| ATHLETICSThough no evidence of IHSA hardware being won by a team was found, the Colfax Tigers were known in the area as a tough group to play against in any athletic venue. The boys competed in football, basketball (remember, no home games after 1947), track, and possibly baseball. One male athlete, Tom Tipton, won a medal at the state track meet.
The Tigers competed in the Tri-Valley Conference with fellow conference members Anchor, Arrowsmith, Bellflower, Cooksville, Cropsey, Downs, Ellsworth, Saybrook, and Towanda….schools that are also featured on this website. If you have any information about the athletic successes attained by the Tigers, please e-mail us at eganann@sbcglobal.net.
| Colfax High School Tigers |
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| Football Team of 1946-47 |
FOOTBALL
The school at Colfax had a small enrollment, making it difficult to compete in regulation 11-man football. The late 1940’s saw the inception of six-man football in Illinois. Only a few teams took up this sport and the Colfax High School Tigers were one of them. They often traveled far to play their games, including trips to Tolono (whose program was very successful).
That is, until they played their rivals Lexington. When the game was played in Lexington, the Colfax boys played 11-man football. But when the game was hosted by Colfax at its home field in Cooksville, the game reverted to 6-man football. Some great pictures of the Colfax Tigers and history of their teams can be found at www.ridgeviewfootball.us, a site maintained by current Colfax Ridgeview Head Football Coach Mike Benton.
BASKETBALL
| Colfax High School Gymnasium |
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As stated in the history portion of this page, Colfax High School’s gymnasium was destroyed by fire in 1948. The basketball games from then on were played on the road, even the home games were held in a nearby town. In 1920 and 1921, the Tigers won the Junior Division of the McLean County Tournament.
Scores from games played by Coolfax High School in the IHSA State Tournament were located on a website titled “Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores.” These scores are plsted below. We are also looking for more information on the basketball successes of Colfax High.
1919-20 McLean Co. Jr. Division Tourney Champs Coach’s name & record needed
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1920-21 McLean Co. Jr. Division Tourney Champs Coach’s name & record needed
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1921-22 Bloomington District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Bellflower 25-21 (O/T)
Bellflower lost in 2nd Rd.
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1922-23 through 1930-31 Postseason scores, record, and coaches’ names needed.
| Colfax HS Tigers Basketball 1930-31 |
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1930-31 Gibson City District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Saybrook 23-16
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1931-32 Bloomington District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to LeRoy 15-12
Normal beat Downs in title game.
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1932-33 Normal District Tournament Coach L.L. Eagan
1st Rd Beat Cooksville 22-11
2nd Rd lost to Bloomington 24-21
Normal University HS beat Bloomington in title game
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1933-34 Normal District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Cooksville 37-17
2nd Rd lost to Bloomington 30-18
Bloomington lost to Normal U-High in title game
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1934-35 Bloomington District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Downs 28-27
2nd Rd lost to Normal 24-7
Normal lost in semi-final round
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1935-36 Colfax District Semi-Finalist Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Arrowsmith 28-16
Semi-final lost to Chenoa 32-19
Chenoa won District title over Cooksville
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1936-37 Colfax Hosted District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Anchor 41-19
Semi-Final lost to Strawn 25-19
Farmer City beat Strawn in title game.
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1937-38 Colfax Hosted District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Colfax HS scores unavailable
Cropsey beat Cooksville 36-12 for title
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1938-39 Colfax District Runner-Up Coach’s name & record needed
Semi-Final Beat Cooksville 18-13
Title Game lost to Gridley 19-14
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1939-40 Colfax District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
Colfax HS scores needed.
Lexington beat Towanda in title game.
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1940-41 Colfax District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd. Beat Anchor 44-21
Semi-Final lost to Gridley 39-33
Cropsey beat Gridley in title game.
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1941-42 Colfax District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
Colfax HS scores needed.
Cropsey beat Forrest in title game.
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1942-43 Colfax District Runner-Up Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Ellsworth 33-27
Semi-Final Beat Towanda 38-34
Title game lost to Arrowsmith 46-34
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1943-44 Colfax District Runner-Up Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Score needed
Semi-Final Score needed.
Title Game lost to Gridley 41-33
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1944-45 Colfax District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Towanda 65-34
Semi-Final lost to Cropsey 60-47
Cropsey beat Anchor in title game
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1945-46 Colfax Hosted District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Colfax HS scores unavailable
Anchor beat Cropsey 35-29 for title
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1946-47 Colfax District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Towanda 66-27
Semi-Final lost to Anchor 61-31
Anchor beat Bellflower in title game
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1947-48 Colfax District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Gridley 50-46
Anchor beat Gridley in title game.
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**1948-49 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
**Last season for Colfax High School. Became known as Colfax Octavia for the 1949-50 school year.
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TRACK & FIELD
The Colfax Tiger tracksters had some great seasons as well Below is a photo of the thinclads of 1910-11 who won the McLean County track & field championship!! Also pictured is Tom Tipton (on the right) who won CHS’s only medal at the IHSA State Meet.
Members of the Colfax Track team of 1910-11 pictured below included:
Back Row-L-R-Joe Brown, Quincy McLellan, Edmund “Curly” Small, Coach Smith, Alvie Decker, Dave Murphy, Leroy Withers
Front Row-L-R-Dick Henderson, Bryce Knight, Scott Gamien, Guy Hamilton, Charles Hamilton
| Colfax HS Track & Field Team 1910-11 |
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| McLean County Champions |
The year was 1932, when the IHSA Track Meet was a “one class” affair, that Tom Tipton made the Colfax folks proud. Tipton ran the grueling 880 yard run in a time of 2:01.7, good enough for 3rd place in the entire state!
Excellent information can be found on the website www.ridgeviewtrack.com/halloffame.htm, a site developed by current Colfax Ridgeview High School Coach Mike Benton.
1931-32 Tom Tipton 880 Yard Run 3RD Place
| Tom Tipton – CHS Track Star |
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Music
The students of Colfax High School were offered a wide variety of activities to help round out their education. Glee Club, choir, band, and many other extra-curricular activities were available so that all kids could be a part of the great school spirit of CHS.
| Colfax High School Glee Club 1930-31 |
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Need Your Assistance
If you have any information to add to this page please write to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.
| Colfax High School |
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| Built in 1904 |
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