Nashua's LauraGerraughty-Eckstrand is all smiles after being inducted into the NHIAA Hall of Fame this past Sunday. (Facebook photo)

It’s the Hall of Fame season for the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association, and two local icons were inducted for the NHIAA’s Class of 2020 this past weekend.

Entering the NHIAA Hall were Nashua track and field legend Laura Gerraughty Eckstrand, plus Wilton-Lyndeborough softball coaching legend Denny Claire.

The NHIAA had their 2020 induction, delayed due to the pandemic, last weekend and this weekend the Class of 2021 will be inducted.

Gerraughty-Eckstrand’s accomplishments, of course, go well beyond her Nashua High School days. She is one of the most recognizable names in Nashua track as a shot put thrower who was a nine-time state champion and two-time national champion in high school and at the University of North Carolina. Not surprisingly, she went on to compete in the 2004 Olympics.

Claire coached Wilton-Lyndeborough High School softball for 31 years, going out with his last of eight state championships in 2019. He won over 500 games, picking up win No. 500 in late May of 2019. He also coached boys basketball at WLC for 17 years and girls basketball for 15. His Warrior softball teams combined for a 118 home game winning streak from 2001-2011.

Also inducted were Armand ‘Skip’ Dubois, Franklin (Coach), noted Trinity, Concord and Salem football coach Jack Gati, longtime football official Steve Hall of Bedford, former Portsmouth High School boys basketball coach Al Neri, Manchester administrator and official Peter Perich, Exeter athlete Bill Phillips and Sanbornton official Debra Wyman.

There are no locals in this Sunday’s Class of 2021 inductees. Set to be honored will be longtime Pinkerton Academy cross country/track coach Mike Clark, official Peter DePalo, Sr. of Lebanon, Hanover hockey coach Dick Dodds, official Robert Hodsdon of Exeter, Londonderry runner John Mortimer, official Linda Sicotte Osborne of Hampton, contributor Kirkland “Rusty” Ross of Gilford, and Dover athletic director Peter Wotton.