Trenton High School “Tigers”

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The History of Trenton High School

Trenton (population 2,610) is located in southwestern Illinois about 25 miles east of East St. Louis.  Trenton sits in the west-central portion of Clinton County on the Illinios Routes of 50 and 160 as well as U.S. Route 150.  The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad travels through Trenton as well.  A branch of the Sugar Creek flows through the north side of town.

The town’s long and storied history can be read about on their official website page of http://trenton-il.com/Trenton’s%20History.htm .  Trenton was a town whose early residents were of German descent.  It was officially incorporated as a city in 1855.  Trenton is one of the cities in southeastern Illinois whose population seems to be growing. The proximity of Trenton to the St. Louis metro area has given great hope to the town’s future.

The history of the school system in Trenton is in need of research.  We believe Trenton residents began a school system shortly after the town’s incorporation, possibly even earlier.  A high school was certainly established by the late 1800s.  Trenton supported its own school system through the mid-1950s.  The year was 1957 when the towns of Trenton, New Baden, and New Memphis agreed to consolidate their educational resources into one school district. The result was the formation of the Wesclin School District.

The high school for the Wesclin District is located about midway between the towns of Trenton and New Baden.  Dan Chamness provided the following information on the former Trenton High School building:

“The old high school building, that orginally housed Trenton High School was torn down. However, some of the building is still standing. The orginal part, which was built in 1886, was torn down. As an elementary school student in the late 1970’s, I ate in the cafeteria which was in the basement of the old building. The part that remains, which was built in the 40’s or 50’s, houses some classrooms and the old high school gymnasium. The elementary school team still plays in the gym as far as I know. The old high school was converted into Trenton Elementary School.

As an elementary student in 1980, I witnessed the wrecking ball reduce the old portion of the school to rubble. They saved the main sign and the bell that was used to ring children to school.

The address of Wesclin High School is tecnically Trenton, but the truth is the high school, which was built in 1972, sits right between the towns of Trenton and New Baden. There is five miles between the two towns, and Wesclin sits halfway between the towns. The high school is located in the Western end of Clinton County, hence the name.”

Thanks Dan, great job!

Trenton High School Quick Facts

Year opened:                             late 1800s?

Year closed:                              1957

Consolidated to:                         Wesclin School District

Trenton HS team nickname:      “Tigers”

Trenton HS team colors:             unavailable

School Fight Song:                     unavailable
Athletics

The IHSA website (www.ihsa.org) lists only boys basketball for Trenton High School.  We believe that baseball and track were offered as well.  Football may have also been offered.  Trenton High School team nickname, team colors, school fight song, team records, and coach’s names are all items we would like to share on this site.

Boys Basketball

The boys basketball team at Trenton High School had a run to the Sweet 16 in the early 1920s, an incredible accomplishment for a small school in a one-class system.  Trenton HS won a total of five District titles.  Team records and coach’s names are being sought. District tournament scores were provided below by Mark Jurenga.

1920-21              Team Qualified for State Tourney Finals        Coach Herman Eisenmayer

                           Centralia District Champions

                           1st Rd. Trenton 28 St. Elmo 17
2nd Rd. Trenton 22 Effingham 16
Semifinal Trenton 18 Carlyle 14
Championship: Trenton 14 Salem 9

                           Sweet Sixteen Finalist

                           Lost to Streator HS 42-14

Streator lost in Elite 8 Round

1921-22              Centralia District Tourney                         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Sandoval 22-7

                            2nd Rd Beat Dahlgren 36-16

                            Semi-Final lost to Farina 20-10

Centralia beat Farina in title game

1922-23               Greenville District Tourney                      Coach’s name & record needed

                            1st Game- Trenton 15 Donnellson 5

                            Quarterfinal- Trenton 14 Fillmore 6

                            Semifinal– Greenville 13 Trenton 12

Account from the 1923 Greenfille High School yearbook:

“The Trenton game proved to be Greenville’s hardest contest and the most exciting game of the tournament. Both teams fought neck and neck through the entire game. It was anybody’s game until the final whistle and only Nevinger’s free throw in the last half minute saved the day.”

NOTE: Greenville would go on to place 4th at the state tournament in Champaign.

1923-24               IHSA District Champions                      Coach’s name & record needed

                            Semifinal: Trenton 17 Greenville 10
Championship:  Trenton defeated St. Elmo

                            West Frankfort Sectional Tourney

                            1st Rd lost to Belleville 19-12

West Frankfort beat Centralia in title game

1924-25  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1925-26               Greenville District Tourney Runner-Up Coach’s name & record needed

                           1st Game- Trenton 51 Marine 3
Quarterfinal- Trenton 25 Fillmore10
Semifinal- Trenton 17 Effingham 12

                           Championship– Greenville 31 Trenton 15

District Tournament All-Star Team

First Team

Kurz
Faitz
Ranz 

                                                

1925-26  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.  

1926-27              Greenville District Tourney Runner-Up Coach’s name & record needed

                           1st Game- Trenton 22 Brownstown 18
Semifinal- Trenton 20 Carlyle 15
Championship– Greenville 21 Trenton 20 (3 overtimes!)

The account from the 1927 Greenville yearbook:

“Again we battled Trenton in the finals and beat them by a 20-21 score, but this game was not quite as decisive as before. O! Boy! What a game with three over time periods. It will undoubtedly never be forgotten. Both teams played ‘wide open’ with Trenton tying the score just before the final gun. Two over-time periods were played, with neither side scoring, then in the third, G. H. S. made a field goal. Trenton raised her score one point by a free throw. The pistol banged defeat to the Trentonians while the Greenville rooters went wild.”

District Tourney All-Star team members:

First Team

T. Ranz
Arthur Becker
C. Herstein

1927-28  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1928-29  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1929-30  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1930-31              Carlyle District Tournament 3rd Place      Coach’s name & record needed

                           1st Game- Trenton 36 New Baden 5
Quarterfinal- Trenton 33 Okawville 13

                           Semifinal- Centralia 20 Trenton 12

                           3rd Place- Trenton 28 Highland 16

1931-32              Carlyle District Tourney Runner-Up     Coach’s name & record needed

                           Quarterfinals-Trenton 17 Aviston 13
Semifinals-Trenton 24 Greenville 17
Championship-Centralia 26 Trenton 13

1932-33              Sandoval District Tourney                        Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Ashley 21-17 (O/T)

Centralia beat Sandoval in title game.

1933-34              Carlyle District Tourney                            Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Greenville 29-24

                           2nd Rd Beat Dix 22-20 (3 O/T’s)

                           Semi-Final lost to Centralia 30-16

Centralia beat Ashley in title game

1934-35              Belleville District Tourney                         Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Belleville 27-15

Lebanon beat Belleville in title game

                                                                        

1935-36              Odin District Champions                       Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Keyesport 52-23

                           Semi-Final Beat Patoka 55-20

                           Title Game Beat Odin 35-16

                           Carlyle Regional Tourney Runner-Up

                           1st Rd Beat Greenville 34-30

                           Semi-Final Beat Kinmundy 21-18

                           Title game lost to Centralia 40-25

1936-37              Woodlawn District Champions             Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Breese 18-17

                           Semi-Final Beat Kell 29-20

                           Title Game Beat Opdyke 33-14

                           Nashville Regional Tourney

                           1st Rd lost to Centralia 47-14

                           Centralia beat Nashville in title game

1937-38  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1938-39  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1939-40  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1940-41              Venice  District Tourney                           Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Bethalto 43-20

Venice beat Breese in title game

1941-42  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1942-43              Beckemeyer District Runner-Up           Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Odin 53-30

                            Semi-Final Beat Breese 52-34

                            Title Game lost to Patoka 38-34

1943-44  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1944-45              Odin  District Tourney                               Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Carlyle St. Mary 46-34

Patoka beat Odin in title game

1945-46              Beckemeyer District Tourney                   Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Breese St. Dominic 63-18

                           Semi-Final lost to Beckemeyer 40-28

Carlyle St. Mary beat Beckemeyer in title game

1946-47              Odin  District Tourney                               Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Beckemeyer 36-34

Odin beat Beckemeyer in title game

1947-48              Breese District Tourney                            Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Breese 48-44

Breese beat Odin in title game

1948-49              Breese District Runner-Up

1st Rd Beat Xenia 63-13

                           Semi-Final Beat New Baden 55-39

                           Title Game lost to Trenton 68-38

1949-50  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1950-51               Trenton District Tourney                          Coach Bill Redden

1st Rd lost to Breese 40-26

New Baden beat Ashley in title game

1951-52  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1952-53              Trenton District Tourney                           Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd lost to New Baden 52-46

Patoka beat Carlyle St. Mary in title game

1953-54  Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed.

1954-55              Trenton District Runner-Up                  Coach’s name & record needed

Early Rd Scores Needed

Title Game lost to Odin 49-44


1955-56              Trenton District Champions                  Coach’s name & record needed

                           Semi-Final Beat Breese 80-59

                           Title Game Beat New Baden 70-63

                           Salem Regional Tourney

                           1st Rd Beat Okawville 21-8

                           Semi-Final lost to Salem 87-60

Centralia beat Salem in title game

1956-57              Beckemeyer District Tourney                   Coach’s name & record needed

1st Rd Beat New Baden 90-61

                           Semi-Final lost to Okawville 70-45

Breese beat Okawville in title game

**Trenton High School became Trenton Wesclin in the summer of 1957.

Need Your Assistance

We are in need of a lot of information to make the Trenton High School page more complete.  If you have any information you wish to share, especially a photo of the original Trenton HS building, please contact us via e-mail 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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