Wyanet High School "Eagles"
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Wyanet High School
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A special thank you to Sheila Yourek for the photos and extra information she provided

Wyanet HS Inscription
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Courtesy of Deanna Foran

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.

Wyanet HS Building Cornerstone
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Courtesy of Deanna Foran

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.

Sundial of Wyanet High School
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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. 

Wyanet HS Gymnasium
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At One-time Bureau County's Best

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.

Wyanet High School Basketball Team mid 1930s
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Submitted by Carol Iskowich

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.

The Wyanet Eagles Football Team
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1961 Conference Champions

Football
 
The Eagles also enjoyed many great seasons on the grid iron. Help is needed in researching some of the more successful seasons (conference champs, 1-loss years,ect.). The Eagles lone appearance in the IHSA football playoffs occurred in the 1988-89 season. The Eagles co-oped with Western and DePue for the final 5 football seasons of the high schools existence.
 
 
 
 
  
 
1948  4 - 3 - 1      2nd place tie Little 8                        Coach Al Versypt
1949  6 - 3           2nd place Little 8                             Coach Al Versypt
1952  7 - 2           2nd tie Little 8                                  Coach Jack Churchill
1953  6 - 3                                                                   Coach Gil Demay
1958  4 - 2 - 1                                                              Coach Jim Boone
1959  4 - 3                                                                   Coach Jim Boone
1960  8 - 0           Little 8 Conference Champs         Coach Carl Cherrie
1961  4 - 2 - 1                                                              Coach Carl Cherrie
1962  6 - 2                                                                   Coach Jim Shook
1965  6 - 4                                                                   Coach Al Crandall
1966  8 - 0           Little 8 Conference Champs         Coach Al Crandall
1967  7 - 1           Little 8 Conference Champs         Coach Bill Harris
1972  5 - 3                                                                   Coach Lou Zecca
1973  5 - 2 - 1                                                              Coach Lou Zecca
1974  5 - 2                                                                   Coach Lou Zecca
1980  5 - 4           3rd Indian Valley East                      Coach Bill Evans
 
1988  6 - 4          IHSA Class 1A Playoff Qualifier    Coach Bill Estes 
                           2nd Place - Indian Valley East
                           Lost playoff game to Marseilles 22 - 18
                           Marseilles lost to Walnut in 2nd Rd
                           Walnut lost to Orangeville in quarter-final Rd
                           Orangeville lost to Carthage in semi-final
                           Carthage lost to Arcola in title game
                          
1988 was Wyanet High's last independent football team. They began co-oping with Buda Western High School in 1989. 
 
Former Eagle Gib Foulke remembers the 1960-61 season well, as he does other great items about the school:
 
   "I am a 1963 graduate of Wyanet High. I am #11 in the 60-61 football picture (upper right-hand corner). We captured the Little 8 football championship that night by defeating the LaMoille Lions. This was the first year the conference went from 8-man to 11-man football. Being a small school of only 100 students, the "upgrade" provided an opportunity for lower classmen to make the Varsity team.  Three of us Sophomores won our varsity letters that year, Brian Hochstatter,  Bill Davis and me. The "Eagles" went undefeated in the season, but could go no further. There was not a state playoff system then. 
     In the following two years, the Eagles gave up the title on the last game of each season, '61 to the Tiskilwa Indians  and '62 to the Western Rams (both schools now gone like Wyanet). Wyanet was a three sport school, as were the other schools in the conference, football, basketball & track. When the conference went from 8 to 11 man football, we lost the Malden and Neponset football programs, they couldn't compete due to lack of boys, but we gained Annawan and Tampico in the 61 and 62 seasons. The conference did not have any athletic programs for the girls until well after I graduated.
   As for previous sports, my mother, Edna (Ellis) Foulke, graduated from Wyanet, class of 1929. Besides being a cheerleader, she played on a girls hockey team for Wyanet. The men Eagles also fielded a football (8-man single wing), basketball and track team.
    In the early 1950's, besides Dick Hamrick's basketball skill, the Eagles boasted of having a University of Kansas track star, David Tams, as a graduate.  For more info on the school, go to the Wyanet.com site."
 
Boys Track
 
Boys track and field success in the state meet can be summed up in one last name, Heuer.  We are told by a classmate of Marlon's, James Hamrick, that Duane Heuer was the father of Marlon.  This is probably one of very few father-son combinations in IHSA history to have medaled at the IHSA State Track & Field Meet.  Below are listed the track success of the boys from Wyanet named Heuer.
 
1953   Duane Heuer    Pole Vault        5th Place  
1977   Marlon Heuer   1 Mile Run        5th Place
 
Girls Athletics
 
It is known that Wyanet High School offered girls athletics in the form of volleyball, basketball, and track. However, no information is available regarding these sports. If you have knowledge you wish to share please complete a school submission form or a guest commentary form and it will be added to the site.
 
Individual Events
 
Wyanet won a Regional Championship from the IHSA in Individual Events in 1973-74.
 
Memories
 
From Deanna Foran:
 
"The high school is very special because I lived a block away on Locust street. My parents also went to school there. I would like to see a music/band section honoring out band directors. That is how I came to know the other high schools around us, like Western and Tiskilwa, from band competitions. Gene Montgomery was our music teacher and he was an awesome musician. He started a jazz band which my brother and I played in. Thank you for the memories."
 
Seeking More Information  
 
If you have further information you would like to share regariding Wyanet High School and its athletic prowess, please complete the school submission or the guest commentary forms.  
 
To write:     Illinois HS Glory Days
                   6439 N. Neva St.
                   Chicago, Il.   60631
 
To e-mail:    ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net           

Wyanet High School
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August, 2005

Wyanet HS
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Rearview - HS on Right / GS on Left

Wyanet HS Football Concession Stand
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August, 2005

Wyanet HS Baseball Backstop
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Wyanet H.S. Yearbook
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Wyanet High School Building - 2006
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Courtesy of Deanna Foran