Park High School is honored to announce the seventeenth class for induction in the Park High School Hall of Fame. These alumni are being recognized for this prestigious award because of their athletic excellence while representing Park High School and beyond. The coaches and community members are being honored for their commitment to the youth in our community and their dedication and support of Park athletics. The following are the individuals selected into the 2022 Hall of Fame: RJ Alowonle (Class of 2012): RJ earned All-State honors in both soccer and track and field, but it was on the track where he truly shined. He won five state championships in the hurdle races as well as winning a state championship in the 4 x 100 relay and triple jump. Alowonle holds numerous school, section, and state records. He was the MN Gatorade Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year in 2012 and went on to participate at the University of North Carolina. RJ currently competes internationally for Nigeria.

James Berfeldt (Class of 1944): James was a threesport standout for Park, lettering three years in football (where he played both offense and defense) and basketball and four years in baseball (serving as captain his senior year). He was also involved in many school activities, including theater, music, and the newspaper while earning class salutatorian honors. Berfeldt went on to play baseball at Macalester College. He passed away in 2011.

Joe Hemberger (Class of 1989): Joe earned All-State honors in football, gaining nearly 2,000 yards as a running back and scoring 26 touchdowns. He was also named All-State is track after winning the state championship in the 100 and 200 his junior season. Hemberger set the record for the state meet in the 100 at the time, and also holds the fastest overall time in the state in that event (10.3). Despite an injury his senior season, he was named the David Winfield Student– Athlete of the year in 1989. Joe went on to participate in both football and track at St. Cloud State University.

Butch Moening (Coach/ Athletic Director): Butch was the long-time defensive coordinator for Park’s football team as well as the head coach for boys basketball. His boys basketball teams won four conference championships and appeared in one section championship. The football team also won multiple conference championships and had one state tournament appearance. After his coaching career, Butch worked as the district Athletic Director for seven years, serving both Park and Woodbury High Schools. He ended his career as Principal at South St. Paul High School before retiring.

Aaron Nelson (Class of 1989): Aaron was a two-year letter winner and earned All-Conference Honors in basketball. He was also one of the best soccer goalies in the school’s history. Nelson helped the team to conference and section titles in both his junior and senior seasons and earned All-Conference, All-Metro and All-State honors. He received the school’s Honor Athlete award his senior year and went on to play soccer at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, where he earned numerous athletic and adamic honors.

Kelly (Burke) Puppe

(Class of 1986): Kelly was a ten-time letter winner while at Park (four years in soccer where she started every game for four years, four in track and field and two letters in basketball). She earned All-Conference three years in soccer and was the school’s first girls soccer player to be named All-State her senior year after leading her team to a section championship. Burke went on to play soccer at St. Mary’s College and returned to Park as an assistant coach in the soccer program for four years.

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held Saturday, November 19, 2022 at 5:00p.m. at River Oaks Golf Course in Cottage Grove. For ticket information, go to https:// www.parkwolfpack.org/ hof . Once again, congratulations to this year’s inductees. We look forward to honoring them later this month.