| Manito Forman High School | |||||||||
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| Original Forman HS Building |
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The History of Manito Forman High School
Manito (population 1,733) is located in central Illinois about 20 miles southwest of Peoria. Roads leading to and from the northeastern Mason County city are County Road #4 and County Road #15. The Chicago & Midland Railroad also leads you through the town of Manito.
Manito supported its own high school (on this site as well) independently for over five decades. The late 1940s brought the State of Illinois push for consolidation leading to a change in Manito. Several area country schools and possibly even a small town high school or two (Forest City?) joined forces with Manito to create the Forman School District. This effort became a reality in 1951 with the high school for the new district located in Manito.
Manito Forman School District served the area for forty years. In the late 1980s and early 1990s consolidation talks arose between the Forman and Green Valley (also on this site) School Districts. This effort was finalized in 1991 with the creation of the Midwest Central School District. The high school for this district remained in Manito.
The original Manito Forman High School building is now used as an apartment building.
Manito Forman High School Quick Facts
Year opened: 1951
Year consolidated with Green Valley: 1991 (Midwest Central High School created)
Forman HS team nickname: the “Braves”
School team colors: Orange & Royal Blue
School Fight Song: Forman Braves Fight Song
Thank you to Angela Knuppel
Behind the Forman Braves we’ll fall in line
We’re gonna win that game for sure tonight
It’s for the dear old school we love so well,
We’re gonna yell and yell and yell and yell and yell
We’re gonna fight fight fight for every score
And then we’ll turn around and fight some more
We’re gonna leave old (game opponent) in the dust
Yes we must
Rah, Rah, Rah ah ah !!!
| ATHLETICS
Manito Forman High School had some great success on many levels throughout its existence (www.ihsa.org). Boys competed in baseball, basketball, golf, track, and wrestling for sure. The girls were offered basketball, volleyball, softball, and track. Forman competede against their rivals from Green Valley, Mason CIty, Easton, and Havana in the Blackhawk Conference. If you have information on other sports being offered please write to us via e-mail. We are also looking for the school fight song for Manito Forman High School. BOYS BASEBALL The baseball program at Manito Forman High School truly hit its peak in the 1980s. Six Regionals, four Sectionals, and four trips to the state finals in Class’A’ highlighted the diamond success of the Forman High School hardballers. Unfortunately these are currently the only records and information we have available. The excellent accomplishents of the 1980s are listed below. 1981-82 Regional Champions Still noted from this season is Chris Kniseley’s no hitter, pitched against Hartem (Hartsburg-Emden), on May 11, 1982! 1982-83 Regional Champions
Regional Champions Sectional Champions Quarter Final Winner Beat Eldorado 5 – 4 Final Four Finalist Lost to Alton Marquette 5 – 4 Marquette eventual State Champs
Regional Champions Sectional Champions Quarter final Winner Beat Teutopolis 7 – 1 Final Four Finalist Lost to Columbia 6 – 1 Columbia eventual State Champs
Regional Champions Sectional Champions Elite 8 Finalist Lost to Alton Marquette 10 – 9 Marquette eventual State Runner-up 1988-89 18 – 14 IHSA Class ‘A’ Elite Eight Coach Randy Cihlar Regional Champions Sectional Champions Elite 8 Finalist Lost to Anna-Joneboro 14 – 4 Anne-Jonesboro placed Third GIRLS BASKETBALL The Manito High School girls basketball program made a state finals appearance of their own. The 1980s saw the peak of this program as well. A total of five Regionals were won during a six year period. The team of 1981-82 made a run to the State Finals by winning their Sectional and Super-Sectional titles after finishing the regular season undefeated. The coaches name and team record of the 1982 squad are listed below. The records and coaches names of the other teams are not currently available. 1980-81 Regional Champions
Undefeated Regular Season Regional Champions Sectional Champions Super-Sectional Champions Beat Farmington East 54 – 48 (O/T) Elite 8 Finalist Lost to Quincy Notre Dame 54 – 47 Notre Dame eventually Third Place winners 1983-84 Regional Champions
BOYS BASKETBALL The Manito High School boys team also had some great seasons in their day. A total of EIGHT Regional titles were won by the hardwood court boys teams. The best seasons in the program’s history are listed below. 1951-52 15 – 8 Coach Gene Brodman 1952-53 19 – 6 Regional Champions Coach Gene Brodman 1953-54 21 – 7 Coach Gene Brodman 1954-55 6 – 18 Coach Gene Brodman 1955-56 11 – 12 Coach Don Eklund 1955-57 9 – 16 Coach Don Eklund 1957-58 15 – 11 Coach Wayne Beach 1958-59 19 – 8 Coach Earl Neeman 1959-60 21 – 9 Regional Champions Coach Earl Neeman 1960-61 17 – 9 Coach Earl Neeman 1961-62 9 – 16 Coach Harry Statham 1962-63 10 – 13 Coach Harry Statham From Phil Shadid: “After coaching basketball two seasons at Forman (his first as a high school head coach), Harry Statham coached three years at Dwight Township High (24-45 record), and then became the men’s head basketball coach (1966) at McKendree College in Lebanon, IL. He is now in his 43rd season and has become the winningest men’s basketball coach in college history. As of Feb. 1, 2009, he has coached in 1363 games, which is a record, and has 984 wins, also a record.” 1963-64 18 – 9 Regional Champions Coach Chuck Conrady
1965-66 13 – 14 Coach Chuck Conrady 1966-67 20 – 7 Coach Chuck Conrady 1967-68 16 – 10 Coach Chuck Conrady 1968-69 25 – 3 Regional Champions Coach Chuck Conrady
1971-72 9 – 14 Coach Jim Johnson 1972-73 16 – 11 Coach Mike Mueller 1973-74 14 – 12 Coach Mike Mueller 1974-75 21 – 6 Coach Mike Mueller 1975-76 21 – 5 Coach Bill Wills 1976-77 13 – 12 Coach Bill Wills 1977-78 19 – 8 Coach Rich Vana 1978-79 13 – 14 Coach Rich Vana 1979-80 18 – 8 Coach Rich Vana 1980-81 20 – 8 Regional Champions Coach Rich Vana
Macon Co. Tourney Runner Up 1982-83 10 – 15 Coach Rich Vana 1983-84 15 – 13 Regional Champions Coach Rich Vana 1984-85 15 – 11 Coach Rich Vana 1985-86 13 – 13 Coach Rich Vana 1986-87 15 – 10 Coach Stan Prosser 1987-88 12 – 13 Coach Stan Prosser 1988-89 3 – 20 Coach Stan Prosser 1989-90 8 – 17 Coach Stan Prosser 1990-91 12 – 13 School’s Last Season Coach Siltman *In 1987 Doug Swan was named to the All-Tournament team of the prestigious Macomb-Western Holiday Basketball Tourney. **From our good friend Phil Shadid: “Information regarding the MASON COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT, which was held for 68 years, and ended in 1989: Manito Foreman won the County tournament 3 times and finished second 12 other times!!” BOYS GOLF MFHS competed in boys golf. The coach of the linksters from 1977 through 1980 was Coach Mike McGuckin. 1977-80 Coach Mike McGuckin GIRLS SOFTBALL The Manito High School ladies had some success on the diamond as well. The girls of 1986-87 brought home a Regional title. We are searching the team record of this and other great MFHS softball teams. 1986-87 Regional Champions Coach Becky Hayes GIRLS TRACK & FIELD The Lady tracksters had some real nice success in the late 1980s winning two Sectioinal Championships in 1988 and 1989. The program also boasted several individual and relay mecalists which are listed below, 1979-80 Julie Hasty Discus 8TH Place 1980-81 Julie Hasty Discus 6TH Place Karen Sondag High Jump 6TH Place 1982-83 Teresa Miller 200 M Hurdles 6TH Place 1987-88 Team Won the Sectional Championship State Meet Medalsits Relay Team 4 X 100 M Relay 7TH Place Relay Team 800 M Medley 7TH Place Relay Team 4 X 200 M Relay 8TH Place 1988-89 Team Won the Sectional Championship State Meet Medalists Relay Team 800 M Medley 7TH Place 1990-91 Relay Team 4 X 100 M Relay 3RD Place Relay Team 4 X 200 M Relay 5TH Place BOYS TRACK & FIELD The thinclads on the boys side were not without their moments. Two Medals were won at the IHSA Class ‘A’ State Track Meet. 1984-85 Relay Team 4 X 800 M Relay 6TH Place 1988-89 Pete Hilst 300 M Hurdles 6TH Place GIRLS VOLLEYBALL The lady netters did not bring home any IHSA hardware but they did have a very successful program. The best records and the coach’s names are listed below. 1975-76 Coach Stampanato 1976-77 Coach Pieczanka 1977-78 Coach Pieczanka 1979-80 10 – 9 Coach Barb White 1980-81 Coach Stan Prosser 1981-82 12 – 7 Coach Stan Prosser 1982-83 Coach Stan Prosser 1983-84 12 – 11 Coach Stan Prosser 1984-85 15 – 10 Coach Stan Prosser 1985-86 Coach Stan Prosser 1986-87 16 – 9 Coach Stan Prosser 1987-88 Coach Stan Prosser WRESTLING The Manito Forman High School grapplers had some great individual performances over the years Two of the boys, Cory Daker and Shane Daker, each won individual state championships in the respective weight classes! Team records and coaches names are not available at this time. 1983-84 Tom Nelson 112 lbs. Weight Class 4TH Place 1984-85 Chuck Reed 105 lbs Weight Class 2ND Place 1985-86 Chuck Reed 112 lbs. Weight Class 2ND Place Tom Nelson 132 lbs. Weight Class 2ND Place 1989-90 Cory Daker 103 lbs. Weight Class STATE CHAMPION!! Shane Daker 125 lbs. Weight Class STATE CHAMPION!! 1990-91 Cory Daker 112 ;bs. Weight Class STATE CHAMPION!!
Nice Job DAKER BOYS!! CROSS COUNTRY – BOYS We know the boys of Forman High School competed in cross-country. James Daniel McIntosh was a member of the harriers in 1980. If you have any further information regarding the Forman HS cross country team please contact us. SPEECH / INDIVIDUAL EVENTS The English Department at Manito Forman was not without merit. How about its claim to a top five state-wide finish in this IHSA sponsored competition?! This occurred in the 1958-59 school year when the Forman team placed FIFTH in State Competition. The main cause behind this finish was the state championship won by Larry Woiwode in the Original Comedy Category. Great Job Larry! 1958-59 Team Finished FIFTH in STATE Competition!! Individual Medalist Larry Woiwode Original Comedy STATE CHAMPION!!
Final Team Standings 1.) Calumet City (Thornton Fractional) 14 2.) DuQuoin (H.S.) 10 3.) LaGrange (Lyons) 9 3.) Maywood (Proviso East) 9 5.) MANITO FORMAN HIGH SCHOOL 5 5.) Elgin (H.S.) 5 5.) Geneseo (Darnall) 5 5.) Champaign (H.S.) 5 9.) Winnetka (New Trier) 4 9.) Northbrook (Glenbrook) 4 9.) Carthage 4 9.) Greenville 4 9.) Staunton 4 9.) Freeport (H.S.) 4 |
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| WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE
There are MANY missing parts to the wonderful history of Manito Forman High School. IF you can help fill in the information we are searching for, as well as any new information you wish to share, please write to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. We are especially interested in a photo of the Manito Forman HS building. You can aslo write to us at: Illinois HS Glory Days 6439 N. Neva St. Chicago, Il. 60631 |