Media (population 130) is located on Il. Route 116 approximately 12 miles west of U.S. Route 67. This places Media in eastern Henderson County approximately 15 miles southwest of Monmouth (“as the crow flies”). The At & St Railroad runs through town as does the Ellison Creek.
Media probably started its school system much like other small towns of its day, in the late 1800s, a guess would be 1890. The school is named Wever after the founder, Nathan Wever, who began the school as a private academy. Wever platted the town in 1888 when the railroad was built through the area. The school flourished and lasted several decades, providing a quality education for the kids of Media. This ended when a consolidation effort with nearby Stronghurst took place in 1971. Media Wever High School was absorbed into the newly created Stronghurst Southern School District. The old Media Wever building housed the Southern Junior High School for many years.
Today the school serves as part of the West Central School District. Media Wever High School building stands tall and proud in town today. Almost like a trip back in time.
It is a fact that Media Wever High School offered basketball to its male students. The MWHS boys brought home three District titles and one Regional title during its existence. No other information was located regarding the athletic program at Media Wever High School. We assume that baseball and track was also offered at the school. As you can see in the photo to the right, football was definitely offered at Media High. We are hopeful an area history buff will fill us in on the missing information we are seeking.
Boys Basketball
Three District Titles and one Regional Title trophy was earned by the boys of Media Wever High. One District and the Regional title were won in the same year. We are hopeful someone will provide information about this incredibly successful team. What was the enrollment? How could such a small school beat the likes of probably Monmouth High to win a Regional title? Their successful seasons are listed below.
1931-32 Roseville District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Keithsburg 26-5
Monmouth beat Kirkwood in title game
1932-33 Roseville District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Stronghurst 19-13
Subsequent Scores Needed.
Monmouth beat Kirkwood in title game.
1933-34Roseville District CHampions Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Terre Haute 19-12
2nd Rd Beat Kirkwood 24-20
Semi-Final Beat Alexis 14-12
Title Game Beat Keithsburg 30-29
Quincy Sectional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Kinderhook 41-23
Quincy beat Beardstown in title game
1934-35 Roseville District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Scores from 1st two rounds needed
Semi-Final lost to Roseville 23-13
Subsequent Scores Needed.
Roseville beat Stronghurst in title game
1935-36 Roseville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Media not assigned to District Tourney this season
1st Rd lost to Roseville 30-20
Macomb beat Monmouth in title game
1936-37 Roseville Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Media not assigned to District Tourney this season
1st Rd lost to Macomb 31-11
Macomb beat Roseville in title game
1937-38 Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Biggsville 41-21
Stronghurst beat Good Hope in title game
1938-39 Blandinsville District Champions Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Stronghurst 29-28
Semi-Fiinal Beat Good Hope 29-20
Title Game Beat Biggsville 20-18
Roseville Regional Champions
1st Rd Beat Bushnell 41-12
Semi-Final Beat Macomb 36-16
Title Game Beat Monmouth 31-19
Galesburg Sectional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Peoria Woodruff 43-23
Peoria Woodruff Beat East Peoria in title game
Woodruff lost in Elite 8 Round
1939-40 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1940-41 Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Lomax 47-30
Semi-Final lost to Macomb Academy 46-15
Stronghurst beat Macomb Academy in title game.
1941-42 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1942-43 Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Kirkwood 34-15
Kirkwood beat Stronghurst in title game
1943-44 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1944-45Stronghurst District Champions Coach Carl Shelton
1st Rd Score Needed
Semi-Final Beat Blandinsville 34-26
Title Game Beat Stronghurst 37-33
Monmouth Regional Tournament
1st Rd Beat Bushnell 37-24
Semi-Final lost to Roseville 44-37
Monmouth beat Roseville in title game
1945-46 Blandinsville District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Terre Haute 42-33
Subsequent Scores Needed.
Stronghurst beat Bardolph in title game.
1946-47 Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Bardolph 47-41
Good Hope beat Bardolph in title game
1947-48 Blandinsville District Runner-Up Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Blandinsville 52-47
Semi-Final Beat Bardolph 38-37
Title Game lost to Good Hope 67-39
1948-49 Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Kirkwood 58-26
Good Hope beat Terre Haute in title game
1949-50 Blandinsville District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Score Needed
Semi-Final lost to Kirkwood 37-31
Kirkwood beat Lomax in title game
1950-51 Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Prairie City 54-45
Prairie City beat Stronghurst in title game
1951-52 Gladstone District Runner-Up Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Score Needed
Semi-Final Beat Stronghurst 61-60 (O/T)
Title Game lost to Bardolph 64-58
1952-53 Gladstone District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Gladstone-Oquawka 64-51
Gladstone-Oquawka beat Kirkwood in title game
1953-54 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1954-55 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1955-56 Bardolph District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Kirkwood 68-48
Stronghurst beat Bardolph in title game
Media High School
Basketball Team – 1955-56
1956-57Gladstone District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Sciota NW 50-46
Semi-Final lost to Stronghurst 80-42
Bardolph beat Stronghurst in title game
1957-58Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Gladstone-Oquawka 75-32
Bardolph beat G-O in title game
1958-59 Media District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Roseville 93-43
Roseville beat G-O in title game.
1959-60Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Kirkwood 78-48
Bardolph beat Stronghurst in title game
1960-61 Media District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Yorkwood 71-61
Stronghurst beat Yorkwood in title game
1961-62Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Sciota NW 71-55
Macomb Western beat Galesburg Corpus Christi in title game
1962-63Sciota District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Sciota NW 68-50
Semi-Final lost to Macomb Western 63-39
Macomb Western beat Galesburg Corpus Christi in title game
1963-64 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1964-65Sciota District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Avon 75-45
Semi-Final lost to Macomb Western 63-39
Macomb Western beat Sciota NW in title game.
1965-66 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1966-67Sciota District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Macomb Western 88-66
Stronghurst beat Sciota NW in title game
1967-68Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Stronghurst 74-50
Macomb Western beat Stronghurst in title game
1968-69Sciota District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Roseville 58-56
Roseville beat Sciota NW in title game
1969-70Stronghurst District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Stronghurst 68-60
Roseville beat Stronghurst in title game
1970-71Sciota District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
**1st Rd lost to Sciota NW 63-59
Macomb Western beat Roseville in title game
**Final varsity boys basketball game for Media Wever High School.
Football
The Media Wever Bulldogs had some very successful runs in football as well. The 1967 team is said to have been very good. Virgil Boucher coached football at Media in the early 1940’s before departing for Peoria Woodruff where he would establish a successful career there. He is a member of the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. If you have any more information regarding the Media Wever football program, please send us an e-mail. Some of the better seasons enjoyed at Media Wever are listed below. Thank you to Tom Sikorski for his research.
1953 4-2 2nd place (tie) Valley Conference
1959 5-2-1 3rd place Valley Conference Coach Don Frakes
1966 6-1 2nd place Bi County Conference Coach Dick Mings
Media Wever last fielded a football team in 1970
Media High School
Football Team – 1955
Track & Field
In the era of 1945-1947, Media’s “famous” 1/5 mile cinder track was the best track in area short of Monmouth College’s track. It was a 1/5 mile instead of customary 1/4 because of being limited by the size of the available lot. If you have any information on the successes of the Media thinclads please drop us a line.
Seeking Your Help
If you have any information regarding Media Wever High School please complete a School Submission Form or a Guest Commentary Form. We would enjoy a photo of the great sports teams if you find one available. You may also e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or write us at:
Coach Harold “Tuffy” Bowen, front row, on the basketball team & football team pictures, is alive and doing well. He’s 100 years young!