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| Monmouth Warren H.S. |
The History of (Monmouth) Warren High School
Monmouth (population 9,841) is located in central Warren County in western Illinois. Warren High School was built about 2 miles east of Monmouth at 1905 100th St. just south of 192nd Avenue. U.S. Route 34 runs about 1 mile north of Warren High School. The At & St. Railroad runs about 1 mile south of the school. This school is still truly a country school.
During the early 1900s (1900 – 1950) several small country schools dotted eastern Warren County. In the early 1950s talks surfaced as to the best way to educate the students of the area. It was decided to build one school for the eastern portion of the county. This decision was agreed upon and in 1956 the Warren School District was formed. It took until 1958 to complete the Warren High School building. The building was officially dedicated in March of 1959. It was an “all-inclusive” school built for grades K – 12 and is pictured above. The gymnasium is the tallest part of the building with the grade school portion to the left and the high school portion to the right.
Monmouth Warren High School served the residents of eastern Warren County well through the
2003-04 school year. Due to declining enrollment in both districts, consolidation talks with nearby Alexis High School were began in the early 2000s. The talks were completed in 2004 and it was decided to consolidate the two school districts. The consolidation effort was set for the 2004-2005 school year and the new district was named the Alexis United School District. The High School is held in the original Warren High School building.
Monmouth Warren High School Quick Facts
Year opened: 1958
Year district deactivated: 2004
School building use: Now Alexis United High School
School nickname: the “Warriors”
School colors: Red, White, and Columbia Blue
School Fight Song: “Northwestern University FIght Song Tune”
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| Athletics
The Monmouth Warren High School Warriors competed in many different sports. Boys were offered baseball, basketball, track & field, and (as you will see) the pride and joy of the school, football. Girls were offered volleyball, track & field, softball, and basketball. Conference information, as listed by alumnus Jason Linger (2001), is as follows: WHS became a member of the Lincoln Trail Conference (LTC) in the 1998/99 school year and prior to that it’s entire existance had been as a member of the Bi-County Conference. Several football titles had been won in the Bi-County. The Bi-County ceased to exist as a football conference after the end of the 1997 season. It’s members at the end were the Warren Warriors, (Stronghurst) Southern Rebels, (London Mills) Valley Vikings, (Sciota)Northwestern/LaHarpe Thunder co-op, Avon/Roseville Cougars co-op, Alexis Cardinals, (Biggsville) Union Yankees, and the Yorkwood Golden Bears. The Lincoln Trail Conference during Warren’s tenure with the conference consisted of WHS, Alexis Cardinals, Annawan Braves, Union Yankees, (Joy) Westmer Warriors, and the (Woodhull) AlWood Aces in the West division and (Toulon) Stark County Rebels, Princeville Princes, (Kewanee) Wethersfield Flying Geese, Galva Wildcats, Cambridge Vikings, and the (Oneida) R.O.W.V.A. Tigers in the East. Football was the only sport in which divisions existed. The successes at the school, as listed on the IHSA web site (www.IHSA.org), are listed below. Football Warren County and western Illinois are definately parts of a football “hotbed”. The Warren High School Warriors excelled in this sport for the entire 46 years of its existence. Most noteably, the boys of the late 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s truly excelled. Beginning in 1986, the Warren High School boys made an incredible 18 straight appearances in the IHSA Class A Football Playoffs!! The team was extremely competitive to the very end, making it to the Final Four in the school’s last solo season, 2003. Three coaches engineered the Warrior success, with Coach Tim Engebretson leading MWHS the longest and deepest into the playoffs. The best of Warren Warriors grid iron successes are listed below. 1962-63 6 – 2 – 1 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1963-64 7 – 1 – 1 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1964-65 6 – 2 – 1 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1965-66 4 – 2 – 2 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1966-67 6 – 2 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1967-68 7 – 0 – 1 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1968-69 8 – 1 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1970-71 7 – 2 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1975-76 8 – 1 Coach Dick Rowley 1981-82 6 – 3 Coach John Van Kirk 1982-83 6 – 3 Coach Dan Dillard 1986-87 7 – 3 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Don Billington Lost to Wyoming 14 – 21 1987-88 10 – 1 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Don Billington Undefeated Regular Season (9-0) Beat Carthage 12 – 8 Lost to Roseville 0 – 43 1988-89 7 – 3 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Don Billington Lost to Alexis 0 – 13 in 1st Round 1989-90 8 – 2 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Don Billington Lost to Sciota NW 11 – 22 in 1st Rd. 1990-91 11 – 1 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Don Billington Undefeated Regular Season (9-0) Elite Eight Finalist Beat Hamilton 30 – 16 Beat Alexis 28 – 6 Lost to Annawan 32 – 33 1991-92 10 – 1 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Jeff Wrede Undefeated Regular Season (9-0) Beat Carthage 12 – 8 Lost to Hamilton 0 – 18 1992-93 9 – 2 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Jeff Wrede Beat Hamilton 38 – 20 Lost to Carthage 13 – 42 1993-94 10 – 3 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Final Four Finalist Beat Westmer 32 – 16 Beat Avon 31 – 0 Beat Annawan 21 – 20 (2 O/T) Lost to Sterling Newman 14 – 26 1994-95 9 – 1 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Undefeated Regular Season (9-0) Lost to Lexington 19 – 20 1995-96 8 – 2 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Lost to Wethersfield 12 – 14 1996-97 10 – 2 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Elite Eight Finalist Beat Abingdon 46 – 14 Beat Carthage 33 – 8 Lost to Sciota NW 13 – 20 1997-98 9 – 2 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Beat Abingdon 34 – 18 Lost to Tuscola 28 – 53 1998-99 11 – 1 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Undefeated Regular Season (9-0) Elite Eight Finalist Beat Wethersfield 39 – 12 Beat Stark County 21 – 0 Lost to Carthage 20 – 28 (2 O/T) 1999-00 6 – 4 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Lost to Freeport Aquin 14 – 47 2000-01 7 – 3 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Lost to Girard 6 – 10 2001-02 8 – 5 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Final Four Finalist Beat Hardin Calhoun 28 – 0 Beat Abingdon 35 – 8 Beat Yorkwood 35 – 8 Lost to Wethersfield 12 – 27 2002-03 10 – 1 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Undefeated Regular Season (9-0) Beat Hamilton 49 – 20 Lost to Wethersfield 14 – 18 2003-04 11 – 2 Qualified for Class 1A Playoffs Coach Tim Engebretson Final Season as Warren High School Final Four Finalist Beat Cambridge 38 – 13 Beat Princeville 21 – 11 Beat Annawan 34 – 14 Lost to Galena 6 – 16 The Football program won the Lincoln Trail West Conference championship in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2003. As you can see for yourself, the history of the Warren Warrior football program speaks for itself. Three Final Four appearances, Three Elite Eight appearances, 18 consecutive playoff appearances, and a 46 year overall record of 289 – 147 – 7 (.660 winning %)!! By The Numbers: 5 – Interceptions by Craig Robertson against Roseville in 1980. This is good for third best in Illinois H.S. Football history. 6 – Interceptions against Hardin Calhoun in the first round of the 2001 playoffs 10 – Total Interceptions by Robertson in 1980. 97 – Longest rush in school history by Mick Kaywood against Cambridge in the first round of the 2003 playoffs against Cambridge. 100 – Longest interception return for a touchdown in school history by Bret Smith in the first round of the 1999 playoffs against Freeport Aquin, despite a losing effort. 622 – Number of offensive yards accumulated against Stronghurst Southern on October 9, 1992. Great Players: In the mid-to-late 1980s, when the Warren Warrior program was just starting to heat up and become a name for themselves, one player by the name of Jim O’Brien (Class of ’89) placed his name all over the record books. Here are his accomplishments on the gridiron “by the numbers” all of which are school records: 8 – Games with over 200+ yards in his career (5 in 1988) 20.85 – Rushing average per carry in his career 22 – Punts returned in his career 23 – Games with over 100+ yards rushing in his career 58 – Rushing touchdowns scored 61 – Career touchdowns scored 183.7 – Rushing average per game in 1988 394 – Career points scored 449 – Yards on punt returns in his career 709 – Rushes attempted in his career 5,001 – Total yards rushing 5,151 – Total offensive yardage Great Job Monmouth Warren High School Warrior Football! Football Memories: From B.D. Collins: “Coach Mac (Ben McIntosh), has recently been accepted into the Illinois High School Football Coach Hall of Fame. During his time at Warren he also was very active with the academic competitions ICTM and WYSE. He took many teams to state level competitions, I don’t have the specifics on that but I think it would crack a smile on some faces if it was mentioned in the write up about him pestering students to take practice exams for WYSE and ICTM when not coaching.” Side Note: How could we not mention that the base of successful football teams developed at Monmouth Warren and Alexis high schools carried on after the consolidation. In fact, it carried the newly consolidated United Red Storm to a Class 1A Football Championship in its first year of existence (2004-05)!!
Boys Basketball Success on the grid-iron often carried over to the hardwood court. Harold “Bud” Davis (14 years, 190 – 156) showed his versatility in guiding the schools basketball program as well as its football program during his stay at the school. Davis’ teams won three District titles and a Regional title. These were the school’s only IHSA hardware won in the sport of boys basketball. Coach Tim Engebretson (7 years, 88 – 83) also coached the Warriors in basketball for seven seasons after his football season ended. The best of the Wawrren High School Warrior basketball seasons are listed below. 1962-63 19 – 6 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1963-64 14 – 9 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1965-66 19 – 8 District Champions Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1966-67 23 – 7 District Champions Coach Harold “Bud Davis Regional Champions Top 64 Teams – One-Class System 1967-68 20 – 7 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1968-69 17 – 9 District Champions Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1969-70 13 – 9 Coach Harold “Bud” Davis 1970-71 15 – 7 Coach Harold “Bud Davis 1980-81 16 – 10 Coach John Wieting 1982-83 14 – 10 Coach Dan Dillard 1986-87 16 – 8 Coach Dennis Mann 1987-88 16 – 10 Coach Dennnis Mann 1993-94 17 – 9 Coach Tim Engebretson 1995-96 15 – 10 Coach Tim Engebretson 1997-98 18 – 8 Coach Tim Engebretson |
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| Girls Basketball
The Lady Warriors had some nice success in basketball as well. The girls won two Regional Championships during their existence. The best of the hardwood court years for the Monmouth Warren High School Lady Warriors are listed below. 1973-74 4 – 1 Coach Rose Sandstrom 1974-75 6 – 2 Coach Rose Sandstrom 1975-76 7 – 2 Coach Debbie Edwards 1979-80 9 – 5 Coach Rose Sandstrom 1987-88 11 – 7 Coach Bob Richardson 1989-90 15 – 6 Regional Champions Coach Bob Richardson Top 64 Class A Teams 2002-03 15 – 7 Regional Champions Coach Gary Martin Top 64 Class A Teams Boys Track & Field The Warrior thincalds brought home four medals while competing at the State Class A Track Meet. Their successes are listed below. 1980-81 David Mannon 800 Meter Run 6th Place 2000-01 Relay Team 4 X 400 Meter Relay 5th Place 2001-02 Steven Koch 300 Meter Hurdles 6th Place 2002-03 Jay Boone 200 Meter Dash 5th Place Girls Track One Lady Warrior trackster also brought home a medal from the IHSA State Track Meet. 1989-90 Debbie Wilkinson Shot Put 4th Place Baseball / Softball Both baseball and softball were offered for the Monmouth Warren High School athletes. There is VERY limited information for the record on the IHSA web site. The only useful information on either sport is that the boys baseball coach of 2000-01 was Rick Johnson and the girl’s softball coach for 2000-01 was Gary Eyler. If you have further information about either of these sports at Warren High please write to us via e-mail. Group Interpretation The Monmouth Warren English Department added to the school’s show of versatility. The team won a District Title in Group Interpretation during the 1974-75 school year. The coach’s name is not available. Need Your Help There has to be a lot more to report and remember about Monmouth Warren High School. Forty-six years provides a lot of opportunity for learning and remembering. If you have any information regarding the many successes of Monmouth Warren High School, especially a photo of the high school building, please e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us at: Illinois HS Glory Days 6439 N. Neva St. Chicago, Il. 60631
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