Athletics
The Central Catholic/Assumption boys had a long traditon of sports excellence. This history continued after the girls joined the school in the fall of 1974. Several great successes were recorded in the school’s athletic program.
These accomplishments continued through the very end, with the school excelling in even its last season, 1988-89. Cheerleaders for this all-boys school came from their sister school, East St. Louis St. Teresa. These seasons, as recorded on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org), are in turn recorded below.
Boys Baseball
The Central Catholic boys of the early 1940s had some excellent seasons. Especially, the teams of 1944 and 1945. Under the leadership of head coach Brother Ed Dunne, these two teams made consecutive trips to the State Championship game, finishing second both times! As Assumption, the boys won a Regional title as well.
As Central Catholic
1941-42 District Champions
1943-44 IHSA STATE RUNNER-UP!!!! Coach Brother Ed Dunne
District Champions
Sectional Champions
Elite 8 Finalist
Beat Chicago Heights Bloom 3-0
Final 4 Finalist
Beat Chicago Marshall 8-1
State Championship Game
Lost to Maywood Proviso 9-1
1944-45 IHSA STATE RUNNER-UP!!!! Coach Brother Ed Dunne
District Champions
Sectional Champions
Elite 8 Finalist
Beat Chicago Kelly 6-1
Final 4 Finalist
Beat Maywood Proviso 5-3
State Championship Game
Lost to Chicago Lane Tech 6-1
As Assumption
1964-65 Regional Champions
**The following are Assumtion High School baseball players that were drafted by Major League baseball teams:
1965 Glenn Flake, Pitcher, was a 25th round draft pick of the Cincinati Reds.
1967 John Howard, Pitcher, was a 22nd round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals.
1970 Ed Blake, Pitcher, was a 3rd round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles.
1970 Don Briddell, Pitcher, signed a Free Agent Contract with the Baltimore Orioles and later player briefly in the St. Louis Cardinal organization.
Boys Basketball
Several excellent seasons followed the East St. Louis Central Catholic and Assumption boy’s basketball teams. None, however, were greater than their final one. The boys of the 1988-89 season made certain the school spirit of the many years enjoyed at the school was rewarded when they advanced to the Elite 8 round of the IHSA Class A State Tournament! Many other great seasons were enjoyed as well, the list as found on the IHSA website is transcribed below.
As Central Catholic
1932-33 20 – 2 Coach Louis Meinhardt
1933-34 18 – 7 Coach Francis Mueller
1934-35 Coach Mike Culler
1935-36 Coach Tony Gerhardt
1936-37 Coach William Callahan
1937-38 13 – 8 Coach Henry Heideman
1938-39 Coach Henry Heideman
1939-40 16 – 14 Coach Henry Heideman
1940-41 14 – 14 Coach Jack Corcoran
1941-42 Coach Henry Heideman
1942-43 Coach Ed Rohrbach
1943-44 16 – 7 Coach Ed Dunne
1944-45 19 – 8 Coach Ed Dunne
1945-46 Coach Ed Dunne
1946-47 20 – 8 Coach Tom Dunn
1947-48 17 – 11 Coach Tom Dunn
1948-49 Coach Tom Dunn
1949-52 Coach George Walsh
1952-53 Coach George Mattz
As Assumption
1953-54 11 – 8 Coach Robert Astroth
1954-55 16 – 8 Coach John O’Brien
1955-61 Coach John O’Brien
1961-62 Coach Dick Mason
1962-63 Coach Dick Ryan
1963-64 19 – 7 Coach Dick Ryan
1964-65 Coach Dick Ryan
1965-66 16 – 8 Coach Dick Ryan
1966-67 14 – 9 Coach Dick Ryan
1967-68 Coach Dick Ryan
1968-69 22 – 4 Coach Dick Ryan
Mater Dei Tournament Champions
Bi-State Conference Co-Champions
E. St. Louis City Champions
1969-70 24 – 2 Coach Dick Ryan
Mater Dei Tournament Champions
Dupo Tournament Champions
Bi-State Conference Champions
1970-71 20 – 7 Coach Dick Ryan
1971-74 Coach Dick Ryan
1974-78 Coach Lou Gregory
1978-79 17 – 10 Coach Lou Gregory
1979-80 18 – 8 Coach Lou Gregory
1980-81 13 – 12 Coach Ted Daniels
1981-82 17 – 9 Coach Ted Daniels
1982-83 15 – 12 Coach Greg King
1983-84 Coach Greg King
1984-85 13 – 12 Coach Greg King
1985-86 14 – 11 Coach Greg King
1988-89 24 – 8 IHSA CLASS A ELITE 8 FINALIST! Coach Ronald Woods
Regional & Sectional Champions
Sweet 16 Finalist – Beat Flora 73 – 71 (3 O/Ts)
Elite 8 Finalist – Lost to Fairbury Prairie Central 68 – 58
Fairbury finished 3rd
The following information was researched and submitted by Mark Jurenga regarding East St. Louis Assumption boys basketball team’s participation in the annual Breese Mater Dei High School Christmas Classic:
East St. Louis (Assumption)
MD tourney champions 1968, 1969,1981.
2nd place 1970 and 1976
3rd place 1963, 1972, 1988.
Consolation champs 1962
Assumption’s Rick Suttle continues to be the top scorer all-time at the tourney with 312 points in 4 years 1967-70.
Central Catholic’s Dee Alberts was another great player in his day, having been named honorable mention All-State in 1940-41.
The school’s record at the MD tourney was 50-37.
All-tourney members:
1966- Don Huekla
1968 – Ed Edmiston
Lou Gregory
1969 and 1970- Rick Suttle
1972- Bobb Young
1973- Jerome Heavens
1976- Eric Wright
1979- Gerald Stevenson
1981- Joe Hurst (MVP)
Tony Berry
1988- Ian Stanback
*Ian Stanback, continued his basketball career at Purdue, he also played professionally in Portugal.
Girls Basketball
Two Regional titles highlighted the ladies’ basketball program at East St. Louis Assumption High School. Unfortunately, team records and coach’s names of these and other great Assumption teams are not currently available.
1984-85 Regional Champions
1985-86 Regional Champions
Boys Football
No less than EIGHT Assumption boys football teams made the IHSA State Playoffs! Coach Jim Monken appears to have built an excellent small school program in a large metropolitan area during his 29-year career at Assumption. Included in these trips was one final “hurrah” in the school’s final year of existence. Here’s some results from the IHSA website as well as from Don Greco about the AHS football program listed below.
1943 Only had one loss (to E. St. Louis Sr.)
1951 7-3 Coach George Martz
1952 9-1 Coach George Martz
1955 8-3 Coach George Martz
1960 5-5 Defeated East St. Louis Senior Coach George Martz
First win in 26-year series history, school was dismissed the following Monday
1961 6-4 Coach George Martz
1962 Coach George Martz
1963 6-4 Coach George Martz
1964 7-2-1 Coach George Martz
1972 7-2 Upsets East St. Louis 36-29 Coach George Martz
1979 10-1 IHSA Class 2A Qualifier Coach Jim Monken
Elite 8 Finalist!!
Beat Carlinville 20-9
Lost to Marshall 22-14
1980 10-2 IHSA Class 2A Qualifier Coach Jim Monken
Final Four Finalist!!
Beat Sesser-Valier 19-13
Beat Macon 29-8
Lost to Danville Schlarman 15-12
Schlarman eventual State Champs
Ranked #1 in St. Louis Metro Coaches’ Small School Final Poll
1982 IHSA Class 2A Qualifier Coach Jim Monken
Final Four Finalist!!
Beat Gillespie 21-7
Beat Mt. Sterling Brown County 14-6
Lost to Casey 20-3
Casey Finished 2nd
1983 IHSA Class 2A Qualifier Coach Jim Monken
Final Four Finalist!!
Beat Williamsville 36-7
Beat Hamilton 20-14
Lost to Bloomington Cent. Cath. 14-0
BCC finished 2nd
1985 IHSA Class 2A Qualifier Coach Jim Monken
Lost to Dupo 20-14 (O/T)
1986 IHSA Class 2A Qualifier Coach Jim Monken
Final Four Finalist!!
Beat Hardin Calhoun 35-6
Beat Carlyle 42-25
Beat Virden 34-32
Lost to Decatur St. Teresa 28-0
St. Teresa finished 2nd
1987 IHSA Class 2A Qualifier Coach Jim Monken
Lost to Columbia 27-20
1988 IHSA Class 2A Qualifier Coach Jim Monken
Elite 8 Finalist!!
Beat Columbia 28-10
Beat Dupo 21-0
Lost to Carlyle 12-0
Carlyle won State Championship
Other notable items from the Pioneer football program (courtesy of Don Greco);
–Jerome Heavens: was a three-year starter from 1972-74, wound up with 45 TDs and 3,117 rushing yds, attended Notre Dame (see below)
–Assumption was known for its defense. Two of its own players were among the leaders in interceptions in the St. Louis Metro Area as Jim Manley picked off 10 passes in 1979, and Curt Mink matched his total during the 1987 season.
–Outside of Heavens, the Pioneers also featured Larry Stricklin, Jimmy Collins, and Jacques Norris as their running backs. Stricklin scored 16 TD and 100 points during the 1984 season as he piled up 1,177 yds rushing on 167 carries. Collins had 22 rushing TDs & 134 points as one of the top scorers in the St. Louis Metro Area during the 1985 season, while Norris broke Heavens’ career rushing record with 4,500 yards from 1986-88.
Boys Soccer
We know the boys of East St. Louis Assumption played soccer as well. Only one season is listed on the IHSA website. The year and coach’s name are listed below.
1968-69 Coach Mike Villa
Boys Tennis
One name placed the stamp of approval on the East St. Louis Assumption High School tennis program. Jimmy Connors was an Assumption Pioneer, placing 5th in the IHSA State Tournament in 1967. More of Jimmy’s accomplishments are listed below under “Great Athletes”.
1967 Individual Medalist – Jimmy Connors 5th Place
Tennis Memories from Donn Hornberger:
“Both Jimmy Connors and his brother Johnny played well and began playing very young. I remember Jimmy and John rolling a tennis ball across their front room floor to me at ages 4 & 6.
First, Jim didn’t play #1 all the time while he was at Assumption. That was often Randy Edmiston. Randy, an excellent player, played for Kentucky in college, Murray St., as I recall. Jimmy was taken out of school by his Wimbledon-winning mother, Gladys Thompson, and headed for California at age 16. While at Assumption, Jimmy had merely a mediocre record. Jimmy played briefly for Stanford then turned pro, I recall.
After Randy and Jimmy, coached by Kent DeMars, the team began to win in IHSA meets. The entire DeMars family were all excellent players in the local tourneys. They never attempted to play beyond that but had they, they all would have had remarkable records. There were others that made Assumption one of the best high school tennis team traditions in the entire metro St. Louis area.
BUT…the real story for tennis happened in the mid-70’s after Kent had left, when the team had a truly great player…a female, Julie Garcia. Because of her individual prowess, she played #1 on the boys team after the DeMars brothers graduated. Julie won in the Mississippi Valley tourneys often during the summers and in the local youth tourneys for her respective age group. She began playing at age 14! She began winning at age 15. Coming from the tradition at Assumption, playing against those several terrific players in high school, she was fearless against other players and frustrated most. She was a born winner.
Later, as Julie became a superior player, the Metro East Tennis Association and Youth Tennis Leagues took her case to the Supreme Court of Illinois. The IHSA sought to restrict two female players. The argument was over Julie could continue playing on a boys team…and beating most of the boys she played from the other schools…thus, messing up their seasonal records and drawing attention away from the scholarship-seeking boys. At that time, the girls team was non-existent at many Illinois high schools. Julie, a true champ, didn’t mind playing “up” against the boys, thinking this only strengthened her summer tourney game.
After Julie and Martha Knaust, Waterloo HS, and Youth tennis leagues, Inc. made their case, Julie at Assumption and Martha at Waterloo, both got to play on their all-boys teams. Until we argued for her, the IHSA was threatening to step in and stop both girls from playing against boys at all. The court decided that IF the high school didn’t have a girls team, didn’t have the funds to support one, and didn’t mind if the girls were on a boys team, then it was “Ok” in the State of Illinois for the girls to play on the boys team. This occurred in 1974-75, as I recall. Thanks to Jack Marks, a school teacher (math) at ESTL HS, we went into court and argued successfully for both Julie and Martha. Jack was President of Youth Tennis Leagues, Inc. and paid for the attorneys.
Both Martha and Julie spent their high school playing years facing what was supposed to be superior boys and beating them. Both girls had winning records over their four years at their respective schools. Both girls were trail blazers for women’s tennis. Both girls could’ve played at a professional level, no doubt about that. Both girls were offered extensive athletic scholarships for tennis. As far as I know, both girls became nurses. I was very fortunate to have some role in coaching both players.”
Great Athletes
*Jerome Heavens – He was a Parade All-American Running back in 1974 in high school, went to University of Notre Dame as a running back, is currently listed at #4 all-time at ND in career rushing yards.
*Ian Stanback – Played basketball at Purdue upon graduation from E. St. Louis Assumption.
*Eric Wright – Played football at Missouri and was a Pro Bowl Def. Back for the San Francisco 49ers during their great decade of the 1980’s, was all-pro and was a 2nd round draft choice of the 49ers in 1981.
*Jimmy Connors – 1971 NCAA National singles champion for UCLA and UCLA was also the team champion. Connors became an international tennis star who was world’s #1 player for 160 consecutive weeks from July 1974 though August of 1977. Nine times he was the #1 ranked player in the world. He won eight Grand Slam singles titles, teamed with Ilie Nastase for two Grand Slam doubles titles and finished as runner up in mixed doubles with Chris Evert at the 1974 U.S. Open.
*Hank Bauer (Class of 1941) – Baseball great who played for the New York Yankees and won several World Series championships. Read more about Bauer at the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Bauer
*Larry Hoffman (Class of 1962) – named as a Parade All-American Football Player his senior year.
Individual Events
The Assumption High School program in general offered other activities besides sports. The Individual Events team of 1962 won the District title with Maurice Zollner bringing home a medal from State Competition!!.
1961-62 District Champions
Individual Medalist – Maurice Zollner Radio 5TH Place
Accomplished Alumni
From our good friend Mark Jurenga:
Richard J. Durbin (Class of 1962)
*B.S. Georgetown University, Washingotn, D.C.
*J.D. Georgetown University, Washington, D.C..
*Eight-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, January 3, 1983-January 2, 1997
*Two-term member of the U.S. Senate, 1996-present
*Senate Democratic party whip (2005-present)
*All information as of 12-31-2007
http://www.infoplease.com/biography/us/congress/durbin-richard-joseph.html
Jerry Francis Costello (Class of 1968)
*A.A. Belleville Area College, Belleville, Il.
*B.S. Maryville College of the Sacred Heart, St. Louis, MO
* Eleven term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, August 8, 1988-present.
*All information as of 12-31-2007.
http://www.infoplease.com/biography/us/congress/costello-jerry-francis.html
Rev. Monsignor John T. Myler, Ph.D (Class of 1972)
*Rector, The Cathedral of St. Peter
*Catholic Diocese of Belleville
200 W. Harrison Street
Belleville, Il. 62220
*B.A., M.A., St. Louis University
*M.A. (Theology) M.Div. Kennick-Glennon Seminary
*Doctorate, The Marianum in Rome
Faculty member Don Boevingloh —
Drama teacher and director in the 1970’s —
resides in California and has appeared in over 37 films and television series.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0100634/
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