Ron Brookins, New Paris High School (1958) Ron’s high school coach, Jim Hettler, calls Brookins the best athlete at New Paris during the coach’s tenure. Though Ron seemed to be a mild-mannered, friendly player, his opponents came to know him as a fierce competitor who, when the going got tough, would rebound and score as […]

Brian Bemiller, Northwood High School (1980) Brian earned All-State honors at NorthWood HS for his football achievements and was a standout baseball pitcher for the school, earning a slot in the North-South All-Star Series. As a senior pitcher, he won 12 games, six of which were shutouts and struck out 117 in 114 innings as […]

Raymond N. Ball, Elkhart High School (1954) Some consider Ray to be one of the best athletes to perform for Elkhart High School. He was an outstanding basketball and track athlete. In basketball, as a senior, he scored 528 points and played on an EHS team that advanced to the Final Four in 1954. After […]

Wilmer Wine, Wakarusa High School (Coach) Coach Wine taught science and coached at Wakarusa High School from 1929-1943 and in the 1932-33 season his basketball team went all the way to the Sweet Sixteen, losing to Greencastle, finishing with a 24-4 record. Those were the only sectional and regional crowns in the history of Wakarusa […]

Floyd Lamar “Bill” Tipmore, Elkhart High School (1937) Bill was an outstanding basketball and football player for the Elkhart “Blue Avalanche” (Blue Blazers in basketball) during the late 1930s. In his senior year, he was captain of the football and basketball teams, as well as quarterback and MVP of the football team. He was consistently […]

E. Dale Swihart, Elkhart High School (1939) Dale earned eleven varsity letters in four sports at Elkhart HS in the late 1930’s. He earned All-State honors as a quarterback in 1938, then played football at Indiana University under coach Bo McMillin. During WWII, he served in Europe for 3 1/2 years with the Fifth Armored […]

Robert Sweazy, Concord High School (1949) Bob’s high school sports career includes three varsity letters in both basketball and baseball as well as two varsity letters in track. His basketball career was capped with Concord winning both the county and sectional tournaments in 1949 and being selected to the All-Regional team as a guard. He […]

Howard Lewallen, Concord High School (1944) Howard was a three-year letter winner in basketball, baseball and track. As a basketball player he scored 384 career points, was known as a great defensive guard and was later named to Coach Les McCuen’s all-time starting five. In baseball, he was a pitcher and played third base. On […]

Keith W. Dougherty, Nappanee & Elkhart High Schools (Coach) Coach Dougherty began his coaching career in 1949 as an assistant basketball coach at Lewisville High School and later became a highly successful head basketball coach at: Hymera High School, 1950-59; Nappanee High School, 1959-68; and Elkhart High School, 1968-72. Keith served as Elkhart Memorial High […]

Henry “Hank” Clason, Goshen High School (1938) Hank was an outstanding basketball player for GHS, leading the team in scoring for three consecutive years; was All-Conference (NIHSC) two years, including one year when he was the conference leading scorer. He also was named All-Sectional two years, a member of the Elkhart County All Stars in […]