18 to enter hall in Waite’s 100th year

Wrestler Guerra heads class

Guerra

Antonio 'Tony' Guerra, top, wrestles for Waite High School at the Waite Invitational against Lucas Burkholder of Delta High School in January, 2003.

As part of celebrating its 100th year, Waite High School will add 18 members to its athletics hall of fame during induction ceremonies on Nov. 14.

The most recent alumnus to join the hall will be Antonio “Tony” Guerra, a 2003 graduate who is also one of the most accomplished athletes among the latest group of inductees.

Guerra is one of three wrestlers to have won four City League championships and was part of two teams that captured CL championships. He had 138 career wins, placed fourth in the Division I state tournament as a senior, and also qualified for state his junior year.

“It’s kind of nice with all the hard work I put in over the years,” Guerra. “Wrestling is a tough sport, and you have to put a lot into it, and this is a great accomplishment for me.”

Guerra

Additionally, Guerra was also a two-time, All-City, second-team pick as a baseball outfielder and one of the leading hitters on the 2002 City championship team. He also lettered four years in soccer and was twice a all-league, first-team selection.

Guerra went on to a superb college wrestling career at the University of Findlay, where he was a two-time Division II national champion (149 and 157 pounds), a four-time All-American, and the Oilers’ career wins leader with 123. Twice he was named Findlay’s male athlete of the year.

“The East Side was always good to me, and my roots are there,” Guerra said. “Without Waite High School, and the faculty there, I don’t think I’d be where I am right now.”

Guerra, who received his bachelor’s degree from Findlay, is a biology teacher at Central Catholic and enters his third year as head wrestling coach for the Irish.

Inducted from the pre-1943 era will be Bill Ryan (Class of 1937, football, basketball) and Clyde Dexter (1941, basketball, baseball).

Joining from 1944-1953 will be Don Layman (1947, basketball, track) and Bob Horst (1949, basketball); from 1954-1963, Dwain “Sid” Adams (1957, football, track) and John Jamerson (1963, basketball); from 1964-73, Bob Thibert (1964, football) and Mike Lorton (1972, cross country, track); from 1974-1983, Bill Greisiger (1974, football, basketball) and John Green (1975, basketball, tennis, baseball).

Entering from 1984-93 are Dawn Widmer (1986, basketball, tennis), Tony Smith (1987, football), Mary Brucker (1988, volleyball), and Matt Grimes (1990, football); and from 1994-2003, joining Guerra are Milton Carswell, Jr. (1997, golf) and Crystal Dixon (2002, basketball).

Also being inducted as a distinguished citizen/friend of athletics will be Gerald Wasserman (1964).

Ryan, Dexter, and Adams will all be inducted posthumously.

Waite’s hall of fame dinner and induction will be at the St. Michael’s Centre, 4001 Navarre Ave., Oregon. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m., dinner is set for 6:30, and the induction ceremony starts at 7:30.

A $45 per person reservation is requested for the evening, and those interested can contact Waite principal David Yenrick by phone at 419-671-7000, or by mail to his attention at Waite High School, 301 Morrison Dr., Toledo, OH 43605-2124.

Waite, Toledo’s second oldest high school, opened its doors in 1914, one year after its architectural twin, Scott High School. The Waite hall of fame was established in 1972 and has 162 inductees. In recent years, annual inductions were stopped in favor of honoring new members every five years.

Contact Steve Junga at: sjunga@theblade.com, 419-724-6461, or on Twitter@JungaBlade.