The Peru Gazette

The 15th annual induction ceremony to the Peru Athletic Hall of Fame will occur this Friday, October 18, at halftime of the Peru-Ausable football game. The game begins at 7:30 p.m.  The 2024 inductees are Billy Giroux (1968), Rick Duprey (81), Tom Daly (84), Rob Bashaw (92), Caleb Remillard (2006), and Jenna Rulf Drollette (2008)

The Hall of Fame banquet will be held Saturday at Gigi’s Restaurant in Keeseville. There will be a social at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. The cost is $45 per person, including tax and gratuity. Payment can be made at the door by cash or check to Eileen Roach or Venmo.

Here are the 2024 inductees:

Billy Giroux

Billy, a native of Peru and coming from a large family, started his sports career in a summer baseball league. This led to his career in high school, where Billy played football, basketball, baseball, and track.

Billy played three years of varsity football and one year of JV. He played on the championship team in 1966. In his senior and junior years, Billy played quarterback and defensive back. In his senior year, he was voted co-captain. He was on the championship teams of 1967 and 1968. Billy played guard and ran the offense.

Billy played infield positions in three years of varsity baseball and one year of junior varsity baseball. His team won the baseball championship in 1967. He had a career batting average of over 300.

Billy also ran on the varsity track team for two years, competing in the low hurdles and relays. The team won the championships in 1967 and 1968.

After graduation, Billy continued his education and sports career at NCCC, where he played two years of basketball and later continued his education at PSUC for one year.

After college, Billy worked for a tree company that contracted with power companies in the southern part of the state and later as a foreman with a tree company that contracted locally with NYSEG. In 1994, he started his own tree company, removing and trimming trees in residential areas until his retirement in 2020.

Billy and Doane have two sons, Trever and Travis. They have six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They spend winters in Florida and summers on their farm in Peru. Billy enjoys playing golf.

Rick Duprey

Rick played 3rd base in baseball and averaged well over 300 at bat. As part of the 1978 JV team, they recorded a perfect 14-0 season. 1979 saw a CVAC Varsity title with a 15-win season. After graduation, Rick continued to play baseball and softball for the notorious Peru Well Drillers town team.

In wrestling, Rick first saw success on JV, compiling numerous first—and second-place finishes in tournaments. The 1980 varsity season continued with more individual tournament victories, such as the South Glens Falls Tournament, ultimately leading to an individual sectional championship (167 lbs) with the most team points scored and the team capturing the CVAC sectional title.

Rick was a two-way player playing offensive line and middle linebacker until his senior year in football. He was part of the 1978 undefeated (9-0) CVAC championship team. During his senior year, Rick achieved his true potential when he switched to fullback, capturing the 1980 CVAC title (9-0-1) and becoming the regional champion in North Country Super Bowl ll. This team was ranked 4th in NYS Class B football. By midseason, Rick averaged over 10 yards a carry until he suffered an injury. He still ended the season tied for the CVAC rushing title with 628 yards on 99 carries, which was 50 fewer carries than the other running back. He was voted Player of the Year by the Press-Republican and selected to the first-team offense and defense for his superb all-around performance. Coach Beauvais called Rick “the heart and soul of the team” and “the key to the entire season.” Rick was also awarded Most Valuable Back and Most Valuable Offensive Player for his stellar performance in the regional game.

Rick worked for 15 years with the Department of Corrections and then for the Clinton County Highway Department, from which he retired in 2024. A few years after graduation, he married his high school sweetheart, Laurie Lafountain. They have one son, Chad, and two grandkids, Alex and Carson. Rick joins his seven brothers in the Peru Athletic Hall of Fame with his induction.

Tom Daly 

Tom Daly was a standout football and basketball player at Peru from 1981-1984. He also excelled in the classroom. After graduating from Peru, Tom was a Corporate National Merit Scholar at St. Lawrence University, where he majored in Physical Education and played football and baseball.

As a Peru Indian, when anyone mentions Tom, they tend to comment that he was fast. His athleticism was utilized as a wide receiver, running back, cornerback, and kicker. Tom was a WIRY All-Star in football in 1982 and 83, first-team wide receiver and second-team cornerback. Tom also led the CVAC in interceptions. He started on the Section 7/10 undefeated football championship team and the Section 7 Baseball Championship Team. Tom also played varsity basketball as a part-time starter in his junior and senior years.

Tom was a Top 10% graduate and a National Honor Society member in his Junior and Senior years.

At St. Lawrence, Tom played football during his freshman and sophomore years, where he was a part-time starter at wide receiver and earned a team letter. He earned a team letter as a baseball player and was a three-year left-field starter. Tom had a career batting average of .330 and led the Saints in stolen bases in 1985 and 86. Tom Graduated from SLU with a BA in Physical Education.

Tom has spent his career at CVES teaching students with Autism, Physical and Intellectual Disabilities, and Traumatized students. He has officiated CVAC Football for the past 24 years and coached Peru, PHS JV Football, and Peru Baseball.

Rob Bashaw 

Rob, a 1992 graduate from Peru High School, played Soccer and Wrestling.  Rob was a prolific wrestler while in youth and high school.

He started his career in wrestling in 1981, winning numerous youth tournaments.  In 1983, in Pennsylvania,  he won six tournaments and his weight class in the Northeast Zone Freestyle Championships. Fulton Junior Olympic Qualifier 1^st place at 95 lbs., won 6 matches and qualified for the Eastern Regionals in PA. Empire State Place winner in 87, bronze medal in freestyle, 89 bronze medal in freestyle, NYS Upstate Kids freestyle championships 2^nd place.

In high school, Rob won his first tournament as a 7th grader at the Queensbury Holiday Wrestling Festival Tournament and was the first 7th grader to make the state tournament. He was the first wrestler in the state to win six sectional wrestling titles when there was only one Division. Rob placed three times at the NYS wrestling championships. He placed second in 1992, finishing with a career record of 153-24-1.

Caleb Remillard

Caleb played three sports in high school: football, wrestling, and baseball. Caleb played football for four years and was a team captain in 2006 on the section seven championship team. In the North Country Super Bowl, Caleb had an interception beating Indian River that snapped their 25-plus winning streak.

Caleb had a stellar career in wrestling. He was a team captain in his junior and senior years. During the prestigious 2006 Eastern State tournament, he took first place by pinning the defending NYS champion in the semi-finals and defeating the NYS runner-up in the finals. Caleb also pinned a NYS champion in a dual meet with Gouverneur High School.  He placed third three times at the NYS championship tournament: 3rd in 2004, 5th in 2005, and 3rd in 2006. Caleb was a four-time first-team all-star. His career record was 147 and 25.

His team made it to the finals in baseball, where they lost to Beekmantown.  Caleb played in the outfield.

Caleb and his wife, Katie, have two children: a son, Theo, and a daughter, Sophie.  They reside in Peru.

Jenna Ruff Drollette 

Jenna graduated in 2008, where she was a standout on the courts, fields, and in the classroom.  Jenna played and started for four years in varsity soccer and basketball.  As a basketball player, Jenna has earned multiple honors. Jenna was CVAC’s First-team All-Star in grades 11 & 12, Second-team all-star in 10th grade, NYS Tenth-team all-star in 11th grade, and Fifth-team all-star as a 12th grader.   As a junior, Jenna was named one of the NYS’ top 20 girls’ basketball team.  Jenna was a 1,000-point scorer, scoring 1,124 points over her career. She was also a team captain as a sophomore, junior, and senior.

As a soccer player, Jenna was named captain in both 11th and 12th grade and was CVAC Honorable Mention as a senior.

After graduating from Peru, Jenna attended Harvard and played JV Basketball for the Crimson from 2009 to 10. Harvard cut the program the following year. Jenna led the charge to create a Women’s Basketball Club and was the President and Captain of the club for three years. Jenna also coached the Santa Monica HS Freshman-Sophomore Team from 2013 to 2014.

As a student in Peru, Jenna was a student leader and an academic standout.  Jenna was the Vice President of the student council and participated in multiple leadership activities.

Jenna is married to Brian Drollette, and they reside in Beekmantown with their two children, Oliver and Lillian. Jenna has an MS in Educational Policy and is a virtual educator.