Centennial Inducts 4 Into Inaugural Alumni Wall of Fame Class

By Sam McGaw

The bar has been set high for Centennial’s Alumni Wall of Fame.

The school inducted four current and former professional athletes into its inaugural class.

Canadian Football League running back Curtis Steele, MLB players Matt Williams and Tony Kemp and former minor league catcher Corey Kemp were honored in front of family and friends in the school’s library Friday.

“It really hasn’t hit me, yet, that I’ll be here forever,” said Steele, a 2005 graduate. “I always had to prove myself. I was the little guy that had to work hard to prove my worth. This really is a dream come true for me.”

Steele rushed for 2,983 yards and 32 touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons at CHS. Following two seasons at Northwest Mississippi Community College, he went on to play for Memphis, where he became the school’s third all-time leading rusher (2,462 yards).

He signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2010, and he spent that season on the team’s practice squad. He later played two seasons in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts and he spent this past season with Saskatchewan.

For brothers Corey and Tony Kemp, the ceremony provided a unique opportunity for them to share the spotlight.

Corey, a 2004 graduate, played minor league baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers organization for two seasons, while Tony (Class of 2010) is an outfielder for the Houston Astros.

“When (Centennial) first called me, I said ‘are you sure you don’t mean my brother,’” Corey joked. “This is very special, because we always wanted to play together. But, because we were so far apart in age, it never happened. To be up there with him, sit next to him and be in the first class with him is incredible.”

Corey began his college career at Tennessee Tech and spent his final two collegiate seasons at East Carolina. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 14th round of the 2008 MLB Draft. He retired from baseball following the 2009 season.

Tony was a two-time all-district selection and a member of the 2010 all-state team. He went on to play at Vanderbilt, where he earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2011. He was named an all-American and the SEC Player of the Year in 2013.

He was selected by the Astros in the fifth round of the 2013 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut this past season, playing in 59 games.

“It’s just an honor and a blessing to be getting into the wall of fame, especially with my brother,” Tony said. “I came to Centennial and was always known as Corey’s little brother. I think it’s pretty cool to be in the same category as the guy that taught me everything about sports.”

Matt Williams was a 2008 graduate and teammate of Tony’s.

He was an all-state selection following his senior season. After playing for Liberty University, he was selected in the 15th round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

He spent this past season playing for Triple-A Memphis.

“This is a huge honor,” Williams stated. “Centennial still holds a special place in my heart. I’m forever grateful for everything that went on here.”

Williams was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday. A player selected in the Rule 5 draft must remain on the selecting team’s 25-man major league roster for the entire season after the draft, and he can’t be designated to the minors.