Athlete

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Steve Brown

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Steve Brown
PHS Class of 1994

Steve was a Track and Cross-Country star for the Highlanders as a three-time BSAL champion in cross-country; two-time BSAL champion in 3200 meters; All-League track three years; State champion cross-country; State runner-up cross-country; two-time NCS champion cross-country; two-time BSAL MVP cross-country.

His track accomplishments include:

Cross Country: Won CIF State Meet (Division 4) in 1992. Led team to 4th place finish at CIF State Meet (Division 4) in 1993 while finishing 2nd individually. Qualified for CIF State Meet 4 times. Won NCS Meet of Champions 2 times. Set school records for Joaquin Miller Park and Woodward Park. 3-time league champion. 4-time BSAL all-league.

Track: Qualified for CIF State Meet 2 times. Invited to Arcadia Invitational senior year. Set 3200 school record (9:17.71), which stood for 28 years. Won league 5 times (4 times at 3200, once at 1600).

He was also voted Outstanding Boy’s Athlete in his senior class and was one of ten finalists in the California State Student / Athlete award.

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William "Bill" Celli

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Bill Celli
PHS Class of 1957

All-County Golf, Golf Optimo, Captain of the ACAL Champion Teams of 1955, 1956 and 1957, and was the individual champion in the ACAL meet in all those years. According to Dick Flynn, who was a golf professional, Celli in those three years lost only one match and that was to John Lott, 65-64; Lott later became a touring professional.

Coach John Stack inherited the 1957 team and he met Bill at that time. He said that Celli was the best golfer who has played for PHS since 1956. Celli was also President of the RIGMAS. Lives in Indian Wells.

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Frank McCann

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Frank McCann
PHS Class of 1940

Outstanding basketball and football player; running back on the football team and one of the high scorers on the ACAL Champion 1940 Basketball Team. Optimo winner in football, basketball and golf. Named to the All East Bay Team in addition to being All-ACAL, and the All-East Bay Team was very fast company because it included Jim Pollard from Oakland Tech. President of the Student Body and a member of the RIGMAS. McCann passed away in 2004 at Rancho Mirage at age 82.

 
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Emily Moren

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Emily Moren
PHS Class of 1989

Volleyball, basketball, softball, track, swimming; 12 varsity letters, including four in volleyball and basketball; All-League volleyball and basketball; NCS Meet of Champions in shot put

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Drew Olson

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Drew Olson
PHS Class of 2002

Football and baseball; two-time Optimo Award winner football; two-time Optimo Award winner baseball; All-League football and baseball; League MVP football and baseball; Best in the West football quarterback; All-American quarterback; winner of numerous individual awards for football and baseball; USA baseball member.

Drew Olson - UCLA Player Profile

 
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Michael Stehr

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Michael Stehr
PHS Class of 1987

Baseball, basketball, football; 11 varsity letters; member of two league basketball champions; starting shortstop three years. Two time All League in Baseball, Prep of the Week in Baseball as a Senior and Baseball Optimo Winner.

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Lloyd Francisco

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Lloyd Francisco
Class of 1937

Francisco lettered in Football and Track. He was a legendary football player. One of two halfbacks on Coach Brick Johnson’s All-Time Piedmont High School football team. The speedy “Rocket” Francisco was the star running back on the 1936 team that won the Alameda County Athletic League Championship and outscored its opponents 202-9.

 

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Jack “Babe” Higgins

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Jack “Babe” Higgins
PHS Class of 1942

Basketball, Track, Football, Basketball Optimo Award winner in 1941 and 1942; All-Conference both years. Basketball team won ACAL. Team captain and Senior Class president. Also played football and ran track as a senior. Wildwood playground legend, he invented Higgins Ball, a unique basketball game. Went on to play basketball and football at both Stanford and Cal. In 1948 he was captain of the Stanford basketball team.

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Gordon Johnson

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Gordon Johnson
PHS Class of 1989

Track, Cross Country. State champion in track in 800 meters in 1989. Golden West Regional champion, 1989. Track & Field All-American. League and North Coast Section champion 2 years. Optima Award winner 1987-1999. Member of PHS school record 4 x 400 meter relay team. Holds school record in 800 meters at 1:51.07. All-league in cross country 3 years. Led team to 2 ACCAL titles and 1 NCS championship. Won individual NCS in 1987. Optimo Award winner 3 years. 

After high school, Gordon attended Merritt College where he won the State JC Championship in the 800 and the University of Oregon (where he ran a 3:55 mile). He also competed in two US Track Championships.


Track accomplishments include:

  •  1989 State Champion in the 800

  • 1989 Golden West Champion in 800 (this meet featured the best 800 meter preps in the nation... Gordon ran 1:51.07 to win the title... the time ranks him as #10 on the all-time NCS list for the 800 and of course is the school record)

  • 1989 NCS Champion in the 800

  • 1988 State 2nd place in the 800

  • 1988 League and NCS Champion in the 800

  • 1987 League Champion in the 1600 and 800

Cross-country accomplishments include:

  • 1988, 87, 86 League Champion

  • 1987 NCS Champion

Notes:


As a runner, Gordon was very versatile - he could compete with anyone in distances ranging from 400 meters (he ran 49.0 as a prep) up to 5,000 meters

(Numerous league and NCS championships) . His specialty was of course the 800 where he proved to be one of the finest preps in the nation in both 1988 and 1989.

Gordon is one of only three PHS athletes to win a state championship (the other two being Monte Upshaw and Jim Peters).