Four inducted into CHS Hall of Fame

GIBRALTAR — Four more people were inducted into the Carlson High School Hall of Fame.

Cindy Parravano, William Stevenson and Dino Guzzi received plaques and attended a ceremony April 18 at Arnaldo’s Banquet Center in Riverview. Honoree the late John Swearengin was represented by his son, Scott. The new inductees also will serve as honorary captains of Carlson’s opening football game Sept. 6 against Edsel Ford High School. CHS is in the Gibraltar School District.

Honoree are chosen through three paths: athletic accomplishments, alumni and former employees.

"The categories are pretty evenly split: 16 alumni, 20 athletic and 16 employees. Sometimes there is overlap among categories,” said Michael Pehote, Carlson’s librarian, who started the Hall of Fame with retired principal William Stevenson in 2012. "With the four new additions this year, our total is 52: four teams and 48 individuals."

Parravano, a 1986 alumna, played three varsity sports: basketball, softball and volleyball, earning numerous Most Valuable Player and All Downriver awards. She was all-state in softball in 1986. Parravano played softball at Henry Ford Community College. She went on to earn an education degree and had taught and coached across the country before returning to Michigan in 2016. She is currently the assistant principal at Grosse Point South High School.

Swearengin, a longtime volunteer, worked for many years as a scoreboard operator for girls and boys basketball and for football. He also was the scorekeeper for volleyball and was an umpire for baseball and softball.

“He did much more than keep score, helping set up events and always welcoming coaches, athletes and fans from all schools,” Pehote said. Swearengin died just before the ceremony.

Stevenson, a 2015 CHS retiree, was a teacher, coach and administrator in Grosse Ile, Woodhaven and Gibraltar school districts. He served as Carlson High School's principal for nine years, until 2015. He lives on Grosse Ile and is active as a community volunteer. He still attends track and field and cross country meets in the area.

Guzzi, a 1975 graduate, played three varsity sports: football, basketball and baseball. He was the 1975 CHS Athlete of the Year and a 1976 Golden Gloves winner. He made his pro-boxing debut at Kronk's Gym 1978.

“He is believed to be the first professional athlete to graduate from Carlson High School,” Pehote said.

Guzzi held a boxing match recently at CHS. He lives in Rockwood, where he works as a private detective.

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In 2021, 150 attended the inaugural induction for the CHS Hall of Fame. The first class of inductees included former U.S. Olympian Shelley Looney; Nathan Matatall, a 2002 graduate who appears on QVC, the cable shopping network; current 33rd District Court Judge Jennifer Coleman-Hesson; and former Gibraltar Mayor Scott Denison.

"A large photo plaque is placed in the building near the auditorium (each year). Hall of Fame members are invited back to the induction banquet, held in April each year at no charge," Pehote said.

To make a nomination or to learn more about Carlson High School's Hall of Fame, visit gibdist.net/o/carlsonhigh/page/hall-of-fame .

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com .

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Four inducted into CHS Hall of Fame