Argenta (population 921) is located in east-central Illinois in the northwestern portion of Macon County. Argenta sits about six miles northeast of Decatur. Illinois Route 48 is the main roadway leading to and from Argenta. Interstate Highway 72 runs to the southeast of town. The Illinois Central Gulf Railroad runs alongside Route 48 while the Kickapoo Creek flows around the northside of Argenta.
The history of the town of Argenta and its school system are in need of research;. It is probable that a school system was in place for Argenta students by the late 1800s. A high school was certainly in place by the early 1900s. Argenta High School served the town and surrounding rural kids for over six decades. Consolidation talks arose in the mid-1960s between the school districts of Argenta and the nearby town of Oreana. This effort led to the creation of the Argenta-Oreana School District in 1966.
The high school for the new district is still located today in Argenta. It was for many years held in the original Argenta High School building which is pictured above, with a few building additions. Recently the Argenta-Oreana School District completed a new building for $15 million that will serve the two towns and surrounding area for many years to come.
Argenta High School Quick Facts
Year opened: late 1800s / early 1900s
Year consolidated with Oreana: 1966
Consolidated to: Argenta-Oreana School District
Argenta HS team nickname: “Hawks” from 1914-15 through 1944-45
“Bombers” from 1945-46 through 1965-66
Argenta HS team colors: Orange & Blue
School Fight Song: unavailable
Argenta “Hawks” Sports Jacket
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
Athletics
Argenta High School offered boys basketball (www.ihsa.org) and probably baseball, track, and football as well. Team nickname, team colors, team records, coach’s names, and school fight song are all items we are seeking to help better document the Argenta HS athletic program.
Boys Basketball
Argenta High School was a cause for great excitement on many a winter night. The boys basketball team had some great seasons in the 1950s and early 1960s. A total of SEVEN District titles and one Regional title showed the Argenta HS strengths of the era. The year of 1950-51 saw Argenta’s deepest run into the State Tourney making it all the way to Sectional Tournament action. Coach’s names and team records of these and other great Argenta teams are not currently available. Scores involving Argenta HS in the IHSA State Tournament were located on a website titled “Illinois High School Postseason Basketball Scores” and are listed below.
Argenta-Oreana Coach Clay Haurberg provided the following research and excellent information regarding the Argenta High School basketball program:
“Origins:
1914-15 was the first year that Argenta had a basketball team (see attached clipping from 9/16/1914)..
Argenta Organizes Basketball Team 09/16/2014
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
Regarding the school mascot:
The Argenta HS teams were known as the “Hawks” until the end of the 1944-45 school year, when they changed their mascot to the “Bombers”, an homage to US Army Air Force from WWII. (See attached photo of a Argenta Hawks jacket)
Some unusual history:
The attached article from 12/23/1925 says that Argenta played all its games outdoors that season until the weather became too cold, then spent the rest of the year playing on the road; however, I have found older clippings about games played in Argenta during the winter months. Perhaps there were times that they were able to rent a space in town in which to play their games?”
Argenta Plays Outdoors Article 12/23/1925
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
It seems that Argenta HS had no gym for practice or games in their early years. They handled this by holding practices and games outdoors, starting as early as September, until a new high school was built in 1928 with it’s own gym (see attached clipping from 10/24/1928).
Argenta Opens New Gym 10/24/1928
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
1914-15 0 – 3 Coach unknown
1915-164 – 3 Coach Fred Zeise
1916-17 0 – 3 Coach unknown
1917-18 1 – 4 Coach R.L. Reeves
1918-19 1 – 5 Coach E.W. Zeppenfeld
1919-20 1 – 1 Coach E.W. Zeppenfeld
1920-21 0 – 3 Coach E.W. Zeppenfeld
1921-22 15 – 11 Decatur District Tournament Coach E.W. Zeppenfeld
1st Rd lost to Dawson 15-12
Atwood beat Bethany in title game
Atwood lost to Centralia 24-16 in State Championship Game
1922-23 5 – 7 Coach E.W. Zeppenfeld
1923-24 3 – 7 Decatur District Tourney Coach E.W. Zeppenfield
1st Rd lost to Bethany 19-13
1924-25 0 – 3 Decatur District Tourney Coach E.W. Zeppenfield
1st Rd lost to Maroa 21-11
1925-26 10 – 5 Decatur District Tourney Coach Otis F. “Nemo” Madden
1st Rd lost to Mansfield 19-15
1926-27 11 – 5 Decatur District Tourney Coach Otis F. “Nemo” Madden
1st Rd Beat Stonington 21-18
2nd Rd lost to Bethany 28-23
1927-28 15 – 7 Decatur District Tourney Coach R.P. Houk
Macon County Tourney Champs
District Scores
1st Rd Beat Macon 49-21
2nd Rd lost to Latham 33-23
1928-29 17 – 4 Decatur District Tourney Coach Otis F. “Nemo” Madden
Macon County Tourney Champs
District Scores
1st Rd lost to Decatur 34-16
1929-30 17 – 9 Monticello District Tourney Coach Jimmy Cagle
Macon County Tourney Champs
District Scores
1st Rd Beat Cerro Gordo 18-13
2nd Rd lost to Champaign 37-12
1930-31 21 – 9 Monticello District Tourney Coach Jimmy Cagle
Macon County Tourney Champs
District Scores
1st Rd lost to Monticello 30-20
1931-32 4 – 16 Monticello District Tourney CoachVernon Drenckpohl
District Scores
1st Rd lost to Bement 33-8
1932-33 17 – 5 Monticello District Tournament CoachVernon Drenckpohl
Cenois Conference Champs
District Scores
1st Rd lost to Monticello 21-17
Monticello beat Cerro Gordo in title game
1933-34 15 – 6 Monticello District Tournament CoachVernon Drenckpohl
Macon County Tourney Champs
District Scores
1st Rd lost to Bement 20-19
Mahomet beat Bement in title game
1934-35 11 – 14 Decatur District Tournament CoachVernon Drenckpohl
1st Rd lost to Decatur 31-4
Clinton beat Decatur in title game
1935-36 5 – 16 Monticello District Tournament CoachVernon Drenckpohl
1st Rd lost to Lovoington 24-23
Lovington beat Bement in title game
1936-37 16 – 8 Clinton Regional Tournament CoachVernon Drenckpohl
Macon County Tourney Champs
District Scores
1st Rd Beat Niantic 30-20
2nd Rd lost to Clinton 24-10
Decatur beat Clinton in title game
1937-38 14 – 9 Niantic District Tourney CoachVernon Drenckpohl
1st Rd Beat Mt. Zion 27-25 (OT)
2nd Rd lost to Tri-City 24-19
1938-39 22 – 10 IHSA District Champions CoachVernon Drenckpohl
Argenta HS Basketball Team 1938-39
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
District Scores Needed
Decatur Regional Runner-Up
1st Rd Beat Bement 29-25
Semi-final Beat Cerro Gordo 29-20
Title Game lost to Decatur 35-24
Per IHSA rules of the time, both the Regional champion and Regional runner-up advanced to Sectional play. Argenta made the most of this opportunity by making it to the sectional final, which at the time was one game from making the state finals. Here are the scores:
Champaign Sectional Tournament
Semi-Final Beat Paxton 38-25
Title Game lost to Champaign 43-29
Champaign lost in Elite 8 round.
1939-40 18 – 5 Clinton Regional Tournament CoachVernon Drenckpohl
Macon County Champs
Cenois Conference Champs
Regional Scores
1st Rd lost to Kenny 29-28
Clinton beat Wapella in title game
1940-41 14 – 11 Clinton Regional Tournament CoachVernon Drenckpohl
1st Rd Beat Wapella 35-24
2nd Rd lost to Bloomington 31-18
Clinton beat Bloomington in title game
1941-42 17 – 8 Wapella District Tournament CoachVernon Drenckpohl
1st Rd Beat Waynesville 47-18
2nd Rd lost to Argenta 33-28
1942-43 23 – 7 Clinton Regional Tournament Coach Ed Mosely
1st Rd lost to Bloomington Trinity 40-33
Bloomington HS beat Clinton in title game
1943-44 24 – 5 Clinton Regional Tournament Coach Ed Mosely
Cenois Conference Champs
Regional Scores
1st Rd Beat Maroa 53-17
2nd Rd lost to Clinton 45-27
Clinton beat Bloomington in title game
1944-45 16 – 10 Clinton Regional Tournament Coach Tracey Turner
1st Rd lost to Bloomington 54-37
Bloomington HS beat Clinton in title game
1945-46 24 – 4 Clinton Regional Tournament Coach James “Red” Hildebrand
Cenois Conference Champs
Regional Score
1st Rd lost to Deland 61-45
Clinton beat Deland in title game
1946-47 11 – 13 Clinton Regional Tournament Coach James “Red” Hildebrand
1st Rd lost to Bloomington 51-21
Clinton beat Bloomington in title game
1947-48 13 – 12 Clinton Regional Tournament Coach James “Red” Hildebrand
Macon County Champs
Regional Scores
1st Rd lost to Bloomington 49-37
Clinton beat Bloomington in title game
1948-49 12 – 11 Clinton Regional Tournament Coach Don Sullivan
1st Rd lost to Bloomington 49-36
Clinton beat Bloomington in title game
1949-50 12 – 12 Clinton Regional Tournament Coach Don Sullivan
1st Rd lost to Bloomington 65-51
Clinton beat Farmer City in title game
1950-51 20 – 11 Waynesville District Champions Coach Don Sullivan
1960-61 24 – 4 Clinton Regional Runner-Up Coach Dale Huff
Macon County Tourney Champs
Cenois Conference Champs
Regional Scores
1st Rd Beat Maroa 65-42
Semi-final Beat Bloomington 74-62
Title Game lost to Clinton 71-54
CLINTON (71): McKeown 24, May 14, Steward 11, Helm 9, Hartsock 9, Wilson 2, Griffin 2
ARGENTA (54): Fombelle 13, Allan 13, Beadleston 10, Bryant 10, White 6, Drake 2.
1961-62 10 – 13 Bloomington Regional Tournament Coach Joe Coverdill
1st Rd Beat Maroa 67-56
Semi-final lost to Bloomington 64-41
Bloomington beat Beason in title game
1962-63 5 – 18 Clinton Regional Tournament Coach Joe Coverdill
1st Rd Beat Maroa-Forsythe 71-54
Semi-final lost to Bloomington Trinity 75-51
Trinity beat Bloomington in title game
1963-64 15 – 9 Bloomington Regional Tournament Coach Paul Taylor
1st Rd Beat Clinton 61-57
Semi-final lost to Bloomington 37-32
Bloomington beat Bloomington Trinity in title game
1964-65 17 – 8 Cerro Gordo District Champs Coach Paul Taylor
Cenois Conference Champs
District Scores
Semi-final Beat Illiopolis 65-41
Title Game Beat Cerro Gordo 61-46
Bloomington Regional Tournament
1st Rd Beat Warrensburg-Latham 37-36
Semi-final lost to Stephen Decatur 89-47
Stephen Decatur beat Decatur in title game
Stephen Decatur lost in Elite 8 Round
1965-66 14 – 14 Niantic District ChampsCoach Paul Taylor
Semi-final Beat Cerro Gordo 72-58
Title Game Beat Niantic-Harristown 81-66
Decatur Regional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Warrensburg-Latham 47-45
Stephen Decatur beat Decatur Eisenhower in title game
Stephen Decatur placed 4th in IHSA state tourney.
Great Players & Coaches of Argenta High School
Great Players
Hal Craig 1940
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
Hal Craig ’40 – Leading scorer for Argenta as a senior, and key member of the 1938-39 squad that reached the sectional finals. Went on to play for Eastern Illinois University after high school and was the 2nd leading scorer for the Panthers in 1944-45.
Leon Heinle 1946
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
Leon Heinle ’46 – Scored 1,053 points at Argenta HS. Played at Illinois State University. Was a 4 year starter for the Redbirds. Team captain as a senior (1949-50).
Thomas “Ralph” Tucker 1954
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
Thomas “Ralph” Tucker ’54 – Scored 642 points at Argenta HS, with a team-leading 420 points as a senior. Attended Illinois State University and played 3 years for the Redbirds. He was elected team captain as a senior.
Dave McKonkey 1956
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
David McConkey ’56 – 1,212 points at Argenta HS. Played on the University of Illinois freshman squad in 1956-57.
Bill Roberts 1957
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
Bill Roberts ’57 – Scored 1196 points at Argenta HS. Played basketball, baseball, and golf at McKendree College. A 4 year starter and 3-time All-Prairie College Conference selection (1958-61). Scored 14.6ppg as a sophomore, 20.3ppg as a junior, and 17.0ppg as a senior. Elected to the McKendree Hall of Fame.
Returned to Argenta as a teacher where he coached boys basketball for 6 years before taking the reins of the girls team, winning 7 regionals, 2 sectionals, and making a state final appearance in 1981-82. Inducted to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003.
David Darnall 1960
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
David Darnall ’60 – Dave was the leading scorer in regional play as a senior at Argenta, and had a 31-point outburst against Farmer City that season. Graduated from Illinois State University, but did not play sports there.
He began his coaching career with stops at Stanford, Gridley, Roseville and Momence high schools before landing the head coaching position at Eureka College. Dave led the Red Devils to 3 straight trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament and won the National Championship in 1994, after which he was named NAIA Division II Coach of the Year. Eureka won 5 conference titles in his 20 years as head coach. He is a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches, Illinois State University, Greater Peoria, and Argenta-Oreana High School Sports Halls of Fame.
Dave Fombelle 1961
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
David Fombelle ’61 – 1,600 point scorer at Argenta. Played for the University of Illinois freshman team during the 1961-62 season.
Great Coaches
Coach Vernon Drenckpohl
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
Coach Vernon Drenckpohl – Head coach at Argenta from 1931-1942. 8 winning seasons with a record of 153-108 in 11 years at the helm, 4 Macon County Tournament titles and 1 CENOIS Conference title. His 1938-39 squad won an IHSA district title and advanced to the IHSA sectional final before falling to Champaign HS. Went on to successful stints at Vandalia and Sycamore high schools. Inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1978.
Coach Dale Huff
Submitted by Clay Haurberg
Coach Dale Huff – Came to Argenta in 1956 after stints at Cisne and Deland-Weldon high schools. Racked up a record of 91-44 in 5 years with the Bombers, with 1 Cenois Conference title, 1 IHSA district title, and 2 IHSA regional final appearances. Went on to coach at Bushnell-Prairie City, Ohio, Chester, and Forrest-Strawn-Wing high schools before retiring with a career record of 274-264 in 1979.
MEMORIES
**From Michael Sullivan regarding Coach Don Sullivan (1948-49 through 1953-54):
“I was researching my father, Don Sullivan, basketball coaching career and found an Argenta High School page in need of information. My father coached at Argenta beginning 1948-1949 through the 1953-1954 seasons. After that he coached the 1954-1955 Peoria Spalding team to the Elite Eight 22-6. His next position was a year at Farmer City 1955-1956 before moving on to coach at LaSalle-Peru. This finished his high school coaching as he coached an AAU team “Ottawa Falstaff” and then a stint at LPO Junior College before becoming the first basketball coach at the College of DuPage.
Both my father and his brother Andy coached at the same time and were a successful part of IHSA basketball history.
I recently saw scrapbooks with newspaper articles and pictures from some of his time at Argenta, Peoria Spalding, and Farmer City. Dad has a large frame sketch of old Peoria Spalding in his living room given to him be a team member at a class reunion and has been a lifetime friend of a player he coached on the 1950-51 Argenta team that was beaten by Decatur in the Sectional Final.”
**From Jim:
“I was in the Argenta – Oreana school district from 1961- 1973 . We were known as the Bombers the entire time.That has been their nickname for a long time. Before WWII probably was different.”
Seeking More Information
More information is being sought about Argenta High School. Corrections are welcome as well. If you have more information about AHS, including photos of the school, nickname, and other great teams and high school memories you would like to share please write to us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net . You may also write to us via real mail at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, IL 60631
