The MHS Athletic Hall of Fame held it’s 2026 Banquet on Saturday, April 4th, at Los Tapatios in Madison. Seven new members were inducting, covering over 100 years of history at MHS.
Eugene Vidal
Eugene Luther Vidal, a 1912 graduate of Madison High School, is
one of the most accomplished individuals to come from the
Madison community. Born in Madison on April 13, 1895, Vidal
developed a reputation as an outstanding student and athlete
during his high school years, laying the foundation for a lifetime
of achievement in athletics, military service, aviation, and public
service.
After graduating from Madison High School, Vidal attended the University of South Dakota, where he became a standout four-sport athlete in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He served as captain of the football team in 1915 and the basketball team in
1916 while earning a degree in engineering. His success at USD led to an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he again excelled in athletics, starring in football, basketball, and track and earning recognition as one of the academy’s
top all-around athletes.
Vidal’s athletic career reached the international stage when he won a silver medal in the
pentathlon at the Inter-Allied Games in 1919. He went on to represent the United States in the decathlon at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, finishing seventh in the world. He was also coach for the US Team in the 1924 Olympics at Paris. Vidal also played
professional football for the Washinton Senators in 1921, appearing in one game.
Following his athletic and military career, Vidal became a pioneer in American aviation. He served as Director of the Bureau of Air Commerce under President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1937 and played a key role in the development of commercial aviation in the United States, working closely with aviation leaders such as Amelia Earhart.
From his beginnings as a standout student-athlete in Madison to his achievements on the Olympic stage and his leadership in aviation and public service, Eugene L. Vidal’s life reflects the far-reaching impact a Madison High School graduate can have on the world.
Tony Simons
During his time at Madison High School, Tony Simons was a four-
year letter winner in tennis and a four-year member of the basketball program, earning a varsity letter his senior year. He also competed in football during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
While Tony was a talented multi-sport athlete, it was on the tennis
court where he made school history and established himself as one
of the top players of his era.
Tony earned ESD Conference Doubles Runner-Up honors in 1970, but his greatest accomplishments came during his junior and senior seasons. In 1972, he and doubles partner Bruce Beyer became the only ESD Conference First Flight Doubles Champions in Madison High School history. That same year, Tony finished as the State Tournament Flight place 6th as a team at the state tournament. As a senior in 1973, he became the only ESD Conference Flight #1 Singles Champion in school history and advanced to the State Tournament Flight #1 Singles Semi-Finals. During that time, tennis did not award MVP, All-
Conference, or All-State honors, making his accomplishments even more significant.
Tony continued his tennis career at South Dakota State University before transferring to Dakota State College, where he was a two-time All-Conference selection, a conference champion in both singles and doubles, and a two-time Team MVP. He was inducted into the
Dakota State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016 and received the South Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame Achievement Award in 2017. He also won multiple South Dakota State Adult Singles and Doubles Championships and earned tournament titles across four states.
Following his playing career, Tony dedicated more than 40 years to education as a teacher, coach, athletic director, principal, and superintendent. He also coached high school tennis and led the Crofton, Nebraska girls’ basketball team to two State Runner-Up finishes.
Tony and his wife, Carol, have four children and three grandchildren. Now retired and living in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, he still enjoys playing tennis and remains connected to the sport that helped define his athletic career.
Tobi (Maxwell) Hein
Tobi (Maxwell) Hein was one of the most accomplished gymnasts
in Madison High School history, lettering four years in gymnastics
and four years in band. She competed on the varsity team beginning as a 7th grader and quickly established herself as one of the top performers in the state. Throughout her high school career, Tobi helped lead the Bulldogs to multiple Region II Championships and three consecutive State Team Championships in 1995,1996, & 1997 – including two undefeated seasons.
Individually, Tobi earned numerous honors at the state level. She was named Team MVP three times, and received the prestigious Sarah Nitz Award her senior year. She was a multi-time All-State selection, All-Tournament Team honoree, and Academic All-State recipient.
Tobi captured multiple individual state event titles, including State Championships on Vault (1996 & 1997) and Bars (1996), and consistently placed in all 5 events – vault, bars, beam, floor & all around – in her 5 years at state gymnastics. She helped break both the school and state team score records, highlighted by team scores of 134.91 and 137.0. She also scored a 9.05 vault score – which was a school record at that time.
Following high school, Tobi earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics from South Dakota State University in 2001. She later worked as a Financial Controller in Sioux Falls before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she founded Hein Bookkeeping LLC,
which she continues to own and operate today.
Tobi credits her time at Madison High School to the strong sense of family created by her coaches, teammates, and parents who supported the program. She and her husband, Justin, a Madison native, will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in 2026. They have two children, Allie and Preston. Now living in Las Vegas, Tobi continues to value the lessons of perseverance and teamwork she learned as a Madison Bulldog.
Gene Lorenz
Gene Lorenz served Madison High School as a teacher and coach
from 1987 to 1999, making a lasting impact on Bulldog athletics.
During his time in Madison, Gene was the Head Boys Basketball
Coach for 12 years, Assistant Girls Basketball Coach for four
years, and Head Boys Golf Coach for eight years. His leadership
and dedication helped guide student-athletes both on and off the
court.
Gene’s most notable coaching accomplishment came during the 1993–1994 season when he led the Madison boys’ basketball team to a 3rd place finish at the Class A State Basketball Tournament. That same year, he was recognized for his success and leadership by being named Regional Coach of the Year as well as the South Dakota Basketball Coach of the Year.
During his time in Madison, Gene also created the Madison High School Alumni Basketball Tournament as a way to connect current players with the rich history of Bulldog basketball. At the time, he noticed many players were unfamiliar with the great teams and athletes who had come before them. The tournament began with seven or eight teams, including the high school intramural champions, the graduating seniors, and a teacher’s team. With the help of fellow coaches and teachers who volunteered to officiate and keep score, the event quickly grew in popularity and competitiveness. Girls teams were added in later years, and the tournament became a yearly tradition that brought alumni, families, and the community together. Many former players and parents have continued to express their appreciation for the event, knowing their families will return to Madison each year to take part in the tradition that continues today.
After leaving Madison High School, Gene began a new career with Edward Jones in Aberdeen, where he worked for 23 years before retiring in January of 2026. Throughout his career and beyond, Gene remained closely connected to athletics and the communities he served.
Gene has also been recognized for outstanding athletic contributions. He was inducted into the Northern State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. He was also inducted into the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Hall of Fame in 2006. Gene was later inducted into the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020. Gene and his wife Marlene have two children, Kennedy and Lucas. Lucas and his wife Morghan are expecting their second child in May. Madison High School is proud to recognize Gene Lorenz for his contributions to Bulldog athletics.
Breanne (Manthey) Strobel
Breanne (Manthey) Strobel was a three-sport athlete at Madison
High School, lettering three times each in volleyball, basketball,
and track and field – earning a total of 9 varsity letters in her high
school athletic career. Her athletic ability and competitive spirit
helped lead Bulldog teams to success across multiple seasons,
while her leadership and defensive intensity made her a key
contributor throughout her high school career. Breanne might be
the only girl in Madison High School history to be named the Team MVP in 3 different sports– volleyball (junior year), basketball (senior year) and track and field (senior year).
Breanne excelled on the track, where she was a member of two State Championship 4×100 meter relay teams in 2006 and 2007. She also placed individually in the 300-meter hurdles at the State Track Meet, finishing 5th in 2006, 2nd in 2007, and 5th again in 2008. In addition
to her relay championships, Breanne helped the Bulldogs capture the 2007 State “A” Combined Team Championship and contributed to several other relay teams that placed at the state meet during her career. Breanne’s relay team still holds the top spot in MHS record
books for the fastest time in the girls 4×200 Meter Relay.
On the court, Breanne was a standout in both volleyball and basketball. In volleyball, she helped lead the Bulldogs to District Championships during the 2005–2006 season and was recognized with both the Spark Plug Award and Most Valuable Player Award during the 2006–2007 season. In basketball, Breanne was known for her defensive presence, earning the Best Defensive Player Award in both the 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 seasons. As a senior, she was named Team MVP, Defensive MVP, and earned Big 8 All-Conference honors while helping lead Madison to a District Championship.
Following high school, Breanne attended South Dakota State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2012. She worked as an Intensive Care Unit nurse
in Sioux Falls before moving to Dallas, Texas, where she worked in the Neuro Critical Care Unit at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. She currently works as a Registered Nurse Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist. Breanne and her husband, Trevor, have three children – Nyra, Roux, and Davy – and she remains grateful for the coaches, teammates, and experiences that made her time at Madison High School so memorable.
Laura (Blom) DeRungs
Laura (Blom) DeRungs was a standout multi-sport athlete at Madison High School, lettering five years in gymnastics and six years in trackand field. During her time as a Bulldog, she was a key contributor to one of the most dominant gymnastics programs in South Dakota history. Laura helped lead Madison to three State Gymnastics Championships in 2008, 2009, and 2010, as well as State Runner-Up finishes in 2011 and 2012. Those championships marked the program’s 14th, 15th, and 16th consecutive state titles. She also helped the team achieve a school-record score of 144.3 in the 2010-2011 season.
Individually, Laura earned numerous honors in gymnastics. She was named Team MVP during the 2010–2011 season and was a four-time All-Conference selection. She consistently placed in multiple events at the state meet, including runner-up finishes in the All-Around competition. During the 2009–2010 season, she captured a State
Championship on the uneven bars and set a school record on the balance beam with a score of 9.7 which still stands to this day!
Laura also excelled in track and field, helping the Bulldogs win State Combined Team Championships in 2010 and 2012 and a Girls State Runner-Up finish in 2012. She was the 2012 State Champion in the 100-meter hurdles after placing 2nd in 2010, 4th in 2011, and
6th in 2009. Laura was a four-time conference champion in the 100-meter hurdles and set the Madison High School record in the event with a time of 14.5 seconds in 2010, breaking a 32-year-old record that still stands today. She was also named Team MVP during the 2011– 2012 season.
Following high school, Laura attended the University of Sioux Falls and competed in track and field before pursuing a cosmetology degree from Stewart School. She later returned to Madison to assist with the MHS gymnastics program during the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 seasons. Laura is married to Garret DeRungs and they have two children, Ellie and Reid.
She works as a Financial Service Representative and Office Manager for First National Bank in Oldham and Ramona and enjoys spending time with her family. She coaches a middle and high school gymnastics classes in the summer and volunteers her time during season, coming in once a week to help with routines. She enjoys helping out whenever she can.
Jacob Giles
Jacob Giles was a 3-time three-sport standout during his career
at Madison High School, lettering in track and field (5), football
(3), and basketball (3). His versatility and competitive drive
helped lead Bulldog teams to tremendous success across all
seasons.
On the hardwood, he played a key role in back-to-back Class A
State Basketball Championships in 2013 and 2014. As a senior, Jacob was named 2nd Team All-State and Team MVP while helping cap off an undefeated (24-0) Championship Season and one of the most successful runs in Madison boys basketball history.
On the track, Jacob was a member of the 2012 4×800 meter relay State Championship team and helped guide the Bulldogs to the 2012 Class A State Track and Field Championship. On the gridiron, Jacob’s leadership and playmaking ability earned him 11A All-State honors
in 2013, along with recognition as an Argus Leader Elite 45 selection and Team MVP. He helped lead the Bulldogs to the 2013 11A State Runner-Up finish. That 2013 season that started a run of success and championships for Madison High School Football – a run that
would include 4 state titles in 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2021.
Jacob continued his football career at Dakota State University, where he became one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in program history. A three-time NSAA All-Conference selection, he set numerous school records, including single-game records for passing
attempts, completions, and touchdown passes; single-season records for passing completions, yards, and touchdown passes; and career records in passing attempts, completions, yards, and touchdown passes.
Jacob is currently an English teacher and Head Football Coach at Hanson High School in Alexandria, South Dakota. He is engaged to his fiancée, Sydney Goertel. Madison High School is proud to honor Jacob Giles for his outstanding athletic achievements and his
continued dedication to education and athletics.
