Rockford Public Schools will celebrate the eighth annual Champions Ball and Athletic Hall of Fame.The event is a fundraiser for the Rockford Sports Coalition and a way to recognize Rockford’s history and athletic accomplishments.

The 1968 Guilford baseball team is one of just three RPS 205 teams to advance to the IHSA state baseball tournament and the only team to make it to a state title game. The Vikings won the Big Eight Conference title with an 11-2-1 record and finished 20-3 overall. At the state tournament, the Vikings beat Albion Edwards County and Champaign Central to reach the title game where they lost to Peoria Manual. Coached by Herb Sisler, five Vikings were first-team all-conference players: Brad Blair, Nick Janicki, Dick Dummer, Glenn Nowicki and Ron Holmer. Two players were named to the second team: Mark Hunt and Don James.