Forever Five: Finding South Mountain’s all-time greatest athletes,
One in an occasional series looking at an Arizona high school’s five all-time greatest athletes as chosen by the Republic. It’s not just about what they did in high school, but will also consider their entire body of work in athletics. We call it “Forever Five.”
Phoenix South Mountain
So many great athletes to choose from with a rich history at a school known as “The Mountain,” because, for so long, they felt they were atop the Valley for athletic prowess. Here’s a look at South’s five:
No. 1 Byron Evans, 1982
After an incredible high school career, where he was a top linebacker in football and a power forward in basketball, Evans only had two college football offers -- from Arizona and New Mexico State. He ended up becoming the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year at UA in 1986 and finished with 552 career tackles. Then, his stardom took off in the NFL, the middle linebacker during the Philadelphia Eagles’ famed “Gang Green” days.
No. 2 Dwayne Evans, 1976
Evans was a force on those high school dirt tracks. He was so fast and so famous in high school that baseball teams would stop their games to watch Evans run the 100 and 200 at the nearby track. He went from high school graduation ceremonies to getting ready for the world’s biggest stage -- the Summer Olympics in Montreal in ‘76, when he won the bronze medal in the 200 meters. His 200 record still stands in Arizona high schools.
No. 3 Brian Fair, 1991
He was The Arizona Republic’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year in 1991, when he led South to a 32-0 state championship season. The silky smooth 6-foot-2 guard went on to become one of the University of Connecticut’s all-time greatest players, one of the most accurate 3-point shooters. He was also a good enough football player at quarterback and safety to be highly sought after in that sport out of high school, making it tough for him to choose which sport to pursue in college. He is now South Mountain’s athletic director. No. 4 Steve Jordan, 1979
He had the unusual high school sports trifecta of playing football, basketball and tennis. His best sport was football, where he starred at Ivy League Brown, before becoming a six-time Pro Bowl tight end with the Minnesota Vikings. He is part of the Vikings’ Ring of Honor.
No. 5 Pam Harper, 1982
She entered the Phoenix Union High School District’s Sports Hall of Fame last December as a track and field phenom during her high school days. She is one of the state’s all-time greatest sprinters and long jumpers. Her long jump of 19 feet, 5 inches was a state record that was held for 20 years. She was a high school All-American, ranked among the top 10 in the country throughout her high school career in the 100 and 200 and the long jump.