The East Union High Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Wednesday was about the personal connections made over the years.

Principal Eric Simoni, for starters, graduated with new inductees Mark Kackley and Eric Wohle – all three were EU Class of 1991 – and had Yasmeen “Jazz” Herrera from the Class of 2005 as a student.

Doug Swift from the Class of 1975 was also honored that evening. “His kids were on campus when I taught – my siblings were childhood friends with his niece,” said Simoni, who echoed his late coach Bill Stricker (EU Hall of Fame member, 2020) about the importance of those connections.

The newly enshrined members shared stories about the importance of family.

Swift cherished playing alongside his brother Dave during that one year in football for the Lancers.

Herrera, a standout basketball player, said her mother shared cries of joy upon learning of her Hall of Fame induction.

Kackley, who had the challenge of driving through Bay Area commute traffic just to get to the pre-induction event held in the East Union cafeteria – he lives in Danville, where he works in real estate – arrived just in time with his 9-year-old son Easton, who had the honors of introducing his father on this special occasion.

Wohle talked about his father Rick Wohle, who recently passed away, taking him to Stockton every morning – leave Manteca at 4:15 a.m., lap swim at 5 o’clock, and back by 6:30 to get ready for school, from January to December – during his swim training years. Back then, the city of Manteca only had the old Manteca High pool and the one at Lincoln Park.

Here’s a list of accomplishments from the EU Hall of Fame Class of 2024:

Doug Swift

He was awarded the Most Improved Player for the Lancers during the 1973 football season. The following year, Swift was the starting fullback, linebacker, and punter while helping secure his team with a perfect 10-0 mark and the school’s first-ever Valley Oak League championship.

It was the Lancers’ first-ever win over crosstown rival Manteca High. Swift rushed for 1,100 yards with 17 touchdowns, earning the 1974 VOL Player of the Year.

He also played baseball for the Lancers, playing first base and pitching while batting .515 with zero fielding errors in league play. Swift was the MVP in baseball and East Union’s 1975 co-Athlete of the Year.

Swift played football and baseball for Delta College, earning all-conference honors as a designated hitter. He graduated from Fresno State.

Legendary coach Dino Cunial (EU Hall of Fame, 2019) honored Swift at the induction event. “Doug is a special person – he’s an individual who loved to play sports,” said Cunial, who noted that those were the days when East Union practiced football at Golden West Elementary School and played its home games at Manteca High’s Guss Schmiedt Field.

Jazz Herrera

Prior to coming to East Union, Herrera was known more as soccer player while at McParland Elementary School. She was uncertain back then whether basketball was in the cards for her given that both sports back then were played in the winter.

The change in schedule for girls’ soccer in the VOL allowed Jazz Herrera to play volleyball, basketball, and soccer for the Lady Lancers.

In her junior year, Herrera decided to focus primarily on basketball, according to her coach Rick Inderbitzen, who provided the introduction speech on her behalf.

She led the Lady Lancers to a VOL title while earning MVP honors. Herrera was also a standout in the classroom, and was recognized for her Outstanding Scholastic Achievement.

After EU, she continued playing basketball at Delta College, leading the Mustangs to the state finals.

Herrera, who went on to play hoops at California State University-Monterey Bay, went on to a career in education.

She’s currently a principal at a school in Lodi Unified.

Mark Kackley

He wasn’t the biggest, fastest, or strongest, according to his son Easton in his introduction speech.

Mark Kackley, however, was a standout in football and baseball during all four years at East Union.

He earned first-team VOL honors in both sports during his junior and senior year.

During his senior year, Kackley was voted to the District All-Star Team in football, becoming the only player at the school to earn this honor.

In addition, he was VOL MVP in baseball and was voted All-District First Team.

Kackley later played college baseball for Nebraska and San Francisco.

Eric Wohle

He’s one of the most decorated swimmers in the area.

Besides swimming all four years at EU, Eric Wohle also played football for the Lancers – his team won a VOL title during those two years – earning Most Valuable Defensive Lineman in his freshmen year, and Outstanding Lineman in his sophomore year.

As a member of the USS Swim team, Wohle set two Western Zone records in the 4X100 freestyle relay and 4X200 freestyle relay in all-star meet at age 14.

He held individual records in the 100 and 200 freestyle and set two National age records in the 4X50 free relay and the 4X200 fee relay.

In the US Junior National Championships, Wohle took fourth in the 1991 4X100 free relay.

He’s a four-time Sac-Joaquin Section champion in both the 50 free and 100 free, a six-time individual VOL champion in the 50 free, 100 free, and the 100 butterfly.

Eric Wohle earned a swimming scholarship at the University of Washington, earning a four-year letter at the school along with MVP as a freshman,

He came back to East Union in 2000 to coach the swim team alongside Telka Walser – she provided his introduction speech – leading the team to its first-ever VOL title.

Wohle, who earned a masters in architecture from the University of New Mexico, is currently an Architect / Partner at LDA Partners Inc., and has been part of many notable projects throughout the area.