East Aurora inducts 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame class
East Aurora High School inducted its 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame class Friday, Feb. 7. Inductees are Thomas Boatright, Class of 1970; Deion Melvin, Class of 1982; Tyshee Towner, Class of 2013; Tyrone Aiken, Class of 1992; and Carlos Rivera, Class of 2007. The awardees were honored at a ceremony between the sophomore and varsity games against West Aurora.
Thomas Boatright attended Simmons Jr. High School and graduated from East Aurora High School in 1970. Thomas was a remarkable three sport athlete while attending East High. Thomas played varsity football and basketball for two years from 1968 to 1969 and was a three-year athlete in track & field from 1968 to 1970. In football Thomas earned All-City Honors and Honorable Mention recognition in the Upstate 8 Conference. He went on to play at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma for two years and led the Oklahoma Collegiate League as a punt returner his freshman year. In 1975, Thomas was invited to try out for the Chicago Bears alongside Pro Hall of Famer, Walter Payton.
In basketball, Thomas was a key contributor and helped his team win back-to-back state final appearances in 1969 and 1970. In 1969, the team captured fourth place in the IHSA State Tournament. In 1970 the team were champions of the Upstate Eight Conference, Regionals, Sectionals and Super-Sectional tournaments.
In Track & Field during his senior year, Thomas set the meet record in the 100-yard dash at the City of Aurora relays with a time of 10.1 seconds; this record stood for 13 years. Thomas won the 100- and 200-yard dash as well as securing first place in the 880-yard relay at districts and qualified for the IHSA Track meet in all 3 events. The following week at the conference meet Thomas won the 100-yard dash but was injured and was unable to compete at state.
Thomas retired from Commonwealth Edison after 30 years of service. He has been married to East Aurora graduate, Linda (Bedford) Boatright, for 54 years. They have 5 daughters (Katrina, Tanesha, Lakeya, Tenille, and Tominque). Katrina and Lakeya are members of East Aurora’s sports Hall of Fame and Tominque in a member of Oswego East’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Thomas also has 16 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, including East Aurora graduate and basketball phenom, Ryan Boatright
Deion Melvin is a 1982 graduate of East Aurora High School and attended Oak Park grade school, Simmons Jr High. While at East Deion was a two-year varsity starter at linebacker on the football team. As a junior, his team won the Upstate 8 conference championship and lost in the 1st round of the IHSA State Playoffs. As a senior Deion was an All-Conference 1st team selection at Linebacker and earned All-State Honorable Mention honors along with being selected to the 1st Team Beacon News All Area team.
After graduating from East High, Deion attended the College of DuPage where he earned, All-American and all-league honors as a middle linebacker. Deion then received a full scholarship to continue his football and educational careers at Western Illinois University. At Western, Deion was 2-year starter at linebacker and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in community health.
After graduating from Western Deion returned to Aurora and was drawn back to the football field as an assistant coach here at East Aurora, where he served as defensive coordinator from 1990 to 1992. Deion then returned to Western Illinois University to begin his career as a college and professional football coach. While at Western, Deion’s teams qualified for the FCS National playoffs 6 consecutive years. Deion then moved on to Missouri State University from 2000-2005 as Assistant Head coach/Defensive coordinator. His next stop was Georgia Southern University in 2006 then Bowling Green University in 2007 & 2008 where his team were Co-Conference Champs and participated in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, AL. Deion then spent 2 years at Ball State University as an assistant coach before taking the Defensive Coordinators job at Lindenwood University in St. Charles MO from 2011 – 2016. In 2017 Deion returned to Western Illinois and helped lead the leathernecks back to the FCS College football playoffs. In 2020 Deion accepted an offer to join the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League where he remained through 2023. The Roughriders qualified for the playoffs 2 of his 4 years on the staff. In 2023 he moved to the Ottawa Redblacks and his team again made the playoffs ending a four-year drought.
During Deion’s coaching career he has coached 11 College All-Americans, 2 Buck Buchanan Award Winners (Top Defensive Player in FCS), 21 All Conference Players and numerous players to play in the National Football League.
Deion and his wife of 30 years Beverley currently live in St. Charles, MO and they have 2 children. Daughters Lywanna and Sherese Melvin
Tyshee Towner attended Waldo Middle School and then she became a two-sport athlete at East High. She was a 4-year varsity letter winner in both basketball and track.
In basketball, she was selected to the UEC 1st Team All-Conference and the Beacon News All-Area Team in 2011-12. Tyshee was an IBCA All Star and IBCA 4th Team All-State selection for the 2012-13 season as well as again earning UEC 1st Team All-Conference and Beacon News All-Area honors. She was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Oswego East Christmas Tournament and the Willowbrook Thanksgiving Tournament in both 2011 and 2012. Tyshee finished her East High career having scored 1398 points and was selected as the 2013 East High Female Athlete of the Year.
After graduating from East High, Tyshee attended Wabash Valley College from 2013-2015, where she was a member of the women’s basketball team. She earned NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball 1st Team All-American honors for the 2014-15 season. That season, Tyshee also was named the Player of the Year for the Great Rivers Athletic Conference and the NJCAA Region 24, as she led her team to the NJCAA National Tournament. After earning an associate’s degree from Wabash Valley College, Tyshee received an athletic scholarship to Indiana University. She attended IU from 2015-2017 and was a member of the women’s basketball team earning 2 varsity letters. Tyshee graduated with a bachelor’s degree from IU in 2017.
Tyshee then returned to Aurora, and she became, and continues to be, the varsity assistant coach for the Lady Tomcat’s basketball team.
Tyrone Aiken. Prior to attending East High, Tyrone attended Beaupre Elementary School and Waldo Middle School. Tyron was a two-sport athlete at East High. He earned two varsity letters in both basketball and track & field. Tyrone was a starting guard for the 1991-92 boys’ basketball team which went downstate. Tyrone scored 10 points in the Tomcat victory over Naperville North in the East High Sectional championship game. East then defeated Palatine(Fremd) at the NIU Super sectional to become a member of the Elite Eight and earn a trip to Champaign.
In Track & Field, Tyrone participated in the long jump and high jump. As a senior He placed 1st in the long jump at the Wheaton Central Relays and at the Aurora Land Meet. In addition Tyrone placed 2nd in the high jump at the Aurora Land, the Kane County, and the Upstate Eight Conference Meets. At the Sectional Meet, Tyrone qualified for the State Meet in the high jump when he cleared 6’9” Then at the State meet he earned the 3rd place medal, again clearing 6’9”. This would remain the highest place in this event for any East High athlete for another 17 years. Tyrone was then named the East High Male Athlete of the Year in 1992.
After graduating from East High, Tyrone then attended Waubonsee Community College, where he was a member of the men’s basketball team. Tyrone, his wife Tanisha, and son Jeremiah live in Aurora, where he is currently employed as a technician.
Carlos R. Rivera attended Oak Park Elementary, Cowherd Middle School, and graduated from East Aurora High School in 2007. While attending East High, Carlos had a remarkable 4-year career as a varsity starter in baseball. He was named team captain for three consecutive years and had a career batting average of .371 during his 4 years at East as well as leading the team with 74 stolen bases out of 80 attempts. Carlos was named to the Beacon News All-Area Team for 4 consecutive years (2004-2007), and received the Upstate Eight Conference Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2005 He earned 1st Team All-Conference Honors as a junior and senior
Carlos played two years in 2008 and 2010 at Waubonsee Community College. In his second season at Waubonsee Community College, he helped lead his team to the Division III Junior College World Series and earned Second Team All-Conference Honors. That season Carlos finished 18th in the country in stolen base percentage. Carlos’ greatest honor was being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2007 draft with the 48th round selection.
Carlos received his associate’s degree in Arts (Sociology) from Waubonsee Community College and his bachelor’s degree in Sport and Recreation Management at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Carlos is the Founder/CEO of Hurricane Document Shredding in Aurora. Carlos and his girlfriend Karina Martinez continue to live in Aurora. He would like to dedicate his induction into the Hall of Fame to his Mother Gladys Rivera and his late father Orlando “Papo” Rivera.
—Al Benson