Sports Hall of Fame – 1998

	Terry Harris Terry competed in football, basketball, and track while attending Senior High School. His outstanding career in basketball began in 9th grade when he started for a Dubuque Boys Club basketball team that won the Midwest Championship in Chicago. As a sophomore, Terry finished third in the M.V.C. sophomore scoring race, and he was the Rams second leading rebounder during the 1955-56 season. Terry also excelled in track while at Senior. During both his junior and senior years, he competed at the Drake Relays. In his senior year, 1956, Terry finished fourth in the long jump at the Drake Relays and fourth in the 440 yd. Dash at the State Meet. He held the school record in the 440 yd. Dash with a time of 50.8 seconds and was only beaten once during his senior season. An outstanding receiver for the Rams football team, Terry was selected First Team M.V.C. after his senior season and tied for the honor of leading pass receiver in the state.
	Joe Kuefler Joe organized the first girls’ varsity golf team at Dubuque Senior High in 1958, and the team won the season. That team featured Sharon Fladoos, just a freshman, who won the Medallist honors with a record setting score of 73. The following three seasons resulted in three more team State Championships, as well as three more medallist titles for Sharon Fladoos. In an eight-year span, Joe’s Senior girls’ golf teams won seven of eight team State Championships and had the individual State Champion all eight seasons.
	Cheryl Martens Cheryl made an immediate impact in athletics at Senior High School. By the time she graduated in 1981, she had become a three-sport standout. A two-year varsity starter for Coach Bob Beardsley’s volleyball team, Cheryl was a key player in leading Senior to several State Tournament appearances. She was known and respected as a tremendous font-row player and a fearsome hitter! In Cheryl’s senior season, following a 2nd place finish at State in 1979, the Rams posted an undefeated season in winning the State Championship. Cheryl also started for two years on powerful senior softball teams. She was an intelligent catcher with outstanding physical skills. The softball teams qualified for the State Tournament all four years Cheryl was part of the program. In 1980, the team placed 8th at State, and Cheryl earned honorable mention All-State. Her senior season the team finished 5th at State, with Cheryl earning All-District and 5th team All-State honors.
	Laura Merritt Laura is a 1977 graduate of Senior High School. While at Senior, she was an outstanding four-sport athlete. A three-year letter winner in golf, by her senior season she led the team with a 46.9 stroke average and went on to place sixth in the M.V.C. meet. It was in volleyball, basketball, and softball, however, that Laura really stood out. She was a four-year starter for Coach Art Wiegand’s softball team. Those years included a State Championship in 1974 and third-place finishes in both 1976 and 1977. Individually, Laura earned honorable mention All-State as a freshman, Special Mention All-State her sophomore and junior seasons, and First-Team All State in 1977.
	John Ruden John starred in both track and football at Senior High from 1982-85. By the time John graduated in 1985, he had led the Ram football team to its first City Championship since 1973, which included one of John’s fondest memories, a 7-2 victory over Wahlert. While being named the team’s Most Valuable Defensive Player in 1984, he was also voted Unanimous First Team M.V.C. Both the Iowa Newspaper Association and the Des Moines Register named John to the First team All-State teams his senior year. The Des Moines Register also placed him on their First Team “Elite” All-State Team. When John graduated, he held school records for career solo tackles (80), career tackles for losses (50), and career assist tackles (146). Ruden capped off his high school football career by representing Senior High School in the Shrine Bowl All-Star Game.
	Norm Zepeski A 1938 graduate of Dubuque Senior High School, Norm’s ability in and love for the field of art was apparent and developed during his high school years. As a junior, Norm was the Assistant Art Editor for the yearbook and became the Head Art Editor as a senior. He also applied his artistic skills and abilities to the scenery of many of the school’s plays and toward the frequent requests he received from faculty members. One of Norm’s fondest memories of high school is receiving an art award at the University of Iowa and, in the process, meeting Grant Wood, who was a professor at the University at the time.