titles. Matthews with his bulky 6-foot-1 frame and burst of speed was a fortress on wheels that made tackling him extremely difficult. He received significant snaps at Colorado State between 2015 and 2018 and ran for 2,654 yards and 30 touchdowns. Matthews is the eighth leading rusher and owns the fourth most rushing touchdowns in Colorado State's history.

Lawrence Wingate

Sport: Basketball

School: Central Valley, West Valley, Liberty Christian and Simpson University

Influence: Athlete and coach

Summary: Wingate has coached boys, girls and women's college basketball in Shasta County since the 1990s. Wingate originally played at Shasta College under former coach Nick Rogers in 1979. Wingate played in the Continental Basketball Association for the Pensacola Tornados before returning to Shasta County where he coached at Simpson University. Wingate's tenure at Simpson saw the program win three conference championships between 1993 and 1996. He later founded the AAU program Shasta Magic in 2003 and has been the high school head coach at Liberty Christian, West Valley and currently Central Valley. Wingate has helped over 50 players receive 4-year scholarships since he began coaching high school basketball in 2000. His most recent signee includes point guard Kennedy Lain who signed with UC Merced and Ramla Clarke-Scholfield who signed with the University of Hawaii-Hilo.

Aaron Matthews

Sport: Basketball

School: Central Valley

Influence: Basketball

Summary: Over 34 years have passed since Central Valley became the first and only boys basketball team from Shasta County to win a state title. The figurehead of that historic 1989 team was 6-foot-5 power forward, Aaron Matthews. Matthews was a ferocious rebounder and aggressive scorer who used his footwork and strength to score near the basket. It was his coach, the late John Strohmayer, who motivated Matthews to lift weights and trim his baby fat before his senior year. Matthews entered the weight room in the summer of 1988 and morphed into the Falcons' leading scorer and rebounder. Matthews averaged 18.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and led Central Valley over Trabuco Hills 62-61 at the Oakland Arena.

Derrick Pringle

Sport: Basketball

School: Simpson University

Influence: Coach

Summary: Pringle is the all-time winningest coach in Simpson women's basketball history having led the Red Hawks for 13 years between 2008 and 2021. Pringle is now the head coach of Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. Pringle's influence had a lasting impact on players like Alex Cooper — who became the head girls basketball coach at Enterprise in 2022.

Kamira Sanders

Sport: Basketball

School: Enterprise

Influence: Athlete

Summary: Sanders is an elite point guard whose athletic upbringing originates Redding. Sanders was named the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Conference first-team member in 2020 while playing at Seattle University. She ranks top 10 in Seattle University's school history in points, steals, free throws, free throw attempts, made field goals and field goal attempts.

Jovon Cunningham

Sport: Track and Field

School: Enterprise

Influence: Athlete

Summary: Cunningham was an elite long and high jumper who forged a successful career at the University of Arizona. Cunningham was a 2012 NCAA Second-team All-American after posting a 6 feet 9 inch high jump, 51 feet and 7.75 inches in the triple jump and 22 feet and 8 inches in the long jump. Cunningham owns the longest triple jump in CIF Northern Section history.

Tyler Green

Sport: Basketball

School: Enterprise

Influence: Athlete and trainer

Summary: Green set the Great Northwest Athletic Conference record for most 3-pointers made in a single game while playing for Montana State University Billings in 2020. Green knocked down 12 3-pointers against Saint Martin's of Lacey, Washington and played professional basketball in the country of Georgia in 2021. Green lives in Redding, is a basketball trainer and is helping develop the next generation of outside shooters from Shasta County.

Jadyn Matthews

Sport: Basketball

School: Enterprise

Influence: Athlete

Summary: Matthews is a top-level small forward who played at Weber State between 2018 and 2023. Matthews scored 1,173 points during her career at Weber State after leading Enterprise to CIF Northern Section titles in 2018 and 2019. Matthews averaged 18.4 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game during her junior and senior years with the Hornets.

Richard Harris

Sport: Football

School: West Valley and Foothill

Influence: Trainer

Summary: Harris is considered to be one of the more influential strength-building coaches in Shasta County. His year-round routine of weight lifting and cross-training is credited with helping build successful CIF Northern Section winning football programs at West Valley and Foothill.

Ravien Lawson

Sport: Basketball

School: Enterprise

Influence: Athlete and coach

Summary: Lawson was an elite rebounder and post-player during her career both at Enterprise and Shasta College as a player. Lawson led the state in rebounding while playing for Shasta College in 2012. Over two years after a car accident nearly killed Lawson, she is slowly relearning how to walk again. Lawson's goal has been to coach varsity basketball. Lawson was inducted into the Shasta College Hall of Fame in 2017.

Marlon Gambol

Sport: Basketball

School: Pleasant Valley

Influence: Coach, trainer and referee

Summary: Gambol has develop the careers of many talented boys basketball players from Redding through his Chico-based AAU program, the Chico Tar Heels. Among the players Gambol's most accomplished player from Redding is Enterprise alum and Santa Clara University star point guard Brody Angley. Angley played professionally in Israel and Mexico. Other local players Gambol has coached includes 2013 Enterprise graduate and Westmont University point guard Jordan Spaschak, 2004 Enterprise graduate UC Davis forward Jeremiah Batdorf and former Italian professional basketball players Paolo and Carlos Mancasola who graduated from Foothill. Gambol has also officiated high school basketball games across the CIF Northern Section for over 20 years.

Jordan Kimbrough

Sport: Basketball

School: Enterprise

Influence: Athlete and coach

Summary: Kimbrough, who graduated from Enterprise in 2014, was an efficient power forward during her high school years. Kimbrough averaged 12.1 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game before attending college at both Lane Community College and Cal Poly Pomona. Kimbrough progressed in college leading Lane CC in two straight Scenic West Athletic Conference appearances in 2015 and 2016. She became the program's second all-time leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker and won the Pierce MVP award, the most valuable player award for the SWAC in back-to-back years. Kimbrough has been an assistant girls basketball coach at Central Valley.

Alex Cooper

Sport: Basketball

School: Enterprise

Influence: Coach and player

Summary: While Cooper had a rough go around during her one season as head coach at Enterprise going 3-24 in 2022-2023. Heer role as a sports leader extends beyond the confines of Manatowa Gymnasium. Cooper has coached multiple Redding 3-on-3 teams and played a crucial bench role while at Simpson University. Cooper averaged 5.7 points and 5.9 rebounds during her senior year in 2019-20 with the Red Hawks.

Micheal and Janae Gray

Sport: Basketball

School: Enterprise and Foothill

Influence: Coach and player

Summary: Micheal and Janae Gray enter this list together as a father-daughter duo. Micheal has been assistant boys and girls basketball coach in Shasta County for over two decades. He is the president of Shasta Magic, an AAU program first founded by current Central Valley girls basketball coach Lawrence Wingate in 2003. Micheal coached his daughter Janae who played four years of varsity basketball at Enterprise. Janae Gray, who played in 95 varsity games between 2012 and 2015, was known for her leadership and for helping improve the skills of future talent like Kamira Sanders and Jadyn Matthews.

George Robinson

Sport: Softball

School: Enterprise

Influence: Coach

Summary: Robinson's achievements go beyond the wins and losses in softball. He has produced five athletes who are attending 4-year universities including Dominican University pitcher Shelby Keltner and Norfolk State University third baseman and catcher Rylie Gilbreath. Keltner is Dominican's program leader in strikeouts, ERA, wins, innings pitched and complete games. Gilbreath was named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference third team in 2023 after slugging a home run with 16 RBI and batted .295. Robinson has been Enterprise's athletic director since the 2021-22 season.

Cliff Blakely

Sport: Basketball

School: Yreka

Influence: Coach

Summary: Blakely, who brings a stoic and defensive mindset to the court, has been a head coach at both Mount Shasta High School and Yreka for more than a decade. Blakely has coached at Yreka for the past three seasons after leading Mount Shasta to the CIF State Division V Championship in 2019.

Justyce Cooper

Sport: Basketball

School: Enterprise

Influence: Player

Summary: Cooper during her prime was a top level power forward in the CIF Northern Section. She was an aggressive player who used her strong arms and soft hands to rebound and score around the paint. Cooper averaged 11.4 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per game for her career in high school. After graduating from Enterprise in 2018, she averaged 12.8 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game at Shasta College in the 2018-19 season.

Ray Atkins

Sport: Football and basketball

School: Shasta College and Enterprise

Influence: Coach

Summary: Atkins has been an assistant football coach at Shasta College for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach and is also known for helping recruit players to the Knights' program. Atkins is also a volunteer referee during the Redding 3-on-3 Tournament and has been a varsity assistant boys basketball coach at Enterprise.

Greg Fudge

Sport: Basketball, football and volleyball

School: N/A

Influence: Trainer

Summary: Fudge is credited with helping improve the athleticism of athletes from Redding. Fudge worked with and helped former Shasta High School running back James Weaver receive a scholarship to Davidson along with his sister Elle Weaver, a state champion outside hitter who played her sophomore year at U-Prep before transferring to Oak Ridge in El Dorado Hills. Elle Weaver has committed to playing volleyball at Brown University.

Calvin Johnson

Sport: Basketball and softball

School: U-Prep

Influence: Trainer and coach

Summary: Johnson has become a key fixture in the U-Prep athletics program after playing at Simpson University from 2004-2008. Johnson is the head junior varsity basketball coach and is an assistant softball coach. Johnson founded Calogistic Hoops, an AAU basketball team in Redding and is mentoring over 40 middle school boys and girls.

Greg Yranie-Miclisse

Sport: Football and basketball

School: Shasta College

Influence: Trainer

Summary: Yranie-Miclisse has made Redding his home since moving to the North State from Palm Bay, Florida in 2014. Yranie-Miclisse was a 6-foot-tall middle linebacker who transitioned to the defensive line. The Knights went 10-1 with Yranie-Miclisse enforcing the line of scrimmage in 2014. The Knights lost a rematch to West Hills Coalinga 20-14 in the NorCal American Division Championship Bowl, but Yranie-Miclisse finished his freshman season with 17 tackles, including seven tackles for loss and four sacks. Yranie-Miclisse trains returning 6-foot-5 junior defensive lineman Devin Huegel through his strength and conditioning program BGR8 Training. Huegel led U-Prep with 53 tackles including four sacks. Yranie-Miclisse also runs the Redding-based AAU basketball program Chosen Elite.

Tyler Carey

Sport: Football

School: Shasta College and Foothill

Influence: Athlete

Summary: Carey received multiple Division I offers during his 2-year career at Shasta College after graduating from Foothill High School in 2020. Carey caught 44 receptions for 864 yards and 11 touchdowns. Carey will continue his football career at Missouri Western State University this fall.

Demarreya Lewis-Cooper

Sport: Basketball

School: Enterprise

Influence: Athlete

Summary: Lewis-Cooper is regarded as the best point guard that Redding has produced over the past five years. From his shifty ball-handling skills to his athleticism and ability to score around the rim in mid-air, Lewis-Cooper started 26 of Yuba College's 29 games in 2022-23 and averaged 7.2 points per game and 3.3 assists per game. Lewis-Cooper averaged 18.1 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game and 3.8 assists per game while leading Enterprise to a CIF Northern Section Division III title appearance against eventual CIF State Division III champion Pleasant Valley.

Malachi Anderson

Sport: Football

School: Enterprise

Influence: Coach

Summary: A former varsity offensive lineman and defensive tackle, Anderson has influenced Redding with both his coaching and his work as a firefighter. Anderson is an instructor at the Shasta College Fire Fighter 1 & 2 Academy. Anderson was on the front lines fighting the 8,835 recorded wildfires that burned across California in 2021. Despite the ongoing fires, Anderson still found time within his schedule to keep coaching football at his alma mater.

Ethan Hanson started working for the Redding Record Searchlight after four years with the Los Angeles Daily News as a freelancer. His coverage includes working the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in South Bend, Indiana, and writing about the St. Louis Rams' move to Los Angeles with the Ventura County Star. He began his career as a play-by-play broadcaster for LA Pierce College from 2011-2017. Follow him on Twitter at @EthanAHanson_RS.