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Lanark High School Math Club |
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Early 1910’s |
Athletics
Lanark High School “Beaver” athletes enjoyed a great deal of success on many different levels. IHSA hardware was won in five different sports. The most successful seasons according to the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org) are listed below. LHS enjoyed MANY other great seasons of success but did not win IHSA hardware. If you know of Conference Champions or teams with excellent records you would like to share, please drop us a line.
Boys Football
Before the days of playoffs, the 1967 football team won the Northwestern Conference Championship with a perfect 8-0 season. Only one touchdown was scored against this team. On the first play in the game against Stockton, an opponent ran 60 yards for a touchdown, but the Beavers went on to win the game, 14-6. One of the games played by this team was on a snowy Halloween. The students from study halls were recruited to clear the field of snow by rolling snowballs.
Members of the team included Dan Harms, Gregg Sisler, Larry Dietz, Mike Eckberg, John Mosher, John Weber, Bruce Christensen, Richard Gordon, Mike Mowen, Gary Dambman, Ed Grant, Justin Merchant, Jack Rowley, Perry Hartman, Randy Martz, Leslie Gordon, Steve Smith, Norm Varner, John Barnhart, Paul Crofton, Daryl Deets, Larry Weber, and Bob Manning. The coaches were Wally Isham and Ed Nelson.
In 1984, the Lanark Varsity Football Team won the Northwestern Illinois Conference title with a record of 9-0. A highlight of the season was defeating Stockton for the first time in 15 years, 7-6. The same two teams met in the play-offs where the Beavers won again, 6-0. The team made it to the semifinals where they were defeated by Carthage.
Players on the team were: Michael Misiewicz, John Huggins, Tim Nicodemus, Darrin Lott, Scott Sturtevant, Steve Blair, Rob Shipley, Kim Moyer, Mike Scott, Mike Morgan, Don Ferry, Stephen Nelson, Bret Rogers, Rob Shetter, Dave Janssen, Scott Brinkmeier, Phil Hasz, Dean Buckwalter, Eric Person, Kurt Bremmer, and Ryan Byington. The coaches were Tim Mc Gowan, C. Eickelschulte, Louie Lamoreux, and Greg Olson.
1967 8-0 Northwestern Conf. Champs Coach Wally Isham
1975 7-1 Coach Bill Sosnowski
1984 11-1 Class 1A Final 4 Coach Greg Olson
Lanark 19 Millegdeville 0
Lanark 6 Stockton 0
Lost to Carthage 13-0 in semi-finals
Carthage would finish 2nd
Boys Basketball
The 1970-71 Varsity Basketball Team was a surprise to everyone. The first half of the season was slow with a 3-9 start. At mid-season they were seeded 8th in the Stephenson Conference Tournament. They won the tournament title by defeating Lena-Winslow (“Le-Win”) by 13 points, playing in front of a full house in the Freeport High School Gym. Several team and individual records were set.
Team members included Don Fisher, Mike Carroll, Gregg Derrer, Burnell Wehmeyer, Jim Ludwig, Jim Zuck, Gary Dambman, Duane Diehl, Mike Martz, Jeff Snyder, David Woessner, Duane Ludwig, Doug Jenkins, Rod Hartman, Terry Blair, and David Hill. The coaches were Terry Stroffregen and Jerry Jenkins.
Going into the Class A Sectional tournament, the 1972-73 Varsity Basketball Team had the best winning record in the state of Illinois with 24 wins and no losses. They won the first game of the sectional against Stockton, but then were told by the Illinois High School Association that they could no longer continue in tournament play because of the illegal play of a sophomore on the team. The obscure rule that had been broken had never been published in the official IHSA Handbook. The Lanark School Board decided to seek an injunction staying the IHSA ruling. On the day of the game, the team spent the afternoon in court, waiting for a ruling from the judge. The ruling was in favor of the Lanark team. The team and fans rushed to Port Byron to meet up with the Fulton Steamers for the sectional final. Unfortunately the team was defeated, ending a very exciting and successful season.
Members of the team were: Cory Hoffman, Richard Delp, Rod Hartman, R. Ortiz, Russell Newendyke, Mike Feltmeyer, P. Brantner, Mike Martz, R. McInnis, Mark Carroll, David Woessner, Doug Jenkins, and Duane Ludwig. The coach was Jerry Jenkins.
1926-27 Coach George H. Garber
1927-28 Coach George H. Garber
1928-29 District Champions Coach George H. Garber
District Scores Needed
Moline Regional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Morrison 28-13
MORRISON (28): Fletcher 12, Filkins 8, Tracy 6, Edlund 2.
LANARK (13): Cole 6, Horner 3, Boyle 2, Zuck 1, Seiler 1.
Freeport beat Orion in title game
1929-30 Coach George H. Garber
1930-31 Coach George H. Garber
1931-32 Coach George H. Garber
1932-33 Savanna District Tourney Coach George H. Garber
1st Rd lost to Savanna 41-26
Savanna beat Hanover in title game
1933-34 Coach George H. Garber
1934-35 Morrison District Tournament Coach George H. Garber
1st Rd Beat Erie 23-22
2nd Rd lost to Fulton 34-22
Morrison beat Fulton in title game
1935-36 Savanna Regional Tourney Coach George H. Garber
1st Rd Beat Mt. Carroll 22-20
Semi-final lost to Hanover 46-31
Fulton beat Hanover in title game
1936-37 Coach George H. Garber
1937-38 Coach George H. Garber
1940-41 Mt. Carroll Regional Champs Coach’s name needed
1st Rd Beat Savanna 31-27
Semi-final Beat Mt. Carroll 26-22
Title Game Beat Shannon 30-24
Moline Sectional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Orion 34-25
Sterling beat Kewanee in title game
1970-71 Stevenson Conf. Tny. Champs Coach Terry Stroffregen
Prophetstown Regional Tourney
1st Rd Beat Mt. Carroll 96-72
Semi-final lost to Fulton 86-73
Fulton beat Morrison in title game
1971-72 25-1 Freeport Class ‘A’ Reg. Champs Coach Jerry Jenkins
Semi-final Beat Dakota 67-62
Title game Beat Orangeville 75-58
Port Byron Sectional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Thomson 75-74
THOMSON (75): Hebeler 22, Hill 21, Robinson 21, Erich 8, Dykstra 3.
LANARK (74): Wehmeyer 24, Martz 19, Ludwig 14, Jenkins 13, Dambman 4.
Thomson beat Galena in title game
Thomson finished 4th in Class ‘A’ IHSA State Tourney
Lanark enjoyed an undefeated regular season!
1972-73 25-1 Lanark Regional Champions Coach Jerry Jenkins
Semi-final Beat Shannon 95-65
Title Game Beat Freeport Aquin 89-57
LANARK (89): Jenkins 21, Ludwig 18, Hartman 14, Martz 13, Woessner 12, Hoffman 10, Delp 1.
AQUIN (57): Bauch 21, Pearson 9, Bradley 7, Bushelle 7, Joyce 4, K. Luecke 2, Lytwyn 2, Steinman 2, Haight 2, R. Luecke 1.
Port Byron Sectional Tournament
Semi-final Bat Stockton 77-71
LANARK (77): Jenkins 19, Martz 17, Hartman 16, Hoffman 14, Ludwig 10, Woessner 1.
STOCKTON (71): Valaika 41, Schamberger 9, Boldt 9, Logemann 6, Brunner 4, Korth 2.
Title Game lost to Fulton 63-57
Fulton lost in Elite 8 Rd to Kaneland
1973-74 Freeport Regional Champs Coach Jerry Jenkins
Semi-final Beat Orangeville 55-41
Title Game Beat Dakota 43-45
LANARK (43): Jenkins 18, Hoffman 16, Kniss 5, Shearer 4.
DAKOTA (35): Niedermeier 12, Bauscher 7, Benning 6, Samuels 6, Pfile 2, Goeke 2.
Port Byron Sectional Tourney
Semi-final Beat Stockton 58-52
LANARK (58): Hoffman 19, Shearer 14, Holesinger 11, Jenkins 8, Kniss 6.
STOCKTON (52): Timpe 16, Upmann 14, Korth 10, Phelps 8, Baber 3, King 1.
Title Game lost to Prophetstown 73-61
PROPHETSTOWN (73): Wirth 26, Johnson 18, Maxfield 12, Finnicum 9, Mosher 8.
LANARK (61): Jenkins 25, Hoffman 14, Cheasney 8, Shearer 6, Holesinger 4, Delp 4.
1979-80 23-4 Dakota Class ‘A’ Regional Coach Tom Welch
1st Rd Beat Pearl City 62-57
Semi-final lost to Dakota 66-48
Dakota beat Orangeville in title game
Coach Tom Welch would go on to have a successful coaching career with a stint in Flora as well. He had a career record of 407-141.
Boys Track & Field
1944-45 Howard Cassens 1 Mile Run 5th Place
Boys Wrestling
We have limited information on wrestling at Lanark High School. We do know the first coach of this program was Kenneth Scott. If you ahve any further information to share please drop us a line.
Girls Athletics
In 1974, Title IX was passed, giving women the same opportunities to compete as the boys. In the fall of 1974, the first interscholastic teams for girls at Lanark High School began to compete. In the initial year, girls competed in volleyball and track & field. In 1976, basketball was added for girls’ participation interscholastically. Members of the first Lanark High School varsity team for girls were Leann Shaner, Renee Strohecker, Peggy Hartman, Deann Pollard, Laurie Young, Betty Grindey, Roxanne Smith, Lori Martz, Mary Heeren, Lynn Jones, Cindy Ludwig, Marcia Heeren, Kari Ewing, and Coach Linda Ludwig.
The Lanark HS Lady Beavers also faired quite well bringing home IHSA hardware in volleyball. One LHS athlete excelled in the State Track Meet. The lady athletic successes for Lanark High School are listed below.
Girls Volleyball
1974-75 N.R.A. District Champions Coach Linda Ludwig
1981-82 N.R.A. District Champions Coach Linda Ludwig
1982-83 N.R.A. Regional Champions Coach Linda Ludwig
1983-84 N.R.A. Regional Champions Coach Linda Ludwig
1984-85 N.R.A. Regional Champions Coach Linda Ludwig
Girls Track & Field
1985-86 Justina Appel 400 Meter Dash 4th Place
Distinguished Alumni
The Northwestern Illinois Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1987 to honor individuals who have made a contribution to athletics in their communities. The following individuals have been selected for Lanark.
1988 – Conrad Aschenbrenner–taught Industrial Arts at Lanark High School from 1954-1986. He coached fresh-soph football for two years and then was assigned to coach all junior high teams. He continued with these duties until 1981 when he took over the duties of head girls’ basketball coach, which he did until his time of retirement. Conrad probably coached and influenced more young individuals than any other coach at Lanark. Asch is unable to report any records for his teams, as he would tell you wins and losses weren’t important–it was the everyday one-on-one!
1989 – Linda Ludwig–A 1970 graduate of Lanark High School, she was very active in the Girls Athletic Association. After graduating from college, Linda was the first coach for girls athletics at Lanark High School. She started the Volleyball, Basketball, and Track & Field programs. She continued with the volleyball program until the consolidation with Shannon High School in 1986. She had the privilege of coaching many talented young athletes. Her record for coaching volleyball was 181 wins and 82 losses. Her volleyball teams won 5 Regional Titles in 12 years.
1990 – Keith Wall–is a 1958 graduate of Lanark High School. He earned 12 varsity letters in sports including basketball, football, baseball, and track. As a senior, he was selected as honorable mention all-state in basketball. While in college, he coached the Lanark town team during the summers. Keith coached for 33 years, 29 as a head coach and took 5 teams from Green Bay Preble High (Wisconsin) to the state tournament. He was selected to the Wisconsin High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1997. One of his players made it to the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets and is now the associate head coach at Washington State University in the Pac-10 Conference, Tony Bennett. He was voted Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin in 1988. The same year, Wall’s team was rated #1 in the state for virtually the entire year as they took a 24-0 record to state.
1991 – Mel Hawbecker–was a 1959 graduate of Lanark High School. During his high school career, he participated in four years of football, basketball, and baseball. He attended Nebraska Wesleyan University, where he played three years of varsity basketball and baseball. The 1960-61 basketball team placed 4th in the nation in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Mel was selected to the Nebraska Wesleyan Hall of Fame as a member of the 1961-62 team that went 24-3. During his teaching career of 32 years, he was head basketball coach for 25 years, assistant football for 8, and head golf coach for 5 years. The honor of “Coach of the Year” at both conference and statewide districts in baseball were awarded to him in 1971, 1976, 1980, and 1986.
1992 – Ed Nelson-began his teaching career at Lanark in 1962. He was the assistant football coach under Wally Isham from 1967 to 1974. He recalls that prior to 1965, football games were played in the afternoon until lights were installed on the field. He became athletic director in 1968, which he continued until his retirement in 1995. Ed has a great recollection of sporting events and details that happened during his career.
1995 – Marilyn Berge–was a 1958 graduate of Lanark High School. Marilyn’s teaching career was in the Flanagan School District. She was the advisor for a very active Girls’ Athletic Association. In 1974, she started that girls’ interscholastic sports program at Flanagan and had many successful teams. Upon retirement from teaching, Marilyn moved back to the Lanark community where she has taken an active interest in local sports.
1996 – Mike Mowen–was a 1968 graduate of Lanark High School, playing varsity football for 3 years. He continued to play football for 2 years at Rock Valley College and 2 years at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. In 1972, he was an Academic All-American. He has been a football coach at Winnebago High School for 25 years. Mike has been a paid or volunteer wrestling coach for 20 years and track for 10 years. He has been a volunteer softball coach for girls softball at Winnebago High School, summer leagues and traveling teams for 12 years.
1997 – Cindy Ludwig Tigges–a 1976 graduate of Lanark High School, she participated on the first volleyball, basketball, and track & field teams at Lanark. Cindy holds the record at Lanark High School for the most points scored in one basketball game (41) and the highest point average per game (26). After graduating from college, she returned to Lanark to coach the frosh-soph volleyball and basketball teams. Cindy had a remarkable athletic career at Northwestern College where she is also a member of the Hall of Fame.
1998 – Kraig Kniss–was a 1976 graduate of Lanark High School. He had a very successful high school athletic career. As an adult, he has volunteered to coach youth football and assisted with the high school football programs.
1999 – Bill Miller–was a 1951 graduate of Lanark High School.
2000 – Doug Johnson–was a 1973 graduate of Lanark High School, where he participated in high school athletics. After completing college, Doug returned to Lanark to teach and coach at Eastland High School (consolidated). He coached varsity football and girls softball. Doug coached several successful softball teams. In 2000 his Eastland team placed 2nd in the state.
Seeking More Information
We would like to thank Linda Ludwig and Chris Dertz for bringing to us most of this useful information that you see here. We hope you find the information as wonderful as us writers have. Thanks again!!!
We are always seeking more information regarding the city of Lanark and its high school. If you wish to share any information with us, please complete a School Submission Form or a Guest Commentary Form. As always, we are particularly interested in photos of the old high school building or of the successful sports teams or individuals at Lanark. You can e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You may also write us at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631 |
