Bob 'Rocky' Johnson, Class of '54

When Bob "Rocky" Johnson graduated from Edina-Morningside High School , there was no doubt what his next step would be. Along with Hornet teammate George Walters, Johnson signed a professional baseball contract with the Detroit Tigers. Johnson was not the key to the double signing. The Tigers were determined to get Walters, an imposing left-handed pitcher. They decided to offer a contract to his buddy, Johnson. As it turned out, Walters hurt his arm and never made it to the Major Leagues. Johnson, on the other hand, played for the world-champion Baltimore Orioles in 1966. He was in the Majors for 10 years with eight different clubs. Johnson's claim to fame was his ability as a pinch hitter. For 17 years, he held the Major League record for consecutive pinch hits (6). The record was broken by Bill Stein in 1981. Johnson posted a career batting average of .272 as a utility infielder. At Edina-Morningside High, Johnson was not just a baseball player. He lettered twice in basketball and also lettered for the Hornets' Lake Conference championship football team in the fall of 1953. Johnson lives in St. Paul with his wife, Karen. They have three grown children, Greg, Todd and Stephanie and four grandchildren. Johnson is employed by Spartan Promotional Group and has been active in coaching at the Baltimore Orioles Fantasy Camp for 14 years.

Paul Faust, Class of '61

During Paul Faust's days at Edina- Morningside High School, Lake Conference football was a hot ticket. Faust and his Hornet teammates needed a police escort to get through Beltline traffic to Robbinsdale High School. More than 10,000 fans watched the Hornets and Robins play to a tie in 1960. They were named state co-champions in the 1960 media poll in the Minneapolis Tribune. Faust was a fullback and linebacker for the Hornets. He and co-captain John Hankinson, the quarterback, were selected to the All-State team. When he wasn't busy making tackles on the gridiron, Faust was playing hockey or baseball. He was All-District 18 in baseball as a senior and played in the State Hockey Tournament on the Hornets' third line. Both Faust and Hankinson accepted football scholarships to play for the University of Minnesota, f|en both had brief careers with the Minnesota Vikings. Faust has been a success in the business world. He is Chief Executive Officer of Caswell International Corporation, which manufactures military and law-enforcement training equipment. The former Hornet great is married to the former Nan Krieger (Edina Class of '62). Nan is a member of the Edina City Council. The Fausts have two daughters, Gretchen and Anne, who played on state championship squads in golf and tennis at Edina High School. In his leisure time, Faust enjoys playing tennis, golf and softball.

Bruce McIntosh, Class of '67

Many athletes who played for Edina High School have gold medals from the State Boys Hockey Tournament. Bruce Mclntosh does not have one of those medals, but when he looks on top of his man­tle, there is a silver medal from the 1972 Olympic Games in Sapporo, Japan. When Mclntosh played for Edina, the Hornets were on the verge of becoming a state prep hockey power. They won the first of their nine state titles two years after his graduation. Mclntosh was an All-Lake Conference skater for the Hornets in 1966 and '67 and captained the Hornets in his senior year. He was Lake Conference scoring champion as a senior and led the Hornets to the State Tournament, where they lost in the first round. Before playing on the U.S. Olympic team, Mclntosh was hockey captain at the University of Minnesota. As a senior, he was name to the All-NCAA Tournament team. He even played a year in the NHL, 1972-73 with the Minnesota North Stars. Mclntosh was not just a hockey specialist at Edina High. He lettered in soccer and finished second in the state in golf. The former Hornet star lives in Minnetonka with his wife, Kathy, and stepsons Jason and Jeremy. In addition to working for Dolliff, Inc. as an insurance agent, he is developing the Golden Eagle Golf Course near Brainerd. Leisure-time activities for McIntosh include golf, fishing and platform tennis.

Brian Meeker, Class of '78

During his tenure at Edina-East High School, Brian Meeker didn't get as much attention as his counterparts in football, basketball and hockey. However, the star gymnast did not go unnoticed. How could he? Meeker won eight state individual championships and earned a place on the High School All-America team. He was the first Edina gymnast to score 50 points all-around (in six events). In 1978, he won the state all-around championship. Meeker went on to the University of Minnesota, where he was two-time all-around champion of the Big Ten Conference, He was named All-American and was an alternate on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team. While most of Meeker's life was accented with the thrill of victory, he also knew the agony of defeat. In the introduction to ABC's Wide World of Sports program, he was featured as the gymnast who crashed into the vaulting horse. Of course, Meeker got up from that embarrassing moment and had a nearly perfect vault the next time. Meeker lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Barb, and sons 3 and Henry, 6 months. The former gymnastics great enjoys roller blading, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and playing with his boys. He stays close to gymnastics as a judge and is a technical assistant in vaulting and floor exercise for USA Gymnastics.

Amy Cardarelle, Class of '85

Edina High School has never seen a more prolific girls’ soccer scorer than Amy Cardarelle, who set a single-season record with 24 goals in 1984. Cardarelle was not just a soccer player, however. She was one of the greatest all-around athletes in Edina history, lettering in soccer, basketball, softball and golf. She also found time to write for the school newspaper. Even though she was an All-State soccer player, Cardarelle balanced soccer with other sports and activities. "My advice to young athletes is to play several sports, rather than being so dedicated to just one," she says. "The friendships you make in each sport are so valuable and the lesson of teamwork — in a variety of athletic situations — will give you the confidence you need as you face obstacles throughout your life." After playing a variety of sports in high school, Cardarelle played Division I soccer at the University of Wisconsin. She helped the Badgers to a Final Four berth in 1988 and was the team's third-leading scorer. Cardarelle continues her involvement in soccer as head girls coach at South High in Minneapolis. She was head girls hockey coach for the Wright County team and is now player-coach of the Strauss Flyers women's hockey team. When she is not coaching, Cardarelle works with her father, Frank, in a land surveying business. She enjoys spending time with her two children, Jessica, 4, and Nicholas, 1 and 1/2.

Bob Sherman, Booster

When Bob Sherman moved to Edina in I960, he decided to get involved in community activities. Some would say he went overboard. During his 39 years in the community, Sherman has been involved in almost every civic organization. He found time for the PTA and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as well as for the Edina Optimist Club and the Board of Deacons at Edina's Colonial Church. Sherman's greatest impact on the community, however, has been his devotion to youth sports. He was charter President of the Edina Basketball Association and he served on the Edina Hockey Association Board for 20 years. Sherman served on the Washburn and Southdale YMCA's board of directors for many years and has been involved in YMCA activities for 60 years. He is past international chairman of the Y's Men's Club. Working behind the scenes, Sherman always made sure that Edina's championship teams had nice awards, sometimes at his personal expense. He helped raise thousands of dollars for youth sports in the community and takes personal interest in Edina's young athletes, as a booster and friend. Sherman's motto is the same as it was when he moved to Edina in 1960: "Get involved, stay involved." He says one of the luckiest breaks of his life came when he and his wife, Gina, bought a home in Edina. "There are so many people here who are willing to give their time," he notes. "No one can do it alone — it takes everyone. That is what makes Edina such a special place."

Stav Canakes, Coach

One day in August of 1959, Stav Canakes was driving along the old Beltline, near Edina-Morningside High School. He saw high school football players at work, so he parked his car and walked over to take a closer look. A couple days later, Canakes had a whistle in his mouth and the rest is history. Billy Bye hired Canakes to be an assistant coach with the Hornets that year, then Canakes replaced Bye as head coach in 1961. Between '61 and his retirement in 1989, Canakes posted a record of 203-69-1. After capturing four mythical state titles, Canakes won his only official state championship as coach of the Edina-West Cougars in 1978. During his tenure, Edina teams won 16 Lake Conference titles. Canakes' career in football spanned more than 50 years. He was an All-Big Ten player at the University of Minnesota. Then, he played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League. After he retired at Edina High, he served as an assistant coach at neighboring Hopkins High. In addition to teaching and coaching for 31 years, Canakes was also among the state's most respected prep basketball officials. Canakes has three sons and two daughters, plus three stepsons. All of them are married and Canakes and his wife, Mary, have 16 grandchildren. In his spare time, the head of the Canakes clan enjoys hunting, fishing and bridge. He also likes watching his grandchildren play sports.

Sara Lyken, Administrator

When Howard Merriman retired as Edina's Athletic Director in 1976, one administrator asked, "Who's the best man for the job?" The answer came quickly from a colleague, who said, "It's a woman." Sara Lykken became the first female Athletic Director in Minnesota history, filling the position at Edina-West High School. She prepared for the job by serving as the Edina School District's Coordinator of Girls Sports from 1972-76. Under Lykken's direction, Edina-West developed a well-rounded athletic program. Lykken helped to develop girl’s athletics in the Edina schools and also served as a coach — in Nordic skiing. The Cougars skiers placed third at the 1976 State Meet. Lykken's organizational skills were appear in her capacity as Athletic Director. She also served as Chairperson of the Physical Education Department at Edina-West. In 1985, Lykken left the Edina Public Schools to pursue a business career, but she has remained active in sports as a volunteer in the Edina Girls Athletic Association. She has served on the Greater Minneapolis Girl Scouts Council's strategic planning committee. Lykken worked for Carlson Companies from 1989-98 and was honored with a Carlson Fellows Award. She was nominated for a Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans Award. Lykken and her husband, Bill, have two children, Troy and Jamie. Troy played football at Edina High and holds a black belt in karate. Jamie is a three-sport athlete in volleyball, basketball and softball.