Henry "Hank" Coffeen was considered by many in the north country as the greatest high school athlete of his day, a versatile standout in the 1960s who excelled in football, basketball and track and field.

But Coffeen's greatest accomplishment may have been the humility he displayed in the face of enormous natural ability. For that he became the prototypical All-American boy, a model for future South Jefferson student-athletes.

Proud of his talents but never boastful, Coffeen was a descendant of Henry H. Coffeen, one of Watertown's first three settlers. He showed signs of athletic stardom at an early age, excelling in cross country, soccer, basketball and track and field as an eighth-grader.

He arrived at Adams Center-Adams Central High School, which later became South Jefferson High School, with an abundance of potential, and delivered a career unmatched in school history.

In three seasons, Coffeen led the football team to its first Frontier League championship and was team captain for two years. He averaged 17.2 points per game for the basketball team, scored 1,033 career points, and set a school record for points in a game (48).

But Coffeen's greatest feats came during the spring. A terrific sprinter, but known for his jumping ability, he was a double winner in the Section 3 class meet four years running. He set what was then a Section 3 record in the long jump at 22 feet, 1 1/2 inches, and finished second in the state in the long jump (22-3 1/4) as a junior in 1966. By the time he graduated in 1967, he held school records in the long jump and triple jump.

He went on to excel at St. Lawrence University. The school named him the outstanding freshman scholar-athlete of 1968 as he competed in football, basketball and track for the Saints. He was named a league and ECAC football all-star in 1970, leading the team in rushing his senior year.

Coffeen earned his master's degree from Oklahoma University in 1975 and lived in Norman, Okla., until his death at age 31. Coffeen was struck by a car while jogging on July 10, 1980, in Norman, and suffered massive head injuries. After a 14-month battle, Coffeen died on Sept. 21, 1981, in a Norman hospital.

The next year, a scholarship was established in his name at South Jefferson. The Henry Coffeen Memorial Award continues to this day, honoring students who have lettered in at least two sports in both their junior and senior years, hold an 85 average or above for four years, and demonstrate exemplary leadership, character and citizenship.

To read about previous selections to the Times' list of The North Country's Greatest 100 Athletes of All Time, log on to www.watertowndailytimes.com