| ATHLETICS
We know that the Greenville High School boys competed in football, basketball, track, and golf. We believe the boys may have competed in baseball as well. We are in need of information on several season records and coach’s names in these sports. We are also looking for the school fight song of the Greenville Flyers.
BOYS BASKETBALL
The Flyers were a force to be reckoned with during the 1920s. The highlight of the program even today was a FOURTH PLACE finish in the IHSA State Tournament in 1923!! This was accomplished during the state’s one-class system which was quite a feat in the day. All totaled, the Flyers won a total of SIX Regional Campionships, FOUR District Titles, and one Sectional Championship!! These seasons, as listed on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org), are in turn listed below.
1919-20 9-9 Coach ?????
NOTE: GHS’ 24-8 win over Odin in the Centralia Sectional was the first time a GHS team won a game in state tournament series competition.
1920-21 11-5-1 Coach L. G. Baker
NOTE:GHS tied Highland that year.
*According to the Greenville High School yearbook:
“December 17 we journeyed to Highland to play them in their chicken-coop. With a tied score and a minute left to play, the Highland rooters, displaying their unsportsmanship, rushed onto the floor. The referee failing to control the mob, called off the game. The score was 14-14.”
**On January 7, 1921, Highland played at Greenville. GHS won 51-11.
1921-22 `10-8 District Champs Coach L.G. Baker
Hillsboro District (Champs)
vs. Gillespie W 18-12
vs. Nokomis W 32-4
vs. Mt. Olive W 16-13
vs. Witt W 34-14
Centralia Sectional
vs. Centralia L 43-22
NOTE: Centralia went on to win the State Championship that year.
1922-23 20 – 6 IHSA TOURNEY – FOURTH PLACE Coach L.G. Baker
Greenville District (Champs)
vs. Highland W 31-6
vs. Hillsboro W 23-6
vs. Trenton W 13-12
vs. Ramsey W 15-8
Centralia Sectional (Champs)
vs. Chesterfield W 23-18
vs. Flora W 18-14
vs. Marion W 33-29
Final Four Finalist
Lost to Rockford 36 – 23
(Rockford would finish 2nd)
Consolation Game Finalist
Lost to Canton 12 – 10
1923-24 13-8 Coach L.G. Baker
1924-25 13-6 Coach L.G. Baker
1925-26 15-6 District Champs Coach L.G. Baker
Greenville District (Champs)
vs. St. Elmo W 40-10
vs. Sorento W 41-12
vs. Trenton W 31-15
Salem Sectional
vs. Marion L 33-15
1926-27 11-9 District Champs Coach L.G. Baker
Greenville District (Champs)
vs. St. Elmo W 25-13
vs. Sorento W 42-6
vs. Trenton W 21-20 (2 OT)
NOTE: C. Bimes and L. Watson were named to the “First all-star team.” I. Hawley was named to the “Second all-star team.”
1927-28 12-7 District Tournament (2nd Place) Coach L.G. Baker
vs. Highland W 42-23
vs. Mulberry Grove W 48-2 (correct score)
vs. Patoka W 31-16
vs. Carlyle L 24-13
1928-29 13-7 Coach L.G. Baker
1929-30 3-15 Coach L.G. Baker
1930-31 12 – 11 Coach L.G. Baker
1931-32 12 – 9 Coach L.G. Baker
1932-33 11 – 11 District Champions Coach L.G. Baker
vs. Ramsey W 36-15
vs. St. James W 39-23
vs. Brownstown W 38-33
vs. Vandalia W 32-29
Salem Sectional
vs. Gillespie L 48-34
Gillespie went on to finish Fourth at the State Tournament in Champaign.
1933-34 12 – 11 Coach L.G. Baker
1934-35 12 – 12 Coach L.G. Baker
1935-36 8 – 17 Coach L.G. Baker
Greenville was a member of the Black
Diamond Conference along with Ashley,
Carlyle, Highland, Nashville, and Sandoval.
GHS went 6-4 in the conference
regular season.
Black Diamond Conference Tournament (At Greenville)
vs. Sandoval L 34-32
vs. Highland W 24-21
1936-37 7 – 17 2nd Place Regional Tourney Coach L.G. Baker
Greenville Regional
vs. Highland W 31-15
vs. Pocahontas W 28-16
vs. Vandalia L 42-19
Belleville Sectional
vs. Collinsville L 51-23
Collinsville would go on to a 3rd place finish at the Sate Tournament in Champaign.
1937-38 16 – 7 Regional Champions Coach L.G. Baker
Greenville Regional (Champs)
vs. Ramsey W 45-21
vs. Brownstown W 33-29
vs. Mulberry Grove W 26-22
Centralia Sectional
vs. Kinmundy L 41-19
1938-39 8 – 14 Coach L.G. Baker
1939-40 10 – 14 2nd Place Regional Tourney Coach Harlan van Horn
Greenville Regional
vs. Highland W 49-33
vs. Pocahontas W 41-31
vs. Livingston L 32-27
Belleville Sectional
vs. O’Fallon L 50-43
1940-41 20 – 7 Regional Champions Coach Harlan van Horn
Vandalia Regional (Champs)
vs. Cowden W 37-35
vs. Vandalia W 44-30
vs. Coffeen W 41-23
Effingham Sectional
vs. Greenup L 35-30
1941-42 22 – 8 Coach Harlan van Horn
Greenville (Regular Season) Tournament Champions
vs. Pocahontas W 23-17
vs. Mulberry Grove W 32-26
1942-43 22 – 4 Regional Champions Coach L.G. Baker
Greenville Regional (Champions)
vs. Carlyle W 59-29
vs. Highland (St. Paul) W 56-13
vs. Staunton W 39-27
Highland Sectional
vs. Hillsboro W 43-25
vs. Wood River L 40-35
Wood River would lose to Elgin in the State Quarterfinals in Champaign.
1943-44 5 – 17 Highland Regional (2nd Place) Coach L.G. Baker
vs. Collinsville L 48-23
1944-45 5 – 22 Coach L.G. Baker
Greenville became a charter member of the Mid-State conference with Hillsboro, Kincaid, Litchfield, Nokomis, Pana, Shelbyville and Vandalia. GHS finished 3-9 in the inaugural conference standings.
1945-46 10 – 18 Regional Champions Coach Wesley G. Bovinet
Highland Regional (Champions)
vs. Mulberry Grove 61-28
vs. Highland W 44-27
vs. Pocahontas W 59-27
Collinsville Sectional
vs. Collinsville L 40-38 OT
Collinsville lost to Rockford (East) in the State Quarterfinals in Champaign.
1946-47 14 – 17
1947-48 4 – 17 Coach Edward Krusiec
1948-49 3 – 19 Coach Paul J. Shea
1949-50 5 – 17 Coach Paul J. Shea
1950-51 16 – 8 Coach Paul J. Shea
1951-52 6 – 16 Coach Paul J. Shea
1952-53 16 – 9 Coach Paul J. Shea
Greenville joins the Midwest Conference (along with concurrently being in the Mid-State). Teams are Bethalto, Cahokia, Highland, Madison, and Roxana. GHS goes 6-4 in the Mid-State and 6-4 in the Midwest.
1953-54 12 – 13 Regional Champions Coach Paul J. Shea
Highland Regional (Champs)
vs. Mulberry Grove W 68-38
vs. Worden W 56-30
vs. Carlyle W 58-31
Wood River Sectional
vs. Edwardsville L 66-45
Edwardsville would go on to finish 4th at the State Tournament in Champaign.
1954-55 19 – 9 Regional Champions Coach Gordon Rogers
Paris Christmas Tournament (4th Place)
vs. Normal (University High) W 60-56
vs. Mt. Pulaski W 61-47
vs. Paris L 69-59
vs. Clinton L 62-45
Greenville Regional (Champs)
vs. Highland (St. Paul) W 80-44
vs. Aviston W 78-55
vs. Highland W 70-54
East St. Louis Sectional
vs. Dupo L 42-41
Greenville versus Collinsville as recorded by Mark Jurenga:
The Series:
42 meetings
Collinsville won series 29-13.
At Collinsville: Collinsville led 16-3
At Greenville: Collinsville led 11-10
Neutral Site: Collinsville led 2-0
First meeting: November 28, 1908
At Collinsville: Collinsville 26 Greenville 14
First Greenville win: December 11, 1908
At Greenville: Greenville 24 Collinsville 11
Last Meeting (as Greenville Comm.): January 28, 1947
At Greenville: Collinsville 81 Greenville 42
BOYS GOLF
Greenville linksters had two seasons recorded on the IHSA website. The program won District Championships in 1943 and 1948. This allowed the teams to move on to the State Finals which was a great accomplishment.
1943 District Champions
Qualified for State Finals
1948 District Champions
Qualified for State Finals
BOYS TRACK & FIELD
The Greenville High School “thinclads” had a real nice season in the 1920-21 school year. The Flyers finished the IHSA Class ‘B’ State Track Meet in a tie for third place! In addition, two boys from Greenville brought home individual medals from the IHSA Track Meet during other years of competition. These accomplishments are listed below.
1901-02 Individual Medalist – ?? Eixon 440y dash 3RD PLACE
1919-20(B) Individual Medalist – ?? Weeks Discus 4TH PLACE
1920-21(B) THIRD PLACE – IHSA CLASS ‘B’ STATE TRACK MEET
FINAL STANDINGS
1) Forrest 19 C.C. Merrill
2) Carlinville 11
3) Greenfield 10.5
3) GREENVILLE 10.5
4) Wheaton (H.S.) 10
5) Carrollton 9
BOYS FOOTBALL
Our good friend, and southwestern Illinois high school history buff, Mark Jurenga, provided the following information on the Flyer’s brief football program prior to becoming Bond County High School in 1955:
First game on record: 1899 — Greenville 10 Hillsboro 5
Season Records
1926 2-3
1927 2-6
* In 1927 GHS joined the South Central Illinois Athletic Conference in football. Schools in the loop were: Carlyle, Centralia, Greenville, Mt. Vernon, Salem, Sparta. GHS finished 4th in the league with a 2-3 mark.
1928 2-7-1
**According to copies of the Greenville High School yearbook. Greenville High and Salem met in an annual Thanksgiving Day game in the late 1920’s. The results of two of these games are as follows:
1927- Greenville 7 Salem 0
1928- Salem 20 Greenville 0
NOTE: In 1926, GHS and Salem played the final game of the year, just like in 1927 and 1928, but it is not known if that was on Thanksgiving Day.
GHS dropped football after the 1928-29 school year until the new Bond County Unit #2 High School restarted the program in the late 1950s.
BOYS TENNIS
Two boys proved that the Flyers were good on more than one court. In the 1928 State Tennis Finals a couple of athletes with last names of Combe and Mauser won the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP in the “doubles” competition!
1928 State Doubles Champions Combe and Mauser
Notable Alumni
**From Patrick Bailey:
“Esther Snyder (formerly Johnson, and co-founder of In-N-Out Burger) attending Sorento High School for 3 years, then graduating from Greenville High School in 1937. The information is in the book “In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-The-Counter Look At The Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All The Rules” by Stacy Perman (ISBN: 978-0-06-134671-2). It has some really interesting information about Ms. Snyder’s time at those schools.”
**From Mark Jurenga:
Here are two WWII veterans assocated with Greenville High:
Eldon W. Smith
Graduate of GHS 1942
U.S. Army
Was Bond County’s last surviving P.O.W.
Purple Heart recipient and won several other medals.
Paul J. Shea
Former Principal, Asst. Principal, Teacher and coach at Greenville High.
Coached basketball, baseball, track and was also Athletic Director.
Served in the U.S. Army 1942-46 in Europe. Earned Purple Heart. Also served in the Battle of the Bulge.
IF YOU CAN PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION
So far, this is the extent of the information we have on Greenville High School before it became Bond County Community High School in 1956. Though it is still today most commonly known as Greenville High School, it truly was only Greenville High though 1956. If you have any information to provide on the Greenville High School “Flyers” prior to 1956, please contact us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us via the US Postal service at the following address:
IHSGD Website
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631 |
