Athletics
Stephen Decatur High School offered a number of athletic opportunities for its students while the doors were open. On the boys’ side, football, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, track, cross-country, and wrestling, while the girls had volleyball, basketball, track, and tennis. According to the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org), there was no mention of softball or cross-country at the school. If anyone knows if these sports or others existed at the school, please let us know so we can include them. The Runnin’ Reds were part of the Big 12 Conference, competing with the likes of Champaign Central, Champaign Centennial, Urbana, Rantoul, Danville, Mattoon, fellow Decatur schools Eisenhower and MacArthur, in addition to Bloomington, Normal, Normal West, Lincoln, among others.
Boys Basketball
If you’ve been to the restroom lately, then settle in for some good reading about this historic hoops program in the state of Illinois. John Schneiter would lead a team to a title in 1962, two years after Gay Kintner died from a heart attack at a game in 1960 against cross-town rival MacArthur. Decatur and Stephen Decatur wound placing in the final four on 10 occasions out of 23 times it qualified, ensuring that they would take home a trophy from the state finals. The “two” schools combined record is also one of a handful in state history that won over 1,000 varsity contests, winning 1,352 games while losing 912 for a percentage of .597 in games played between 1913 and 2000.
Stephen Decatur High School’s basektball records are listed below. SDHS made the Sweet 16 of IHSA basketball tourney eight times, the Elite 8 six times, and the Final Four four times, coming away with one State Championship!!
1958-59 14-10 Coach Gay Kintner
1959-60 26-4 Fourth in State Coaches Gay Kintner/John
Schneiter
Won Regional & Sectional titles
Beat Danville Schlarman at
Decatur Super-Sectional 52-45
Edged Maywood Proviso East in quarterfinals 53-52
Lost to eventual state champion
Chicago Marshall in semifinals 74-62
Lost to West Frankfort in third place game 75-53
1960-61 12-12 Regional Champs Coach John Schneiter
| Stephen Decatur HS State Champions of 1961-62 |
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1961-62 31- 4 STATE CHAMPIONS!! Coach John Schneiter
Won Regional & Sectional titles
Decatur Super-Sectional –
Edged Urbana 41-40
Elite 8 Game –
Beat Washington 45-37
Semi-Final Game –
Got by Quincy 47-44
Championship Game –
Beat Chicago Carver 49-48
1962-63 25- 6 Elite 8 at State Coach John Schneiter
Won Regional & Sectional titles
Decatur Super-Sectional –
Defeated Watseka 93-73 at
Quarter Final Game –
Lost to Peoria Central 60-45
1963-64 33- 2 3rd Place at State Coach Jack Kenny
Won Regional & Sectional titles
Normal Super-Sectional –
Beat Arcola 53-37
Quarter-Final Game –
Downed Evanston 73-59
Semi-Final Game
Lost to Cobden 44-38
Third Place Game –
Beat Rock Island Alleman 73-54
1964-65 29- 3 Elite 8 at State Coach Jack Kenny
Won Regional & Sectional titles
Normal Super-Sectional
Edged Danville 54-53
Quarter-Final Game
Lost to Quincy 71-62
1965-66 25- 7 4th Place at State Coach Jack Kenny
Won Regional & Sectional titles
Normal Super-Sectional
Beat Urbana 68-56
Quarter-Final Game
Downed Rockford West 57-44
Semi-Final Game
Lost to Harvey Thornton 67-45
Harvey Thornton won State Title.
1966-67 22-10 Sweet 16 Qualifier Coach Jack Kenny
Regional & Sectional Champs
Normal Super-Sectional
Lost to Champaign 36-35
1967-68 26- 5 Regional Champs Coach Dean Padgett
1970-71 17- 9 (good record) Coach Dean Padgett
1973-74 15- 10 (good record) Coach Dean Padgett
1977-78 10- 15 Regional Champs Coach Rease Binger
1979-80 13- 12 Coach Rease Binger
1980-81 14- 13 Coach Rease Binger
1984-85 18- 9 (good record) Coach Rease Binger
1985-86 21- 9 Class AA Sweet 16 Coach Rease Binger
Regional & Sectional Champions
Normal Super-Sectional
Lost to Romeoville 65-49
1992-93 15- 11 (coach unknown)
1995-96 13- 12 (coach unknown)
1996-97 18- 9 Regional Champs (coach unknown)
1999-2000 15-11 Final school year Coach Mel Roustio
Thanksgiving Tourney
Consolation Champs
Pekin Holiday Tourney
Consolation Champs
| The Last of the “Runnin’ Reds” – Team of 1999-2000 |
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| Photo Taken in 2000 After Last Home Game (A Victory) – Courtesy of David Lee, Jr. |
Totals 12 Regionals Titles
8 Sectionals Titles
8 Sweet 16 Qualifiers
6 Super-Sectional Championships
6 Elite Eight Qualifiers
4 Final Four Appearances
2 Fourth Place Finishes
1 Third Place Finish
1 State Championship!!!!
9 Seasons of 20 Wins or More
2 Seasons of 30 Wins or More
1 Macomb HS Tournament Championship (1996)
EXCELLENT JOB RUNNIN’ REDS BOYS’ BASKETBALL!!!!!!!
Other tournament highlights for the Runnin’ Reds were submitted by Mark Jurenga:
*The Stephen Decatur boys were often participants in the annual Centralia HS basketball tourney. Their best results are as follows:
1963 Champion According to the 52nd (1994) Centralia Holiday Tounament program:”Decatur, behind the first three quarters, upset Belleville 52-46.”
1966 Third Place def. Champaign
1967 Champion “Decatur battled Edwardsville and took the championship by a score of 68-63.”
All-Tourney Team Selections:
1963 Jack Sunderlik & Charles Currie
1964 Dave Schotz
1967 Robert Moser
1971 Mike Moore
*Macomb Holiday Tourney Highlights:
1995 3rd place def. Canton 77-74
1996 Champion def. Warsaw 74-54
All-tourney Selections
1995 Tarise Bryson & Michael Wilder
1996 Tarise Bryson (MVP) & Michael Wilder
Tourney Record – Individual
Highest free throw % (Min. 10 attempts)
Tarus Cook 15-15 1995
*Bloomington-Normal State Farm Holiday Classic
1985 – Grand Championship – Normal (Comm.) 56 Stephen Decatur 44
Tournament Records
Most Field Goals, Game: Stephen Decatur 46, 1979
All-Tournament Selections
1985 – Dan Cole, Troy Leonard
1984 – Freddie Outlaw
1980 – Mark Morris
BOYS TRACK
Once the basketballs were put away, the Red and White excelled on the cinder tracks, winding up in the top 10 list of teams at the state meets on one occasion, along with winning two district titles. The Decatur thinclads wound up with a FIFTH place finish in 1971. Individuals representing the school would win the medals on seven occasions.
1967 District Champs Coach Ed Madix
1968 District Champs Coach Ed Madix
1969 Mark Stevens 4th Place 880 Run Coach Ed Madix
1971 Team Finished FIFTH at STATE Meet (coach unknown)
Dave Berg 3rd Place 1 Mile Run
Jerry Thomas 4th Place 100 Dash
880 Relay Team 4th Place
1983AA James Morton STATE CHAMPION High Jump
1998AA Justin Bennett 4th Place High Jump
2000AA James Wills 4th Place Shot Put
GREAT JOB RUNNIN’ RED TRACKSTERS!!!!!!!
FOOTBALL
Maybe not as successful as the boys’ basketball and track teams, Stephen Decatur did field a team on the gridiron from 1957 until 1999, winning many contests before the doors closed. The Runnin’ Reds had some solid seasons and were very competitive, sporting winning records at the end of eleven different seasons.
1958 5-3-1 Coach Jim Tate
1961 5-3-1 Coach Jim Tate
1962 8-1 Coach Jim Tate (excellent record)
1963 7-2 Coach Jim Tate (good record)
1965 7-2 Coach Jim Tate (good record)
1966 5-4 Coach Jim Tate
1967 5-4 Coach Jim Tate
1969 7-2 Coach Jim Tate (good record)
1976 5-4 Coach Frank Chizevsky
1992 7-4 Coach Dwight Simmons
Qualified for IHSA Class 4A Playoffs
Defeated Jerseyville (Jersey) 35-24 in first round
Eliminated by Decatur Eisenhower 35-12 in second round
1993 5-4 Coach Dwight Simmons
1999 Coach Tim Cruz (last season)
In a 1993 game against Bloomington, Decatur’s Rhassan Smith received a kickoff at his one-yard line and ran all the way to score a touchdown, making for a 99-yard return.
From Mary Berry Badgley:
“In 1976 the Reds broke St. Teresa’s 37-game winning streak which included back-to-back state titles. That was a most memorable game in which several thousand fans packed Piggott Field to watch. It bears a mention in the scheme of memorable moments at SDHS.”
GOOD JOB RED & WHITE GRIDDERS!!!!
WRESTLING
Stephen Decatur High School made a splash on the wrestling mats, taking home a third and two fourth place finishes as a team in the state meet, along with winning five district titles and having four state champions.
An excellent coach for the Runnin’ Reds’ grapplers was Terry Simons. Coach Simons coached several top placers in the State Meet and had two teams finish in the top-four. Scott Morford, Class of 1968, tells us this about Coach Simons:
“You’ll find Coach Simons in 2004 Illinois Wrestling Hall of Fame. He ended his career at Glenbard. He was a great guy who taught me a lot. I wrestled HW in 1968 weighing 177 lbs. I never won, but never was pinned, and was typicallly outweighed by over 50 pounds (my first match was me at 177 lbs. versus Charles Sharp at 264 lbs.!…I lost 9-6)”
1964-65 4th Place in State Coach Terry Simons
Ben Cooper STATE CHAMPION 154 lbs.
Aaron Holloway STATE CHAMPION 165 lbs.
1965-66 Ben Cooper 2nd Place 165 lbs. Coach Terry Simons
1966-67 District Champs Coach Terry Simons
Jim Hunt 6th Place 112 lbs.
1967-68 3rd Place in State Coach Terry Simons
District Champs
Mark Malley STATE CHAMPION 145 lbs.
Rusty Cunningham 2nd Place 112 lbs.
1968-69 4th Place in State Coach Terry Simons
District Champs
Mark Malley STATE CHAMPION 145 lbs.
Rusty Cunningham 3rd Place 112 lbs.
1969-70 Dave Taylor 3rd Place 145 lbs. Coach Terry Simons
Ty McMillan 3rd Place 175 lbs.
1972-73 Kevin Simcox 6th Place 98 lbs.
1978-79 District Champs
1979-80 District Champs
1983-84AA Scott Mitchell 4th Place 132 lbs.
BOYS TENNIS
Stephen Decatur High School short netters were worthy representatives for Central Illinois to the state tennis meets, even bringing home a third place finish once, along with two other top-ten finishes. Who says that a school from downstate couldn’t compete with the Chicagoland schools that have usually dominated this event? The Runnin’ Reds proved this “theory” wrong!
1961 District Champs (coach unknown)
3rd in State
Mike Nolan–3rd in Singles
1962 6th in State (coach unknown)
Kent Ayers & Mike Nolan–2nd in Doubles
1963 8th in State (coach unknown)
Mike Nolan–3rd in Singles
1964 Dick Bowers–5th in Singles
BOYS GOLF
The Runnin’ Red linksters made a name for themselves on the golf course, winning IHSA hardware along the way. It was a team game for Stephen Decatur, as only two individuals were considered finalists for the medalist position at the state finals.
1974 Sectional Champs (coach unknown)
State Qualifier/Finished 6th in State Finals
1976 District Champs (coach unknown)
1982 Regional Champs (coach unknown)
1986 State Qualifier
1988 State Qualifier/Finished 10th in State Finals
1994AA Andrew Laegeler 6th in State Finals as individual
1998AA Zachary Hayes 10th in State Finals asindividual
BASEBALL
On three occasions Stephen Decatur won Regional Titles. The Runnin’ Reds made their way to the Elite 8 of the IHSA Baseball Playoffs once.
1967 Regional Champs Coach Dale Rutz
1970 Regional Champs (coach unknown)
1977 15-10 Regional & Sectional Champs Coach Mike Buttz
Qualified for State Finals
Beat Nokomis 8-4 in quarterfinals
Lost to Proviso East 4-2 in semifinals
(Proviso East eventual champs)
BOYS’ CROSS-COUNTRY
Success carried over hill and dale for the Stephen Decatur boys’ cross-country team, qualifying for the state meet three times over a four-year period during the late 1960’s. The coach for these teams is unknown.
1965 Qualified for State Finals
1967 Qualified for State Finals
1968 Qualified for State Finals
Individual Medalist: Mark Stevens (10th Place)
BOYS’ SWIMMING
Even the tankmen of Stephen Decatur were successful to an extent, bringing home two individual golds at the state meet.
1987 Ryan Schwanke 3rd Place 100 backstroke
1988 Ryan Schwanke 2nd Place 100 backstroke
1993 Kostaki Chiligiris 3rd Place 200 freestyle
1994 Kostaki Chiligiris STATE CHAMPION 200 freestyle
Kostaki Chiligiris STATE CHAMPION 100 freestyle
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Just like their male counterparts, Stephen Decatur’s girls’ hoops program made a name for itself. During the 1980’s, one team qualified for the Class AA Sweet Sixteen.
1974-75 0-10 (first season) Coach Jean Gift
1980-81 15-10 (good record) Coach Jean Gift
1982-83 22- 5 Class AA Sweet 16 Coaches Jean Gift & Brenda Clark
Regional Champions
Sectional Champions
Normal Super-Sectional
Lost to Peoria Richwoods 72-45
(Peoria Richwoods eventual AA State Champs)
1983-84 17- 6 (good record) Coaches Jean Gift & Brenda Clark
1987-88 11-10 Coach Brenda Clark
GIRLS’ BOWLING
Stephen Decatur had a successful bowling program for the girls that chose to go to the bowling houses, sending two girls to the state finals. Both ladies received medals for placing as one of the top 10 individuals.
1980 Laurie Mintun—7th place
1987 Shelley Lourash—4th place
GIRLS’ TENNIS
The Stephen Decatur netters held their own in Central Illinois, winning three sectionals to qualify for the state meet. Unfortunately, the name of the coach for these teams is unknown.
1989 Sectional Champions–Qualified for State Finals
1990 Sectional Champions–Qualified for State Finals
1992 Sectional Champions–Qualified for State Finals
VOLLEYBALL
Inside the school, Stephen Decatur’s volleyball squad came away with two trophies from the IHSA in the state tournament, taking a district in the old one-class system, then a AA regional. Win-loss records are unknown.
1982 District Champions Coach unknown
1997 17-16 Regional Champions Coach Nanci Day-LeMaster
From Coach Nanci Day-LeMaster: “Hello, I was the coach for Stephen Decatur High School Volleyball team in 1997. (My) assistant coach was Debi Kwasny and team members were: Lindsay LeMaster, Nikki Kasserman, Christain Keifer, Stephanie Gruenewald, Sheree Gruenewald, Megan Denison, and Alicia Joyner.”
GIRLS’ TRACK
The Stephen Decatur girls tracksters were just as fortunate as the boys’ team was to have placed high enough to bring home medals from the state track meet, with most of them in relay events.
1982 Susie Hunt 8th Place 100 Dash
1984 Julie Foertsch 6th Place 800 Run
1986 Julie Foertsch 6th Place 800 Run
Julie Foertsch 3rd Place 1600 Run
1987 800 Relay 8th Place
1988 800 Relay 3rd Place
1989 Katrina Green 8th Place 100 Hurdles
400 Relay 6th Place
800 Relay 4th Place
800 Medley Relay 6th Place
GIRLS’ SWIMMING
One athlete in particular put Stephen Decatur’s girls’ swimming program on the map over a three-year period in the 1990s prior to the school’s closure. Erin Didde brought home four medals from the state finals, confirming that there was a girls’ swim team at the school.
1992 Erin Didde 3rd Place 100 backstroke
1993 Erin Didde 7th Place 100 backstroke
Erin Didde 7th Place 200 freestyle
1994 Erin Didde 8th Place 100 backstroke
OUTSTANDING COACHES AND ATHLETES IN SCHOOL HISTORY
—Gay Kintner – won 649 games as basketball coach from 1928-60, including three state titles, for a winning percentage of .708. Also coached football and baseball, with one state Elite Eight qualifier in baseball.
—John Schneiter – won one state title in four-plus years (1960-63) as head basketball coach with a record of 79-24 for a mark of .767. Schneiter later captured a second and third place at the state basketball finals while coaching at Winnetka New Trier East, and had eight teams win the team championship at the IHSA Boys’ Tennis Finals, along with a second place and two third places.
—Jack Kenny – was 109-22 (.832) coaching boys’ basketball from 1963-67, winning a third and a fourth place at the state finals. Later became principal of the school.
—Jim Tate – 69-66-8 in 16 years of coaching football, with eight of those squads finishing with winning records, including 8-1 in 1962.
—Mark Malley – state champion wrestler, winning the 145-pound class in 1968 & 1969.
—Kostaki Chiligiris – won the 100 and 200 freestyle events at the state meet in 1994.
—Michael Tate – played three years’ football from 1970-72, believed to have set the school record for tackles at 114 in 1972.
MEMORIES
from Jack Sunderlik (class of 1964): The 1963-64 SDHS “Runnin’ Reds” won the Decatur City Tournament and the 1963 Centralia Christmas Holiday Basketball Tournament., along with winning the Decatur City Tournament, and the Big 12 Conference. The team also had a 28 game-winning streak. I played on the ’62 State Champs, the ’63 Elite Eight Team, and the 1964 3rd Place team.
“This year (November 2012) at the Decatur Thanksgiving Tournament, the school district will be honoring the 1963-64 Stephen Decatur Runnin’ Reds Basketball Team that finished 3rd in the IHSA State Tournament. Eleven of the players have already confirmed that they will be there for the presentation. We should have won the Championship that year. I believe that we were the best team in the glorified history of Stephen Decatur H.S. and the city of Decatur. To this day, the game against the (Cobden) Apple Knockers still haunts me and leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”
From student Mike Johnson (dated April 1, 2020):
“I don’t see Bob Warnsley mentioned. I recall from my time at SDHS (“64 to ’67) that was he quite the star as well. I don’t have specific dates, but I know he was at least a two-sport starter in basketball (small forward or guard) and football (halfback). He played defense as well (I think) at safety and cornerback. He may run track as well-he was quite fast.”
OUR WORK IS JUST STARTING…
to tell the story about the history of Stephen Decatur High School, and we need your help. If you have any additional information or pictures, we would be most happy to use them. Please email your information to us at dr.veeman@gmail.com or send it to the address listed below. Special thanks go to longtime Decatur sportswriter Tom McNamara for his help, along former Chicago sportswriter Jim Enright’s book March Madness: The History of High School Basketball in Illinois (1977) for photos and valuable information in preparing this page.
Illinois High School Glory Days
6439 N. Neva
Chicago, Il 60631 |
St. Teresa had actually won 47 games in a row when SDHS beat them in football in 1976.