(*School remains open, athletics combined with Northlake West Leyden.)
East Leyden Township High School
Franklin Park, Illinois
The History of Franklin Park East Leyden Township High School
Franklin Park (population: 19,800) is located in western Cook County in northeastern Illinois, less than 15 miles west of downtown Chicago. The town can be reached by Mannheim Road (which is also designated as US Routes 12 & 45) along with Franklin and Belmont Avenues. Franklin Park is also bordered by Interstate 294 (aka Tri-State Tollway), and is only three miles from O’Hare International Airport. Metra also provides train service to and from Chicago.
Although the area was settled as early as the 1840’s, it wasn’t until around 1890 that Lesser Franklin gave the community its name. His vision for the community was to intergrate residential areas with industry, and as it turned out, a number of manufacturers came to Franklin Park to set up shop. Franklin Park was incorporated in 1892, and brought a number of Slavic, Italian, and Polish immigrants to settle down and raise their families.
With the advent of the interstate highways during the 1950’s and ’60s, the village was considered an ideal location for industry and had many spur routes for railcars, which was a key ingridient to moving business along to the American public logistically, and the nearby O’Hare also took advantage of Franklin Park for its cargo terminals at the airport.
East Leyden High School was formed in the fall of 1958 after there was only one school, Leyden Community High School, serving both Franklin Park, Northlake, Rosemont, and other nearby communities. The original high school opened in 1911 and expanded from a one-year to three-year curriculum within two years. A fourth year was not added until 1924 when the district was formed. The school was built in 1926-27, adding on four times before deciding to build a campus in Northlake, which was to be called West Leyden, and the remaining school would be known as East Leyden. The split took place in 1958 and both schools had their own extracurricular activities.
However, due to a poor ecomony and a possible downturn in students enrolled in each school, it was decided with the beginning of the 1981-82 school year that both schools would remain open, but the athletics and possibly other extra-curricular activities would be combined as one school. That arrangement still exists today as the schools compete together as Leyden High School, located in both Franklin Park & Northlake.
FACTS ABOUT FRANKLIN PARK EAST LEYDEN HIGH SCHOOL
Year original school opened: 1911
Year East Leyden split: 1958
Year East Leyden & West Leyden combined their teams: 1981
School colors: Blue & White
School nickname: Eagles
School song: unknown
ATHLETICS
The Eagles were competitive in wrestling, basketball, and football, in addition to track, swimming, golf, gymastics, and on the girls’ side, the school won titles in girls’ basketball, softball, and track. It is believed that the school could have offered other sports, but the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org) does not have a listing in baseball, volleyball, or other sports that would be offered at East Leyden. Anyone who has more details about these sports and others at the school is invited to contact us at eganann@sbcglobal.net.
WRESTLING
Without question, the Eagles were kings of the mat during the winter months. Under their legendary coach Chuck Farina, East Leyden won two state titles, and had an winning streak of 88 consecutive dual meets during the 1970’s which was later broken by Mahomet-Seymour. There were a total of eight seasons where the Eagles went undefeated, three of them in succession while racking up the 88 dual wins. Fifteen grapplers won state titles for East Leyden, four of which came during the 1978 AA State Finals. Here’s a rundown of those teams:
1958-59 14-0 State Qualifiers Coach Chuck Farina
District Champs
Sectional Champs
Individual Placer
Ronald Vonesh—3rd at 127 pounds
1959-60 17-0 STATE CHAMPS!!!! Coach Chuck Farina
District Champs
Sectional Champs
State Final Team Standings
1 Franklin Park East Leyden 58
2 Pekin 38
3 Waukegan 36
4 Harvey Thornton 27
5 Evergreen Park 25
Individual Placers
Robert Foster—-3rd at 95 pounds
Sal Fuscone—-STATE CHAMPION at 103 pounds!!!
Don Coffman—2nd at 112 pounds
Dennis Owens—STATE CHAMPION at 138 pounds!!!
Lason Monroe—3rd at 165 pounds
1960-61 7-6 Coach Chuck Farina
1961-62 14-5-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina
Individual Finalist
Larry Foster—-STATE CHAMPION AT 138 pounds!!!
1962-63 15-1-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina
Individual Finalist
Tim Murphy—-4th at 154 pounds
1963-64 14-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina
1964-65 13-1 10th in State Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
State Final Team Standings
1 (tie) Burbank Reavis 31
Granite City HS 31
10 (tie) Rockford East 16
East Leyden 16
Individual Placers
Terry Artman—3rd at 112 pounds
Bill Laursen—3rd at 138 pounds
1965-66 14-4 7th in State Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
State Final Team Standings
1 Waukegan HS 65
7 East Leyden 19
8 (tie) Evanston 18
Skokie Niles East 18
Individual Placer
Bill Laursen—STATE CHAMPION at 145 pounds!!!
1966-67 18-0-1 State Qualifiers Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
Individual Placers
Tom Gervais—5th at 95
Bruce Laursen—6th at 127
Bill Ott—4th at 165
1967-68 15-1-1 2nd IN STATE!!!! Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)
1 DeKalb 27
2 Franklin Park East Leyden 26
3 Decatur Stephen Decatur 23
4 Savanna 19
5 Sterling HS 18
Individual Placers
Gary Drury—STATE CHAMPION at 138!!!
Ken Monroe—STATE CHAMPION at 165!!!
1968-69 14-3 Tied for 8th in State Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
State Final Team Standings
1 Moline 33
2 North Chicago 32
8 Franklin Park East Leyden 17
Fox Lake Grant 17
Tinley Park HS 17
Individual Placer
Ken Monroe—STATE CHAMPION at 165!!!
1969-70 16-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina
Individual State Placer
Jim Harder—4th at 115
1970-71 17-0 State Qualifers Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
Individual State Placers
Brian Castle—4th at 138
Dave Froelich—3rd at 155
1971-72 21-1 2ND IN STATE!!! Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
State Final Team Standings (top five schools)
1 Arlington Heights Hersey 42.5
2 Franklin Park East Leyden 31.5
3 Waukegan 26
4 East Moline United Township 25.5
5 Bloomington HS 22.5
Individual Placers
Brian Castle—STATE CHAMPION at 138!!!
Bob Holland—STATE CHAMPION at 145!!!
1972-73 21-0 Tied for 7th in State Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
State Final Team Standings
1 Bensonville Fenton 29.5
6 Moline 19
7 Franklin Park East Leyden 18.5
Dixon 18.5
9 Granite City HS 17.5
10 Bloomington HS 17
West Chicago HS 17
Individual Placers
Ed Parkinson—6th at 112
Bob Holland—STATE CHAMPION at 155!!!
1973-74 20-0 5th in AA State!!! Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)
1 Olympia Fields Rich Central 41
2 Oak Lawn Community 31
3 Joliet West 30.5
4 Elk Grove Village Elk Grove 30
5 Franklin Park East Leyden 28.5
Individual Placers
Ed Riccomini—3rd at 126
Ernie Krist—STATE CHAMPION at 132!!!
1974-75 21-1 3rd in AA STATE!!! Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
State Final Team Standings
1 (tie) Chicago Hts. Bloom 33
Oak Lawn Richards 33
3 Franklin Park East Leyden 32.5
4 Romeoville 31.5
5 Rockford East 27.5
1975-76 20-0 AA State Qualifiers Coach Chuck Farina
District Champions
Sectional Champions
Individual State Placer
Randy Conrad—3rd at 112
1976-77 20-0 3rd in AA STATE!!! Coach Chuck Farina
State Final Team Standings
1 Oak Lawn Richards 65
2 Joliet West 62.5
3 Franklin Park East Leyden 55.5
4 West Chicago HS 47
5 Barrington 46
Individual Placers
Rich Brown—3rd at 126
Dave Krist—2nd at 132
Jeff Hoss—4th at 138
Ben Rodriguez—5th at 167
1977-78 20-0 AA STATE CHAMPIONS!!! Coach Chuck Farina
Sectional Champions
State Final Team Standings
1 Franklin Park East Leyden 129.5
2 Joliet West 67
3 Oak Lawn Richards 64
4 Midlothian Bremen 52.5
5 Orland Park Sandburg 47
Individual Placers
Randy Conrad—STATE CHAMPION at 126!!!
Dave Krist—STATE CHAMPION at 132!!!
Jim Farina—STATE CHAMPION at 138!!!
Mike “Andy” Garrett—3rd at 167
Kurt Bankson—STATE CHAMPION AT HEAVYWEIGHT!!!
1978-79 18-1 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina
Individual State Placer
Jim Farina—STATE CHAMPION AT 145!!!
1979-80 19-2 District Champions Coach Chuck Farina
1980-81 15-5 Last season as East Leyden Coach Chuck Farina
Coach Farina went on to win a total of 644 duals, 364 of them at East Leyden (with 33 losses and four ties). His win-loss percentage was an outstanding 91.27% in the 23 years that the school had its own wrestling program!!!
In addition, the 592 victories he gained at Leyden and East Leyden between 1954-90 are the most by a coach at one school in Illinois. He was inducted into the National Federation of State High School Association’s Hall of Fame in 1987.
OUTSTANDING JOB BY THE EAGLE TANGLERS!!!!
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
After a slow start, the Eagles took off and soared under coach Lou Granzin, then later with Norm Goodman. East Leyden won five regionals, two sectionals, and had an impressive 104-4 record in four seasons, three of them with all-stater Glen Grunwald. East Leyden won 108 regular season contests in a row at one point and 71 consecutive conference games.
Submitted by Leyden 65 Newsletter (left click on photo for larger view)
East Leyden HS 1964-65 Action Photo
Submitted by Leyden 65 Newsletter
IHSA 1964-65 State Championship Program Cover
Submitted by Leyden 65 Newsletter (left click on photo for larger view)
1965-66 23- 2 Coach Norm Goodman
1966-67 21- 5 Regional Champs Coach Norm Goodman
Proviao West Regional
Beat Holy Cross 77-54
Beat West Leyden 64-63
Beat Proviso East 76-70 (O/T)
Hinsdale Sectional
Lost to York 81-56
York lost in Elite 8 game.
1967-68 9-12 Coach Norm Goodman
1968-69 14- 8 Coach Norm Goodman
1969-70 16- 6 Coach Norm Goodman
1970-71 16- 8 Coach Norm Goodman
1971-72 18- 4 Coach Norm Goodman
1972-73 20- 3 Coach Norm Goodman
1973-74 21- 4 Coach Norm Goodman
1974-75 28- 1 AA Sweet 16 Finalists!! Coach Norm Goodman
Regional Champs
Elgin Sectional Champs
Beat St. Charles 75-52
Beat Elgin Larkin 67-54
Aurora East Supersectional
Lost to Maywood Proviso East 72-60
Proviso East lost in Elite 8 round.
1975-76 25- 1 Coach Norm Goodman
1976-77 24- 1 Coach Norm Goodman
1977-78 27- 1 AA Regional Champs Coach Norm Goodman
Hinsdale Sectional
Beat Fenwick 68-64
Lost to Westchester St. Joseph 73-67
St. Joseph lost in title game of tourney.
1978-79 22- 4 Coach Norm Goodman
1979-80 17-11 AA Regional Champs Coach Norm Goodman
Hinsdale Sectional
Lost to Lyons Township HS 68-50
Lyons lost Sectional title game.
1980-81 12-13 Final season Coach Norm Goodman
More about Glen Grunwald: The 6-9 center was all-state all four years at ELHS (which makes him the only player to have achieved this mark), and helped him earn a scholarship to Indiana University, where he later captained the 1981 NCAA Champions to a title over North Carolina for coach Bob Knight’s Hoosiers. Grunwald scored 2,355 points in his East Leyden career, and later went on to become general manager of the Toronto Raptors of the NBA, and now serves as an assistant general manager for the New York Knicks.
FOOTBALL
The Eagles made a name for themselves during the 1970’s by winning the state title in what was the largest IHSA football class at that time (5A) under coach Jack Leese in 1977. They also qualified for the 5A playoffs on two other occasions during the same decade.
1974 RNA IHSA Class 5A Playoff Qualifier Coach Jack Leese
Beat Schaumburg 14-8 in first round
Lost 13-0 to Northbrook Glenbrook North in quarterfinals
(Glenbrook North eventual state champs)
1977 13–0 IHSA CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONS! Coach Jack Leese
Edged Glen Ellyn Glenbard West 8-7 in first round
Defeated Elgin HS 26-6 in quarterfinals
Beat East St. Louis Senior 36-13 in semifinals
Shutout Deerfield 8-0 in title game
1978 3–6 Coach Len Janik
1979 6–4 IHSA Class 5A Playoff Qualifier Coach Len Janik
Lost to Elgin Larkin in first round 15-8
1980 5–4 Last season as E. Leyden Coach Len Janik
Notable alumnus: Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan graduated from East Leyden HS in 1970. He was a quarterback for the Eagles during the late ’60’s and attended Eastern Illinois University before an injury ended his career. From there, he became an assistant coach and worked his way up to the head coaching spot with the former Los Angeles (now Oakland) Raiders before taking over at Denver and guiding them to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 1998-99 .
BOYS’ GYMNASTICS
Starting out in the first school year when both East & West Leyden opened, the Eagles had a strong boys’ gymnastics squad. ELHS went to the state finals for three consecutive years and came away with a top five finish each time, not to mention that that the school also three individuals come home with medals for taking a top-five finish in their events. The head coaches’ name is unknown for these teams.
1958-59 5th in State coach unknown
State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)
1 Arlington Heights Arlington 111.5
2 Elmhurst York 97
3 Maywood Proviso East 94.5
4 Winnetka New Trier 24
5 Franklin Park East Leyden 20
Individual Placer
Jim LaBianco—2nd in tumbling
1959-60 5th in State coach unknown
State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)
1 Arlington Heights Arlington 102.5
2 Maywood Proviso East 97
3 Elmhurst York 52
4 Villa Park Willowbrook 35.5
5 Franklin Park East Leyden 33
Individual Placer
Dave Bertram—2nd in rings
1960-61 4th in State coach unknown
State Final Team Standings (top 5 schools)
1 Elmhurst York 75.5
2 Maywood Proviso East 75
3 Arlington Heights Arlington 47.5
4 Franklin Park East Leyden 32.5
5Villa Park Willowbrook 31
Individual Placer
Dave Bertram—3rd in rings
1977-78 Individual State Finalist
Mark Gunnells—5tth in floor exercise
BOYS’ GOLF
During the 1970’s, football and basketball weren’t the only boys’ sports doing well. The golfers took the links and represented East Leyden well, sending an individual to the finals three straight years, and also picking up a tenth place finish as a team along with two district titles. Here’s a look at those teams:
1975-76 District Champions coach unknown
State Individual Finalist
Mark Esposito—tied for 6th with 158 (13 strokes behind)
1976-77 District Champions coach unknown
State Qualifiers
State Individual Finalist
Roy Biancalana—tied for 10th with 158 (six strokes back)
1977-78 10th in State coach unknown
State Final Team Standings
1 Winnetka New Trier East 616
9 Northfield New Trier West 639
10 Franklin Park East Leyden 645
State Individual Placer
Roy Biancalana—12tth place at 153 (seven strokes back)
SOFTBALL
In its final year of having its own softball program, East Leyden rolled to the state AA finals to give its fans a season to remember before losing in the quarterfinals under coach Pat Owen.
1981 19-8 Elite Eight Finalists Coach Pat Owen
Regional Champions
Sectional Champions
Lost to Herrin in quarterfinals, 8-0
GIRLS’ TRACK
In keeping up with Title IX reforms in Illinois high schools in the 1970’s, East Leyden also offered track to its female athletes. A pair of Lady Eagle track stars came home from the state finals with medals to show their top-four or better finishes in Charleston on three occasions, as listed below.
1973 Anne Danhoff 3rd in 80-yd hurdles
1979AA Diane Doles 4th in high jump
1980AA Diane Doles 3rd in high jump
BOYS’ TRACK
Just like the girls, the Eagles’ boys’ thinclad team also produced a couple of top five finishes at the state meet. More information about this program would be greatly appreciated.
1959-60 Individual Finalist
Harold Palishen–3rd in pole vault
1974-75AA Individual Finalist
Ken Gatz–5th in 100yd dash
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
We do know that East Leyden’s girls could also hoop it up as well as the boys’ team. In the school’s final year of offering athletics as ELHS, they were regional champions. We are hopeful that an alumnus may know more about this sport and can offer more information, such as win-loss records and names of head coaches.
1980-81AA Regional Champions coach unknown
BOYS’ SWIMMING
The Eagles were represented at the state meet at least once as William Elder came home with a medal for his efforts in the 200 Individual Medley event.
1960-61 Individual Finalist
William Elder–6th in 200 IM
OTHER NOTABLE ALUMNI:
–Tom Dore–All-State & All-American basketball player with Glen Grunwald and later a broadcaster for the Chicago Bulls;
–Ned Colletti–currently general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has also served in the front office with both the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs;
–Brenda Barnes—CEO of Sara Lee Foods…also was CEO for PepsiCo, becoming the first female to head that company; and,
–Jonathon Cain–keyboard player and songwriter for the rock groups The Babys and Journey. Wrote the song “Faithfully” for Journey, which became a big hit about life on the road for a rock band while touring the country.
MEMORIES
The alumni of East Leyden High School remember their sports program very well. One alumni group has its own website and its own newletter. The newsletter and website are operated by members of the class of 1965. The website can be viewed at the web address of http://www.leyden65.com/ . A copy of the group’s March of 2013 newsletter is available below.
then please let us know. As you can tell, there are plenty of gaps to fill in, and there can be more details about more than just sports at East Leyden High School, such as activities, alumni, and more. Please contact us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or thru the USPS at the following address.
