Port’s twin speedsters, multi-sport star get the call

Many of their high school and college records still stand today.

Now, three Port Washington High School alumni stand among the best student-athletes in the history of the school.

Star running twins Monika Haber Burrescia and Karin Haber Sevener and multi-sport star Tyler Kunz were inducted into the Port Washington Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

Their plaques are among 16 that grace a wall of the high school.

“Once those go up, we have tons of kids walking by, they glance up, they read. It’s truly inspiring,” Athletic Director John Bunyan said.

The Habers made Port history. As freshmen, they were the top runners on the first Pirates’ cross country team to win the North Shore Conference in 1992. Karin was the NSC two-mile champion and qualified for state.

The team repeated in 1993 when the race moved to a 4 kilometers, or 2.6 miles, and they led the first Pirates team to qualify for state in school history.

In 1994, Karin was second at the NSC race and Monika was fourth. Monika qualified for state and was 33rd.

In 1995, both qualified for state, along with a teammate.

The pair also starred in track and asked coach Rollie Kitt to not pit them against each other in a race. He honored the request, realizing if they each won a race the team would score more points.

They each set three school records in track, and nearly all still stand today.

Both attended Mississippi State on a track and cross country scholarship and competed in the Southeast Conference.

They thanked their coaches, families and friends for their support.

“I couldn’t be more proud to be on the wall. It’s just an honor to be here. I have a lot of great memories here at Port High,” Karin said.

“It’s such an honor to be nominated for this,” Monika said.

Monika went on to earn a doctorate of physical therapy and works as a physical therapist, living in Saukville.

Karin earned a master’s degree in sports administration and works as Grafton’s senior coordinator and recreation supervisor.

Kunz, 1991 Port High grad, earned 12 varsity letters in football, wrestling, track and field and baseball.

He stood out as a defensive force on the gridiron, helping Port to a Division 2 runner-up finish in 1990.

Classmate Mike Goeden remembers practices with his friend. Teammates asked him to switch positions so they wouldn’t have to face Kunz.

“I can honestly say Tyler was the toughest, meanest linebacker,” Goeden said.

In wrestling, Kunz finished second at 189 pounds in the 1990 state tournament.

Goeden said he and his identical twin Mark would switch spots during practice to get a break from wrestling Kunz.

“As a practice dummy for Tyler, he threw me around a little bit,” Mike Goeden said. “As Tyler perfected his technique, I perfected my technique of landing safely on the mat.”

Kunz was the 1991 valedictorian and went on to play for Michigan Tech, where he twice earned the Fred Baird Memorial Award for the team’s best defensive player. His school record of 24 tackles in a game and 139 in a season, both set in 1994, still stand.

Kunz thanked his parents, coaches and teammates.

“You look up and see all those plaques on the wall. Seeing mine up there is very humbling. It’s a tremendous honor,” he said.

Kunz works as an environmental engineer and lives in Cedarburg.