Class of 2017
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John May graduated from Burlington High School in 1932. In 1931, John set the state high school football scoring record (at that time) with 124 points, including 20 touchdowns, in just six games. He was also on the Burlington High School's basketball conference championship team during the 1931-32 season.
In 1933, John was recruited to Whitewater State Teachers College (now the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater) to play football and run track, but after two years of ankle injuries, John concentrated on track. He was a varsity letter winner during all four years of college. He was conference champion in the 100-yard dash for three years and in the 220-yard dash all four years. His feat of winning both events three years in succession was the first time that had been done in the history of the conference. He also anchored Whitewater's winning relay team in the state meet in 1935. In 1936, John completed his season at a regional Olympic trial in Milwaukee where he placed third behind Ralph Metcalfe in the 220-yard dash which was the year that Metcalfe ran second to Jesse Owens in the 200-meter dash in the Berlin Olympics. John was inducted into the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1966.
After leaving Whitewater, John attended Syracuse University, where he received a Master of Business Education degree. While attending Syracuse, he coached in a New York high school. He joined the University of Detroit in 1942, becoming an assistant professor in the College of Commerce and Finance at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. John also served as the University's Head Track Coach. He was a founder and treasurer of the University's Titan Club (the University's athletic booster club) and a 10-year member of the Gus Dorais Foundation. John also served as United Foundation chairman for the University.
John served as a U.S. Navy officer during World War II. In 1947 and 1948, he served as an executive with the Ford Motor Co.; in 1953 and 1954, he was comptroller at the Detroit Arsenal; and from 1954 to 1958, he was an executive with the Chrysler Motor Co. During this period, he taught nights at the University of Detroit. In 1958, he became a full-time member of the University's Finance faculty. In 1966, John was named as General Superintendent for Parks and Recreation for the city of Detroit. John also served as a member of the Olympic committee for the city of Detroit. Burlington High School is proud to recognize John May on the Wall of Fame.
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Shanna (Popp) Badje, class of 2003, participated in gymnastics, poms, soccer, and track and field during her career at Burlington High School.
As a track athlete, Shanna held the school record in the pole vault until 2005. Her success as a high school athlete would be better known for her performance in the gym, as Shanna would became one of greatest gymnasts to ever compete for Burlington High School. Beginning in her freshman year, Shanna was named the Southeast Conference Gymnast of the Year, 1st Team All-County, and Racine County Gymnast of the Year. Shanna would find the podium three times as a freshman at the WIAA State Meet, placing 6th on the Vault, 5th in the All-Around, and placing 1st on the Uneven Bars. As a sophomore, Shanna would return to the WIAA State Meet and place 3rd on the Uneven Bars and 1st on the Vault. While again being named Racine County Gymnast of the Year. During her junior year, Shanna would repeat as Racine County Gymnast of the Year, placing 6th on the Vault at the WIAA State Meet, and winning her 2nd WIAA State Championship on the Uneven Bars while setting a state record with a 9.516. In her senior year, Shanna would medal three times at state, placing 6th on the Floor, 6th on the Vault, and placing 1st on the Uneven Bars with a state record 9.550. To date, Shanna is one of four gymnasts in state history to win the Uneven Bars three or more times. As a result of her success and work ethic, Shanna was presented with the Award of Excellence presented by the Women's Sports Advocates of Wisconsin in 2003.
Shanna attended the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and received her Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing in 2008. She then worked at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison in the Trauma and Life Support Intensive Care Unit for over seven years. Shanna is currently living in La Crosse and attending graduate school for Nurse Anesthesia at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. She married Andrew Badje in 2013. Burlington High School is honored to recognize Shanna on the Wall of Fame.
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Jessi (Ehlen) Renteria, class of 2004, participated in volleyball, basketball, and track and field during her career at Burlington High School.
On the basketball court, Jessi was a three-year letter winner for the Demons. As a junior, she was 1st Team All-Area, 2nd Team All-Racine County, and selected All-Conference North Division. Her senior season, Jessi was selected as team captain and was named All-Area Player of the Year, 1st Team All-Racine County, and 1st Team All-Conference.
Jessi found great success as a member of the track and field program. She was a four-year letter winner and became one of the better track athletes to ever compete at Burlington. In 2002, Jessi was named MVP, was a state qualifier in the shot put and the discus, and was named 1st Team All-Racine County in the shot put. Her junior year, she repeated as team MVP, was named 1st Team All-Racine County, 1st Team All-Conference in the shot put and discus, and placed 4th in the shot put and 3rd in the discus at the WIAA State Meet. In 2004, Jessi continued her excellence in track and field. She was named team captain, team MVP, 1st Team All-Racine County, Athlete of the Year in Racine County, and 1st Team All-Conference in the discus and 2nd Team in the shot put. Jessi placed 5th in the shot put at the WIAA State Meet and was crowned WIAA State Champion in the discus. For three straight years, Jessi broke her own school records in the shot put and discus, records that still stand today. Jessi was a Wendy's Heisman Award Nominee and was presented with the Award of Excellence presented by the Women's Sports Advocates of Wisconsin in 2004.
Jessi attended Marquette University on a track and field scholarship. Each of her four years while at Marquette, Jessi was a place winner at the Conference Championships in the weight, the hammer, and the discus. Jessi was named to the Big East All-Conference Team in 2007. During her senior year at Marquette, Jessi was named team captain and was recognized as team MVP. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing and has been working as a registered nurse with Aurora Health Care since 2009. Jessi and her husband Zach live in Burlington with their daughter Millie. Burlington High School is proud to recognize Jessi on the Wall of Fame.
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The Cross Country program at Burlington High School started in 1962 under the direction of Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame member Norb Wishowski. In the second year of the program, Coach Wishowski and his team, led by sophomores Craig Middleton, Mike Brunner, Rod Leadley, Don Rubach, Doug Rubach, and Jim Leffelman, finished as runner-up at the WIAA State Meet.
Two years after its runner-up finish, the 1965 team, with the addition of Leif Erickson, Jim Gilding, Head Coach Craig Cobb, and Assistant Coach Dennis Holt, won the Southern Lakes Conference Championship defeating the 1964 WIAA State Champion Mukwonago team in the process. During the regular season, the Demons were only defeated twice: once to state power Racine St. Catherine's (at the time had never lost a dual in their program history) by one point and to the top ranked Brookfield East team by six points.
Burlington High School history would be made in the fall of 1965. Coach Cobb and his Demons would find themselves running against conference foe Mukwonago and the rest of the state at the WIAA State Meet in Hartford. The 1965 Cross Country team was dominant and placed first, scoring 44 points, followed by Mukwonago with 71 and New Berlin with 92 points. This marked the first WIAA State Championship in school history.
The Demons truly demonstrated the importance of every member of the team at the WIAA State Meet on October 30, 1965. It was there, that Craig Middleton placed 3rd, Rod Leadley, 5th, Doug Rubach, 12th, Don Rubach, 17th, Jim Leffelman, 33rd, Mike Brunner, 38th, and Leif Erickson, 56th. This Demon team ran fast and won the WIAA State Championship by 27 points, despite arguably the top runner of the team Mike Brunner not feeling well.
Individually, members of the team went on to have success at the collegiate level as well. Craig Middleton would go on to run at the University of Wisconsin River Falls where he would finish 18th in the WSUC Conference Meet as a freshman. Rod Leadley went on to become the first University of Wisconsin La Crosse runner to win the WSUC Championship in 1969. He was also instrumental in leading La Crosse to its first two team titles during his junior and senior seasons. Mike Brunner would go on to run for the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, where he was a top 15 finisher three times at the WSUC Meet during his college career. Don Rubach also attended the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, where he was a member of the track and field program and ran the 880 during his freshman year.
While only coaching the Cross Country program for the one season, Coach Cobb became the first head coach to lead a Burlington High School team to a state championship. Dennis Holt went on to have success as a high school coach for 40 years and was a part of four state championships. Norb Wishowski went on to win six state championships in cross country, one basketball state championship, and one track and field championship as a head coach at Thomas More High School. Burlington High School is honored to recognize the 1965 Cross Country team on the Wall of Fame.
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