We asked several high school athletic directors the question: "Who comes to mind when you think of the student athlete who made the biggest splash?"

Here are some of the answers.

Ken Anderson, Batavia High School, Batavia

Anderson was a small quarterback without an exceptionally strong arm when he went to Augustana College after graduating from Batavia in 1967. But after growing 2 inches and adding 40 pounds there, Anderson convinced the Cincinnati Bengals to make him their quarterback. The highlight of his 15-year career was leading the Bengals to Super Bowl XVI, a 26-21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Anderson was MVP in 1981 and a finalist in Hall of Fame voting. Today he is the Bengals' offensive coordinator.

Don Beebe, Kaneland High School, Kane County

There weren't many highlights for the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII, a 52-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. There was one, however, that still is replayed. Cowboys defensive end Leon Lett was rumbling toward the end zone after recovering a fumble. Just yards from a seemingly certain touchdown, Lett raised his arms, and the ball, in triumph, only to have the ball swatted out of his hands by Buffalo wide receiver Don Beebe.

That one play symbolized Beebe's career. Known for his speed and hustle, the Kaneland graduate came out of nowhere to lead a professional career that included five Super Bowl appearances, including one championship.

"I never thought anything of it," Beebe said about the play. "I was just doing my job, but since then hundred of teachers, coaches and fathers have written to me, telling me how much it meant to them that I didn't give up."

After retiring in 1998, Beebe founded the House of Speed, a company that teaches young athletes to develop their abilities.

Ryan Clifford, Naperville Central, Naperville

This senior's unbelievable, and unexpected, football season this year has been heralded by teammates, opponents and sports writers alike as the force behind Naperville's climb to the state Class 6A championship, as well as the team's No. 8 national rank. He surpassed everyone's expectations, including his own.

This season, he broke the IHSA scoring record, racking up 51 touchdowns. He rushed for 2,670 yards. His team went 14-0. And he's being wooed by the University of Illinois.

Clifford scored at least one touchdown in every game this season and racked up six in a game against Glenbard North.

Tom Domin, Willowbrook High School, Villa Park

A multiple sport star, Domin excelled in baseball, basketball and football. But his strongest showing always came in football, where he was a varsity starter three years running.

In 1974, as a senior, Domin was included on Parade magazine's Super 11 team - a list of the top 11 high school football players in the nation. In his senior year, he scored 22 touchdowns, and made 120 tackles on defense.

Today, Domin is athletic director at his high school alma mater.

Dave Garnett, Naperville North, Naperville

Football captain. Scholar. Student body president. Homecoming king. One of those kids who just sticks in your mind, said athletic director Neil McCauley.

Garnett was one of Naperville North's strongest defensive players. While Garnett was playing, Naperville North gave up an average of 7 points a game. The 1989 graduate led the state in sacks, tackles and tackles for losses.

Garnett eventually went on to Stanford because of his stellar academic performance and then played with the Minnesota Vikings.

Rick Howat, Downers North High School.

The Chicago Sun Times Athlete of the Year in 1967, Howat averaged 30 points a game in his high school basketball career.

He scored 416 points in 14 games. That's a record that held for more than 20 years, according to Bruce Ritter, assistant athletic director at Downers North. Howat still holds the career scoring record at the school.

Following high school, Howat played for the University of Illinois, where he made captain in 1971. He eventually was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks. For the past 16 years, Howat has coached basketball at Addison Trail High School.

Dan Issel, Batavia High School, Batavia

A 6-foot-9 center on Batavia's 26-3 1965-66 basketball team, Issel was all set to go to the University of Wisconsin when legendary University of Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp offered him a scholarship. Issel made the most of his time under Rupp's tutelage, parlaying a sterling college career into a Hall of Fame NBA career with the Denver Nuggets.

He remains one of the league's all-time leading scorers. He now is coach and general manager of the Nuggets.

John Kinsella, Hinsdale Central High School

Few amateur athletes ever compete on the international level. Even fewer do it as a high school sophomore. That's what Kinsella did in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City as a swimmer. And he took home the silver medal.

In 1970, as a Hinsdale Central senior, he won the Sullivan Award, given to the best amateur athlete in the nation. Hinsdale Central was the state champ all four years Kinsella was a student.

He shattered high school records, broke national records, and could rarely be caught by international contenders.

After graduation, Kinsella broke nine NCAA records, swam in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, then became a professional marathon swimmer, winning six world championships, taking on competitors in lakes, rivers, and oceans in such exotic places as South America, Egypt and Europe.

The proceeds from his professional swimming paid his way through Harvard business school, and he now is an investment officer with the Chicago firm Dain Rauscher.

Donald Sage, York High School, Elmhurst

Donald Sage's name has been at the top of High School Runner magazine's list of the best runners in the country. He recorded the fastest times in the school's history during his cross country stints, both as a sophomore and junior. He was the fastest runner in the state during his junior year track season, taking first place in both the 3200 meter and 1600 meter events.

At the cross country state meet this year, Sage took top honors, running three miles in 14 minutes and 3.3 seconds.

At the Golden West national invitational, Sage ran the mile in 4 minutes and 8 seconds, setting a York High School record. He will be one of 32 runners nationwide to compete this month in the Foot Locker cross country high school national championships, and is favored finish in the top three.

Besides running, Sage also scored 31 on his ACT and will attend Stanford University on a scholarship.

Jim Spivey, Fenton High School, Bensenville

In 1975, Spivey was just another sophomore taking a gym class taught by running coach John Kurtz. But Kurtz saw something special and asked the boy to try out for cross country.

Oh, what a request.

In his first state competition, Spivey became the second-fastest runner in Illinois, running three miles in 14 minutes and 16 seconds. Before graduating in 1978, Spivey attained national and international running championship status, not to mention becoming the premier state running champ.

At the International Prep Invitational track meet his senior year, Spivey ran the mile in 4 minutes and 6.4 seconds.

After graduating, Spivey continued to dazzle. He was named the Big 10's Male Athlete of the Year while attending Indiana University, and went on to compete in the 1984, 1992 and 1996 Olympics. He now heads the men's and women's track teams at the University of Chicago.

Not too bad for a kid with "no running background whatsoever," Kurtz said.

Daily Herald staff writer Orrin Schwarz contributed to this report.

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