John won multiple letters in Football, Basketball and Track during his career at Chagrin. In 1956 he was named to the All-Cuyahoga Conference Team as both a running back and linebacker and was named the starting Fullback for the Cuyahoga County All Star Team. John also was a strong contributor on the storied 1956 Basketball team that advanced to the Class B Final Four under the leadership of Coach Dale Bruce. John continued his athletic career in college, ending up at Ohio Wesleyan, again under the influence of Coach Bruce. He played cornerback on defense and halfback on offense and was named to All-Ohio Conference Teams both years. John was President of the Senior Class at CFHS and was inducted into the CFHS Achievement Hall of Fame in 2002.

Steve was a great all-around athlete, earning 11 letters during his career at Chagrin. He was a 4 year starter in baseball where he did everything but catch. In football, Steve was a 3 year starter playing defensive back and quarterback. He also excelled in basketball as a 3 year starter at the guard position. He was selected for several all league teams. While in college, Steve played basketball in Iran as an exchange student at American University. Steve joins his brother Bob in the Athletic Hall of Fame, and his father Ken who is a member of the Heritage Hall of Fame.

During his career at Chagrin Falls, Peter earned three letters in football, quarterbacking the team his junior and senior year. He was second in scoring his senior year and first during his junior year on the basketball team amassing 548 points in just those two seasons, while receiving 1st Team All County honors in his junior season. However, it was in track that he really shone, earning letters all four years, placing at the state meet a total five times. As a junior, Peter finished 5th in the State in the 120 High Hurdles, and as a senior he was 4th in the 120-Yard High Hurdles and 2nd in the State in the 180 Low Hurdles. He also ran on the 880 yard relay team that was 4th in his junior year and 2nd his senior year. His efforts helped Chagrin earn a 5th place at the state track meet in 1955. Peter continued his outstanding athletic career at the Naval Academy where he earned a total of 9 athletic letters, more than any other in his class.

Erik Speed will always be remembered as one of Chagrin’s finest wrestlers. Possessed with superior strength, quickness and all-around skills, he often made a tough sport look effortless. He earned four varsity letters, qualifying three times for the Division II State Meet. As a senior he placed 2nd in the state. As a junior he finished 5th. Erik’s high school career record was 96-23-1. In 1985 he was named to Mat Magazine’s High School All-American 2nd-team. He was on the magazine’s Academic All-American 1st team. He won two regional championships and twice he was his team’s MVP. As a senior he was All Chagrin Valley Conference 1st-team. He was a winner at the East-West All Star Meet. Erik earned a scholarship to Cornell University where he became a varsity letterman.

Colleen took her swimming prowess to great lengths during high school and college. At CFHS, she was a 4-time state qualifier and member of relay teams which placed in the top three at the state meet. At the University of Iowa, she set school records in the 50 yard freestyle and the 200 yard free relay. She was All Big Ten Conference during her junior and senior years and qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 50 yard freestyle. Colleen was also a fine track and field athlete at Cd

Paul was one of Chagrin’s finest running backs. With a potent combination of power and speed, he led his Tiger football teams to 8-2 (1969) and 9-1 (1970) records. The Tigers were Chagrin Valley Conference champs his senior year. For his efforts, he was named the Most Valuable Player in the CVC in 1970. The Plain Dealer named him to its All Scholastic Football Team and Football Dream Team. He also won a Cleveland Quarterback Club Award in 1970. In addition to football, Paul participated in wrestling and track at CFHS.

Dave earned a place as one of the best track athletes in CFHS history. His 400 meter school record of 48.1, set in 1980, hasn’t been seriously challenged. He set several track records at Chagrin, placing second in the 400 meters at the state meet in Columbus during his senior year. He went on to earn NCAA All American honors in track at the University of Virginia. At Virginia, he set a school record in the 400 meter hurdles and was inducted into the University of Virginia Hall of Fame. Dave also ran cross country and played soccer at Chagrin.

Brett Rudolph was one of the most powerful runners to ever wear a Tiger football uniform. It didn’t hurt that he was also the fastest runner in the league. As a senior, he rushed for more than 1300 yards and scored 21 touchdowns, earning him the Most Valuable Player Award for the Chagrin Valley Conference and also Geauga County, He was an All-Ohio selection and recipient of the Cleveland Touchdown Club Award. Brett was a 4-year letterman in track and field. In 1983, he was the Chagrin Valley Conference’s 100 meter dash champion. He qualified for the State Track Meet in the 100 meters and 400 relay. At the University of North Carolina, he played linebacker, lettering all four years. In 1987, Brett was chosen First Team All Atlantic Conference and Honorable Mention All American.

Ray was one of Chagrin’s finest wrestlers. He qualified for the State Wrestling Meet and was undefeated in dual meet competition during his senior year. After lettering four times at CFHS, he continued to dominate the competition in wrestling at Baldwin Wallace College. In his senior year at BW, he won the Ohio Conference Championship. He was his team’s co-captain and Most Valuable Wrestler. Ray compiled a 33-3-3 dual meet record in college. In 1993, he was inducted into the Baldwin Wallace Athletic Hall of Fame.

Few persons have coached as many Chagrin athletes as this long-time CFHS teacher and coach. A 1956 graduate of Hiram. College, where he lettered in football and track, Jack became CFHS’s first Jennings Scholar in 1962. He became an assistant football coach at the high school in 1960, a position he was to hold for the next 29 years. He also served a long tenure as head track coach, 1966-1989. As varsity track coach, his teams won Chagrin Valley Conference championships in 1971 and 1977. Jack was named CVC Coach of the Year both years. His track teams were District Runner-up in 1982, Regional Runner-up in 1983, and District Champion in 1984. His track athletes qualified for the state meet in 18 consecutive seasons. Three were state champions.

While she was an outstanding athlete in volleyball and track, it’s the basketball wizardry of Jane Phend that few will forget. She dominates the CFHS record books as she once did her opponents. Among her career records are total points, assists, and steals. She scored 43 points in a single game and 39 points in a state tournament game, also school records. During the 1983 season, when the Lady Tigers were State Runners-up, Jane averaged 24.9 points a game and 27.0 in tournament play. As a senior, she was UPI First Team All-State and Player of the Year AA. She was also AP First Team All-State. Jane played in the McDonald’s All Star Classic and was invited to try out the for Pan American Games in 1983. She went on to star in basketball at the University of Cincinnati, where she was a 4-year letter winner. In 1987, she won the Helen Norman Smith Award for her college’s Most Outstanding Senior Female Athlete. Also during her senior year, she was First Team All Metro Conference.

If a coach’s record speaks for itself, then another word need not be spoken for John Piai. John’s Tiger football teams were the toasts of this town for so many seasons that the electricity they generated still burns brightly in our collective memory. The number “29” flashes before us. John was Head Football Coach at CFHS for 29 seasons (1962-1990). He was an assistant coach for the first season and Head Coach for the next three of a 29-game undefeated streak from 1961 through the first game of the 1964 season. Then, there was the 29-game win streak from 1970 through 1973. All told his teams won 175 games. Included were eight conference championships and four undefeated seasons. He was Conference Coach of the Year eight times, and in 1972 he was selected the Greater Cleveland Coach of the Year. In 1987, his team reached the Division IV State Playoffs, and John received the Lee Tressel Award from the Cleveland Touchdown Club. An all-around athlete at Thiel College, he was elected to that college’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.