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Westlake Alumni Association Hall of Fame Inductees: Distinguished- Kevan Stuber, Athletic; Jeff Koterba (Paul Holland representing), Honorary- Susan Variakojis and Jeff Short; Posthumous- Distinguished- Harold Balazs and Athletic- Mike Filkill.
The Westlake High School Hall of Fame will induct six individuals on Thursday, Oct. 6 at Avon Oaks Country Club.
Inducted into the Distinguished Hall of Fame will be Harold Balazs, Class of 1946, Dover High School (posthumously) and Kevan Stuber, Class of 1971.
The Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame will induct Mike Filkill, ‘82 (posthumously) and Jeff Koterba, ‘73.
Honorary Hall of Fame inductees will include Jeff Short, Coach & Educator, and Susan Variakojis, Administrator and Educator.
These 6 individuals will be joining 57 other previous inductees in the Westlake Alumni Hall of Fame.
The 1972 Westlake High championship football team will also be honored Friday night, Oct. 7, at 6:15 p.m. prior to the Rocky River game (please meet in the north end zone at 6:15 p.m. This will be a special highlight of Homecoming weekend. The ‘72 team will form a tunnel for the current Demon football team as they enter the field while the PA announcer redcaps the 7-2 ‘1972 season.
Distinguished Hall of Fame
Jeff Short – Over 36 years, Short has been an outstanding Math and Science teacher and a tremendously successful coach. He won 350 games as the Head Baseball Coach at Westlake during his 24 seasons. His teams won 4 Southwestern Conference Championships, appeared in Districts 13 times, Regionals 3 times, and played in 2 regional finals. In 2012, the Westlake High School Boys baseball team won the SWC Championship on their way to finishing as the Div. 1 State Runner-Up playing in the State Championship game vs Cincinnati Moeller. The 2012 season was a Cinderella story in Jeff’s last year of coaching as he had announced his retirement from baseball earlier that season. Jeff and his wife Julie have been married for 28 years and have an 11-year-old son, Jason
Susan Variakojis – Susan was an educator and administrator for 30 years from 1964 until her retirement in 1993. She joined the Westlake Schools in 1968 as the 1st full-time School Psychologist for the District. Susan was the district psychologist until the 1984 school year when she accepted the principal position at Basset School. She was a trailblazer for the district in establishing special programs to assist young people that have special learning needs. It was during her tenure as principal, Susan implemented PLAN – Planned Learning According to Needs. A true visionary approach when it came to education and inclusion of students with learning challenges. In 1990, Mrs Variakojis was named Special Education Administrator of the Year for her outstanding work. And then in 1991, she was honored by the Cleveland Learning Disabilities Assocation for her dedication to programs for the handicapped.
Athletic Hall of Fame
Jeff Koterba (‘73) – Jeff was a 3 sport Student Athlete in Football, Basketball and Baseball. At that time, Westlake High School was a 3-year high school. Jeff earned 8 varsity letters – 3 in baseball as a pitcher & infielder, 3 in basketball as a guard and 2 in football at QB.
During Jeff Koterba’s senior year, he was a KEY contributor to conference championships in ALL 3 SPORTS he participated in For Baseball and Football, he was a Captain for those teams.
During his senior year, Jeff was 1st Team All-Conference in both Football and Baseball and Honorable Mention in Basketball. He also was Honorable Mention All-State in Football and Baseball. He was the Most Valuable Player in Football of the SWC. The Sun Herald Offensive Player of the year and the Cleveland Touchdown Club Award Winner.
In terms of individual accomplishments Jeff Koterba held all the passing records and pitching records upon his graduation from Westlake High School.
Mike Filkill (‘82) – Mike is being inducted posthumously as he passed away at the young age of 53 in March 2018. Mike earned 9 varsity letters also during a time when Westlake High School was only a 3 year high school. Mike played QB and Punted in Football, Guard/Forward in Basketball and 1st Base and Outfield in Baseball. He was a captain in all 3 sports his senior year and was an outstanding student achieving a 4.0 GPA. He led the Demons to a conference Football Championship as a Junior and was all conference at Quarterback as a Junior and Senior. He was also all district 1st team and Special Mention All Ohio in 1981.He was selected to play in the North South Ohio All Star Football Game in his senior year and received a higher ranking than “some guy” named Bernie Kosar, who was also on the team.
Records are made to be broken so it is appropriate that Mike Filkill is being inducted in the same class as Jeff Koterba, because Mike broke most of Jeff’s passing records during his career.
Distinguished Hall of Fame
Kevan Stuber – Kevan Stuber is a PROUD 1971 Graduate of Westlake High School and has achieved significant accomplishments in the area of Education and Music. While in high School, Kevan received the Thomas F. Hill Award for Outstanding Band Member and also served as Band President. He attended Miami of Ohio University where he earned a bachelor of Music and a Master of Music Education. Kevan was a Teacher and Band Director for 30 years until his retirement in 2006. A majority of his teaching career was at Olmsted Falls High School. Kevan joined Olmsted Falls teaching staff in 1978 as High School Director Bands. During the next 28 years, Kevan led and directed almost every conceivable Music Event possible for a High School. From 296 football half time shows to over 1,000 combined band concerts all over Northeast Ohio and the United States. Kevan was inducted in 2016 to the Olmsted Falls Hall of Fame. So now he will have a matching plaque from his alma mater. He continues to serve with Lutheran Schools.
Harold Balazs – Mr Balazs was a Dover High School 1946 graduate who passed away in 2018 at age 89. He was a “nationally renowned” Sculptor. He lived most of his life in Washington State with his wife Rose and their 3 children. Although Harold has not lived in Westlake since the 1940’s, he has had an impact on our community and you may see that impact every day as you come to Westlake high School. Harold designed the large CIRCLE OF LIFE sculpture at the corner of Hilliard and Dover Center that was presented to the City in 2005. At Dover High School, Harold played football, basketball, track, volleyball, served on the school newspaper and was President of Student Council. He has sculptures at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC as part of the Renwick Gallery. He was named as one of Washington State’s LIVING TREASURES for his contributions, including an installation at Riverfront Park in Seattle. When Harold passed away in 2018 The papers in Seattle and Spokane WA had headlines that read “Artist Harold Balazs “A GIANT” dies at 89. A “Dover Man” for the ages!
