Hettick High School “Hawks”

It is a fact that Hettick High School competed in boys basketball.  It is probable that track and baseball were also offered.  This is the only information currently available regarding the Hettick High School ahtletic program.

Boys Basketball

The Hettick High School boys basketball team won a total of three District titles during their existence (www.ihsa.org). The records of the teams and their coach’s names are not known.  We are hopeful a Hettick fan will help provide this information in the near future.

Several basketball scores involving Hettick High School in the IHSA State Tournament were located on a website titled “Illinois Postseason High School Basketball Scores.” These scores are reprinted below.

1931-32               Greenfield District Tournament                Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Rockbridge 45-21

                            2nd Rd lost to Scottville 36-21

Jerseyville beat Modesto in title game.

1932-33               White Hall District Tournament                Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to White Hall 38-29

Jerseyville beat Murrayville in title game.

1933-34               Greenfield District Tournament                Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Alsey 42-8

                            2nd Rd lost to White Hall 26-14

Jerseyville beat White Hall in title game.

1934-35               Jerseyville Hall District Tournament        Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to Chesterfield 20-18

Gillespie beat Jerseyville in title game.

1935-36               Greenfield Regional Tournament            Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hettick not assigned to a District Tourney this year.)

1st Rd lost to White Hall 38-26

White Hall beat Carlinville in title game

1936-37               White Hall Regional Tournament            Coach’s name & record needed.

(Hettick not assigned to a District Tourney this year.)

  1st Rd Beat Carlinville 30-28

                            Semi-Final lost to Hillview 34-26

White Hall beat Hillview in title game

HILLVIEW (34): Black 18, Price 10, Hazelwood 3, Bigham 3.

HETTICK (26): Menford 10, Stratton 7, Mullens 4, Sonneborn 2, McCollum 2, Owens 1.

1937-38               Greenfield District Champions            Coach Albert Reader    

                            1st Rd Beat Rockbridge 30-28

                            Semi-Final Beat Eldred 45-35

                            Title Game Beat Chesterfield 28-19

                            Greenfield Regional Qualifier

                            1st Rd Beat Greenfield 45-29

Semi-Final lost to White Hall 38-37

Jerseyville beat White Hall in title game

Hettick High School Basketball Team of 1937-38

Submitted by Tommy W. Bryden

1938-39                Medora District Runner-Up                  Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Rockbridge 48-33

                             Semi-Final Beat Pa;myra 35-25

                             Title game lost to Medora 39-38 (O/T)

1939-40  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1940-41                Medora District Runner-Up                  Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Bunker Hill 39-34

                             Semi-Final Beat Medora 27-22

                             Title game lost to Brighton 39-34

1941-42  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed

1942-43                Medora District Runner-Up                  Coach’s name & record needed

                             Semi-Final Beat Brighton 34-17

                             Title game lost to Shipman 22-19

1943-44                Brighton District Champions               Coach’s name & record needed

Early Rd Scores Needed

                             Title Game Beat Palmyra 50-38

                             Gillespie Regional Tournament

                             1st Rd lost to Litchfield 55-23

Gillespie beat Benld in title game.

1944-45                Brighton District Champions               Coach’s name & record needed

 1st Rd Beat Bunker Hill 55-46

                             Semi-Final Beat Shipman 49-46 (O/T)

                             Title Game Beat Brighton 39-27

                             Hillsboro Regional Tournament

                             1st Rd lost to Mt. Olive 60-46

Staunton beat Gillespie in title game.

1945-46                Brighton District Tournament                  Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Bunker Hill 42-32

Semi-Final lost to Brighton

Palmyra beat Brighton in title game

1946-47                Brighton District Tournament                  Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Brighton 44-24

Palmyra beat Bunker Hill in title game

1947-48                Brighton District Tournament                  Coach’s name & record needed

**1st Rd lost to Brighton 49-33

Benld beat Brighton in title game

**Final game for Hettick varsity boys basketball program.

The following information regarding the Hettick Hawks basketball program was sent to us by Tommy Bryden:

“The Hettick Hawks were members of the Little Eight Conference along with the Brighton Bulldogs, Bunker Hill Minutemen, Chesterfield C-Hawks, Medora Tigers, Rockbridge, Scottville, and Shipman Pirates. As the trophy in front of the team indicates, the Hawks placed third in the Macoupin County basketball tournament in 1938. The team was then crowned the Greenfield District champions later that school year after defeating Chesterfield 28-19. The team’s hopes of repeating in 1939 were thwarted by home team Medora in a hard-fought overtime victory by the score of 39-38 in the championship game. The Hawks defeated Palmyra 50-38 to become 1944 Brighton District champions. Then Hettick defeated tournament host Brighton 39-27 to repeat as District champions in 1945 following an overtime win in the semifinals over Shipman.

In addition to the District championships, Hettick finished second in the 1941 District championship game falling to Brighton 39-34 in a game played at Medora and lost to Shipman 22-19 in the 1943 district championship game.

The Hettick team lost to Mt. Olive 60-46 in the 1945 Regional quarterfinal game played at Hillsboro.

In the picture provided regarding the 1938 District Champs, Eldon Starkweather is my first cousin, once removed. He was a County Extension Farm Advisor for Greene County, IL, for many years. Tom Huson became a physician and practiced in Carlinville, IL area for decades. I do not know about the lives or accomplishments of any of the other players, nor does my cousin Bill Armstrong, who furnished information on Hettick High School that is already on your website. Bill does not know anything else about the other players as the all moved away from the area after graduating from high school. Bill stated that Hettick male athletes also participated in softball and track and field.

I attended grade school in Hettick through grade 6 and then attended the Northwestern Junior and Senior High Schools in Palmyra, graduating in 1965. If you have any questions, please feel to contact me at (217)529-8691 or at my email address.

The photo of the 1938 Hettick Hawks shown above was published in a September 2010 weekly edition of The Macoupin County Enquirer Democrat of Carlinville, IL.”

Hettick Baseball Field Stand/Press Box – 2010

Photo by Dennis Downey

Seeking Your Assistance

Hettick High School should be remembered, and its accomplishments recorded, for all to see and read.  We are hopeful for some in-put from a Hettick alum or resident of the area. As always, a photo of the school building is being sought.  Items can be e-mailed to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.  You can also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il.    60631