L-P celebrates Hall of Honor inductees

This weekend La Salle-Peru Township High School will celebrate the induction of the members of the L-P Hall of Honor Class of 2019. They include Sue Marshall, Robert "Bo" Windy, Gary Windy, the 2008 Volleyball Team, Dr. Gary Novak, the 1978 Football Team, Dr. Melvin Pontious, Howard Fellows, Dr. Elizabeth Small and Dr. Thomas McCormack.
Public activities include an introduction of the new class on Friday, Jan. 17 prior to the start of the varsity boys basketball game against Ottawa in Sellett Gym. This is expected to happen at approximately 6:45 p.m. There also will be an induction ceremony at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18 in Matthiessen Memorial Auditorium. The ceremony is open to the public and free to attend.
To learn more about the LPHS Hall of Honor or to nominate someone to be considered for selection next year, visit bit.ly/LPHSHallOfHonor.

THE INDUCTEES
Sue Marshall was a 1975 graduate of La Salle-Peru High School and returned to serve as a counselor for 23 years. She was a major contributor to bringing the Renaissance program to L-P, which still exists today. She also brought in Challenge Day to connect with students on the social-emotional level. As a student, she achieved high scholarship for three semesters and was inducted into the National Honor Society. Marshall was also a three-sport athlete for L-P. She played on the first interscholastic girls' basketball team and advanced to State in the 400-yard dash, making her the first female L-P student to compete at the state track meet. After graduating, she continued her academic and athletic careers at Illinois State University. In the community, she has been an active member of Grace United Methodist Church for 36 years, serving on a variety of committees.
From the La Salle-Peru graduating class of 1957 is Robert "Bo" Windy. As a well-renowned football and basketball player for L-P, he earned All-Conference First Team honors in both sports in the Big 8. As a junior, he led the Cavalier basketball team to a 20-7 record, which included a trip to the Super Sectional. He averaged 17.1 points and 10 rebounds per game in his senior year as the Cavaliers finished with a 19-6 record and a Regional championship. Over the course of a 75-game varsity basketball career, Windy scored a total of 829 points. He was recognized as All-State Honorable Mention, was named a top 50 basketball player in L-P history in 2007, and inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2010. Outside of athletics, Windy has served on several boards and received numerous awards for his volunteer services.
Gary Windy was a 1969 graduate of L-P and a three-sport student athlete during his time as a Cavalier. In football, Windy was recognized by Coaches Athlete Magazine as a top 100 All-American his junior year and earned All-State selections from four different state publications in his senior year. He was on the Cavalier basketball team that advanced to the 1968 State finals and was named to the All-Tournament Second Team. In his senior year of baseball, the Cavaliers finished with a record of 20-6, and at the time, this was only the third team in school history to advance to the state finals. After graduating from L-P, Windy continued his academic and athletic careers at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign as a 2-year starter at defensive cornerback for the Fighting Illini. He also served as a kick holder, punt returner and kick returner.
The 2008 Lady Cavalier Volleyball team set the school record for wins at 36, finishing with an overall record of 36-1 after losing to eventual State runner-up, Burlington Central, 25-23 in the third set at the IHSA Class 3A Sectional in Sterling. The team went undefeated during the regular season, winning tournaments in Springfield, Pontiac, Dixon and Minooka. The Lady Cavs were champions of the NCIC Conference with a 10-0 record, won the Rock Island Regional, earned the IHSA Team Academic Award, and had the 7th best start in State history at the time. The team was coached by Mark Haberkorn and Amanda Franklin. Team members were Kelsey Carey, Kalli Herron, Sammi Herron, Meagan Kmieciak, Jacquelyn Levine, Katrina Pioli, Jazzmyne Robbins, Heather Smith, Jessica Strauch, Alyssa Tomaszewski, Kelsey Turczyn, Haley Villareal and Brittnee Wojciechowski.
Graduating from L-P High School in 1970, Dr. Gary Novak was a First Team member of the All-State basketball team in 1970. In his senior year, Dr. Novak led the LP basketball team to a 29-3 record and Elite Eight appearance in the state tournament while averaging 26 points and 20 rebounds per game. Post-LPHS, Dr. Novak started 85 consecutive games for Notre Dame and earned team MVP honors his sophomore year after averaging 19.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. His 1974 Notre Dame team ended UCLA's 88-game winning streak and placed 3rd in the NCAA Regional Championship. Dr. Novak was then drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 5th round of the 1974 NBA Draft. Academically, Dr. Novak graduated from Notre Dame with High Honors. He went on to complete his medical licensure and has been a private practitioner of Internal Medicine in Wilmette since 1981.
The 1978 Varsity Football Team compiled a 10-3 record, which included a return trip to the Class 4A State championship game. After the team dropped the first two games of the season against Rock Island and East Aurora, the Cavaliers won their next 10 games, including a win over St. Bede in Howard Fellows Stadium, two comeback victories over NCIC teams, Ottawa and Sterling, a Homecoming win over Kewanee, and solidifying the conference championship with wins over Streator and Mendota. In the playoffs, L-P defeated Peoria Woodruff, Peoria Manual, and Danville before falling to Joliet Catholic and earning a consecutive 2nd place finish in State. The 1978 Cavaliers were led by coaches Joe Marini, Jerry Panizzi, Bruce Bauer, and Ray Wirtz. Tri-captains were Bob Windy, John DiCarlo, and Greg Ratajczak. The team MVP was Greg Ostrowski, who passed for over 1,300 yards that season. Team members: Chuck Johnson, Don Haas, Bill Wujek, Mike Stasiak, Tim Ksiazkiewicz, Mike Knoblauch, Pete Bray, Steve Munson, Jeff Ostrowski, Duanne Potthoff, Dennis Potthoff, Jim Pijanowski, Archie Helland, Ron Popurella, Kevin Degrush, Randy Freschi, Herb Reese, Rich Weber, Terry Kwit, Gene Koehler, Tim Waters, Rich Serafini, Jerry Pinn, Bryan Grebner, Chuck Alvarado, Jake Baratta, Jim Dresbach, Fort Miller, Craig Splittstoesser, Brian Sarver, John Madonna, Mike Bacidore, Andy Peterson, Ken Kwit, Chuck Condie, Frank Arnold, Bob Manley, Mike Glupczynski, Doug Roegner, Jon Somolski, Scott Kwit, Dave Whitlock, Bob Baker, Manager Jay Mayers, Manager Wilbert Meiners, and Manager Joe Piraino.
Dr. Melvin Pontious was the Assistant Director and low brass specialist for Peru Elementary and L-P from 1963-1970, and he was the director of the L-P bands from 1970-1980. In 1972, the band achieved top awards in Marching Show and Concert by William Revelli in International Competition in Vienna, Austria. Dr. Pontious was also awarded the Revelli Conducting Fellowship during this competition. Under his direction, the band received high honors in State IMEA competition from 1970-1980. Dr. Pontious's teaching career spanned 52 years from the elementary to university level. After leaving L-P, he led the music department at Bradley University, served as Wisconsin's Music and Fine Arts consultant, and has written several publications related to the Fine Arts. In 2010, he received the Wisconsin Music Educators Distinguished Service Award.
Howard Fellows was a La Salle-Peru High School coach, mathematics teacher, and athletic director, who was on staff from 1913-1959. During his time at L-P, Fellows coached basketball, football, track and field, swimming and tennis. He was appointed athletic director in 1928 and served in that role until 1959. The L-P football stadium was named in his honor in 1958 on the occasion of his 45th year at the high school. Prior to his tenure at LP, he was a graduate of Ohio State University. After serving the LP school district for 46 years, Fellows said upon retirement, "It has been worthwhile. God has been good to me."
From the La Salle-Peru graduating class of 1969 is Dr. Elizabeth Small, a dermatologist for 32 years. As an L-P student, she was involved in several clubs and received awards, such as the Carus Scholarship and Bausch and Lomb Science Award. She practiced dermatology in Louisiana as well as in Springfield and Urbana, Illinois. Dr. Small was named Volunteer Physician of the Year for her work at Health First Community Medical Clinic. The Elizabeth Small, MD endowed scholarship was established at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1998, and in 2017, she received the Johns Hopkins University Association Distinguished Alumnus Award. After retiring in 2013, she served under the Chair of the Department of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins on the Chairman's Circle and has most recently, volunteered her services to several organizations in the Dallas, Texas area.
Dr. Thomas McCormack was superintendent of L-P from 1903 until his death in 1932 and founder of LPO Junior College, which has evolved to what is known today as Illinois Valley Community College. In 1923, Dr. McCormack wanted to provide an affordable path for students to study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Using the third floor of LP High School and the used Princeton University freshman syllabus as the curriculum, the LPO Junior College was founded, which made it the third community college in the state of Illinois. He established the Bureau of Educational Counsel at LPHS, which was the first in a public high school, with the purpose of providing guidance and psychological counseling to students. Today, his legacy remains at LPHS with the Thomas J. McCormack Memorial Library in view upon entrance to the school.