The History of Wyanet High School Wyanet (population 991) is located on US Route 6 / 34 approximately 7 miles west of Princeton. Information is needed on the origin of the town. The Wyanet school system was started in 1879 when the first graduating class of three students recieved their diplomas under the tutelage of Professor George Pedicord. The school and town continued to grow and prosper until it was decided the need for a new building had arisen. After many years of hard work and dedication the above school building was dedicated by Congressman Rathbone on April 5th, 1926. On the Tuesday following the dedication a tornado struck the village of Wyanet. The gymnasium and second floor of the building fell victim to the tornado’s savage winds. Work was begun immediately to rebuild what had been damaged. The gymnasium of the school was reopened in the summer of 1927.
The school flourished and was the pride of the town for many years. Boys football dates back to at least the 1940s. Basketball, track, baseball, as well as girls volleyball, basketball, and track were all at one time offered for the student athletes. The Eagles experienced several great seasons in all sports. As with nearly all small school districts, enrollment and finances took their toll. After several studies were completed the residents of Wyanet decided in 1995 to join the school districts of Buda Western, Manlius, and Walnut to form what is now known as Bureau Valley High School. The high school building in Wyanet was dealt a tough blow this past year (2006). It was decided by the Bureau Valley School DIstrict to no longer utilize the Wyanet High School building. The fate of the school has apparently been decided, and sadly, another classic building will meet its demise. Our good friend Ron DeBrock tells us that the Bureau Valley School Board has given the okay (May of 2008) to begin proceedings that will lead to the demolishing of the Wyanet High School building. This process was completed in 2009 and the building has been razed.
Wyanet High School “Eagles” Quick Facts Year first class graduated: 1879 Year High School building built: 1926 Year school deactivated: 1995 School nickname: “Eagles” School colors: Purple and White High school building: No longer used as a school School Fight Song: “We’re Loyal To You, Wyanet” University of Illinois FIght Song Tune We’re loyal to you Wyanet We’re purple and white, Wyanet We’ll back you to stand ‘Gainst the best in the land For we know you can stand, Wyanet! Rah! Rah! So crack out the ball, Wyanet We’re backing you all, Wyanet Our team is our fame protector: On! Boys for we expect a Victory from you Wyanet! Athletics The Wyanet High School Eagles provided years of excitement and pride for the folks of this small community. In the 1940s and 50s the high school was the home of one of the premier gyms in the area, often hosting the Bureau County basketball tournament. The Eagles often were one of the smaller schools in the area but this was not reflected in their competitive nature. The Wyanet Eagles competed in the Little Eight and Indian Valley Conferences. The Eagle teams held their own against even the largest schools in the area.
Boys Basketball Though not bringing home an abundance of IHSA hardware, there were many highly successful teams in the history of boys basketball at Wyanet. Help is needed in researching some of the better Eagle seasons. Below are listed the two District titlists in Wyanet Eagle history.
Carol Iskowich relates the following story about her father, Cecil James Trimble, who coached athletics at Wyanet High School in the 1930s. Coach Trimble is viewed ain the above photo in the back row: “Coach Cecil James (C.J.) Trimble, my father, is in the back row, far left (photo above). He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1935 and taught history and coached boy’s basketball and football at Wyanet High School. He told us the story about going to school on a Friday morning and discovering that some members of his football team were in jail because the previous night they had stolen the reflector lights off of the tractors at the Bureau County fair. He went to see the sheriff and told him he had a football game that night and his backfield was in the jail! The sheriff let the young boys out of jail if Trimble would escort them back to the jail after the game. The Wyanet team was winless but became so motivated that they beat Tiskilwa (previously unbeaten) that night by a wide margin.” Oh, the good ole days! Several scores involving Wyanet High School were located on a website titled “Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores.” They are listed below. 1934-35 Princeton District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Princeton 35-23 Princeton lost to DePue in semi-final DePue lost to LaSalle-Peru in title game 1935-36 Wyanet Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Ohio 33-28 2nd Rd lost to DePue 40-29 DePue lost to Princeton in title game 1936-37 IHSA District Champs Coach J. M. Richey Season Record Needed District Scores Needed Princeton Regional Qualifier 1st Rd lost to Princeton 25-13 Princeton lost to Tiskilwa in semi-final Tiskilwa lost to Bureau Township HS 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 IHSA District Champs Coach J. M. Richey Season Record Needed District Scores Needed IHSA Regional Qualifier Regional Scores Needed
1940-41 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1941-42 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1942-43 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1943-44 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1944-45 LaMoille District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Bureau Township 43-36 Semi-final lost to Manlius 42-33 Manlius lost to Ohio in title game 1945-46 LaMoille District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Cherry HS 39-28 Cherry lost to Tiskilwa in semi-final Tiskilwa lost to Ohio in title game 1946-47 LaMoille District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Cherry HS 58-30 Semi-final lost to Ohio 53-47 Ohio beat Manlius in title game 1947-48 LaMoille District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Tiskilwa 46-42 Semi-final lost to Manlius 63-42 Manlius lost to Ohio in title game 1948-49 LaMoille District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Malden 54-29 Semi-final lost to Bureau Township HS 57-52 Bureau beat LaMoille in title game 1949-50 LaMoille District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Bureau Twshp 46-30 Bureau lost to LaMoille in semi-final LaMoille lost to Tampico in title game 1950-51 LaMoille District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to LaMoille 61-35 LaMoille lost to Manlius in title game 1951-52 Tiskilwa District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Tiskilwa 60-56 (O/T) Tiskilwa lost to Manlius in semi-final Manlius lost to Ohio in title game 1952-53 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1953-54 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1954-55 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1955-56 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1956-57 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1957-58 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1958-59 LaMoille District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Ohio Semi-final lost to DePue 58-56 (O/T) DePue lost to Bureau Twshp HS in title game 1959-60 Ohio District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to DePue 64-53 DePue lost to Bureau Twshp in title game 1960-61 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1961-62 Manlius District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Ohio 82-57 Ohio beat Tiskilwa in title game 1962-63 Ohio District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to DePue 62-29 DePue lost to Manlius in semi-final Manlius beat Tiskilwa in title game 1963-64 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1964-65 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1965-66 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1966-67 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1967-68 Bradford District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd Beat Bradford 62-61 Semi-final lost to Buda Western 53-49 (O/T) Western beat Neponset in title game 1968-69 Kewanee District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Aledo Western Military Academy 82-40 Western Military lost to Toulon in semi-final Toulon beat Neponset in title game 1969-70 Toulon District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Atkinson 61-59 Atkinson lost to Toulon in semi-final Toulon lost to Bradford in title game 1970-71 Neponset District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Buda Western 75-60 Western lost to Annawan in title game 1971-72 New Bedford Class ‘A’ Regional Coach’s name & record needed 1st Rd lost to Buda Wewstern 86-69 Western lost to Putnam County in semi-final Putnam County lost to Tiskilwa in title game 1972-73 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1973-74 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1974-75 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1975-76 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1976-77 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1977-78 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1978-79 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1979-80 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1980-81 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1981-82 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1982-83 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1983-84 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1984-85 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1985-86 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1986-87 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1987-88 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1988-89 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1989-90 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1990-91 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1991-92 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1992-93 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1993-94 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. 1994-95 Postseason scores, record, and coach’s name needed. **From Ron Peterson: “I think you will find that the Wyanet coach/principal during the 1936-37, 1939-40 District Champs — Coach’s name was J M Richey, a Millikin University grad I believe.” **One of the best players to grace the hardwood of the great gymnasium of Wyanet High was Dick Hamrick. His school record of 52 points came in a 1955 game against LaMoille High School. **Coach Curt Reed started a great coaching career here in 1977. From 1977 to 1996 he accumulated a record of 385-174 which included stops at Tremont and McLeansboro. |
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