Latest LPHS Hall of Honor induction class approved

The LaSalle-Peru Township High School Board of Education on October 19, 2022 approved the LPHS Hall of Honor Committee’s submissions for the next class in the Hall of Honor. The induction festivities for this new group of Hall of Honor inductees will take place the weekend of January 13 with a recognition during the boys basketball game on Friday and the Hall of Honor dinner and induction ceremony on Saturday.

The latest list of inductees is:

1965 Varsity Football Team 
Overall record of 8-0-1 ~ Northwest Division Title in the North Central Conference ~ Coached by Gene Cherney ~ Members of the team became coaches, community and religious leaders ~ Nine members of the team played collegiate football ~ Defense allowed just over 4 points per game 

1969-1970 Varsity Boys Basketball Team 
Team went 29-3 ~ Won the Pontiac Tournament ~ Advanced to the elite eight in the state tournament.

William Blum (Alumnus ~ Class of 2000) 
2-time wrestling state place winner (2nd and 3rd), 3-time state qualifier, 4-time regional champion, 2-time sectional champion, 3-time conference champion ~ 152 career wins (3rd all-time in school history), 2-time team captain, 4-time all area wrestler, 2-time all-area wrestler of the year

Charles “Pete” Hosutt (Alumnus ~ Class of 1951) 
Outstanding football student-athlete ~ Knox College student-athlete ~ Career army chaplain and paratrooper in the US Army ~ Retired as a Full Colonel ~ Served as pastor at Westside United Church of Christ in Ohio following retirement from the Army ~ Inducted into Knox College’s Athletic Hall of Fame ~ Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

Bob Jakse (Alumnus ~ Class of 1965) 
MVP of 1965 varsity football team and 1965 baseball team ~ All-conference ~ 3-sport athlete (football, wrestling, baseball) ~ winner of 1965 Joe Cerro Award for highest batting avg ~ 1965 Blow Medal ~ 1965 D.A.R. Good Citizenship Award 

Jose Medeles (Alumnus ~ Class of 1991)
Member of the L-P band ~ Professional drummer ~ Published author “The Stoic Drummer” ~ Supported the L-P band program with scholarships for students studying percussion in college ~ Owner of Revival Drum Shop in Portland, Oregon

Robert “Bob” “Coach” Ott (Friend of L-P) 
L-P’s ultimate super fan ~ Season ticket holder for 53 years ~ Inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a “Friend of Basketball” ~  Attended nearly 4,000 L-P athletic events

Jeana Carrico Pekol (Alumnus ~ Class of 1995)
Honorable Mention All-State Volleyball team for the 1994-95 season ~ 32 wins-6 losses, NCIC Champs 10-1, Regional Champs and Sectional Finals ~ News Tribune Volleyball First Team in 1993 and 1994 seasons ~ News Tribune 1994 Volleyball Player of the Year ~ Lettered in Volleyball, Basketball, and Track ~ All-Academic Team

Anthony Raccuglia (Alumnus ~ Class of 1951) 
Played baseball and football for L- P ~ State baseball finalist senior year ~ Signed to the Washington Senators in 1952, played from 1952-1955 for the Charlotte Hornets ~ Served as L-P Board member from 1970 – 1987 and two term Board President ~ U.S. Army and Korean War veteran ~ Degrees from University of Illinois and John Marshall Law School ~ LaSalle County State's Attorney in 1959 ~ Prosecuted the Starved Rock murder case ~ Helped establish a free medical clinic at the Elk Lodge

Don Wilmot (Alumnus ~ Class of 1949) 
Supported L-P Athletics with ads in sports programs and newspapers ~ Part owner Arkin’s Drug Store ~ Past president of Illinois Valley Pharmacist Assoc. ~ Past President of Kiwanis Club ~ Provided drug addiction and abuse talks to the school