Allendale High School Yellowjackets

Allendale High School Building - 1949

Submitted by Michele Loeffler

The History of Allendale High School

Allendale (population 528) is located on Il. Route 1, about 8 miles north of Mt. Carmel. This places Allendale in southeastern Illinois, in the northeast portion of Wabash County. Allendale is approximately three miles west of the Indiana state boarder.

Information is needed regarding the town of Allendale and it's school system. The high school was probably established in the late 1800's/early 1900's. It was in the mid 1980's that talks of closing Allendale High School and merging it with nearby Mt. Carmel High began. These talks became a reality after the 1986-87 school year.

Some information regarding Allendale High School were provided to us by former student Paula Logue:

"I attended Allendale from 2nd Grade through 9th Grade. Allendale High School consolidated with Mt. Carmel High School in the Fall of 1987. That was my first year attending MCHS. They stopped using the old building and gym at that time. The old building wasn't destroyed by the tornado January 7th, 1989. It did endure extensive damage and it was decided to tear it down.

The old gym did have bleachers on both sides. At one end of the gym was a stage where many plays and shows were performed. AHS had basketball, baseball, volleyball and other sports."

Allendale continues to support a K-8 school in town.

Allendale High School System

Year opened: late 1800's/early 1900's

Year closed: 1987

Annexed to: Mt. Carmel High School

School nickname: the "Yellowjackets"

School colors: Purple & Gold

School Fight Song: "Allendale School Fight Song"

Words provided by Franklin Pemberton and Brooke Leek

Shoot for the basket

Add to the score,

Make Allendale

The victor once more!

                                      You're the team
                                      That brought us fame
                                      Glory and honor
                                      Follow your name

Should we lose

We'll rise again

To fight, fight

For Allendale!!

The "unofficial" AHS fight song in honor of the fighting spirit of the Allendale Yellowjackets:

"Purple and Gold"

Sung to "Its A Grand Old Flag"

It's a grand ball team, tho' we don't like to brag

And it's worth, we will prove to you soon

They're the idol of the school we have

That fights for the Purple and Gold.

We'll stick by them, tho' we lose or win

And our faith will not fail

The other teams may be forgot

Take your hat off to Allendale!!

Athletics

Allendale High School definitely offered boys basketball. It is thought the school also offered track, plus at one time offered football, baseball, and girls' basketball during the 1920's (according to alumnus Franklin Pemberton). During its' early years, the Yellowjackets played on an outdoor court that was the same place where the baseball team also played, before moving indoors to a converted church building, then eventually to a gym at the school.

Allendale was a member of the Little Ten Conference. During the middle and late 50's, they were a "powerhouse" in that conference and area. If you have any further information to share regarding Allendale High School athletics please e-mail us at eganann@sbcglobal.net.

Boys Basketball

The Allendale High School basketball team won seven District titles during its existence. Two titles each were won in the 1930's, 1940's, and 1950's with the last title coming in 1961. One bit of information was offered to us by Gary Spicer:

"Their coach during that time (1950's/1960's) was Dell Atkinson. Atkinson went to Mt. Carmel to coach during 1960-62 seasons. He then went back to Allendale and picked up where he left off (in 1965)."

Earliest known boys' basketball team at Allendale

courtesy of Franklin Pemberton

If you have any other information about these or any other great teams in AHS history, please drop us a line. Thanks to Franklin Pemberton the photos as well as helping us fill in some gaps with regards to Yellowjacket hoops history below!

Scores of basketball games played by the Yellowjackets in the IHSA State Tourney were located on a website titled "Illinois Postseason High School Basketball Scores."

1918-19 Lawrenceville District Tourney Coach's name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to Bridgeport 43-15

Flora beat Olney in title game

1919-20 Olney District Tournament Coach's name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to Hutsonville 39-15

Olney beat Oblong in title game.

1920-21 Lawrenceville District Tourney Coach's name & record needed.

1st Rd Score Needed

2nd Rd Beat Chrisman 35-24

Semi-Final lost to Lawrenceville 18-5

Mt. Carmel beat Lawrenceville in title game.

1921-22 Bridgeport District Tourney Coach's name & record needed.

1st Rd Score Needed

2nd Rd lost to Palestine 18-14

Bridgeport beat Sumner in title game.

1922-23 through 1931-32 Scores, records, and coaches' names needed.

1930-31 14- 4 Coach L.C. Small

1931-32 Bridgeport District Tourney Coach's name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Sumner 22-10

2nd Rd lost to Bridgeport 29-19

Lawrenceville beat Bridgeport in title game.

1932-33 21- 6 Lawrenceville District Tourney Coach Erret Warner

1st Rd lost to Lawrenceville 30-13

Lawrenceville beat Flat Rock in title game.

1933-34 Bridgeport District Tourney Coach's name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Sumner 20-13

2nd Rd lost to Olney 32-27

Bridgeport beat Lawrenceville in title game.

1932-33 AHS basketball team

First known team to win 20 games in a season (courtesy of Franklin Pemberton)

1934-35 18-11 Bridgeport District Tourney Coach Lester Courter

1st Rd Beat Bone Gap 46-20

2nd Rd Beat St. Francisville 30-12

Semi-final lost to Flat Rock 31-29

Mt. Carmel beat Flat Rock in title game.

1935-36 16-10 Bridgeport District Champions Coach Harold Diel

1st Rd Beat Landes 39-21

Semi-Final Beat Calhoun 27-22

Title Game Beat Lancaster 23-20

Bridgeport Regional Tourney

1st Round lost to Bridgeport 39-22

Bridgeport beat Olney in title game.

1936-37 15-10 Sumner District Champions Coach Harold Diel

1st Rd Beat Calhoun 36-22

Semi-final Beat Flat Rock 32-29

Title Game Beat Sumner 31-25

Bridgeport Regional Tourney

1st Round lost to Olney 37-17

Palestine beat Olney in title game

1937-38 Allendale Basketball

courtesy of Franklin Pemberton

1937-38 23- 6 Bridgeport District Runner-Up Coach Harold Diel

1st Rd Beat Dundas 41-20

Semi-Final Beat St. Francisville 13-10

Title Game lost to Flat Rock 27-25

1938-39 15-11 Bridgeport District Runner-Up Coach Harold Diel

1st Rd Beat Calhoun 41-22

Semi-Final Beat Dundas 42-19

Title Game lost to St. Francisville 25-15

1939-40 12- 6 Allendale not assigned to District Coach Harold Diel

Mt. Carmel Regional Tourney

1st Rd lost to Bellmont 30-23

Albion beat Bellmont in title game.

1940-41 18- 8 Allendale not assigned to District Coach Paul Leming

Mt. Carmel Regional Tourney

1st Rd lost to Bellmont 41-39

Mt. Carmel beat Albion in title game

1941-42 Yellowjackets

Most wins in a season (courtesy of Franklin Pemberton)

1941-42 31- 7 Mt. Carmel Regional Runner-Up Coach Armer

1st Rd Beat Albion 42-30

Semi-Final Beat Carmi 31-26

Title Game lost to Crossville 29-28

1942-43 Mt. Carmel Regional Tournament Coach's name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat St. Francisville 34-27

Semi-Final lost to Mt. Carmel 21-17

Mt. Carmel beat Carmi in title game.

1943-44 Bellmont District Tournament Coach's name & record needed.

Allendale scores needed

Bellmont beat Bone Gap in title game.

1944-45 14- 3 Bellmont District Runner-Up Coach Dell Atkinson

1st Rd Beat Keensburg 55-31

Semi-Final Beat Bone Gap 25-23

Title Game lost to St. Francisville 31-26

1945-46 16- 7 Bone Gap District Champions Coach Dell Atkinson

1st Rd Beat Bone Gap 52-29

Semi-Final Beat Lancaster 33-30

Title Game Beat Browns 22-21

Carmi Regional Runner-Up

1st Rd Beat Crossville 27-26

Semi-Final Beat Enfield 46-26

Title Game lost to Mt. Carmel 37-33

1946-47 27- 6 St. Francisville District Champs Coach Dell Atkinson

1st Rd Beat Bellmont 51-20

Semi-Final Beat Bone Gap 35-29

Title Game Beat St. Francisville 26-25

Mt. Carmel Regional Tourney

1st Rd Beat Albion 39-26

Semi-Final lost to Crossville 46-45

Mt. Carmel beat Crossville in title game.

1946-47 Allendale basketball team

Courtesy of Franklin Pemberton

1947-48 Allendale District Tourney Coach's name & record needed.

Allendale Score(s) Needed

Browns beat St. Francisville in title game.

1948-49 19- 5 St. Francisville District Runner-Up Coach Dell Atkinson

Early Round Scores Needed

Title Game lost to St. Francisville 46-44

(Both teams allowed to advance to Regional.)

Mt. Carmel Regional Tourney

1st Rd Beat Mt. Carmel 51-43

Semi-Final lost to Albion 54-44

Carmi beat Albion in title game.

1949-50 12-11 Carmi Regional Tourney Coach Dell Atkinson

1st Round lost to Carmi 59-46

Carmi beat Albion Edwards in title game.

1950-51 Mt. Carmel Regional Tourney Coach Dell Atkinson

1st Rd lost to Grayville 56-45

Carmi beat Fairfield in title game

1951-52 17- 8 St. Francisville District Tourney Coach Dell Atkinson

Semi-Final lost to Palestine 54-50

St. Francisville beat Palestine in title game.

1952-53 Palestine District Tourney Coach Dell Atkinson

1st Rd lost to Noble 55-50

Palestine beat Sumner in title game.

1953-54 12-11 Postseason Scores Needed Coach Dell Atkinson

1954-55 18- 9 Hutsonville District Runner-Up Coach Dell Atkinson

Early Rd Scores Needed.

Title Game lost to Hutsonville 73-65

1955-56 20- 9 Palestine District Champions Coach Dell Atkinson

Little 10 Conference Champs

District Scores

Semi-Final Beat Palestine 53-51

Title Game Beat Hutsonville 46-44

Robinson Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to Oblong 80-72

Lawrenceviille beat Robinson in title game.

1956-57 22- 4 Palestine District Champions Coach Dell Atkinson

Little 10 Conference Champs

District Scores

Semi-Final Beat St. Francisville 85-66

Title Game Beat Palestine 90-55

Olney Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to Oblong 78-58

Robinson beat Lawrenceviille in title game.

1957-58 23- 4 Little 10 Champs Coach Dell Atkinson

Palestine District Tournament

Semi-final lost to Palestine 52-49

Hutsonville beat Palestine in title game.

1958-59 Hutsonville District Tourney Coach's name & record needed.

1st Rd. Beat St. Francisville 81-55

Semi-Final lost to Noble 68-52

Hutsonville beat Noble in title game.

1959-60 Sumner District Tourney Coach's name & record needed.

1st Rd. lost to Dieterich 62-51

Sumner beat Hutsonville in title game.

1960-61 20- 5 Hutsonville District Champions Coach Roettger

Little 10 Conf. Champs

District Scores

1st Rd Beat St. Francisville 58-49

Semi-Final Beat Noble 64-52

Title Game Beat Sumner 55-45

Newton Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to Lawrenceville 62-53

Bridgeport beat Oblong in title game.

1961-62 19- 7 Sumner DIstrict Tournament Coach Roettger

1st Rd lost to Sumner 60-50

Sumner beat Hutsonville in title game

1962-63 14- 9 Sumner District Tournament Coach Way

1st Rd lost to Dieterich 61-49

Noble beat Dieterich in title game

1963-64 Postseason score(s) needed Coach Simpson

1964-65 Allendale District Tournament Coach Simpson

1st Rd lost to Sumner 63-42

Dieterich beat Noble in title game

1965-66 13- 9 Hutsonville District Tournament Coach Dell Atkinson

1st Rd Beat Sumner 92-61

Semi-final lost to Noble 72-67

St. Francisville beat Noble in title game

1966-67 19- 5 Sumner District Runner-Up Coach Dell Atkinson

Semi-Final Beat Sumner 79-54

Title Game lost to St. Francisville 53-40

1967-68 Sumner District Tournament Coach Dell Atkinson

1st Rd lost to St. Francisville 70-61

Noble beat St. Francisville in title game.

1968-69 14-10 Allendale District Tournament Coach Dell Atkinson

1st Rd. lost to Hutsonville 72-70

St. Francisville beat Noble in title game.

1969-70 Postseason score(s) needed Coach Andrew

1970-71 Sumner District Tournament Coach Andrew

1st Rd lost to Dieterich 67-65 (O/T)

Dieterich beat Hutsonville in title game.

1971-72 Lawrenceville Class 'A' Regional Coach Andrew

1st Rd lost to Oblong 75-69

Lawrenceville beat Palestine in title game

1972-73 Robinson Class 'A' Regional Coach Andrew

1st Rd lost to Oblong 76-52

Lawrenceville beat Robinson in title game

1973-74 Lawrenceville Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Robinson 80-39

Lawrenceville beat Robinson in title game

1974-75 Bridgeport Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Marshall 59-53

Bridgeport beat Oblong in title game

1975-76 Albion Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Albion Edwards County 76-65

Carmi beat Fairfield in title game

1976-77 Fairfield Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Robinson 80-39

Fairfield beat Carmi in title game

1977-78 Albion Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Albion Edwards County 59-50

Carmi beat Grayville in title game

1978-79 13-12 Robinson Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Oblong 61-58

Lawrenceville beat Robinson in title game

1979-80 Lawrenceville Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Red Hill 53-47

Lawrenceville beat Fairfield in title game

1980-81 Robinson Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Mt. Carmel 52-42

Lawrenceville beat Mt. Carmel in title game

1981-82 Mt. Carmel Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Mt. Carmel 78-76

Lawrenceville beat Mt. Carmel in title game

1982-83 Lawrenceville Class 'A' Regional Coach Loveless

1st Rd lost to Robinson 56-21

Lawrenceville beat Robinson in title game

1983-84 Postseason score(s) needed. Coach Loveless

1984-85 Lawrenceville Class 'A' Regional Coach Scott

1st Rd lost to Robinson 81-42

Palestine beat Red Hill in title game

1985-86 Robinson Class 'A' Regional Coach Scott

1st Rd lost to Lawrenceville 74-66

Robinson beat Newton in title game

1986-87 Newton Class 'A' Regional Coach Carlton

*1st lost to Lawrenceville 72-29

Newton beat Lawrenceville in title game

*Final game for Allendale boys basketball team.

Facts Regarding Some of the Better AHS Teams as provided by alumnus Franklin Pemberton:

1941-42 Team Record 31 - 7, Averaged 42.2 points per game. Scored 1605 points.

PLAYERS - Frank Adams, Ralph Andrews, Vance Kepley, Joe Leighty, Rex Talley, Robert Breen, J. Ray, Ray Buchanan, R. Kepley, Wm. Corrie, and Gene, Dale and Bill Beesley.

1954-55 Team Record 18 - 9. Won inaugural Wayne City Holiday Tournamment. Still going strong after 50+ years.

Players - Keith Loeffler (15.9 pts per game), Franklin Pemberton (15.0), Gail Cisel (9.3), Jack Johnson (6.9), Jack Wampler (7.9), Dennis Adams (0.7), Wayne Welton (4.3), Ed Wampler, Chuck Saltsgaver, Joe Boyd.

1955-56 Yellowjacket basketball program

Courtesy of Franklin Pemberton

1955-56 Team Record 20 - 9, District / Conference Champions

Players - Keith Loeffler (17.9), Franklin Pemberton (17.0), Gail Cisel, (10.8), Jack Johnson, (8.7), Dennis Adams (9.4), Jerry Grounds,(2.3), Larry Benham (4.2), Frank Saltsgaver, Norman Gher, Chuck Saltsgaver, Robert Keneipp, Ed Wampler

Excellent team with the following credentials:

(1) All-time highest scoring AHS team with 2,081 points for the season.

(2) Most points scored in AHS history for 2 consecutive years (3,777 in '55 and '56 seasons)

(3) Average most points per game, 71.8

(4) Only AHS team to score 100 pts in a game..100, 105, and 106 during 1955/56 season.

(5) Only AHS team in 60+ years to score 2000 points or more in one season.

(6) AHS record for most fieldgoals in season with 819.

(7) Had 4 members of team selected to the inaugural Little Ten Conference AllStar team;

Pemberton (unanimous), Loeffler, Cisel, and Johnson

(8) Won Conference and District Tournaments.

(9) Six players on team that had played together for 8 years.

(10) Never lost to a zone defense, long range shooters!

(12) Smallest school in conference and possibly in all of southern Illinois.

Other notes about the 1955-56 Yellowjacket squad from Frank Pemberton:

Norm Gher (Class of 1960) was the first AHS basketball player to ever receive a division 1 school basketball scholarship. But he did not receive the first scholarship in basketball, with that honor going to Franklin Pemberton.(Class of 1956). Franklin Pemberton's scholarship was for basketball with JC or small colleges out of high school. ALL were recruiting him to play point guard. Franklin was offered a Division I scholarship while playing for the 183rd Red Raiders from Herzobase at Herzogenaurach, West Germany in the spring of 1960. In fact, thirteen (13) members of this team were offered scholarships! The Division I school was attempting to acquire a ready-made team. A team that had played military teams and international teams. Franklin's team went 53-11 in 1958/59.

Also from the basketball team of 1956, the four all-conference players were all baseball pitchers. Mr. Johnson had one hellacious curve, that made most batters have a "chicken" leg. Mr. Loeffler was just a smart player and befuddled most of the batters. Mr. Cisel was just fast and had his batters neutralized. Mr. Pemberton was fast and had a "sharp" slider.

Don't recall their records because baseball was a secondary sport during the reign of basketball. Until high school, these four were fast softball pitchers, then all switched to baseball. They all played volleyball together. All six of the players from the Class of 1956 had most high school math classes together. It goes on and on.

P.S. Frank Saltsgaver, (a freshman) was the player that scored the 100th point for Allendale in the 106-40 win over Grayville on Dec 9,1955. Am actively hunting the two other 100th point scorers.

(Thanks Frank, for being such a font of information on this special group of AHS student-athletes!)

Yellowjacket Seniors of 1955-56 w/Coach Atkinson

(l-r) G. Cisel, J. Johnson, F. Pemberton, Coach Atkinson, L. Benham, R. Keneipp, & K. Loeffler

1956-57 - 22 wins 4 losses Third place in the Holiday tourney-Little Ten Conference--Little Ten Tourney--District Tourney. Team members--Jerry Grounds--Norman Gher--Frank Saltsgaver--Dennis Adams--Ed Wampler--John Hipsher--Ed Mills--Wayne Carey--Wayne Beck

1957-58 - 23 wins 4 losses. 2nd place in the Holiday tourney- First in Little ten Conference and Little Ten Tourney-second place in the district tourney Team--Norman Gher--Frank Saltsgaver--Ed Wampler--John Hipsher--Bill Schafer--Wayne Carey--Ed Mills--Wayne Beck--Bob Benham--Larry Kight--Lawrence Lanman--Submitted by John Hipsher

1960-61 - Team Record 20 - 5, District Champions / Little Ten Conference Champs

Players-Mike Walters, Larry Kight, Phillip Gard, Steve Kemper, Gail Beesley, Joe Wilcox, Jack Boyd, Joe Gher, B. Howes, Jr. Briner, Charles Sanders, Mike Schafer, Waren Riggs.

The leading scorers for the Yellowjackets during the 1960-61 season as far as points per game average were Gail Beasley 19, Mike Walters 16, Larry Kight 14, and Phillip Gard 11.

**Information from Don Gher:

"I see that my friend Frank Pemberton passed on some photos etc. My dad was a member of the first team to win 20 games photo and our cousin Harry was in the earliest known photo. BTW, our coach, Dell Atkinson, recently was named to the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame. I am in Seattle, but wrote a letter of recommendation for him, Frank spearheaded.

NOTE: The following item was submitted by Frank about Dell Atkinson's induction into the IBCA Hall of Fame:

"Dell Atkinson (Coach) will be inducted (posthumously) into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on April 24, 2010. He was selected on the second attempt at the behest of myself and several coaches who believed that he should be in the HoF. Dell succumbed in August 1969. So after 40+ years, he has been honored by peers and fans. He also coached a few years at Mt. Carmel and WVC (Wabash Valley College). He had coached at Allendale for 22.5 years."

The Allendale Yellow Jackets had a long, storied athletic history before the school was consolidated into Mt. Carmel. It won its first Illinois State District Tournament title in 1936 with Harold Diehl as the coach. The team was 16-10 behind All-District players Captain Jesse Gher, Richard Andrews and Ted Andrews. Other members of the team were Harold Alsop, Vern Howe, Robert Litherland, Ray McMillen, Raymond Mullinax, Elmer Smith and Edwin Winter.

1968-69 Allendale High School's basketball team was coached by Dell Atkinson from the late 1940's, with a short tenure coaching Mt. Carmel from 1960-62, until he passed away shortly after the school year ended in 1969. In his final season, the team finished 14-10 with a 9-5 second place Little Ten Conference record. They also won Third Place in the prestigious Wayne City tournament after upsetting top-ranked, and Little Ten Conference champ, Mills Prairie 73-69 by coming back from down 20. The team was ousted in the Allendale District Tournament by Hutsonville 72-70 on a controversial offensive goal tending call at the end of the game. Arch-rival St. Francisville lost both games to the 'Jackets that year, but won the District and gave eventual Regional and Sectional Champ Lawrenceville a battle before losing late. Ironically, Lawrenceville was led by former Allendale star Walter "Butch" Wolfe, who had transferred after his sophomore year.

The 1968-69 team was well-balanced offensively led by All-Conference Gary Hadra's 18.6 points per game, followed by Clyde Lewis at 11.6 p/g, Rick Andrews 11.0 p/g, Don Gher 10.4 p/g and Randy Walker 9.1 p/g. The final starting five, along with Bernie Lewis, were Coach Atkinson's pallbearers. Other players on the team were Randy Atkinson, Cliff Blair, Tom Woods, Danny Hadley, Steve Faith and David Bailey.

Two of the all-time best basketball players to come out of Allendale High were Joe Leighty and Ron Simmons, whose sons Ricky Leighty and Marty Simmons were both named Illinois' "Mr. Basketball" while playing at Lawrenceville."

Boys Baseball

The Yellowjackets played baseball as well. This story was relayed to us by Wayne City HS alumnus Gary Spicer:

"In the spring of 1955 I played in the Little Ten Conference baseball championship game against Allendale. What a game. Luckily we batted last 'cause we won 16-15 in 7 innings. We got down to 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th when the catcher tipped one of our batters' swings on the third strike. We rallied and won the game."

From Don Gher (Class of 1969):

1968-69 9 - 2 (6 - 2 in Conference Play)

Allendale was a perennial baseball power with several conference championships. Tom Andrews, who followed Dell Atkinson as basketball coach, coached the baseball team for many years. In 1969, they were 9-2 and 6-2 in the conference as they tied Grayville for the Little Ten crown before losing to the Bisons in a play-off. The team was led by three-time First Team All Little Ten Conference pitcher Gary Hadra (a 5-2 record), three-time First Team All Little Ten Conference centerfielder Don Gher (a .407 batting average) and two-time First Team All Little Ten Conference catcher Clyde Lewis (a .346 batting average). The rest of the line-up was made up of pitcher/infielder Richard Bates, first baseman Rick Andrews, second baseman Steve Faith, shortstop Harold Sanders, third baseman Bob Gher, left fielder David Bailey, right fielder Cliff Blair, outfielder Garland Sanders, outfielder Chuck Gher, infielder Gail Grounds, infielder Richard Seaton and infielder Mike Andrews."

FOOTBALL & GIRLS' BASKETBALL

According to AHS alum Franklin Pemberton (class of 1956), the school offered both sports in the late 1920's/early 1930's. Very little is known about either team; however, the football team was coached by Gentry Adams with the following lineup (photo is below):

Left end - Manson Payne

Left tackle - Harry Gher

Left guard - Herb McClain

Center - Randel Talley

Right guard - Randel Payne

Right tackle - Don Price

Right end - Willard Hipsher

Backs - Bob Smith, Fred Sparks, Wayne Smith, and Mark Shepard

Adams coached at the school wherever he was needed and also helmed the boys' basketball team during the same era.

The girls' basketball team also represented the school at the same time there was a football program, but it possibly could have been discontinued due to the lack of girls' interscholastic sports at that time, which was monitored by the Illinois High School Athletic Association (now IHSA). Some of the players for AHS in the photo below were Mary Francis Fox, Mona Courter, Christella Reiber, Maxine Baird, Nora Mae McFarland, and Jean Andrews.

1922 Allendale Football Team

courtesy of Franklin Pemberton

1928-29 Allendale girls' basketball team

Courtesy of Franklin Pemberton

MEMORIES AND FACTS OF ALLENDALE HIGH SCHOOL

From Dan Yelch:

"My mother attended Allendale HS in the mid-1930's.The old high school gym, along with the rest of the old school building, was destroyed by a tornado in the late 1980's. The newer gym, built in the 1960's remained and a grade school was built, after the tornado, and attached to the gym. The old gym had a short floor, with two mid-court stripes, and very little room between the end line and the brick walls. There were bleachers on both sides, there was a balcony also which had a few rows of bleachers that also ran the entire length of the gym."

From a very knowledgable Southern Illinois basketball fan who states that Allendale was involved in a tournament game whose outcome was decided by the influence of too much sunlight:

"In the middle 50's, Wayne City and Allendale were playing a semifinal game in the Wayne City Holiday Tourney on a Saturday afternoon. In the closing seconds Allendale's ball handler was stalling the ball in the closing seconds of the game. He turned to look at the clock and he looked directly into the sun coming in the gym from an uncurtained window. He was either temporarly blinded from seeing the clock or was startled by the sudden gleem of the sun that it caused Wayne City to either get the ball or the clock ran out with Wayne City having the lead and the spot in the championship game against Woodlawn. How time flys."

Need Your Assistance

If you have any information you can share regarding Allendale High School please e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. As you can see, there's room for more information. You can also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva Ave.

Chicago, Il. 60631