Sheffield (population 946) is located in the north-central portion of Illinois in the west-central part of Bureau County. The bustling town is located on US Rt. 6 / U.S. Rt. 34 approximately 15 miles west of Princeton. Sheffield has a grand history and was an important part of western Bureau County’s early growth. Sheffield High School Unit District # 132 and the Sheffield school system was established in the mid-1800s. Sheffield High School celebrated its first graduating “class” in 1868. The class was a total of one person. That person was Emily Pitkin, Sheffield High School’s first alumnus. A brick high school building, pictured above, was built in 1921.
The high school closed her doors in 1961 after a consolidation effort was forged with nearby Buda High School. The two schools formed Buda Western High School and enjoyed many great years of athletics. The Sheffield High School Cardinals also enjoyed many great years of success in athletics. Buda Western High School later formed a consolidation effort with other nearby towns and created the Bureau Valley School District. The Bureau Valley School District utilized the Sheffield school building as an elementary school (K-5) through the 2005-06 school year. The decision was then made to close the Sheffield school and resume all classes in the Buda school buildings. The Sheffiedl High School building sat proudly for six more years, being utilized only as a place for students to wait inside for the bus pick up in inclement weather. In 2012 demolition plans for the building were completed and the building was razed. All that remains of the school complex is the flag pole and athletic fields in the background. A photo of what now remains of the Sheffield school site was taken in 2013 and provided by Owen Pulver
Sheffield High School Cardinals “Quick Facts” Year school opened: Mid-1800s First Graduating Class: 1868 Year closed: 1961 Consolidated to: Western High School (Buda) School nickname: Cardinals School Colors: Scarlet & White School Building: Still standing – vacant School Fight Song: “Sheffield High School Fight Song” To Sheffield High the school we love Let’s sing a song of praise Tell of her many victories And high her banners raise We’ll sing her praises everywhere We’ll work for her with zest And show to all the world around That Sheffield is the BEST!! So let’s join in a cheer While we’re all gathered here Cheer for old Sheffield High! We are ready to fight for the Scarlet & White Of dear old Sheffield High! We are proud of her name We will add to her fame To advance her we’ll ever try So let’s CHEER, CHEER, the gangs all here All out for Sheffield High, RAH!!!! ATHLETICS Sheffield competed in the Little ‘8’ Conference. The school offfered boys football, basketball, track, and possibly baseball. Very limited information is known by the writers of this web site regarding Sheffield HS. Assistance is being sought for more information to share with others.
BOYS BASKETBALL The first Sheffield Basketball team has be traced back to as far as 1916, falling in a game to Kewanee by the score of 30-15. Competitive, tough, athletic, all were words used to desribe a game against the Sheffield Cardinal basktetball teams. Some incredible games were played against neighboring rivals Buda and Mineral. It is known Sheffield had some great teams in the 1940s and 1950s, however, again, your assistance is needed.
It is also known that Sheffield won the Little 8 Conference title three staight years going undefeated in the conference each year. This 21 game conference winnning streak occurred during the 1943-44, ’44-’45, and ’45–’46 seasons. Below is listed the Cardinal District Championship teams as well as some of the better years in Cardinal hardwood history. Several scores from the IHSA Tournament were located on a site titled “Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores“. The scores involving Sheffield High School are reprinted below. Thank you to Mike Pratt for several of the items listed below.. 1915-16 6 – 8 Coach Ball 1920-21 10 – 7 Coach Hacker ————- 1921-22 Moline District Tourney Coach’s name needed 1st Rd lost to Port Byron 29-25 Moline beat Annawan in title game ———— 1922-23 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s names needed. 1923-24 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s names needed. 1924-25 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s names needed. ———— 1925-26 21 – 1 IHSA District Runner-Up Coach’s name needed Lost District Championship Game Ottawa 32 Sheffield 22 Outscored opponents 465 – 247 Bureau County Tourney Champs Little Six Conference Champs Undefeated Regular Season ———– 1926-27 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s names needed. 1927-28 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s names needed. 1928-29 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s names needed. 1929-30 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s names needed. 1930-31 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s names needed. ———- 1931-32 Princeton District Champs Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Tiskilwa 32-16 2nd Rd Beat Beat Buda 24-12 Semi-Final Beat Lamoille 32-7 Title Game Beat Buda 27-21 Moline Sectional Tourney 1st Rd Lost to Galesburg 7-5 (O/T) Galesburg lost in title game to Kewanee ———– 1932-33 Princeton District Tourney Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Malden 26-15 DePue beat Malden in title game ————- 1933-34 Princeton District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Buda 29-14 Semi-final lost to Princeton 25-19 Princeton lost in title game to DePue ————- 1934-35 Princeton District Tourney Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Spring Valley Hall 32-31 2nd Rd Beat Bureau Township 43-20 Semi-final Rd Lost to LaSalle-Peru 31-18 L/P won District title ————— 1935-36 Sheffield District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Lost to Manlius 26-18 Manlius lost in semi-final ———— 1936-37 Princeton Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed Sheffield did not compete in District 1st Rd of Reg. – Beat Malden 23-22 Semi-final lost to Bureau Twnshp 35-27 Bureau Twnshp won District title ————— 1937-38 Sheffield District Runner-Up Coach’s name & record needed Early Rd Scores Needed Title game – lost to Buda 27-26 —————— 1938-39 Postseason scores, coach’s name, and record needed —————– 1939-40 Cambridge District Champs Coach’s name & record needed Early Rd Scores Needed Title Game Beat Neponset 51-37 Kewanee Regional Tourney 1st Rd lost to Geneseo 40-25 Kewanee beat Galva in title game —————– 1940-41 Sheffield District Runner-up Coach’s name & record needed Beat Neponset in semifinal 51-35 Lost to Mineral in championship 26-40 —————- 1941-42 12 – 17 Sheffield District runner-up Coach Edward Daniels Beat Manlius in semifinal 41-30 Lost to Mineral in championship 46-22 —————— 1943-44 Little 8 Conference Champs Coach’s name & record needed Postseason scores unavailable —————— 1944-45 27 – 3 Atkinson District Champs Coach Wayne Sturm Little 8 Conf. Reg Season & Conf. Tourney Champs District Tourney Scores 1st Rd Beat Buda 39-22 Semi-Final Beat Cambridge 29-25 Title game Beat Atkinson 46-33 Regional Tourney Scores Lost to Geneseo 42 – 36 Geneseo lost title game – Information on Sheffield High School’s District Championship team of 1944-45 was provided to us by Brian Hoxsey: “In 1944-45 season, Sheffield High School claimed a district championship with a 46-33 victory over Atkinson High School . Sheffield’s season ended with a loss to Geneseo High School in Regional play, putting their final record at a grand 27-3. (*Information gathered in Dixon Evening Telegraph archives)” —————– 1945-46 19 – 7 Atkinson District Runner-up Coach Wayne Sturm Conference Champs (7-0) District Tourney Scores 1st Rd Beat Annawan 51-35 Semi-final Beat Tampico 66-32 Title game Lost to Atkinson 41-39 —————- 1946-47 5 – 18 Atkinson District Tournament Coach Wayne Sturm 1st Rd Lost to Mineral 56-30 Mineral won District title —————- 1947-48 12 – 12 Atkinson District Tournament Coach Wayne Sturm Little 8 4th Place (5 – 3) District scores unavailable Atkinson won District title —————- 1948-49 12 – 14 Atkinson District Tournament Coach Wayne Sturm Little 8 3rd Place (5-3) F/S Conf. Tourney Champs Atkinson District Scores 1st Rd Beat LaFayette 62-40 Semi-final Lost to Atkinson 66-27 Atkinson won District title —————– 1950-51 Atkinson District Runner-up Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Atkinson 70-54 2nd Rd Beat Neponset 73-50 Title game Lost to Mineral 39-36 ——————- 1951-52 6 – 7 Atkinson District Tournament Coach Randunzel 1st Rd Lost to Annawan Annawan lost in semi-final round ——————- 1952-53 Atkinson District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed Semi-Final lost to 59-55 Atkinson beat Mineral in title game 1953-54 16 – 4 2nd in Little 8 (7 – 2) Coach Johnson District scores unavailable —————— 1954-55 8 – 14 District scores unavailable Coach James White ——————- 1955-56 7 – 14 Atkinson District Tourney Coach James White 1st Rd lost to Buda 38-18 Buda beat Atkinson in title game ——————- 1956-57 11 – 13 Tampico District Tourney Coach Andrews 1st Rd lost to Neponset 47-45 Title Game Tampico beat Atkinson ——————- 1957-58 15 – 14 Atkinson District Tourney Coach Andrews 1st Rd Beat Lyndon 60-54 Semi-final lost to Neponset 55-37 Neponset beat Atkinson in title game —————— 1958-59 8 – 15 Annawan District Tournament Coach Andrews 1st Rd Lost to Tampico 80-59 Tampico lost in semi-final round 1959-60 10 – 15 Annawan District Tournament Coach’s name needed (JV went 8-13) 1st Rd Lost to Tampico 80-66 Tampico lost in semi-final round ——————- 1960-61 15 – 9 2nd place in Little 8 Conf. Coach Carmon Mest Annawan District Tournement 1st Rd Beat Atkinson 58-51 **Semi-Final lost to Annawan Title game Annawan beat Tampico **Final game for Sheffield High School boys basketball.
**Wendell Smith (Class of 1953) was Sheffield’s all-time leading scorer.
FOOTBALL Records of football offered at Sheffield High School date back to the early 1900s Several records researched and documented are listed below. Please contact us to help fill in some more of the great Sheffield football team records and accomplishments. 1916 2 – 5 Coach’s name unavailable From the 1916 yearbook provided by Mike Spratt: “Interesting quoter from yearbook: “First 2 weeks were taken up in showing the boys how to fall on the ground without hurting themselves.”
1920 6 – 1 Coach Hacker Season highlight – An 87 – 0 drubbing of neighbor Bureau Township HS Outscored opponents 205 – 25! 1925 From the 1926 yearbook provided by Mike Spratt: “Fourteen boys out for team (my grandpa was a freshman), first game against Neponset with Sheffield losing. No wins this year. Quote from yearbook: “Due to unfavorable conditions the team was forced to disband and only a few games were played.”
1941 2 – 4 Coach Edward Daniels 1944 8 – 0 Little 8 Conference Champs Coach Wayne Sturm Outscored Opponents 402 – 19! 1945 6 – 0 Little 8 Conference Champs Coach Wayne Sturm 1946 4 – 2 2nd place tie Little 8 Coach Wayne Sturm Coach Schwind 1947 7 – 1 2nd place in the Little 8 Coach Wayne Sturm Outscored opponents 334-47 (As of this season…Coach Sturm’s teams have won 35 out of the last 40 games!) 1948 4 – 2 – 1 2nd place tie Little 8 Coach Wayne Sturm 1950 5 – 3 – 1 Coach Bob Cronsiter 1951 4 – 5 4th in Little 8 Coach Fred Radunzel Asst. Coach Schwind 1952 9 – 0 Little 8 Conference Champs Coach Fred Radunzel
Names of Players in Photo Above (submitted by Anne Drew): Left to Right, front row: Jack Gentry, Kaye Garrison, Harold Lambert, Wayne Smith, Conrad Hewitt. Backfield: Driscoll Drew, Roland Fisher, Terry Nutter, Wendell Smith In the back: Coach Radunzel 1953 4 – 5 Coach Johnson 1954 3 – 6 Coach James White 1955 2 – 6 Coach James White 1956 2 – 6 Coach Joe Salisbury 1957 5 – 3 Coach Joe Salisbury 1958 5 – 1 – 1 2nd place Little 8 Coach Joe Salisbury 1959 2 – 6 Coach Joe Salisbury Asst. Coaches: Andrews/Lehning 1960 3 – 5 Coach Joe Salisbury Sheffield last independently fielded a football team in 1960.
GIRLS BASKETBALL Though not really recognized as a high school sport by the IHSA, girls basketball did exist in the early 1900s. The girls traveled to other towns to take on other teams of the area. A few of the seasons documented in yearbooks are listed. Most of this research has been conducte by Mike Spratt. Quotes from Mike’s research appear in italics below. 1912-13 2 – 0 Coach’s name unavailable 1913-14 3 – 0 “The girls were 2-0 on the season and decided to play against a 2-0 Walnut team in a Championship game in Princeton. Sheffield won 17-12. We had 5 girls out for b ball.” 1915-16 5 – 1 Coach’s name unavailable “Six girls were on team.” 1920-21 “One game played in public between our freshman and sophomores. Sophs won 17 to 10.” GIRLS GYMNASTICS The yearbook of 1916 pointed out that the girls participated in gymnastics that year. Mike Spratt’s research tells us 9 girls were out for the sport and Miss Boyd was the coach!
BASEBALL The boys competed in baseball as well. Mike Spratt’s research included the following information from Sheffield High School yearbooks. 1913-14 3 – 1 – 1 “Fourteen players out, 5 games played in the fall of ’13, 3 wins, 1 tie, and 1 loss to Tiskilwa. They then played 10 games in the spring of ’14. 1920-21 4 – 0 Little Six Conference Champs Coach Hacker “Ten boys out, SHS Won “little 6″ conference title, going 4-0 while beating Buda, Walnut, Manlius, and Wyanet.”
TRACK & FIELD Sheffield HS excelled on the oval track as well. The following information was supplied by Mike Pratt. 1941-42 15 Boys Out for Track Coach Edward Daniels
1944-45 Little 8 Conference Champions Coach Wayne Sturm 21 Boys Out for Track **Sheffield awarded Little 8 Conference sportsmanship trophy for winning conference football, basketball, and track titles for 1944-45! 1945-46 16 Boys Out for Track Coach Wayne Sturm 1946-47 3rd in Little 8 Conf. Meet Coach Wayne Sturm 22 Boys Out for Track 1947-48 Little 8 Conference Champs Coach Wayne Sturm 27 boys on team 3rd at Galva Meet (35 Teams participated!) 880 Yard Relay Team Set Record (Doc Gilter, Duke Malmquist, Dave Griffin, Duane Nelson) 1948-49 19 Boys Out for Track Coach Wayne Sturm 1951-52 Little Conf. 2nd Place Coach Cronister Undefeated in Triangular Meets 1953-54 Team placed 4th in Little 8 Conf. Meet Coach Johnson Harold Lambert represented Sheffield HS at State Meet in the hurdles! 1954-55 14 boys out for team Coach James White 1955-56 20 boys out for team Coach James White 1956-57 14 boys out for team Coach Andrews 1957-58 2nd Place in Little 8 Conf. Meet Coach Lehning 19 boys out for team 1958-59 10 boys out for team Coach Lehning 1959-60 12 boys out for team Coach Lehning 1960-61 Little 8 Conference Champions Coach Lehning 27 boys out for team 880 relay placed 4th out of 30 schools at Galva Relays: (Joe Edlin, Austin Folk, Dick Kaufman, Dave Smith) Yearbook states that this was one of Sheffield’s best track teams in several years up to this point!!!
CROSS-COUNTRY The boys competed in this sport for a short time. They won conference championships for certain from 1950-51 through 1953-54! 1950-51 Little 8 Conference Champions 1951-52 Little 8 Conference Champions 1952-53 Little 8 Conference Champions 1953-54 Little 8 Conference Champions
GIRLS ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION Sheffield High School girls participated in the Girls Athletic Association. In the 1946-47 school year 28 girls participated in this club coached by Miss Iona Burgess! OTHER SPORTS We are truly hopeful some of the esteemed alumni of Sheffield HS will provide the details and share a story or two. It is also known some of these teams were even inducted into the Bureau County Sports Hall of Fame. WE NEED YOUR HELP If you have any information you can share regarding Sheffield High School, especially a photo of the high school building, please complete a Guest Commentary Form. You can contact us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or write to us at: Illinois HS Glory Days 6439 N. Neva St. Chicago, Il. 60631
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