Football: 5 Golden Knights Inducted into School's Hall of Fame

would like to recognize the newest members of the St. Francis Athletic Hall of Fame.

Selections for the Athletic Hall of Fame were made by a panel of alumni and school administrators based on nominations submitted by our alumni. The men listed below were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, September 30^th, during halftime of the varsity football game against West Ranch High School. St. Francis is very proud of these new members and the community would like to recognize their achievements both on and off the field.

Lou DeVita, ‘82

Mike Miller, ‘82

Steve Miller, ‘85

Jim Todhunter, ‘61

Bob Vilven, ‘69

Lou De Vita ‘82

Lou Devita was born and raised in La Canada. He entered St. Francis in the fall of 1978 and quickly made an impact on campus.  He was a three year varsity letterman in both football and track & field. In his senior campaign, he led the Knights in total receptions, yards, and receiving touchdowns.

He was the recipient of numerous accolades, first as one of our esteemed Golden Knight team captains, and in the community, as a recipient of First Team All Del Rey League honors, First Team All Glendale/Burbank, First Team Star News/All Valley, First Team All CIF, Pasadena Elks MVP Award, and Team Most Valuable Player.

His leadership was evident both on, and off the field, as he held the position of Junior Class Vice President, and was also an Honor Student. For his accomplishments on the field and in the classroom, he was named a National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Pasadena Chapter Scholar Athlete, and also recognized as a First Interstate Bank Athletic Foundation All Star.  He was recognized by Northern Arizona University, who offered him a full athletic scholarship.

Lou decided to pursue a degree in finance, and graduated from LMU in 1987. He went on to earn a Masters in Business Administration from LaVerne in 1993.  He has held executive level positions for most of his career, and is currently a Vice President with Bank of America.

For the past 17 years, Lou has resided in the Seattle area with his wife, Tami of 23 years, and their three children John, Bryn and Bret.  Lou continues to stay active in youth sports in various capacities both as a coach and volunteer in support of his children’s shared passion for sports.

Michael Miller ‘82

Mike Miller comes from a long family tradition of Golden Knights.  Born and raised in Altadena, Mike was a two year starter on the Varsity squad, playing defensive end. His junior campaign saw the Knights play into the CIF Semi-Finals, and he was awarded All-CIF and All Del Rey League Honors in his senior year.

He received a scholarship to Cal Lutheran where he received the Most Valuable Freshman award. He was a tenacious hitter, and received All League Honors in the Western Football Conference three years in a row. After college, Mike signed an NFL contract as a defensive end with the Los Angeles Raiders during the 1987 season. He enjoyed stints with the San Francisco 49ers, the Ottowa Roughriders of the CFL, and the Chicago Bruisers of the Arena Football League. He concluded his professional athletic career in the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mike and his wife, Whitney, reside in Newbury Park with their three children Ryleigh, Jake, and Cole. 

Steve Miller ‘85

The youngest of the Miller brothers, all born and raised in Altadena, Steve Miller joins his brother Mike, along with Mark (Class of 1977) and Scott (Class of 1976) as a member of our Athletic Hall of Fame. Steve competed in both football and track during his tenure as a Golden Knight. He was a two year starter on the varsity squad at guard. As a senior, for his accomplishments he was named to the All Del Rey League team, the All Glendale-Burbank team, the All-Tidings Catholic team, and the All San Gabriel Valley team.

He received a scholarship to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and lettered all four years.  At Cal Poly, he was selected to the All Western Football Conference at guard during his junior campaign, and again as a senior, that year playing as tight end, proving his versatility in switching positions but still maintaining a high level of excellence. His senior year, he averaged over 21 yards per reception.

Steve now lives in Montrose with his wife Angela, a graduate of in the Class of ’91. Steve and Angela share their passion for Golden Knight football as Angela was one of St. Francis’ premier Varsity Cheerleaders during her time.

James Todhunter ‘61

Jim Todhunter is one of those rarities in sports, a humble man who often understated his accomplishments. A two sport standout athlete while at St. Francis, Jim competed in both Basketball and Baseball. On the court, Jim was a three year starting guard on the Varsity squad, a two-time Most Valuable Player recipient, and was named to the All-CIF team in his senior season.

Jim’s true passion, however, resided on the diamond. He was a three year starting shortstop for the Knights. During his senior year Jim earned First Team All-CIF honors, hitting over 0.350 that year.  He was also voted the team’s Most Valuable Player.

After graduating Jim played one year for Valley College before signing with the Houston Colt 45’s in 1962 where he played for four years. He also enjoyed seasons in the Majors with the Washington Senators and the Chicago Cubs, before retiring from baseball. His leadership and dedication to sports carried over into his professional career where he enjoyed great success with ARCO for over 20 years. Jim is now retired and lives with his wife, Anne, in Roseville, CA. 

Robert Vilven ‘69

Bob Vilven grew up in Pasadena and attended St. Phillip grammar school. During his tenure at St. Francis, Bob’s contributions to the school were as diverse as they were profound. He was a three sport letterman as a Golden Knight, as well as the ASB Vice President, a member of the NHS and CSF, a recipient of the Alumni Scholarship as well as the St. Francis Academic Hall of Fame.

On the field, Bob was a two year starter, received All Del Rey League honors, and was named Outstanding Lineman of the Year in his senior season. Bob was also an avid track and field competitor, and lettered three years on the varsity team. He was named MVP in his senior season, and went on to qualify for the CIF meet.  There he reached the semi-finals in both the high hurdles and the high jump. 

On the court, Bob made a name for himself under the basket, where he set league records for most rebounds. He was a two year varsity letterman, two year All League member, and averaged a double-double with 15pts and 19 rebounds in his senior year where he was named captain and MVP.  For all his accomplishments as an athlete, Bob was named our Sportsman of the Year in 1969, and received an athletic scholarship to USIU in San Diego for basketball, where he was again named Captain his senior year. He went on to compete professionally in both basketball and track in Europe. He returned to Southern California and settled down in San Diego where he and his wife Patti of 35 years, have raised their three children, Shanna, Nikki, and Brian.

- Andy Burghdorf

burghdorfa@sfhs.net.