Jack Thiessen
Class of 1950; Inducted 2006
1949 Honorary Captain Basketball
1950 1st Team All-Northwest District
Bruce Nevitt
Class of 1951; Inducted 2006
2nd Team All-State Basketball 1951
State Tournament Record 96 pts in Tournament 1951
Bill Benson
Class of 1951; Inducted 2006
1950 Football Co-Captain
1951 2nd Team All-State Basketball
1950 High Jump School Record 6’ 1”1950
State High Jump Champion 6’1”
Dave Archer
Class of 1952; Inducted 2007.
1st Team All-NW Basketball 1952; 1st Team All-District Basketball 1952; Part of 3 State Basketball Teams 1950,51,52. They were NWL Champs in 1952 and 5th in State in 1951. Played basketball at Skagit Valley College on scholarship. In High School Lettered in Basketball 3 years; Played Baseball all 4 years and Football senior year.
Personal: Started in grocery business at age 14 at Knutzen Bros. Became Produce Manager at Burlington Thrifty Foods and worked his way up to Produce Manager/Merchandiser for all Thrifty and Market Foods. Had 3 children: David, Dale, and Cheryl; All graduated from BEHS. Dave passed away in 1984.
Memories: Youngest brother Lyle remembers hanging over the railing in the old BEHS gym cheering on the legendary Tiger basketball teams of the ‘50’s led by his brother.
Lloyd Cook
Class of 1952; Inducted in 2006
1951 Honorary Captain Football
1951 1st Team All-Northwest Tackle
Gene Fitzgerald
Class of 1953; Inducted in 2006
All NWL Football 1950, 51, 52
1952 NWL Record 158 pts
330 pts. Scored in Career
Said to be, “Greatest RB in NWL History”
1953 AP Little All-American Bakersfield Jr. College
1953 Led Bakersfield to Jr. College National Championship
John Coffee
Class of 1954; Inducted in 2006
1954 1st Team All NWL Basketball
Averaged 15 points per game
Most Inspirational Player
1955 Freshman Basketball PLU
1956 Played Basketball and Baseball at Skagit Valley College
Cash Stone
Class of 1954; Inducted in 2006
1954 Graduate Lettered in Football, Wrestling and Baseball
Lost Only 1 Match in Entire High School Wrestling Career
1955 Undefeated Skagit Valley College Wrestling
Wrestled at WSU, Won 1958 Pacific Coast Championship at 130 lbs
Wrestled in NCAA Championships
Head Wrestling Coach at Mead HS in Spokane from 1959-1997
Career Record 450-140-6
13 League Championships
2 State Championships
Washington State HS “AAA” Coach of the Year 1979 and 1993
Washington Wrestling Coaches Assoc. Hall of Fame 1999
National Federation of HS Coaches Hall of Fame 1997
National Wrestling Hall of Fame for “Lifetime Service to Wrestling” 1997
Ken Coons
Class of 1951; Inducted 2007.
State Wrestling Champion 1951; Wrestling Team Captain 1950 and 51.
Don Sadler
Class of 1951; Inducted 2007.
State Wrestling Champion 1951; Also Earned Varsity Letters in Tennis and Track.
All-Island Navy Champion in Wrestling while stationed in Guam.
Personal: After being discharged from the Navy, earned B.A. from WWU. Worked in business for 10 years, then many years in law enforcement. Served as Under Sheriff in Whatcom County for 8 years. Married for 36 years. Has 1 son and 2 daughters and numerous grandchildren. Don Passed Away in 1990.
Don Grandy
Class of 1951; Inducted 2007.
State Wrestling Champion 1951.
Bill Van Putten
Class of 1954; Inducted 2007.
All-Northwest Football Tackle 1953; Also was Kicker. Played Football, Basketball, and Track all 4 years. Played Basketball at Skagit Valley College.
Personal: Widowed; Has 4 children, 9 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.
Dale "Buzz" Peth
Class of 1955; Inducted 2006
1955 State Wrestling Champion 147 lbs
1954 2nd Team All-Northwest Football
Washington Junior College Wrestling Champion
Claude Dowen
Class of 1955; Inducted 2007.
State Wrestling Champion 1955; 2nd Team All-NW Football 1953; 1st Team All-NW Football 1954; Most Inspirational Football 1954; Football Captain 1954; Wrestling Captain 1955; Lettered in Football and Wrestling all 4years.
Don Smith
Class of 1956; Inducted in 2006
1955 State Wrestling Champion 157 lbs
Gary Knutzen
Class of 1956; Inducted 2006
1955 District Champion Wrestling
1955 3rd in State Wrestling
1956 District Champion Wrestling
1956 2nd in State Wrestling
Coached Skagit Valley College Wrestling From 1963-74
Won State JC Championship in 1963 and 1964
Wrestling Referee from 1957 to 2002 at Every Level Including NAIA National Finals
Inducted to Washington State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame as a Contributor
Athletic Director Skagit Valley College for over 30 Years
Kirk Wilson
Class of 1956; Inducted in 2006
1956 1st Team All-Northwest Fullback and Linebacker
1956 1st Team All-Northwest Basketball
1956 Northwest League Champion 440yd. Dash
1956 Northwest League Record 440yd. Dash
Lettered twice at University of Washington in Football
Pete Moody
Class of 1956; Inducted 2007.
District Wrestling Champion 1954,55,56; State Wrestling Champion 1955; Captain of 2nd Place State Team 1956; Defeated Eventual State Champion in Districts 1954 when cost kept Tigers from attending state; 2nd team All-NW Football Half-Back 1956;
Also Lettered in Track and Baseball.
Personal: 1956-59 USMC- Marine Air Wing; Retired from Operating Engineer’s – Construction Crane Operator, 40 Years. Raised 8 Children.
Memories: Bo Campbell coaching from the edge of the mat, to the darkest corner of the gym going through the motions. Being part of one of the smartest, best classes to graduate from BEHS.
Al Howard
Class of 1956; Inducted 2007.
2nd State Wrestling 1956; Member of 2nd in State Wrestling Team 1956.
Leo Orestad
Class of 1957; Inducted in 2006
1955, 56,57All N.W. Baseball
1957 All N.W. Basketball
1957 Most Inspirational and Basketball Captain
School Scoring Record Basketball 16.6 points per game
Undefeated Pitcher 1956 and ’57
1st Tiger Selected for All-State Baseball Game 1957
.367 Batting Avg. 1957
Signed Pro Baseball Contract with Yakima Bears 1958
All-Europe Army Security Agency “Big Blue” Basketball Team Stationed in Frankfurt, Germany Starter 1961 and ‘62
1600 points 16 points per game.
1960 All-Europe Baseball Team Pitcher and First Baseman
Garner Ekstran
Class of 1957; Inducted in 2006
1956 1st Team All-Northwest Football
1956 1st Team All-State Football End
1957 1st Team All-Northwest Basketball
1957 Track County Champion 880yd
Earned 5 Letters (3 Football, 2 Wrestling) At Washington State University
1960 Pac-8 Football 2nd Team End
Played 8 Seasons in Canadian Football League 5 Times All-Pro
Played For Saskatchewan and British Columbia
Played in 2 Grey Cup Games Winning in 1967 with Saskatchewan
1985 Selected to Saskatchewan Roughriders 75th Anniversary All-Star Team as DE
1990 Inducted in Saskatchewan Roughrider Plaza of Honor
1999 Selected as one of the 50 greatest Roughriders of All-Time
Terry Knutzen
Class of 1957; Inducted 2007.
2nd State Wrestling 1957; Member of 2nd in State Wrestling Team 1956. Wrestled and Played Football all 4 years.
BrYce Cook
Class of 1958; Inducted 2006
1957 2nd State Wrestling 127 lbs
1958 Wrestling State Champion 133 lbs
Led B-E to Team State Title
Wrestled at Washington State University
Undefeated Freshman and Sophomore Seasons at WSU
Lead Cougars to Big 6 Championship in 1963
Coached Wrestling at Meadowdale High School for 30 years
Compiled a Record of 265-111-1
Teams Won 1984 and 1985 State Championships
Was “AAA” Coach of the Year in 1982
Officiated for 25 Years
Elected to Washington State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame