Stevenson to host inaugural athletic hall of fame induction

STERLING HEIGHTS — For the first time in the school’s history, Sterling Heights Stevenson will announce its inaugural athletic hall of fame class for 2023 on Sept. 28 at Stevenson High School, sponsored by the Stevenson Athletic Boosters.

The event is set to begin at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the ceremony taking place in the performing arts center inside Stevenson High School.

It’s been a long time coming for a school with an abundance of athletic talent throughout its history, but Stevenson, which now plans to induct athletes/coaches each year, is pleased to bring their alumni athletes the acknowledgement they deserve.

“We wanted to get alumni the recognition we deserve, and the need for the hall of fame was just long overdue,” said Bob Wathen, a member of the hall of fame planning committee.

It was a strenuous task to narrow down the inductees to 10, but Stevenson’s 2023 athletic hall of fame carries some heavy hitters.

For more information on the event, visit eventbrite.com and search “Stevenson Athletic Hall of Fame” in the search bar. Adult tickets cost $10, while children ages 12 and younger are admitted for free.

Stevenson is slated to induct the following athletes/coaches for the 2023 class: Rick Bye, Christy Goodison-O’Brien, Kevin Hanson, Joe Alls, Jeff McCool, Pete Chryplewicz, Jason Fracassa, Alyssa Huntley, Paul Longo and Daniel Jilek.

Rick Bye: Coaching Stevenson football from 1975-2009, Bye led Stevenson to 16 Macomb Area Conference Championships, nine undefeated seasons, 10 regional championships, four state title games, and a career 268-94 record. Bye is currently in the Michigan Coaches Hall of Fame.

Christy Goodison-O’Brien: A 1994 graduate from Stevenson, Goodison-O’Brien was a three-time Division 1 cross country state champion, four-time Division 1 track and field state champion in the 1600-meter, and two-time Division 1 track and field state champion in the 3200-meter.

Kevin Hanson: Coaching Stevenson’s cross country team from 1982-2016 and also serving as the school’s boys/girls track and field coach, Hanson’s tenure at Stevenson included two cross country state championships, 16 Macomb Area Conference coach of the year honors, three Michigan track and field coach of the year honors, and being named to the Macomb County Coaches Hall of Fame.

Joe Alls: A multi-sport athlete at Stevenson with football, baseball and track, Alls, a 1998 graduate, was dominant for the Titans football team as their lead running back. Rushing for 3,365 career rushing yards, Alls was a three-time all-County honoree, two-time all-MAC Red first team, MAC Red player of the year, and a dream team honoree before continuing his football career at Bowling Green University. Alls was also a Division 1 track and field state champion in long jump.

Jeff McCool: A 1985 graduate, McCool earned two Macomb County player of the year honors in basketball, including three all-County honors and an all-State honor before continuing his basketball career at New Mexico State University.

Pete Chryplewicz: A track and field and football star at Stevenson, the 1991 graduate was the top football recruit in the state in 1991. Chryplewicz was a dream team honoree for football, but was also a three-time all-State honoree in track and field as well.Chryplewicz played at the University of Notre Dame before being drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 1997 NFL Draft.

Jason Fracassa: A 2010 graduate, Fracassa was one of the most dominant football and baseball players to ever take the field for Stevenson. While earning Mr. Baseball and Mr. Football honors in the same year, Fracassa led Stevenson to a Division 1 state runner-up in 2009 after setting state records in career (10,615) and single-season (4,433) passing yards. Fracassa also earned Macomb County player of the year and dream team honors.

Alyssa Huntley: The most recent athlete to touch the field at Stevenson, Huntley, a 2013 graduate, was a two-time first team all-State honoree in softball while also earning Michigan High School pitcher of the year and Michigan Gatorade pitcher of the year honors. Huntley tallied all-MAC Red first team honors all four years, Macomb County player of the year, and two-time MAC Red MVP before continuing at Eastern Michigan University. She currently holds school records in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched.

Paul Longo: A dual-sport athlete at Stevenson with football and baseball until graduating in 1977, Longo earned Macomb County player of the year for football in 1976 while also earning first team all-State and all-County honors. Longo played four years of football at Wayne State University and had stints in the USFL from 1983 to 1984 with the Philadelphia Stars and the Birmingham Stallions, and has served as an NCAA Division 1 strength and conditioning coach for numerous schools, including Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Iowa.

Daniel Jilek: A multi-sport athlete at Stevenson in football, baseball and basketball, Jilek earned all-Macomb County and all-State honors for football before continuing his football career at the University of Michigan. During his tenure with the Wolverines, Jilek was named all-Big 10 defensive end and All-American honorable mention in 1975. Jilek was drafted in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills and earned Buffalo Bills rookie of the year honors. Jilek played four seasons for the Bills.