Encino, CA (PRWEB) December 31, 2011
As we say good-bye to 2011, Crespi Carmelite experienced another memorable year of events. Graduation is the most important event for the Crespi community, but throughout the year the school still has something for everyone in the community. The year was highlighted by C.A.P.E.R., the schools annual gala at the Roosevelt in Hollywood. Two extremely successful events followed in Westlake Village, the annual golf tournament at North Ranch Country Club and a Christmas fashion and luncheon at the Four Seasons.
Arguably, the best event of the year was the 2011 Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies. The event was held on October 29 in the Crespi Alumni Memorial Gymnasium. The crowded gym was filled with many of Crespis best student athletes. This was the first year that event was led by a committee comprising of previous Hall of Fame inductees. Their insight and management helped foster a better experience for the 2011 inductees and the guests at the event.
Watch the interviews.
This year, the Crespi Carmelite High School Alumni Association was proud to honor seven inductees in to the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, two of the inductees could not attend. One was Paul Mokesi 75, an NBA Star and current Head Coach of the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League. He was a college basketball player at the University of Kansas and his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks is the most noted part of his pro career. The second was a soccer inductee, Mike La Femina 99, class valedictorian and Mission League Defensive player of the year. La Femina graduated from the University of California Los Angeles and started his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of California, San Francisco.
Of those present, there were two football inductees to the hall of fame Dave Scheper 76 and Sean Howard 87. Scheper was a member of the 1974 and 1975 football teams at Crespi. As senior, he earned honors as the teams Most Valuable Player, Del Rey League Lineman of the Year, first team all-CIF and All-State, and was named a Scholar-Athlete by the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame. He would continue to play football at the Harvard College for two years winning the Henry Lamar Award for Most Inspirational Player. After college, he graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School and is currently a partner at Scheper, Kim & Harris LLP.
Howard was high school All-American at Crespi Carmelite and UCLA scholarship linebacker. Seans football career was cut short by injury. He then attended the University of Oregon School of Law and earned a Juris Doctor. After three years in the legal profession, Howard was hired by the San Francisco Forty-Niners, where under the direction of GMs Bill and Terry Donahue, he began his experience with the NFL. He is currently licensed as an NFLPA contract advisor and is involved with all phases of client representation. Some of his clients have been Brandon Pettigrew, Marshawn Lynch, Shonn Greene, and Mercedes Lewis.
Also honored, were Marc Wong 82 of Crespis 1981 CIF Championship Water Polo team and Casey Snow 93 from the heralded Baseball program. In 1981, Wong helped lead Crespi to the CIF 2A Water Polo Championship and was named the CIF 2A player of the year. He was named to the All-CIF Southern Section first Team, All-Southern California Water Polo Team and chosen for the High School Coaches All-American Team. Snow was a scholarship catcher at Long Beach State. He was drafted by the Dodgers in 1996 and played five seasons. He is currently, a Fire Captain for the Bakersfield Fire Department.
The final inductee was Joe Willging 74 the recipient of the Crespi Man Award. He was Student Body Vice President, a Varsity Cheerleader, and played on the, 1973-1974 Varsity baseball team. While each of the inductees represents the ideals of the Crespi Man, Willging throughout the years has been one of the schools greatest advocates and most active alumnus. Yet in the end, they are all a Crespi Men and each inductee serves as a testament to what a student can achieve at Crespi Carmelite and beyond.
###
