Arguably the greatest basketball player in Northern Kentucky history, Dicky Beal was regarded as the 12th best player in Greater Cincinnati history in an article by the Cincinnati Enquirer on the area's Top 100 players of all time. Beal is certainly one of the two top players in Holmes basketball history along with Mr. Basketball Doug Schloemer, a LaRosa's Hall of Fame Inductee.

A high school All-American, Beal was heavily recruited as a high school senior and wound up going to the University of Kentucky.

As a senior at Holmes, Beal helped lead the Bulldogs to a 33-3 record and a spot in the championship game – which was the infamous Charles Hurt non-goal-tending call game that denied Holmes and the Ninth Region its first Kentucky state title.

In the 1979-80 season, he averaged 23.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He scored a career-high 50 points against Holy Cross that year as well. In his career, he shot 55% from the field and 68% from the free throw line. He was named Ninth Region Player of the Year, first team All-State and first-team All-State Tournament Team. He was named both The Kentucky Post and Kentucky Enquirer Player of the Year.

Beal went on to play for UK, where he appeared in 111 games. He scored 460 career points (154-of-296) and hit 152-of-219 from the free throw line. He had 108 rebounds, 301 assists and 85 steals. He was named the NCAA Regional's Most Outstanding Player in 1983-84 and received UK's Outstanding Leadership Award.

Beal was hampered by knee injuries near the end of his college career – enduring three arthroscopic surgeries on his right knee between his junior and senior year. Though drafted by the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, the knee injuries prevented him from enjoying a professional career.

Currently, Dicky Beal lives in Independence, KY.

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Championships require great leaders, and certainly Elder quarterback Rob Florian filled that role for the Panthers. Elder can point to two Ohio Division I state football championships under Florian's guidance. Over the course of his two-year reign, Elder boasted a 28-2 record, two state titles and a Top Ten ranking two straight years in the final USA Today prep poll (9th in 2002, 6th in 2004).

Florian was named Division I Player of the Year by The Cincinnati Enquirer, and Greater Cincinnati League-South Player of the Year. Over the course of his two varsity seasons, Florian completed 237 of 447 passes (53%) for a staggering 4,366 yards and 44 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,669 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Probably his greatest game was in the 2002 state championship game against Warren Harding in a blinding snowstorm when he almost single-handedly led Elder to the school's first state football title. In the dramatic 21-19 victory, Florian had a hand in all three Panther touchdowns, scoring twice on 27 rushes for 95 yards, and passing for a third TD with a 9-for-24, 165-yard performance. He was named the championship game MVP.

Florian played his collegiate career at the University of Dayton where he led the Flyers to the 2007 Division I-AA national championship.

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Setting records seems to come second nature to Gino Guidugli, who ranks among the finest in a long line of All-State quarterbacks at Highlands High School.

Though he had to wait his turn behind another record-setting quarterback in LaRosa's Hall of Famer Jared Lorenzen, Gino proved more than spectacular. He led the Bluebirds to two Class AAA state championships, a 28-2 record during that run and finished the 2000 season as the 13th best team in the nation according to USA TODAY.

In just two seasons, Guidugli re-wrote all his predecessor's passing records as he passed for 7,516 yards with 92 touchdown passes. Gino's 4,367 yards in 2000 was the second-best effort in Kentucky high school history. Upon graduation, his state single season and career records were remarkable: 3rd in completions (260), 3rd in TD passes (53), 5TH in yards per game (291.1), 6th in attempts (404), 8th in completion percentage (.643); career – 8th in passing yards (7,516), 3rd in completion percentage (.621), tied 5th in TDs (92) and 13th in completions (434).

He was named first team All-State by the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald. Guidugli was named to the Prep Star and Super Prep All-America teams, and was honorable mention All-America by USA Today. He finished runner-up in balloting for Kentucky's Mr. Football.

His penchant for setting football records continued at the University of Cincinnati, where he was named Freshman All-American. He is the Bearcats' all-time career leader in Pass Completions (880), Attempts (1556), Yards Passing (11,453) and Touchdown Passes (78), and holds Single Season records in Attempts, Completions and Passing Yards.

Guidugli signed as a free agent with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL, then went on to play five seasons in the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League. Currently, Guidugli is the running backs' coach with the University of Cincinnati.

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It takes a special breed of athlete to be inducted into the LaRosa's Hall of Fame in the first year of eligibility, but David Mosko clearly meets those standards.

Mosko is regarded to be one of the two finest swimmers to come out of St. Xavier High School since Olympic gold medalist Joey Hudepohl, who is one of the 17 first ballot Hall of Famers. Mosko was the LaRosa’s High School MVP in 2006-07.

During his four-year career, Mosko won eight state championships as the Bombers won four of their nine-straight state titles. He was a high school All-American in eight different events as a senior and his state championship times in the 500-yard Freestyle (4:20.56) and the 200-yard Freestyle (1:37.97) were the best National High School times in 2007. His 500 Freestyle time topped both the Ohio state record set in 1999 and the St. X school record set in 1991 by Hudepohl. Overall, Mosko set six records in his career.

Mosko, named Cincinnati Enquirer Swimmer of the Year, qualified in three different events for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.

David Mosko continued his swimming career on scholarship at Stanford University where injuries hampered his career. He earned five varsity letters and was two-time team captain. He won the 2010 PAC 10 500 Freestyle (4:14.53). Going into the 2017-18 season, he still stands in Stanford's Top 10 All-Time in the 200 Freestyle (#3, 1:41.92 in 2009), 500 Freestyle (#5 :4:13.92 in 2010) and the 1,650 Free (#7 14:45.30 in 2009).

Currently, David Mosko is a Medical Resident at Christ Hospital.

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Emily Thompson was such a great athlete in high school that when she was inducted Into Taylor High School's Hall of Fame, the school needed two plaques to list all her accomplishments!

Thompson, named co-LaRosa's Female Athlete of the Year in 2006, earned 15 varsity letters in four sports. Thompson was a part of five state championships and she was First Team All-City in all four sports. She earned four varsity letters each in cross-country, track and soccer and three letters in basketball. Distance running was her strength, winning two Ohio Division II state titles in cross-country (2002 in 18:13) and (2003 in 18:36), one state title in track (3200-meter relay, 9:26.39 in 2005), and two team state titles in cross-country (2002 and 2004).

She was undefeated in CHL competition in track. Thompson was The Cincinnati Enquirer's Division II Runner of the Year three times in cross-country and First Team All-City in track four times.

An outstanding basketball star as well, Thompson averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds, eight steals and 3.2 assists as a senior. She was named Division II Southwest Ohio Coaches Association Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-State.

In soccer – keep in mind that it is played at the same time of the year as cross-country – Thompson was picked to The Enquirer’s First Team All-City in Division II and twice was named a member of the Southwest Ohio Coaches Association All-Star team as well as being a member of the SWOCA's 30-30 Club (30 goals-30 assists).

Thompson continued her running career at The Ohio State University. A four-year varsity letter-winner in Track & Cross-Country, she was a former OSU record holder in the distance medley relay.

Currently, Thompson is a Doctor of Physical Therapy at Ultimate Rehab in Cincinnati.

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A three-sport star at Beechwood High School during his playing days, Mike Yeagle is best remember for when he returned to his alma mater as football coach.

From 1991 to his retirement in 2005, Yeagle compiled an incredible 183-27 record (.871). He was an astounding 8-2 in state championship games. In fact, Yeagle teams reached the Class A state championship game in 10 of his 15 years as head coach.

The Tigers won four consecutive state titles from 1991 through 1994, then won two more in 1996 and 1997, giving Yeagle six Class A state titles in 7 years. He became the first football coach in Kentucky history to win four consecutive state titles.

He has been inducted into the Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame in 2014, and the Beechwood Hall of Fame.

Mike Yeagle was named Coach of the Year by The Kentucky Post and Kentucky Enquirer and the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference numerous times. Currently, Mike Yeagle is retired and living in Northern Kentucky.

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