JIM MONTAGANO, Elkhart Memorial High School, 1977 ***5 varsity letters in 2 sports – football, baseball **EMHS Male Athlete of the YearFootball: 3-year varsity letterwinner; Team captain (1976), Baseball: 2-year varsity letterwinner; Team captain (1977) **1st Team All-Northern Indiana Conference (1977), 2nd Team All-NIC (1976) **Indiana All-Star Game selection 88.371 career batting average, 8 career […]

PENNY HOFFMAN- DiPOMAZIO, Goshen High School, 1977, Southern Illinois University, 1981 Earned 8 varsity letters in diving and track & field Track * IHSAA State Finals Runner in high jump during senior season * 2-time sectional champion * Northern Lakes Conference champion in high jump and long jump during senior season Diving * Twice placed […]

MAURIE KLINE, Goshen High School, 1977, Ohio State University Earned 6 varsity letters in track and cross country Cross country * helped team compile 59-2 meet record in three seasons * helped team to sectional and Northern Lakes Conference championships in senior season * sectional individual champion during senior season * team MVP * IHSAA […]

BEN PAOLILLO, Elkhart Central High School, 1977 ** Earned 6 varsity letters in cross country and track and field ** Cross country – 3-year letter winner … sophomore MVP, junior MVP, team MVP as a senior; led team to three Northern Indiana Conference championships, including 47 consecutive dual meet victories; led team to Elkhart Sectional […]

VINCE TURNER, Media Contributor Elkhart Truth sportswriter (1977-’85) *Earned Associated Press “Best Sportswriting’’ award in 1981 * Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Media Award winner * Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Media Award winner WTRC radio sports director (1985-’98) * Play-by-play voice for high school basketball, football and University of Notre Dame basketball […]

RODMAN L. BENDER, Jimtown High School (1977) After four decades, still holds Jimtown High School baseball records for putouts in a season (271) and putouts in a career (461). Baseball – In his senior year the Jimmies were 27-6, won the Northern State Conference and Goshen single-class sectional. Rod had 52 hits in a single […]

SUSAN (BOGER) PETERS, Elkhart Central High School, 1977 * Four-year letterwinner in swimming. * Swimming – Elkhart County’s first girls IHSAA state champion in 100 freestyle (1975), runnerup in 50 free (’75), fourth in state in 100 free (’76), unbeaten in sophomore and junior seasons, set 7 school records. * College – New Mexico State […]

ROD ROBERSON, ELKHART CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, 1977 Rod quickly established his own credentials after growing up in the shadow of older brother Garvin, one of Elkhart’s finest all-around athletes and a co-winner of the Tim Bringle Award. Rod went on to win the Bringle himself in 1977, after a brilliant career which saw him named […]

DIANE STEPHENSON, CONCORD HIGH, 1977 Diane won 11 letters in volleyball, basketball, track and tennis at CHS. She was a state finalist in track and field for two years and played doubles in the tennis regional. She was the first female athlete to be awarded a full scholarship at IU, where she was named softball […]

KEVIN M. COTHERMAN, Goshen High School, 1977 U.S. Naval Academy, 1981 Earned 9 letters in 4 sports — basketball, football, baseball, track. Basketball — 4 years, 4 letters .. All-Northern Lakes Conference, 1981 … Team MVP, 1976, 1977 … All-Elkhart Sectional, 1976, 1977 … 842 career points. Football — 3 letters .. All-NLC running back […]