Walter Niemann
Walter Niemann graduated from Menominee High School in 1913 and was an outstanding lineman for the Crimson (now Maroons) and at the University of Michigan where he was a two-way performer for Coach Feilding H. Yost's Wolverines. Coming in below average in weight at 153 pounds, he had the ability to outperform any defender he was matched up against He never missed a game in the 1915-16 seasons.
In 1920, Niemann, a center, suited up for the Menominee North End Athletic Club, a team that just two years prior became the first ever team to play the fledgling Green Bay Packers. Niemann played for the Packers in 22 games from 1922-1924. Born in Hermansville, he received a degree in engineering at the University of Michigan and was widely recognized for his invention of an orbital type engine he patented and developed at the U.P. Machine and Engineering Company in Powers. He was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
Joseph Oreshoski
Joseph Oreshoski starred on some of the Maroons' best teams of the 1940's and served as captain in the trenches in 1947 winning AllU.P. honors at end. He played college ball for coach Lisle Blackbourn's Marquette University Hilltoppers (now the Golden Eagles) and played a rugged schedule that included Michigan State during its heyday of the early 1950's. He was a standout end for the old M&M Hornets of the Wisconsin State League and later served as line coach before becoming head coach.
Later, he served as coach at Our Lady of Lourdes (now St. Thomas Aquinas Academy) and was assistant basketball coach at St Ann's under legendary coach Red LaCousiere. In the 1960's, he resurrected Pop Warner grade school football, which continues to a big part of community life 58 years later. He won the National Pop Warner Conference Service-to-Youth Award for outstanding contributions to Menominee youth.
Dan Wesoloski
While starring in baseball and football in the late 1960's, Dan Wesoloski's first claim to fame came on the Little League diamond at the age of 10 where he was a highly effective pitcher. In 37 innings he struck out 91 batters and hit .580 at the plate. In 1961, his team narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Little League World Series. He continued his baseball career as an infielder and starting pitcher in Babe Ruth League and was named to the 1964 All-Star team that advanced to the Michigan State Championship Series. He also played several years of Wishigan League baseball. As a high schooler playing football, he was an offensive and defensive starter each of his three years on varsity, earning all-conference honors in his junior and senior years. Instead of playing college sports, Wesoloski chose to enlist in the Army.
Michelle Perket Harlow
Micki Perket Harlow was a three year sports standout during her years at Menominee High School where she earned U.P. State honors in gymnastics on the trampoline and tennis at number one singles in addition to being a competitive swimmer at the YMCA level and the captain of the cheerleading squad. In swimming, Micki was the Wisconsin State Champion in the 50 yard freestyle, the 200 yard Individual Medley, and the 100 yard butterfly in 1973.
She was U.P. Champion in gymnastics in 1974 and 1975, as well as in tennis, runner up in 1974 and champion in 1975 and 1976 at number 1 singles. In 1975, she was the Maroon News Athlete of the Year. As a student at Northwestern University, she competed in varsity tennis and won the consolation Big ten #4 singles in 1977. While in college, she headed the area track and field meet for the Cook County Special Olympics and also gave racquetball, tennis, and swimming lessons.
Bret Pearson
Bret Pearson was a four sport athlete at Menominee and could fill an entire room with all the accolades he garnered as a Maroon. In football he was team MVP in 1978 and 1980 and all-conference and all-U.P. in 1979. In basketball he was all-region and all-state in 1980 as well as earning all-state in track and field; and he also lettered in tennis as well. In Legion baseball he was an all-star selection in 1980.
Following graduation, Pearson went on to the University of Wisconsin where he was a four year letter winner in football. He was Big 10 Player of the Week after catching eight passes for 91 yards and a touchdown against Ohio State in 1983 and was Big 10 Honorable Mention in 1984. In 1985 he was drafted by the NFL's San Diego Chargers. From 1986-91 he coached jayvee girls basketball at Waunakee, Wisconsin and varsity volleyball, girls' jayvee basketball and varsity football assistant at Baraga, Michigan. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1991 to 1997. In 2010, Pearson was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.
Al Ruleau
Al Ruleau was a three-sport standout at Menominee High School. where he eclipsed 1,153 points in basketball, was a two-way starter as a junior on the football team, and finished in 8th place at U.P. Finals in cross country. He was moved to the varsity during his sophomore season before the advent of the 3-point line. During his senior year of basketball, Ruleau was the only all-state player to average over 20 points per game and lead his team in assists as he led the Maroons to a 24-1 record, which was best in school history. As a junior and senior, Ruleau was named 1st team all-conference, the conference MVP, 1st team all-U.P. and U.P. player of the year, and as a senior was named 1st team all-state.
He went on to star at Northern Michigan University and was captain of the team along with Bill Hanis for the 1986-87 season. He coached Boys' and Girls' varsity and jayvee basketball for 12 years in Peshtigo, Wisconsin.
Pete Mayhew
Pete Mayhew's girls' basketball teams won six conference championships, 13 district titles, four regional titles, and had three teams named U.P. Team of the year. He started the jayvee girls' program as its first coach in 1976 and also started the junior high program in 1977, coaching a combined 7-8 grade team. He initiated summer league, weight training and conditioning. The Michigan Basketball Coaches' Association honored him three times as coach of the year. Mayhew's teams went 377-256 from 1980-2010 and in 2000 his boys' golf squad won the U.P. Finals. Over 100 of his players were recognized for post-season awards, either all-conference or allstate.
1998 Varsity Football Team
The 1998 Maroons football team set the standard for championship play that year, losing only two of their regular season games. In the playoffs, they outscored their opponents 141-25. In the state championship game at the Pontiac Silverdome, Menominee put the game away early, leaving nothing to chance in a 42-6 rout of Lansing Haslett.
Some of the season's highlights included playing two eventual Wisconsin state champs, Defeating rival Kingsford at Flivver Field, snapping a 45 game nine-year home-win streak, averaged 39.5 points per game, featured two running backs who each rushed for over 1,000 yards for the season, defeating defending champion West Branch Ogemaw Heights 47-6, had a state record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a season, (Josh Tarbox), and featured 10 all-GNC players including the player of the year (Drew Buyarski).