Greene County Activities Department recently released the names of its 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame Class. They are Matt Lautner, Bruce Mac Donald, Marissa Promes, John Michael Sawhill, Jennifer (Kennedy) Serrato, and Will Thomsen.
We begin a series of stories with some details of the future inductees’ high school careers. We start in alphabetical order with Matt Lautner.
Matt Lautner is a 2000 Jefferson-Scranton High School graduate. He was a first team All-State linebacker on the 1999 JSPC football team that went 8-4 and advanced to the semifinals of the Class 3A playoffs, the first team the Rams had to get that far in the football postseason After a 1-3 start to the season, the Rams rattled off seven wins in a row, including playoff victories over highly rated Denison-Schleswig and number one ranked and defending State Champion Harlan Community. Also, a running back for the Rams, Lautner topped the 100 yard mark rushing vs. both the Monarchs and Cyclones. He was not only the physical leader, but emotional leader of a team that became one of the darlings in 3A playoff history up to that time.
The ’99 team still ranks among the most talked about in the long football history of the Rams.