State football champs among 2012 HOF inductees

The Superior Athletic and Academic Hall of Fame Class of 2012 has been announced and includes two track stars, a state championship football team, Wisconsin’s winningest high school hockey coach, a local pioneer for Special Olympics and an accomplished violinist.

The induction ceremony is March 31 at Superior Middle School. It starts at 5 p.m., and tickets are now on sale. Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased at SHS, the School District of Superior board office, the Chamber of Commerce or from any hall of fame committee member or SHS coach or advisor.

Rick Rockwood, a 1969 graduate of Superior Cathedral High School, won state titles in the 120 high hurdles and 180 low hurdles.

Tim Heikkila, a 1967 graduate from Superior Senior High School, won a state title in high jump with a state record. He also set a Big Ten record at the University of Minnesota and was the first to clear 7-feet in Big Ten tournament history.

Pete Susens is the coaching achievement award winner. The 1971 SSHS grad earned his 500th career coaching win during the 2010-11 season and is Wisconsin’s all-time high school hockey leader in coaching wins.

The team accomplishment award goes to the 1990 SSHS football team. Led by coach Tom Mestelle, the Spartans won the 1990 WIAA Division 1 state football championship with 12 wins.

The academic awards go to Kevin Kadrmas and De Ann Burger-Letourneau.

Kadrmas, who passed away in 2005, was a teacher in the Superior School District for 31 years in special education and earned the teacher of the year award in 1982. He was co-founder of the Douglas County Special Olympics and the Douglas County Special Olympics meatball dinner.

Burger-Letourneau is a 1986 SSHS graduate. She is an accomplished violinist and has been the concertmaster, Las Vegas Philharmonic, since 1999. She was also the concertmaster for the Nevada Chamber Symphony and the St. Martin Chamber Symphony. From 1984-87 she was a member of the Duluth-Superior Symphony while only 15 years old, the youngest member to date to join the DSSC.

She has done recordings for many major recording artists, TV awards and honor shows such as the Jerry Lewis Telethon, Billboard Awards, Country Music Awards, Latin Grammy Awards, Pre-Grammy & Academy nomination shows in Vegas as well as PBS and other music specials.

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