Last Friday night the 18th at Jackrabbit Stadium, the action on the football field briefly gave way to a different kind of recognition.
Five people with deep ties to Quincy High School stepped onto the track to be welcomed into the Quincy School District Wall of Fame: Les Albright, Paul Collard, Nate Harris, Chris Pontarolo-Maag and Armando Tafoya.
Their stories span generations of Quincy athletics. Some made their mark wearing a Jackrabbit uniform. Others spent decades serving athletes and fans from behind the scenes. Their paths after Quincy have taken them to college athletics, NCAA basketball courts, professional careers and halls of fame of their own.
But on Friday night, they came together again as members of the Quincy Wall of Fame Class of 2026.
The five recipients were selected by a committee consisting of community members, former students, and current and former staff members. Nominations were submitted electronically, with the committee making its final selections in June.
Les Albright
For more than four decades, Les Albright has been a dedicated supporter of Quincy athletics. Whether operating the game clock or volunteering behind the scenes, Albright has been a dependable presence at countless athletic events.
His unwavering commitment and countless hours of volunteer service have helped create memorable experiences for generations of Quincy student-athletes and fans. His dedication exemplifies the spirit of community that makes Quincy athletics special.
Paul Collard
Paul Collard is being recognized for his outstanding contributions to athletics as both a Quincy High School student-athlete and one of the Pacific Northwest’s most respected football officials.
A three-year varsity basketball starter and co-captain of the 1976–77 Jackrabbit team, Collard helped lead Quincy to a third-place finish at the Washington State Basketball Tournament.
Following high school, he built an exceptional 22-year career as a football official, earning induction into the Pacific Northwest Football Officials Hall of Fame in 2020. He was also honored with the Washington Officials Association’s Tom Cross Award, recognizing his leadership and dedication to officiating.
His career reflects a lifelong commitment to athletics and sportsmanship.
Nate Harris
Since graduating from Quincy High School in 2003, Nate Harris has become one of the nation’s premier collegiate basketball officials.
After beginning his officiating career while still in high school, Harris has spent the past 15 seasons officiating NCAA Division I basketball across some of the country’s top conferences, including the Pac-12, Big Ten, Mountain West, West Coast Conference and others.
He has officiated six NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament appearances, including a Round of 32 matchup between North Carolina and Michigan State.
Beyond the court, Harris is passionate about mentoring the next generation of officials and, alongside his wife Jessica, co-founded a ministry dedicated to supporting sports officials nationwide.
Chris Pontarolo-Maag
Chris Pontarolo-Maag is recognized for his athletic achievements, perseverance and professional success.
As the starting point guard for Quincy High School’s 2005 boys basketball team, he helped lead the Jackrabbits to a second-place finish at the State Championship. Determined to continue competing at the highest level, Pontarolo-Maag earned a spot as a walk-on with Gonzaga University’s men’s basketball program.
He contributed to teams that won the Maui Invitational, captured back-to-back West Coast Conference championships and advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
After earning degrees in exercise science and finance, he built a successful career at Nike, where he now serves as a lead software engineer specializing in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
His journey reflects resilience, determination and a lifelong pursuit of excellence.
Pontarolo-Maag was unable to attend Friday night’s ceremony in person. A fellow Quincy alumnus accepted the Wall of Fame honor on his behalf.
Armando Tafoya
Armando Tafoya distinguished himself as an outstanding student-athlete at Quincy High School and continued that success at Central Washington University.
A four-year varsity letter winner in football, Tafoya also established himself as one of Quincy High School’s top throwers, setting the school record in the discus and ranking third all-time in the shot put.
Despite overcoming injuries early in his collegiate career, he developed into one of Central Washington University’s premier throwers, capturing the 2017 GNAC Indoor Weight Throw Championship.
His perseverance, work ethic and athletic accomplishments earned him a place among the Wall of Fame Class of 2026.
Their Names Join Quincy’s History
The ceremony ended, the inductees left the track and the football game continued, but the recognition will remain.
Plaques honoring Albright, Collard, Harris, Pontarolo-Maag and Tafoya will be displayed on the wall outside the Quincy High School gym, adding five more names to the history of people who have represented Quincy High School through achievement, service and dedication.
And the next class is already beginning to take shape.
Nominations for the Quincy School District Wall of Fame Class of 2027 opened Wednesday, September 23, giving the community another opportunity to recognize former students, staff and supporters whose contributions deserve a permanent place in Quincy history.