Athletics
The Petersburg High School athletic program produced some excellent success on the fields and courts of the area. Success was obtained in the sports of basketball, baseball, football, and track. The academic department chipped in as well with great seasons in Speech and Drama (www.ihsa.org). School team nickname, colors, and fight song are all items we are searching for.
Boys Baseball
The boys of the baseball diamond had at least one good year as far as the IHSA tournament is concerned, and probably many more that are not listed. Team records and coach’s names of this and other great PHS teams are being sought.
1950-51 District Champions Coach Leonard Greathouse
Boys Basketball
The boys basketball program at Petersburg High School won three District titles and some nice season records as well.
1930-31 IHSA District Champions Coach’s name & record needed
District Scores Needed
Springfield Sectional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Normal U-High 24-19
U-High lost to Springfield in semi-final
Springfield lost to Decatur in title game
Decatur eventually won State title!
1931-32 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1932-33 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1933-34 Petersburg District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Tallula 54-15
2nd Rd lost to Havana 28-18
Havana beat Kilbourne in title game
1934-35 Mason City District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Tallula 35-33 (O/T)
2nd Rd lost to Bath 20-18
Havana beat Kilbourne in title game
Havana beat Athens in title game
1935-36 Greenview District Champions Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Tallula 20-5
Semi-final Beat Kilbourne 23-17
Title Game Beat San Jose 16-15
Havana Regional Tourney
1st Rd lost to Athens 32-10
Athens beat Havana in title game
1936-37 IHSA District Champions Coach’s name & record needed
District Scores Needed
Mason City Regional Runner-Up
1st Rd Beat Delevan 26-25
Semi-final Beat Mason City 19-17
Title Game lost to Athens 57-20
Athens won Sectional, lost in Sweet 16 to Joliet
Joliet won state title
1937-38 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1938-39 Athens Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Mason City 35-30
2nd Rd lost to Tallula 37-25
Tallula beat Athens in title game
1939-40 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1940-41 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1941-42 14 – 10 Havana Regional Tournament Coach Lyle Short
1st Rd lost to San Jose 23-21
1942-43 Petersburg Regional Tourney Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Havana 42-41
1943-44 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.
1944-45 Havana Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Easton 55-29
Easton beat Spfld Feitshans in title game
1945-46 9 – 14 Petersburg Regional Tourney Coach Albert Wallo
1st Rd lost to Easton 42-28
Easton lost to San Jose in title game
1946-47 17 – 13 Athens Regional Tourney Coach Albert Wallo
1st Rd lost to Springfield HS 54-28
Spfld HS beat Athens in title game
Spfld won Sectional, lost in Sweet 16 Rd.
1947-48 Havana Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Chandlerville 41-27
2nd Rd lost to Athens 61-42
Athens beat Havana in title game
1948-49 Petersburg Regional Tourney Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Easton 58-49
Semi-final lost to Havana 65-50
Havana lost to Athens in title game
1949-50 Athens Regional Tourney Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd lost to Easton 44-43
1950-51 Havana Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd Beat Pleasant Plains 83-63
Semi-final lost to Mason City 71-62
Mason City beat Easton in title game
1951-52 22 – 4 Petersburg Regional Tourney Coach Leonard Greathouse
1st Rd Beat Easton 58-49
Semi-final lost to Mason City 102-78
Mason City beat Athens in title game
1952-53 6 – 23 Havana Regional Tournament Coach Leonard Greathouse
1st Rd lost to Spfld Feitshans 63-46
Fietshans lost to Havana in Semi-final
1953-54 6 – 18 Havana Regional Tournament Coach Elmo Hildebrand
1st Rd lost to Athens 61-44
Athens lost in semi-final to Mason City
1954-55 20 – 8 Havana Regional Tournament Coach Elmo Hildebrand
1st Rd Beat Mason City 57-51
Semi-final lost to Havana 57-48
Havana beat Springfield in title game
1955-56 15 – 11 Havana Regional Tournament Coach Elmo Hildebrand
1st Rd Beat Easton 73-66
Semi-final lost to Mason City 83-51
Mason City beat Havana in title game
1956-57 12 – 10 Havana Regional Tournament Coach Elmo Hildebrand
1st Rd lost to Havana 56-46
Spfld Lanphier beat Havana in title game
1957-58 9 – 18 Havana Regional Tournament Coach Elmo Hildebrand
1st Rd lost to Manito Forman 76047
Forman lost to Mason City in semi-final
1958-59 12 – 13 Havana Regional Tournament Coach Elmo Hildebrand
1st Rd lost to Havana 65-44
Havana lost to Mason City in semi-final
1959-60 15 – 11 Havana Regional Runner-Up Coach Richard Garner
1st Rd Beat Tallula 48-47
Semi-final Beat Havana 67-47
Title Game lost to Manito Forman 54-44
1960-61 14 – 10 Havana Regional Tourney Coach Richard Garner
1st Rd lost to Manito Forman 83-65
Forman lost to Mason City in title game
1961-62 6 – 14 Havana Regional Tourney Coach Richard Garner
1st Rd lost to Mason City 64-40
Mason City lost to Athens in semi-final
1962-63 11 – 12 Havana Regional Tournament Coach Dick Clark
1st Rd Beat Manito Forman 64-40
**Semi-final lost to Mason City 51-34
Mason City lost to Havana in title game
**Final game as Petersburg High School, became “PORTA” High School in the summer of 1963.
Football
1951-52 5 – 0 Coach Leonard Greathouse
1952-53 2 – 3 Coach Leonard Greathouse
1953-56 Coach Elmo Hildebrand
1956-57 6 – 2 Coach Elmo Hildebrand
1957-59 Coach Elmo Hildebrand
Boys Track & Field
Peterrsburg High School enjoyed its greatest success in the sport of boys track & field. An athlete by the name of Luther Sampson led the PHS thinclads to an incredible three consecutive TOP-TEN FINISHES in the IHSA State Track Meet!! Luther Sampson brought home a total of 2 Gold Medals, three Silver Medals, and 3 Bronze Medals during three years of competition. The excellent run of the early 1900s by Luther Sampson and the PHS track program is listed below. What makes Luther Sampson and Harry Apken’s individual accomplishments even more spectacular is the fact that it was during the time when Illinois had one-class only system!
1903-04 Team Finished TENTH in IHSA STATE MEET Competition!!
Individual Medalist
Luther Sampson Hammer 2ND Place
Shot Put 3RD Place
Final Team Standings
1) Pontiac 20
2) Jacksonville (H.S.) 15
2) Anna 15
4) Oak Park (O.P.-River Forest) 13
5) Chicago (North Division) 11
6) Chicago (Hyde Park) 10
7) Rushville 8
8) Moline (H.S.) 5
8) Riverside (R.-Brookfield) 5
10) PETERSBURG HIGH SCHO0L 4
1904-05 Team Finished FOURTH in STATE MEET Competition!!
Individual Medalist
Luther Sampson Hammer STATE CHAMPION!!
Shot Put 2ND Place
Final Team Standings
1) Chicago (Englewood) 16
2) Chicago (Phillips) 11½
3) Greenfield 10½
4) PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL 8
5) Chicago (Crane) 7
6) DuQuoin (H.S.) 6
6) Carlyle 6
6) Chicago (Lake View) 6
9) Chicago (Calumet) 5
9) Rushville 5
9) Urbana (H.S.) 5
9) Oak Park (O.P.-River Forest) 5
9) Dixon (North) 5
9) Joliet (Twp.) 5
9) Rochelle 5 1/2?
1905-06 Team Finished SEVENTH in STATE MEET Competition!!
Individual Medalists
Luther Sampson Discus 3RD Place
Hammer 2ND Place
Shot Put STATE CHAMPION!!
Harry Apken Pole Vault 2ND Place
Final Team Standings
1) Chicago (Phillips) 12
1) Aurora (West) 12
3) Chicago (Crane) 11
4) Wheaton (H.S.) 10
4) Chicago (Hyde Park) 10
4) Joliet (Twp.) 10
7) PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL 9 4/7
8) Chicago (North Division) 7 4/7
9) Springfield (H.S.) 7
9) Charleston 7
Academic Estra-Curriculars
Petersburg High School prved it had a well-rounded and diverse offering for its students. Along with the athletic successes at Petersburg High were the successes attained in the academic world of PHS. The successes attained in IHSA competition are listed below.
DEBATE
1946-47 Sectional Champions
1948-49 TEAM FINISHED FIFTH IN STATE COMPETITION!!
Sectional Champions
Final Team Standings
1) LaGrange (Lyons) 6-1
2) Rockford (West) 5-2
3) Granite City 4-2
3) Rock Island (H.S.) 4-2
5) PETERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL 3-3
5) Freeport (H.S.) 3-3
5) Downers Grove (H.S.) 3-3
5) Galesburg (H.S.) 3-3
1950-51 Sectional Champions
DRAMA
1945-46 Team Qualified for STATE MEET!!
Sectional Champions
SPEECH SWEEPSTAKES
1947-48 Individual Medalist
Jerry Chalcraft Oratory Declamation 5TH Place
1956-57 District Champions
Seeking Your Help
A school photo, great teams and players, memorable faculty, all are things we would like to know about and share about Petersburg High School. You can e-mail this information to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. or write to us at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631 |