Wauwatosa East inducts first class into Athletic Hall of Fame

Wauwatosa — While attending the funeral of a former Wauwatosa East High School swim coach, a group of alumni congregated and decided it was time to honor coaches and athletes of years past in a formal way.

A committee was formed and the group began sifting through more than 100 years of history captured in old photos, yearbooks and reports, and the Wauwatosa East High School Hall of Fame was born, said the committee's chairman Chris Mortenson.

"The most important thing to all of us is to really express our appreciation for the many lessons that all the coaches taught us," Mortenson said. "When we played for them we didn't fully appreciate how much we were learning."

The inaugural class — inducted in a formal ceremonyin the Tosa Room at Hart Park May 30 that featured retired Los Angeles Lakers player Tony Smith, and Devin Harris of the Dallas Mavericks, along with many former Tosa East athletes and guests — included 22 coaches and 42 student-athletes spanning the period of the 1920s through the early 2000s. More than 500 people attended the event.

Mortenson said the Hall of Fame is currently on display outside the school's gymnasium.

The following is a list of all 2015 student-athlete and coach inductees and a few of their notable achievements.

Athletes

Gordon "Gordy" Stark

Class of 1926

Football, track, basketball

Stark lettered nine times and in his senior year was elected MVP and captain of the football team, the basketball team, and the track squad, and won the schools' first state championship in the 120-yard high hurdles event.

Ernie Bastian

Class of 1934

Track, cross country

A multiple letter-winner in both cross country and track, Bastian was captain of both squads. As a harrier, he captured first place medals in every meet except one, a race he lost to his arch enemy.

James Martin

Class of 1936

Football, basketball

Martin was a multiple letter-winner in football and basketball. Nicknamed "Crash," Martin helped capture the school's first conference football championship, and for those efforts, he was awarded first team All-Suburban recognition.

Burleigh Jacobs

Class of 1938

Golf, basketball

A multiple letter winner in basketball and golf, Jacobs was a 1938 All-Conference basketball selection and lead the team to a runner-up finish in the state basketball tournament, won the state and tri-state golf championships and was named to the Wisconsin State Golf Association Hall of Fame in 1970.

William Huegin

Class of 1940

Swimming

Huegin was undefeated during the 1939 and 1940 seasons, won the 100 backstroke event at the 1939 state meet, becoming the school's first ever swimming state champion and led the team to its first Suburban Conference Swimming Team Championship in 1940.

Orrin Neff

Class of 1942

Swimming

Neff was named state champion of the 50 freestyle and 75 individual medley his junior year and was state champion in the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke his senior year.

William Eilert

Class of 1946

Swimming

Eilert placed first in the Suburban Conference meet and was state champion in the 100 backstroke. Following the 1946 season, Eilert gained All-American honors.

Edward "Rusty" Garst

Class of 1947

Swimming

Garst was individual Suburban Conference champion and individual state champion in the 25- and 50-yard freestyle races in 1945, 1946 and 1947, and was an All-American all three years.

Bob Wolff

Class of 1948

Basketball, football, golf

Wolff lead the Wauwatosa basketball team to its first ever state championship in 1948 with 56 points, and was one of the first two All-State basketball players ever chosen from Wauwatosa High School. He went on to play basketball at UW-Madison.

William Buechl

Class of 1948

Basketball, football, track

Buechl scored 41 points to help Wauwatosa win the state tournament in 1948, and was named to the All-State team. He went on to play basketball at UW-Madison.

Kent Finanger

Class of 1950

Football, basketball, track

Finanger won the Wauwatosa High School Athlete of the Year award for the 1949-50 school year, was a multiple letter-winner in football, basketball and track and was honored as a first team selection on the Suburban Conference All-Conference team.

Bruno Mauer

Class of 1951

Cross-country, track

Mauer lead the school to a runner-up finish in the 1949 State Track and Field championship, won the 1951 individual State Cross Country Championship and was crowned the 1951 State Champion in the 880-yard run.

Bob Jones

Class of 1951

Swimming

Jones won the 75-yard individual medley state event two years in a row, was a member of a 150-yard medley relay team that won a state championship and was part of a 200-yard free style relay team that also won a state championship.

Wayne Peacock

Class of 1956

Tennis, football, basketball

Peacock was a seven-time letter-winner in football, basketball and tennis, lead the tennis team to WIAA State Championships in 1955 and 1956 and received All State honors. He went on to win five Big Ten Championships playing tennis for the University of Michigan.

Roger Kriete

Class of 1958

Football, volleyball, track

Kriete was a two-time letterman on the football team, was two-time 2nd team All-Conference selection, earned three letters and was captain of the volleyball team, and was inducted into the UW-Milwaukee Hall of Fame with the Panther Award of Distinction.

Howard William "Bill" Weiss

Class of 1960

Swimming

A four-year letter-winner in swimming, Weiss graduated from Wauwatosa High School with more individual state championships than any athlete in school history, was awarded All-State and All-American Swim Team honors and was a third-place finisher at the AAU Indoor championships for All-American swimmers.

Rob "Jet" Larkin

Class of 1963

Track, football, basketball

As a hurdler, Larkin ended his career with an all-state award, was voted the team MVP and received the Robert Fischer Award for his school contributions off the field. His nickname honored his blazing speed.

Dave Morgan

Class of 1965

Football, basketball, track

Morgan lettered nine times, was a two-year first team All-Conference selection. In football he played quarterback as a junior and a running back as a senior and was a three year starter on defense. He played football for the University of Kansas and was a Rhodes Scholar.

Ted Voight

Class of 1965

Basketball, track, cross country

Voight averaged 14.8 points and 14.5 rebounds per game for the 1964 and 1965 Suburban Conference Championships and was selected All-State Honorable Mention.

Bob Purvis

Class of 1965

Basketball, track, cross country

Pruvis was voted first team All Suburban, set the state record with 26 rebounds in game, most rebounds for three games with 56, received All Tournament and All-State Honorable Mention honors.

HJ Weiland

Class of 1966

Basketball, football and track

A nine-time letter-winner, Weiland was elected captain of the football team his senior year, gained second team All-Suburban honors and helped the basketball team win Suburban Conference Championships his junior and senior years.

Paul "Ace" Vollmer

Class of 1970

Basketball, track

Vollmer was first team All-Suburban, second team All-State and first team All-Tournament in basketball and played on the team that won the Suburban Conference Championship.

Chris "Kit" Davis

Class of 1970

Football, track, baseball

On the football field David earned two letters and won a team MVP award, first team All-Suburban and was an Honorable Mention All-State selection.

Dennis Brown

Class of 1972

Track, football, wrestling

Brown was an eight-time letter-winner in three sports, first team All-Conference as a defensive back, an All-Conference selection and second-place finisher in the conference wrestling meet, and two-time state champion in the 120-yard high hurdles.

Chuck Buesing

Class of 1972

Football, basketball, track

Buesing was undefeated in the discus in his senior year winning the Suburban Conference, the regional and sectional meets; was the leading scorer and rebounder in basketball his senior year; and graduated as the career and season record-holder in passing yards, touchdowns thrown, and touchdown-to-interception ratio in football.

John Morgan

Class of 1972

Football, track

Morgan was a three-time first team All-Suburban selection, was selected first team All-State at center and nose guard, was co-MVP of the 1971 championship team, became the school record holder in the shot put, won the Suburban Conference and Suburban Relays and the regional and sectional meets.

Dan Vollmer

Class of 1972

Football, wrestling

Vollmer graduated with the second-most career interceptions in school history, set school records for most career yards, most yards in a season and his 202 yards set the school record for a single game. Vollmer was a two-time team MVP, a three-time All-Conference selection and a third team All-State selection.

Alison Brown Perry

Class of 1973

Track, basketball, volleyball

Perry earned two letters each in volleyball, basketball and track, was a qualifier for the 1972 state meet in the long jump and was the recipient of Tosa East's first Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year award in 1972.

Laura Blank Latus

Class of 1973

Track, volleyball

Latus was a member of an 880-yard relay that set a state record and won the state championship, and the next year that same relay team beat their previous record to win a second time.

Joe Zuba

Class of 1976

Football, basketball, track

Zuba was selected for All-Conference in his quarterback and defensive back positions, selected for second team All-State as a defensive back and was the team's MVP two years in a row.

Mike Francis

Class of 1980

Football, wrestling

Francis shattered school records for points scored, total offense, and rushing yards in a single season and tied the school's best Suburban Conference record of 7-1 in 1979, and placed in the Suburban Conference tournament for wrestling his senior year.

Kris Hey-Wilde

Class of 1981

Volleyball, basketball, track

Hey-Wilde earned 10 varsity letters, was team captain her senior year and made first team All-Conference and first team All-State in volleyball, received the UNICO Outstanding Girl Athlete award.

Michael Sylvester

Class of 1982

Basketball, volleyball, track

Sylvester lead the basketball team to two conference championships, made first team All-Conference and second team All-Area, received an All-State honorable mention and was recognized as an Easter Seal All-Star his senior year.

Pat Ames

Class of 1982

Track, cross country

In track, Ames set every 800-meter record at Tosa East, including the conference record. He was a back-to-back conference champion, finished second at state his junior year, and won the state championship as a senior in the 800-meter event and was a National High School Track and Field All-American.

Tony Smith

Class of 1986

Basketball, track

Smith made first team All-State, holds the record for most field goals in a single season, ranks third for most points in a single season, fifth for total career points and his jersey, No. 34, was retired following his accomplishments.

Clare Eichner Taylor

Class of 1988

Track, cross country

In track, Taylor won sectional, conference, and state championships, was an All-American for three years, was named MVP for two years, set eight school records and five conference records and she was inducted into the WTCA Hall of Fame in 2008.

Gary Grzesk

Class of 1991

Soccer, basketball, football, baseball

In soccer, Grzesk helped lead his team to a state championship, was voted the team's MVP, made first team All-Conference for two years, received All-State honors and was chosen as Gatorade player of the state.

Melissa Maas O'Keeffe

Class of 1993

Basketball, track, tennis

Maas O'Keeffe was voted Tosa East Female Athlete of the Year four times, won two regional championships, two sectional championships and two conference championships in tennis, qualified for the state tournament four years in a row and was voted the tennis team's MVP twice.

Colleen Mickey

Class of 1993

Volleyball, soccer, basketball, track

Mickey earned eleven varsity letters, was an all-state selection in volleyball and soccer, shared Wauwatosa East Athlete of the Year honors, won a Division One volleyball scholarship, and the school's volleyball and soccer teams won state championships her senior year.

Kari Wanat

Class of 1995

Volleyball, basketball, softball

Wanat earned 11 letters, was voted MVP twice, received an All-Conference honorable mention, won the WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, Vescolani Sportsmanship Award, WH Brady Academic All-Star recognition and Wisconsin All-State Scholar recognition, among others.

Jake Wolter

Class of 1997

Football, basketball, track, baseball

Wolter earned 14 varsity letters, was recognized as conference or area player of the year across multiple years and multiple sports, was selected for numerous All-State teams, the All-Star Shrine Bowl for football, the WBCA All-Star Game for basketball, and the Coaches Association All-Star Game for baseball.

Devin Harris

Class of 2001

Basketball, volleyball

Harris was voted the MVP, was named Mr. Basketball for the state of Wisconsin in 2001, was selected for first team Associated Press, first team All-American, first team All-State and made All-Conference for three years. Harris holds the record for most points in a single game and most free throws made in a single season.

Chris Braier

Class of 2002

Football, basketball

Braier was captain of both the basketball and football teams, received All-Conference and All-Area honors in both sports and was awarded the Jostens Trophy.

Coaches

Martin Jackson

Football Coach, 1929-1949

Ben Peacock

Head Tennis Coach, 1933-1961

Bob Hanke

Swimming Coach, 1936-1949

Thomas Duffy

Track/Cross Country Coach, 1940-1943, 1946-1955

William "Bucky" Walters

Basketball Coach, 1946-1957

Bob White

Swimming Coach, 1951-1961

Don Gehrmann

Track/Cross Country Coach, 1956-1968

Bob Christensen

Swimming Coach, 1962-1991

Rich Hess

Asst. Football Coach, 1967-1978

Jim Gilbert

Asst. Basketball Coach, 1968-1980, 1988-2002

John W. Richmond

Head Football Coach 1969-1995, Head Track Coach 1971-1972

Joe Vitrano

Cross Country Coach, 1971-1995

James "Rebby" Rebholz

Basketball Coach, 1972-1993

Katie Curran Rebholz

Basketball, volleyball, track coach, 1972-1984

Grace Morgan

Head Tennis Coach, Asst. Coach of volleyball, track and basketball, 1972-1984

Roger Erickson

Head Track Coach, 1973-2000, Asst. Football Coach, 1967-2006

Jerry Toubl

Head Baseball Coach, 1980-2007

Jim Schuemann

Women's Soccer Coach, 1983-2006

Linda Kulka Vitrano

Basketball Coach, 1988-2006

Joe Lynch

Women's Volleyball Coach, 1991-2006

George Haas

Head Basketball Coach, 1993-2007

Tom Swittel

Head Football Coach, 1996-2009