Chery, Perkins To Be Inducted Into SFCC Athletics HOF

The State Fair Community College Athletic Department is proud to announce the 2022 SFCC Athletics Hall of Fame Class.

Former Roadrunners basketball student-athlete Kenny Chery and longtime “Voice of the Roadrunners” Denny Perkins will make up the 2022 class. The pair will be formally inducted in a ceremony on May 13.

In two years, Chery earned Honorable Mention All-American as a sophomore in 2013 and First-Team All-Region 16 honors.

Chery helped his team to a 20-10 record as a sophomore and led the team in scoring at 16.4 points per game. Chery led SFCC in scoring with 27 points per game and recorded a team-high eight rebounds against fifth-ranked Iowa Western Community College as a sophomore.

Chery led SFCC to an upset win over the 23rd-ranked and eventual Region 16 Tournament Champions Mineral Area College. He scored 28 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in the victory, leading SFCC in all three categories.

In his sophomore year, Chery amassed an assist to turnover ratio of over 2 to 1 with 105 assists and 51 turnovers. Chery still ranks ninth in single-season scoring at SFCC with 16.407 points per game during his sophomore campaign in 2012-2013 and he also ranks 10th in single-season assists per game with 3.964 as a freshman during the 2011-2012 season.

Chery averaged 15.4 points, 3.9 assists, and 5.07 rebounds per game as a point guard at SFCC.

Chery was recruited by Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where as a junior, he helped Baylor to a 26-12 record and a trip to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. He earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention from the Associated Press. Chery was named Newcomer of the Week in the Big 12 twice, and Big 12 Player of the Week. Chery was also named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Perkins served as the play-by-play voice of SFCC Athletics for more than 25 years. Perkins passed away at the age of 55, on Jan. 24, 2018.

“He did everything for our programs,” said Athletic Director Darren Pannier. “He went to all the away games, even though he had to get up at 4:30 in the morning to be back on the air by 5:00. There were nights that we would get back at 3:00 and Denny would just go back to work. That meant a lot to us, because at the time were trying to build our program. He was a big part of that. He had the unique ability to make you feel like you were inside the arena, even though you might be listening to the game in your car or your living room."

During his distinguished career, Perkins broadcast more than 1,080 games with his passion for the game of basketball and love for SFCC Athletics. Perkins’ calls brought life to the games and helped fans envision the games through his broadcasts. His signature call of, “Splash!” every time SFCC knocked down a big three-point shot will be imprinted on the hearts and minds of Roadrunner fans who had the pleasure of listening to him.

Perkins was an active member of the SFCC Roadrunner Booster Club for many years. He also hosted the Coaches’ Show, where he interviewed the basketball coaches, giving fans an inside look at the men and women’s basketball programs at SFCC.

Perkins was a radio personality at KSIS in Sedalia and worked as the voice for the Smith-Cotton Tigers football program. He was involved in many community projects, including the Community Santa Campaign, where he helped raise money for local children who might not otherwise have gifts to open on Christmas morning.

--David Rohrbach, SFCC Athletics