Covenant News

Hall of Fame Inductees Remembered

CHICAGO, IL (March 19, 2001) - If there were a scouting report on pastor Doug Cederberg, it might read something like this: Loves God, learns quickly and can make big yardage after the catch.

Cederberg is a pastor at Grace Covenant Church in Stambaugh, Michigan, but two decades ago he was an All-America wide receiver at North Park College. The 1980 North Park graduate was one of six recently inducted into the school's Viking Club Hall of Fame, bringing the total to 68 overall. Others inducted were Bob Bach, Carl Favarro, Dan Galante, Karl Peterson and Ivar Wistrom.

A resident of Iron River, Michigan, Cederberg still holds the school record by averaging 18.5 yards per catch for his career, which ended in 1979. He had four catches that totaled 75 yards or more during his career and earned All-Conference honors twice as a wide receiver. As a college senior, he had 40 catches and six touchdowns as the Vikings went 4-5, 4-4 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. It was the last time North Park was .500 or better in the CCIW and Cederberg was named second-team Division III All-American for his part in the team's success.

"If I were remembered, it would have been for the long catch," said Cederberg. "I had 13 touchdowns and the average yards per catch was 55 yards per catch. But I'd like to say, when push came to shove, I could be a possession receiver. I had a very positive experience at North Park."

Cederberg became a teacher and coach at Huntley, Illinois, then worked for a family business in Melrose Park, Illinois, not far from his hometown of Northbrook. He returned to the North Park campus in the early 1990s as a student at North Park Theological Seminary, where he graduated with high honors. He now serves in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, pastoring a congregation with a membership of approximately 235. His first church was Floral Park Covenant Church in Long Island, New York.

Besides Cederberg, three other inductees to the Viking Hall of Fame had direct connections to North Park football. Bach, a resident of Altaville, California, played college baseball and helped the football program post a 20-12-1 record with his running and passing before graduating in 1961. His 93-yard touchdown run against Navy Pier in 1960 ties him for the longest in school history.

A resident of Morton Grove, Illinois, Favarro (a 1974 college graduate) was an All-CCIW lineman twice for the Vikings. He also coached at North Park and three area high schools. Galante completed his 11th season on the North Park football staff as a defensive coordinator after an All-America football career at Lawrence University in Wisconsin. He is from Chicago.

Peterson, who graduated from North Park in 1984, is the school's first soccer Hall of Fame member. He earned team Most Valuable Player honors and was an All-Conference player during his career and has continued to be involved in the sport as a coach in Minnesota. He is active in youth ministries at Eagan Covenant Church and lives in Burnsville, Minnesota.

Wistrom, who is from LaPorte, Indiana, was the maintenance engineer at North Park from 1947 to 1984. He is the second of three generations of Wistroms who have cared for the school's facilities. Ivar's father, Carl, began his work in that position and Ivar's son, Carl, now serves in that role as director of the physical plant.

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