2021 Hall of Fame Inductees

Jim Luther: Jim graduated from St. James High School in 1961 lettering in football, basketball and baseball. He then attended Gustavus Adolphus College graduating in 1965 lettering in football. Jim's teaching career began at Ramsey Junior High in St. Paul. He taught life science and enriched biology for three years. In 1970, Jim left the St. Paul school system for Valley View Junior High in Edina to teach Life Science for the next decade. In 1982, Jim taught biology and psychology at the high school level until his retirement in 2000. Jim's first coaching experiences were at the junior high level including football, basketball, wrestling and baseball. Jim then became the assistant varsity baseball coach for eleven years at Edina West and one year at Edina East. In 1981, he became the head baseball coach at Edina East. The Hornets were Lake Conference and regional champions that year and finished third in the Minnesota High School State Baseball tournament. Jim was a baseball clinician at the University of Minnesota, St. Olaf, St. Thomas and St. John's baseball clinics. Jim was actively involved with both the Minnesota State Baseball Coaches Association and the State High School Coaches Association. He served as a delegate representing the Lake Conference Schools at the high school leagues fall, winter and spring meetings in the mid-nineties. As a member of the Minnesota State Baseball Coaches Association, he became president and served for two years. After his tenure, Jim continued to serve on the Minnesota Advisory Board as past president. Jim served as chairman of the committee that selected the All-State High School Baseball teams. He also was co-chairman of the committee for weekly rankings of the state and metro baseball teams for both Minneapolis and St. Paul newspapers. At the national level, Jim served on two committees representing District 5 which included Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. In 1994, Jim's involvement was recognized by the Minnesota State Baseball Coaches Association with the The Past President Award in 1996 becoming the 32nd recipient of the Dick Siebert Award for contributions to high school baseball in Minnesota. In 2005, Jim was inducted into the Edina High School Hall of Fame and in 2006 was inducted into the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Jim received the Life Time Achievement Award in 2016 sponsored by the Minneapolis Minute Men and Minnesota Twins. In retirement, Jim kept close to the baseball scene by serving as the official scorer for the Minnesota Gophers baseball home games for 17 years. Jim and his wife Peg reside in Edina. They have two sons, John with wife Diane and Matthew with wife Liz and three grandchildren, Jacob, Conner and Madeline.

Jared Schwanz: As a Saint, Jared earned a whopping twelve athletic letters by excelling at football, wrestling, baseball and track and field. Before graduating in 2005, Jared was a massive force to reckon with on the football field and on the mat. On the gridiron, he earned three All-South Central Conference team honors and an All-State selection as a senior. Jared used his football skills to dominate the wrestling mat bull rushing his opponents to 109 wins over his career as a Saint. Jared won the Minnesota State Wrestling championship in his junior season and placed second during his senior campaign. After high school, Jared went on to excel on the Minnesota State University-Mankato football team. Today, Jared lives with his wife Beth and their children (Liam and Liliana) in Jamestown, North Dakota as a County Sheriff deputy.

Errol Saunders: Errol graduated from St. James High School in 1956. As a Saint athlete, he earned twelve athletic letters in football, track and wrestling. Errol was able to wrestle-back both in 1955 and 1956 to take third place medal home at the Minnesota State Wrestling meet. He was a friend, teammate and well liked fun loving leader. The outstanding athlete, Class of 1956, went on to Mankato State College to play football and wrestle. Along with two other classmates, he went off to serve his country in the Marine Corps. Following his three year obligation of enlistment, he returned and lived in Fairmont working for a produce company pickup up eggs. On February 5, 1964, at age 25, he sacrificed his life by avoiding a collision with a school bus loaded with children, rolling into the ditch and was killed. Errol will forever be honored and remembered for his athletic talent as a Saint.

Bob Luther: St. James has always had a rich history of great wrestlers dating all the way back to the start of this great sport of wrestling. Bob Luther is one of those all time greats known in Saints wrestling history. He earned three letters during his time as a Saint winning a South Central Conference title at 175 pounds. But where Bob excelled the most was on the football field for the Saints. Bob lived in the trenches opening the holes for one of the greatest teams in Saints football history finishing third in the Minnesota state rankings in 1957 in a one class system. Bob earned most outstanding lineman in the South Central Conference and was nominated to play in the North-South football game. He also had an astounding twenty-five tackles against Fairmont his senior year. Bob went off to the service after graduating in 1958 and now is a retired farmer in Lewisville. He enjoys his retirement with his wife Kathy, children (Kim, Brad, Kristi) and grandchildren (Alex, Taylor, Emma, Alycia, Elizabeth and Addison).

Dennis Barker: Dennis Barker was nominated to be inducted into the St. James High School Athletic Hall of Fame by the late great sports writer, Bill Norgren who probably knew more about the history of Saints athletics than anyone does. Dennis graduated from St. James High School in 1975. As a Saint, Dennis ran cross country, wrestled and rain in the spring on the track team. He was a seven time Minnesota state entrant in cross country and track earning four Minnesota All-State honors during those meets. Dennis held school records in cross country and the two-mile in track. After graduating from St. James High School, Dennis went on to run, recording more school records in the 10,000 meter run at Golden Valley Lutheran College and Iowa State University. When his athletic career came to an end, Dennis gave back to the sport he loves by coaching the Team U.S.A. Minnesota athletes including Olympian Carrie Tollefson. From 1993 to 2013, he coached at Augsburg and now currently coaches at the Nova Classical Academy. Dennis now lives in St. Paul and spends his time with his wife Sarah when he is not coaching and working on his latest book.

Keith Runge: Keith graduated from St. James High School in 1980. During his time as a Saint athlete, Keith earned seven athletic letters in football, basketball and track. On the gridiron, he set the record for receiving touchdowns which was held for over thirty years in a time when teams did not throw the way teams in the modern football offenses do. Unfortunately his senior year was cut short due to shoulder dislocation. Keith had great success in track and field as well. He was selected for the Minnesota All-State Team in 1980 while he competed in the Minnesota State High School Track meet in 1978 and in 1980. Keith holds the 400 meter school record and was the Minnesota State Champion in the spring medley. Today, Keith lives in St. James with his wife Nona truck driving and farming. They have six children (Matt, Jaime, Adam, Jena, Julia and William).

Leah Kern Besel: In the history of St. James Girls Basketball, it's not often to see an athlete awarded team MVP five years in a row. But if that was not true, we would never have had the opportunity to watch Leah Kern Besel play basketball. When Leah graduated from St. James High School in 2005, she set the bar so high for career points, it may never be reached. Leah ended her career with a program high 1,755 points and 1,049 rebounds. Leah earned All-South Central Conference honors five times and Minnesota All-State honors in 2005. Keep in mind that Leah earned an unbelievable fourteen athletic letters excelling in volleyball, basketball and track. Leah was able to take even more hardware home in track and field. She was selected Minnesota All-State three years winning Minnesota State Championships in shot put and discuss setting school records for both events. After Leah graduated from St. James High School, she went on to pursue her passion in helping people of our community and became a Registered Nurse in 2009. Leah currently lives in St. James with her husband Dayn and their four children (Kaleigh, Carson, Halle, Rylan).

Bernie Reinke Jurgens: As St. James Saints athletic historians look back on the history of girls sports, one cannot look past this great pioneer for the girl athlete of today. Bernie lettered nine times over her career at St. James High School before graduating in 1978. On the track, Bernie set school and conference records in the 880 yard relay along with the mile relay her senior year. In her junior year, Bernie's medley relay team also set a school record. Bernie's highlight was her final race winning the Minnesota State Championship in the 880 yard relay along teammates Diane Bergquist (HOF-2017), Pam Johnson and Judy Moulton. On the hard court, Bernie led the team in scoring and steals her senior year. As many other pioneers for girls sports as opportunities were given to girls to participate, Bernie excelled as a three sport athlete including volleyball where she served up the most points in her junior volleyball campaign. Today, Bernie lives on a farm outside of St. James with her husband Wayne. Together they love spending time with their four children and currently seven grandchildren.

Deb Flaata Nehowig: When people think of the past gymnast greats in Saints history, there is one that rises to the top in the discussion and is considered the best gymnast in Saints history. Deb Flaata Nehowig put together one of the most accomplished gymnastics career in the history of St. James High School. Deb still holds the school record in the Uneven Parallel Bars with a score of 9.0 back in 1980. Her many other accomplishments include Section Championship in 1979 and placing sixth and eighth at the Minnesota State Gymnastics Tournament in the Uneven Bars. Deb graduated from St. James High School with ten athletic letters in volleyball, gymnastics and track. After she made her mark in Saints lore, Deb went on to compete at St. Cloud State University before finishing up her education at Mankato State University. Today, Deb enjoys her time golfing and spending time with her family. Deb and her husband, Kyle, have three children (Kacy, Kody and Kohl) along with two grandchildren (Jett and Owen).

Brad Offerdahl: For Brad, growing up in St. James in the late 1950s and early 1960s was great because all of the athletic activities that were offered at school. Brad took full advantage and when he graduated in 1963, he had earned 7 athletic letters: 4 in tennis and 3 in basketball. In tennis, as a freshman, Brad placed 3rd in singles at the conference tournament and 2nd in singles at the district tournament. Brad and his doubles partner, Gary Fleming won the conference, district and regional doubles championships in their sophomore, junior and senior years. They also placed 7th, 3rd and 5th respectively in doubles in the state tournaments those years. The Saints tennis team won the conference, district and regional championships all three years and, as juniors, with Brad and Gary playing doubles, and Roger Peterson playing singles, placed 4th in the state. In basketball, Brad led the Saints in scoring and rebounding his junior and senior years. In his sophomore and junior years, the Saints won the conference and district championships but lost in the first round of the regional. In his senior year, the team won the district championship, beat undefeated Edgerton in the first round of the regional but, playing for the right to go to the state tournament, lost to Wells in the regional finals. Brad went on to play tennis and basketball at Augustana University and spent 16 years working in corporate America. At the age of 37, Brad went into business for himself until he retired to a home in Fort Mill, South Carolina in 2019.