Steve Janto was hired by Wauwatosa High School as a Business Education Teacher and Assistant Basketball Coach in 1954. Steve was promoted to Head Basketball Coach in 1963, three years after Wauwatosa High became Tosa East High School, which marked a significant turning point. With the loss of half of the student body, Conference Championships and trips to State seemed out of reach. With Steve’s unwavering dedication and deep knowledge of the game, he quickly established high expectations for future success, with the basketball program taking root in the mid-sixties. In 1964, the Tosa East Basketball team’s performance was nothing short of remarkable. They clinched the Suburban Conference with a regular season record of 14-2 and an impressive 16-3 overall with tournament play. In 1965, with three returning starters, Steve led the team to a second Suburban Conference win. Their journey to the State Tournament was marked by victories over Wauwatosa West and Milwaukee North in the Regionals, Cedarburg in the Sub-sectionals, and New Holstein and Rufus King in the Sectionals, showcasing their determination and Coach Janto’s leadership. The team was favored to win the tournament considering the depth of talent but lost in the first round to Cumberland and had to settle for Consolation Champs by defeating Appleton in the final round. With a regular season record of 17-1 and 24-2 overall record, the 1964-1965 season ranks second all time in Tosa East basketball history. In 1967, Steve coached the Red Raiders to a 12-4 finish, which was second place in the Suburban Conference, and was his final season. Coach Janto concluded his tenure at Tosa East with 65 wins and 16 losses, a winning percentage of .802, which ranks second among all Basketball Coaches. Coach Janto also served as Head Coach of the Golf Team from 1956 to 1960, winning the Suburban Conference Championship in 1958; and Tennis Coach from 1963 to 1967, winning the Suburban Conference Championship in 1964.
