Plainwell High School Athletic Hall of Fame By Michael Parr, Library Director Joe Sparks class of 2001 And student library aides 1998 - present By Michael

Plainwell High SchoolPlainwell High SchoolAthletic Hall of FameAthletic Hall of FamePlainwell High SchoolPlainwell High SchoolAthletic Hall of FameAthletic Hall of Fame

By Michael Parr, Library DirectorJoe Sparks class of 2001

And student library aides 1998 - present

By Michael Parr, Library DirectorJoe Sparks class of 2001

And student library aides 1998 - present

Brian Arehart ‘77Brian Arehart ‘77

Brian earned 9 varsity letters 2 football 3 basketball 4 track.

Basketball honors … Co-captain Most Valuable Player All-Conference All-State, third team WOTV All-Stars, second team Career Scoring Mark

Brian Arehart ‘77 Brian Arehart ‘77

Track honors … Holding the school high

jump record at 6'7“ Undefeated all four years in

dual meets Conference championships

After PHS …

Attended KVCC Qualified for the Junior

College National Track Meet in the high jump with a jump of 6'8".

Erin Ascherman ‘94Erin Ascherman ‘94

Erin earned 11 varsity letters

4 Volleyball 4 Soccer 3 Basketball

Soccer accomplishments …

All-Conference, 4 years All-County, 4 years All-State, 2 years Team captain


Vollyball accomplishments

All-Conference, 3 years All-County, 3 years All-Region, twice All-State Senior All-Academic Team MHSAA Scholar Athlete

Award

Basketball accomplishments

All-Conference All-County, twice All-State MHSAA Scholar Athete


Won the PHS Female Athlete of the year award, 1994

Beyond PHS …

Played collegiate soccer at Kalamazoo College

Soccer team captain at K College, 2 years

Defensive Most Valuable Player

Name to MIAA Conference team, twice

Coached soccer at Loy Norrix

Officiated high school volleyball

Lisa Ashton ‘90Lisa Ashton ‘90

Lisa earned 7 varsity letters

4 soccer 3 basketball.

PHS honors …

Most Valuable Player, basketball, ‘89

MVP, soccer, ’88 & ‘90


Recognition beyond PHS …

MVP Wolverine Conference, soccer, ’88, ’89 & ‘90

All-Conference, soccer, ’88, ’89 & ‘90

All State, soccer, ’88, ‘89 & ’90

Soccer Player of the Year, class B-C-D, ‘90


Lisa set many of the PHS women's soccer records …

Leading goal scorer, four years Most goals in a career, 103 Most goals in a single game, 7 Most goals in a season, 37 in both

‘89 & ‘90

1990 state of Michigan's leading scorer, 62 goals and assists.


After PHS …

Graduate of the University of Michigan

Started all four years on the UM soccer team

Leading scorer for the UM team in ‘91, ‘92 & ‘93

Holds five records at UM including the most goals and assists in a career with 110

Assistant soccer coach at Marshall High School

Don Aukerman ‘56Don Aukerman ‘56

Don earned 7 varsity letters:

2 football 1 basketball 3 baseball 1 track

Achievements include:

Co-captain the football team

All-Opponent Team

23 points in the district basketball game.

First male to earn varsity letters in four sports in one year

Athlete of the Year

Don Aukerman ‘56Don Aukerman ‘56

Coaches persuaded Don, a ninth grader, not to quit school to work

After graduating from PHS … Turned down a full-ride football

scholarship to Dartmouth Played baseball the Kalamazoo City

League Built a baseball Diamond on his farm

in Delton for local church & little league teams

The diamond is still know as Aukerman's field

Bob Bailey ‘42Bob Bailey ‘42

Bob earned 7 varsity letters:

3 football 3 basketball 1 baseball which was only

offered his senior year

Honors … Captain, football, basketball

and baseball Batted .500 Held leading basketball

scorer to two points

Bob Bailey ‘42Bob Bailey ‘42

After PHS …

Turned down a baseball scholarship at WMU to join World War II effort

Serve in Army three years Wounded in action Coached & umpired area

baseball & softball teams after the war

Ben Blake ‘96Ben Blake ‘96

Ben earned 10 varsity letters

3 Football 3 Basketball 4 Track and Field

Football accomplishments ...

All-Conference, twice Most Valuable Player, 1995 Team captain, 1995 Member of first PHS team to

qualify for the state playoffs Selected to play in the 1996

state East – West All-Star game


Basketball achievements …

All-Conference, twice All-State, twice Most Valuaable Player,

twice Academic All-State, twice 36 points, with seven, 3

point shots vs K Christian Set two PHS records: for

most 3 point shots in a game and in a season


Track and Field achievements …

Member of four conference championship teams

Four individual Conference Champions:

high jump, 400 meter dash, 800 meter relay and 1600 meter relay Member of the State Champion

1600 meter relay team Set two school records: 400 dash

and 1600 meter relay


After PHS …

Earned four varsity letters in football at Yale University

Member of Yale’s Ivy League Championship team, 1999

Set Yale record of 30 consecutive football starts

Yale career stats of: 188 tackles 9 interceptions

Phil Buffenbarger ‘49Phil Buffenbarger ‘49

Phillip earned 11 varsity letters:


Awards included: All-Conference, basketball &

baseball, ‘49 Detroit Free Basketball All

State Team, Honorable Mention, ‘49

Captain, basketball, twice & baseball once

Phil Buffenbarger ‘49Phil Buffenbarger ‘49

Basketball accomplishments included …

Season top scorer twice

Scoring 26 points in a tough game against Zeeland.

Track achievements included …

Conference & Regional Dash Champion in ‘49

Third in the 220 yard dash at the State Meet, ‘49

Fifth in the 100 yard dash at the State Meet, ‘49

Tom Dreier ‘57Tom Dreier ‘57

Tom earned 11 varsitv letters


Tom Dreier ‘57Tom Dreier ‘57

Achievements include …

All Conference, football, basketball & baseball

All-Southwestem Michigan, basketball

Captain, football

After PHS … 1961 graduate of Western

Michigan University Three-year varsity letter

winner in basketball, WMU Coached league baseball

Malen Earl ‘93Malen Earl ‘93

Malen earned 15 varsity letters

4 soccer 4 tennis 4 basketball 2 football 1 track and field

Soccer achievements …

All-Conference, 3 years All-County, 4 years All-State, 1992 Team captain, 1992

Malen Earl ‘93Malen Earl ‘93

More accomplishments …

All-County, basketball, 4 years All-Conference, basketball All-State, basketball All-Region, tennis Team captain, basketball, 3

seasons Team captain, soccer

After PHS …

Earn a letter in soccer at Western Michigan University

All MAC Conference Honorable mention

Runner-up MAC Rookie of the Year

Staci Hendershott ‘87Staci Hendershott ‘87

Staci earned 8 varsity letters

4 basketball 4 soccer

Basketball achievements at PHS

Captain, ’86 & ‘87 All-Conference, ‘87 Most valuable player, ‘87

Staci Hendershott 1987Staci Hendershott 1987

Soccer achievements at PHS

Captain, all four years All-Conference all four years All-State Team, ‘87 Class B-C-D Player of the

Year, ‘87

Staci Hendershott ‘87Staci Hendershott ‘87 After PHS …

Played soccer at MSU Captain of MSU soccer team,

two years Named All-Central Region

Team twice Most Valuable Player her

senior year at MSU Assistant Women’s soccer

coach, MSU Established the women’s

soccer program and coached at the University of Nevada, Los Vegas

Jeff Hess ‘76Jeff Hess ‘76

Jeff earned 8 varsity letters

4 cross country 4 track

PHS records in track …

two-mile relay one-mile relay 440 yard dash mile run 880 yard run


Jeff’s finest performances

Conference, regional, and state meets

Wolverine Conference 880 yard run sophomore, junior, and senior years (still the Wolverine Conference Meet record)

Conference 440 yard dash junior and senior years

Anchor leg on mile relay team that won league meet all four years


Jeff’s senior year

all-state in track placed 2nd in mile run at

state meet (another school record)

named to 1976 High School All-American Track Team

individual Wolverine Conference champion

individual regional winner

After graduation …

ran cross country and track for Western Michigan University

Jeff later died in spring of 1981 at age of twenty-three from injuries sustained in motorcycle accident

Rand Hogarth ‘ 73Rand Hogarth ‘ 73

Rand earned 8 varsity letters

3 football3 track and field2 basketball

Football accomplishments …

All-Conference, twiceMember of a team that amassed a 22 –5 recordMember of a team with a 8 game winning streak and 17 consecutive winsSet a record of 22 tackles against Portage Central

Rand Hogarth ‘ 73Rand Hogarth ‘ 73

Honors and awards …

Co Most Valuable Player, football

All-State, football, 1972

After PHS …

Full scholarship to WMU for football

Coached freshman and sophomore football in Colorado

Steve Hope ‘91Steve Hope ‘91

Steve earned 4 varsity letters in swimming

Highlights …

Set records in five events:– 200 medley relay– 200 freestyle– 500 freestyle– 200 freestyle relay– 400 freestyle relay


Swimming Honor and Awards …

Earned All-Conference award in 16 events

All-State in 4 events Set the state record in 500

freestyle State Champion in 3 events

State of Michigan Swimmer of the year, 1991

All-American, 1991 Most Valuable Team Member,

’90 and ‘91


After PHS …

Member of Hope College swim team

Won Conference Championship

Won National Championship Selected to the All-

Conference team NCAA Division III All-

American

Ron Howrigon ‘59Ron Howrigon ‘59

Ron earned 12 varsity letters


–Member of the Conference Co-Championship team, ‘56Co-Most Valuable Player, ‘twiceAll-State Honorable mention

Basketball accomplishments …–Member of the only team to make it to the State Semi-Final game–All-State, fourth team

Tennis …

Team captain Most Valuable player, twice Runner up at State finals

President of Varsity club Co-Athlete of the year, ‘59

Ron Howrigon ‘59Ron Howrigon ‘59

Walt Kaechele ‘62Walt Kaechele ‘62

Walt earned 9 varsity letters

4 track 3 basketball 2 football

As a sophomore… 440 conference and

regional champion Placed 5th at the state

track meet.


His junior year…

Named area football player of the week after first game, but a knee injury sidelined him the remainder of the season

Member of the District Championship basketball team

Set the school and conference track record in the 440 run.

Member of the record setting 880 relay team

Set the pole vault record at 11'3'‘ Track team captain


Walt's senior year…

Seven pass receptions - all for touchdowns, an unofficial record

Member of Plainwell‘s first Wolverine Conference football championship

All-conference, basketball, second team

Track team captain School record in the 220 dash at

22.3, still standing Terry Berry Award for Athletic

Excellence

After PHS…

Teacher and coach of boys and girls basketball, tennis, track and football at Allegan Schools, 30 plus years

First recipient of the Michigan Assistant Tennis Coach of the Year Award

Anita Kesteris ‘86Anita Kesteris ‘86

Anita earned 6 varsity letters 2 basketball 2 volleyball 2 track

Basketball achievements … Member of the Wolverine

Conference and District Championship teams, ’85 & ’86

The ’86 team compiled an outstanding record of 22-1.


Volleyball accomplishments

Member of ‘86 team that posted a 33-10 record

The ’86 team was ranked 5th in the state

Member of the ‘85 USA-Kalamazoo Junior Olympic volleyball team.


Track achievements

Set the PHS high jump record, 5'2"

Set the PHS mile relay record at 4:13.5

All-Conference honors in the high jump, the 440-yard dash and the mile relay.

Qualified for the State Track Meet in four events: the high jump, 880 relay, 400 dash and the mile relay

The 880-relay team placed 5th in the state

Her 1985 track


After PHS …

Four year volleyball letter winner at Northern Illinois University where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work

Member of NIU volleyball team that won the North Star Conference Tournament

Ranked 15th in the nation for service aces

Assistant women’s track coach at PHS ‘92 Coached varsity volleyball at Paw Paw

and Allegan Continues to play volleyball on area

teams.

Roxanne Munch ‘86Roxanne Munch ‘86 Roxanne earned six varsity

letters 3 basketball 3 volleyball.

Basketball Achievements include

All-Conference, ’85 & ‘86 Member of the ‘84 District

Championship team Member of the 1985

undefeated (regular season) team

Roxanne Munch ‘86Roxanne Munch ‘86

Her Volleyball accomplishments …

Team captain All-Conference, twice All-State team Athlete of the Year, 1986 Member Jr. Olympic Volleyball team 4

years, placing second at the ‘85 Jr. Nationals

After PHS … Named to Top 50 National Recruits in

volleyball Full volleyball scholarship to Eastern

Michigan University All-MAC, ’87,’88, ’89 & ‘90 All-Midwest Region ‘90 Captain of the EMU team ’89 & ‘90 EMU female Academic Athlete of the

Year, ‘90

Ruddy O'Boyle ‘62Ruddy O'Boyle ‘62

Ruddy earned 8 varsity letters

3 football 2 basketball 3 track


All-State, ’61 & ‘62 WOOD-TV All-Stars , ’61 & ’62 All-Conference, ‘62 Parade All-American team, ‘62 Co-captain, 62

Ruddy O'Boyle ‘62Ruddy O'Boyle ‘62

All-Conference, basketball

Shot Put accomplishments are impressive …

Set the school record in shot put, and as of ‘99 this record still stands at 55' 5-3/4'‘

First at the Conference Track Meet, ‘62

Second at the State Track Meet, ‘62

First at the Champions Track Meet

Member of the 440 relay team

Dan Pell ‘59Dan Pell ‘59

Dan earned 8 varsityletters


Off the field …

President of his class freshman, sophomore and junior years

Member of varsity club Member of the National Honor

Society.


Athletic honors …

Honorable mention All-State basketball & football

Placed first in Wolverine Conference in high jump

Part of twenty game win streak in basketball

Member of 1959 basketball team that reached state-final game


After PHS …

Received athletic an academic scholarship at K College

Played football at Kalamazoo College

K College leading receiver for two seasons

Mike Schiffer ‘74Mike Schiffer ‘74

Mike earned 8 varsity letters


Mike’s basketball …

Captain four years Best field goal percentage Most Valuable Player, ‘73


Football achievements …

Tri-captain, ‘73 Continued 17 game winning streak-

finishing the season undefeated (first in27 yrs.)

26 receptions for 449 yards, 1973 season

80 points 8 punts for touchdowns Selected all-conference for offense

and defense Most Valuable player All-state honorable mention honors,

‘72 All-state second team honors at end

position ‘73


Mike’s track achievements

Served as tri-captain Placed first in high hurdles

and high jump Placed second in low

hurdles at regional track meet , ‘73

helped team to it's regional championship.

Senior year included 23 straight team wins

held Plainwell school records for 880 yard relay at 1 minute-33.5 seconds and 440 yards relay at 45.5 seconds

held the individual record for high hurdles at 14.9 seconds

Ian Smith '87Ian Smith '87 Ian earned 10 varsity letters

2 swimming 4cross country 4 track

Cross country accomplishments … Most Valuable runner, four years All-Conference, four years Placed in top four at regional meet,

four years All-State honors, three years Team captain,

Ian Smith '87Ian Smith '87

Track achievements …

Most Valuable member three years All-Conference honors, four years First place finishes in 1600 meter

run, 3200 meter run, 800 meter run and 3200 meter relay, 1987 Conference Meet

State Champion, 1600 Meter & four other top five finishes, 1987

Named Outstanding Conference Meet Performer, 1987

Held PHS school record in 3200 Meter run at 9:20


At Michigan State University …

Cross Country team, four varsity letters Earned four varsity letters, indoor &

outdoor track Held MSU school record for indoor 3000-

meter run Academic All-Big Ten, four years, Outdoor

Track team


Academic All-Big Ten, four years

Division I All-American honors and Division I Academic All-American honors, ‘91

All-Big Ten, ‘91

Earned team's Leadership Award, ‘90 & ‘91

Team Captain, ‘90 & ‘91

Jack Streidl 1945 -1985Jack Streidl 1945 -1985

Jack Streidl’s career

38 year teaching & coaching career at PHS, interrupted briefly for Naval service during the Korean War

Coached football, basketball, and track,

Athletic director Taught biology and

physical education


Striedl’s track accomplishments …

Fifty-five straight dual meet victories

After one loss, 35 more consecutive victories were recorded

Career record of 90-1


His football achievements

Career record of 201-103-8 First high school football coach

in Michigan to win 200 games at one school

Dedication to Plainwell football is evident in renaming of PHS athletic field to "Streidl Field"

in 1975


High Honors …

Selected to Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, ‘80

Coached West Team All-Star football game, ‘82

Named to Detroit Free Press Hall of Fame, ’82

Named to Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, ‘83

Western Michigan University WMU Hall of Fame member

Mike Swope ‘82Mike Swope ‘82

Mike earned 9 varsity letters 2 football 3 basketball 4 track

On the Football field …

Two-way starter Team captain Selected to the all

conference team,1981 Made two crucial pass

interceptions to help beat Otsego, the 17th straight


Basketball accomplishments …

Most Valuable player, ’80 & ‘82

Leading scorer for two seasons

Captain both his junior and senior year.


Track & Field …

Won the Wayne Falan Award for the Outstanding Athlete of the Wolverine Conference Meet,1982

Set two conference & PHS records, 14.6 in the 110 meter high hurdles & 37.9 in the 300 meter low hurdles, ,82

All-State Track honors, ‘82 Team captain, ‘82

After PHS …

Played football and lightweight football at Princeton University

Member of Princeton Tigers indoor and outdoor track teams, two years

Coached football at Rocky Mount, (North Carolina) Senior High School.

Coaches AYSO soccer

Chelle Thomas ‘81Chelle Thomas ‘81

Chelle earned 6 varsity letters: 2 basketball 4 track

Basketball achievements …

Selected all-conference first team, ‘81

Most Valuable Player, ‘81 Team captain Helped lead team to the

regional final game


Chelle’s track career …

Team captain four years Held the record for 110 yard

low hurdles at 15.1 and 220 yard low hurdle record at 28.6

Member of Conference championship team, ‘81

Competed in events at state track meet 3 years

Winner of All-Sports award, ‘81



Member of KVCC basketball team

All-state, basketball, KVCC Basketball team captain, KVCC MVP, basketball, KVCC Highest basketball scoring

average in the state, KVCC, ’83 All Region honors, basketball,

KVCC


Beyond KVCC …

Member of Western Michigan University track team and competing in Heptathlon and Pentathlon

Awarded Dale B. Lake Award for student-athlete with highest grade point average

Now teaches in Special Education Department at Otsego High School

Assistant Girls’ Track coach at Otsego

Gary Vanderweele ‘84Gary Vanderweele ‘84

Gary earned 8 varsity letters: 3 basketball 3 football 2 track

During basketball season

Co-captain of team senior year

Name to the All-conference team

1983-84 team held 17 game winning streak

Wolverine Conference Champions after going undefeated


Football achievements …

Leading tackles junior and senior years

Selected all-conference offense & defense,1984

All-state, second team, 1984 Selected to play in Michigan

East-West All-star game, 1984 selected Athlete of Year, 1984



Lettered in football at Western Michigan University four years

Played and started in every WMU football game from 1985-1988

Earned numerous Offensive Lineman-of- the-Week honors

Played on Mid-American Conference Championship team

Played in the California Bowl

Bob Weller '63Bob Weller '63

Bob earned 9 varsity letters 3 basketball 3 baseball 2 in football 1 track

Football achievements include All-Conference, ‘63 All-State honorable

mention, ‘63 Most Valuable player, ‘63 Team Co-Captain, ‘63


Other accomplishments …

All-Conference, basketball, ‘63

All-Conference 2nd team, basketball, ‘62

Conference High scorer, basketball, ‘63

Highest batting average, baseball, ’62

Most Valuable Pitcher, ’62


After PHS … Teacher at

Middleville/Thornapple Kellogg schools from 1968-1995

Coached varsity golf, varsity softball, freshman boy's basketball, 7th & 8th grade girl's and boy's basketball and Middle School wrestling in his school district.

Brad Whitmore ‘71Brad Whitmore ‘71

Brad earned 6 varsity letters

2 Football 2 Basketball 2 Track and Field

Football career …

All-Conference, twice All-State Honorable

Mention, 1971 Team Tri-Captain Scored 4 touchdowns in a

single game against Three Rivers


Track accomplishments …

Placed third in the State Track Finals in the high jump

Set the two school records: high jump, 6’ 4”

long jump, 21’ 4 ½” Senior

Senior Athlete of the Year, 1971



Played rugby at University of Michigan

Won the National Orienteering Championship in ’94 and ‘97

Earn a Ph. D. in Astronomy, U-M ‘80

Employed at Space Telescope Science Institute, where he works with the Hubble Space Telescope

Norm Young ‘59Norm Young ‘59

Norm earned ten varsity letters at PHS


Football accmplishments …

Most Valuable player All Conference, All state, Honorable Mention Wolverine Conference record for

longest run from scrimmage, 97 yards

Norm Young ‘59Norm Young ‘59

Basketball …

All-Conference team, ‘59 All-State team, ’59 1959 team held a 20 game win

streak, losing only to the eventual Class C State champions in overtime

Baseball & track …

Batted over .300 three years Track team captain Held the 100 yard dash record.

Selected The Kalamazoo Gazette Southwest Michigan Athlete of the Year, ‘59

Documents

Plainwell High School Athletic Hall of Fame By Michael Parr, Library Director Joe Sparks class of 2001 And student library aides 1998 - present By Michael