The Montabella All-State Wall was developed by former Athletic Director, John Helinski, back in 2013. He sought out what other schools in the surrounding area might do for honoring All-State athletes. In conjunction with a very dedicated All-State Wall Committee, Mr. Helinski received the help of some local businesses and our very own Industrial Arts Teacher, Max Simon to help build what we all know as the “All-State Wall.”
The All-State Wall Committee was made up of Jann LaPointe, Ivan Renne, Dave Clay, Jeff Kauffman, Parker Eldred, Don Havlicek, Bette Helmer, Todd Brooks, Gloria Smith, and Kevin Smith. The committee searched their histories, the internet, spoke with community members, and remembered past All-State athletes to come up with since graduated All-State Athletes.
It was noted in an All-State Wall Program that a special thanks went out to Montabella Sports Boosters, ALRO Steel, Trophy Shoppe (now E&S Graphics), Max Simon, Suzi Dunn, Dave Forquer, Shaun Balhorn, and Luke Sawyer for their contributions to make the All-State Wall possible.
With all of that said, if you notice after looking at the members of the All-State Wall and you know of someone that earned All-State while at Montabella, please contact the school’s Athletic Director.
To be considered for the All-State Wall, the one of the following criteria must be met:
Be selected by Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, or Associated Press as All-State athlete, or
Be selected by a sport’s coaches association All-State team or equivalent, or
For individual sports, earn a place deemed by the MHSAA as All-State.
2019-2020 All-State Wall Inductees
On December 19th, 2019 six former and current student-athletes were introduced as having earned All-State during the 2018-2019 season, as well as one from 1999. Pictured left to right: Laura Keilholtz (Discus), Helena Snyder (Cross Country), David Shattuck (Wrestling), Mya Scott (Pole Vault), and Connor Riley (Basketball). Missing from picture was Christie (Johnson) Harris (Class of 1999).
All-State Wall Members
Randy Boyer – 1971 AP Honorable Mention Football
Steve Naru – 1974 Detroit Free Press 1st Team and United Press International 1st Team Football; 1975 5th Place Long Jump
Chris Fedewa – 1977 MIGCA 1st Team Golf
Chris Miller – 1980 Detroit Free Press Honorable Mention Football; 3rd Place 180 lbs Wrestling
Hasan Baybura – 1980 6th Place 118 lbs Wrestling
Terry Schumacher – 1980 State Champion 138 lbs Wrestling
Steve Cummings – 1981 3rd Place 400M Dash and 4th Place 200M Dash
Scott Schumacher – 1984 5th Place 155 lbs Wrestling
Susan Peterson – 1987 11th Place Cross Country
Monty Price – 1989 Associated Press Honorable Mention and United Press International Honorable Mention Football
Kevin Smith – 1991 Detroit News Honorable Mention and Detroit Free Press Honorable Mention Basketball
Ryan Ferguson – 1991 Detroit News Honorable Mention Basketball
Jeff Eccleston – 1995 11th Place Golf
Mindy Sawyer – 1995 1st Team Class C Softball
Vachel Perkins – 1995 7th Place 215 lbs Wrestling
Jennifer Delamater – 1997 8th Place Long Jump; 1998 5th Place Long Jump; 1999 State Champion 300M Hurdles, 4th Place 200M Dash, 6th Place 100 M Dash; 2000 State Champion 100M Dash, 3rd Place 200M Dash, 6th Place 300M Hurdles, 7th Place Long Jump
Greg Perkins – 1998 6th Place Heavyweight; 1999 3rd Place Heavyweight; 2001 State Champion Heavyweight
Jeremy Quezada – 2010 8th Place Heavyweight Wrestling
Jordan Peterson – 2010 3rd Place 152 lbs Wrestling
Taylor Smith – 2010 10th Place Cross Country; 2011 5th Place Cross Country; 2012 4th Place Cross Country; 2013 Detroit News Honorable Mention, Detroit Free Press Honorable Mention, Associated Press Honorable Mention, BCAM’s Best Special Mention; 2013 11th Place Cross Country; 2014 Associated Press Honorable Mention, Detroit News Honorable Mention, BCAM’s Best Honorable Mention; 2014 5th Place 3200M Run
Cora Okkema – 2011 3rd Place Discus; 2012 2nd Place Discus, 5th Place Shot Put
2011 7th Place 3200 Relay Team (Emily Malina, Danielle Moreland, Sofia Wiegele, Taylor Smith)
Jemikal Papendick – 2011 Associated Press 1st Team, Detroit News Honorable Mention Football
Travis Dunn – 2011 Detroit News Honorable Mention Football
Sarah Miller – 2012 Detroit Free Press Honorable Mention; 2013 BCAM’s Best Special Mention; 2014 Associated Press Honorable Mention, Detroit Free Press Honorable Mention, Detroit News Honorable Mention, BCAM’s Best Honorable Mention Basketball
Daniel Davidson – 2013 8th Place Heavyweight; 2014 5th Place Heavyweight Wrestling
Johnny Durham – 2013 4th Place 171 lbs Wrestling
Kensi Garvey – 2014 8th Place 800M Run; 2015 13th Place Cross Country; 2015 6th Place 800M Run; 2016 State Champion 800M Run
Logan Burns – 2013 6th Place 160 lbs Wrestling
2014 5th Place 3200M Relay (Alyvia Karcher, Taylor Smith, Kimberly Buskirk, Kensi Garvey)
Zach Taubitz – 2014 6th Place 145 lbs; 2015 4th Place 152 lbs Wrestling
Ashley Swarts – 2015 Associated Press Honorable Mention, Detroit News Honorable Mention, Detroit Free Press Honorable Mention, BCAM’s Best Honorable Mention; 2016 Associated Press Honorable Mention, Detroit News Honorable Mention Basketball
Brianna Carson – 2015 8th Place High Jump; 2016 3rd Place High Jump