Submitted photos – The 1977/78 Fortuna girls basketball team will be inducted into the Huskies Hall of Fame this week.

By Ray Hamill — The Fortuna Huskies will induct the 2022 Athletics Hall of Fame Class as part of the school’s Homecoming festivities this week.

On Friday night, the new class will be introduced to the home crowd in between the JV and varsity football games against Foothill, and on Saturday night the Huskies will host a Hall of Fame Dinner and Sports auction at the River Lodge Conference Center.

This year’s class includes Don Robinson, Rod Kausen, Scott Betts, Mallory Franco, Mike Bettiga and the 1977/78 girls basketball team.

Robinson, who graduated in 1956, was a three-year varsity basketball starter and a two-time all-league selection and would go on to play two seasons at Humboldt State.

Kausen coached track and field and cross country for the Huskies for 34 years and also had two stints as Fortuna AD.

During his coaching tenure, Kausen’s athletes qualified for the state championships 62 times.

Betts, who graduated in 1989, played football and basketball and competed in track and field for the Huskies and he was a two-time league champion in the pole vault.

He would go on to play point guard for three years for HSU basketball and was a two-time Lumberjacks defensive MVP.

Franco, meanwhile, graduated in 2009 and was a four-year varsity starter in basketball and a three-year starter in volleyball, as well as competing in track and field for all four years.

From left to right, Rod Kausen, Mallory Franco and Don Robinson

She would go on to play four years of basketball at Sacramento State.

Scott Betts

Bettiga, who graduated in 1967, competed for four years in track and field and was a league champion in the hurdles.

He also competed in basketball and football and would go on to play the latter at College of the Redwoods and HSU.

He also was a national champion for the Jacks in hurdles, had a school record that that stood for 20 years and was invited to 1972 Olympic Trials.

In 1973, he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and would go on to play three years in the NFL

Mike Bettiga

The Fortuna 1977/78 girls basketball team had an overall record of 27-3 and were led by all-league selections Wendi Kassis and Terri Chapman.

This will be the first hall of fame dinner and sports auction since 2019 and all funds raised will go towards Fortuna High athletics.

In 2019, the event raised more than $50K for the Huskies.

The event is almost sold out but, according to the school, there are some tickets still available.