Hoopeston High School "Cornjerkers"
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Hoopeston High School - early 1900s
hoopestonhsdav.jpg
www.epodunk.som

The History of Hoopeston High School
 
Hoopeston (population 5,965) is located in upper-eastern Illinois about 35 miles northeast of Champaign and 25 miles north of Danville.  Hoopeston is only 6 miles west of the Indiana state border.  The city was settled in 1871 in northeast Vermilion County.  Illinois Route 1 runs north and south through town and intersects with Illinois Route 9 which runs east and west.  According to the town's official website http://www.hoopeston-il.gov/ a major contributing factor to the town's early growth was the intersection of two railroad lines, the Louisville & Nashville and the Norfolk & Western.
 
A great history of the Hoopeston School District and its infamous mascot name, the Cornjerkers, can be read about on the schools official website, http://www.hoopeston.k12.il.us/. It is not mentioned on the site, but it is likely Hoopeston residents had a high school in place by the late 1800s.  The town supported its own high school through the early 1970s.  It was in 1973 when Hoopeston High School consolidated with the students of nearby East Lynn High.  The result was the creation of the Hoopeston-East Lynn School District.
 
The high school for the Hoopeston-East Lynn District was located in Hoopeston. It remained there so named until a further consolidation effort came about in 1992. The name was changed to Hoopeston Area School District.  The high school remains in Hoopeston.
 
You can continue to support the Hoopeston Area High School Cornjerkers today.  Check out http://web.mac.com/gardner5/iWeb/CJVentures/Welcome.html and purchase your own Hoopeston Area High School "Jerky" pin.  A portion of the proceeds benefits the Hoopeston Athletic Boosters.
 
Hoopeston High School Quick Facts
 
Year opened:                            late 1800s
Year consolidated:                    1973
Consolidated to:                        Hoopeston-East Lynn School District
Hoopeston HS team nickname:  the "Cornjerkers"
Hoopeston HS team colors:        Blue & White
School Fight Song:                    Ohio State University Fight Song Tune
                                                                (Music provided by Greg Gardner)
                                                   (Lyrics provided by Janice Reetz and Bob Gatrell)
 
 

HOOPESTON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

 

FIGHT SONG

 

Here this song we sing to praise our school and varsity,

Knowing it will lead them forward to a victory.

 

Rah!   Rah!   Rah!

 

To our colors we will be true

Blue and white we’ll fight hard for you,

Love, faith, and loyalty we pledge to you Hoopeston High

 

~~~~~~~~~~ (Band plays) ~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hoopeston High fights fair!

 

~~~~~~~~~~ (Band plays) ~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hoopeston fights square!

 

And since we do we want you to:

Here this song we sing to praise our school and varsity,

Knowing it will lead them forward to a victory.

 

Rah!   Rah!   Rah!

 

To our colors we will be true

Blue and white we’ll fight hard for you,

Love, faith, and loyalty we pledge to you

Hoopeston High!  

ATHLETICS
 
As you will see, the Hoopeston Cornjerkers enjoyed varying levels of success in several different sports and academic competitions.  The boys competed in basketball, cross country, track, and wrestling.  It is likely that football and baseball were also part of the athletic program.  The school has had some success in speech conpetition held by the IHSA as well (www.ihsa.org).   
 
Boys Basketball
 
The Cornjerkers have always been known for their excellent basketball program. It was no different in the times before consolidation took effect.  No less than 10 Regional titles and one District title were earned by the Hoopeston High School hardwood court men.  Unfortunately the team records and coach's names of these and other great Hoopetson High basketball teams are not currently available. 
 
1922-23                District Champions                            Coach's name & record needed
                              District Scores Needed
                              Peoria Sectional Tourney
                              1st Rd lost to Cambridge
    
1923-24  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
1924-25  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
 
1925-26 13 - 8      Postseason Scores Needed                Coach Brasel
                 
1926-27  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
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  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
1931-32  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
1932-33  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
    
1933-34                Milford District Tournament                  Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Crescent City 31-18
                             2nd Rd lost to Watseka 40-18
                             Watseka lost title game to Potomac
   
1934-35                Hoopeston District Tournament           Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Bismarck 33-14
                             2nd Rd lost to Potomac 13-10
                             Potomac lost title game to Milford
       
1935-36                Hoopeston Regional Tournament        Coach's name & record needed
                             Hoopeston did not compete in District
                             1st Rd Beat Sheldon 30-10
                             Sheldon lost title game to Potomac 20-18
    
1936-37                Hoopeston Regional Tournament        Coach's name & record needed
                             Hoopeston did not compete in District
                             1st Rd lost to Cissna Park  18-15
                             Cissna Park beat Milford in title game
    
1937-38                Hoopeston Regional Champions     Coach's name & record needed
                             Hoopeston did not compete in District
                             Title Game Beat Cissna Park 36-34
                             Champaign Sectional Tournament
                             1st Rd lost to Urbana 27-21
                             Urbana lost in semi-final round
    
1938-39                Hoopeston Regional Tournament        Coach's name & record needed
                             Hoopeston did not compete in District
                             1st Rd Beat Potomac 25-15
                             Semi-final lost to Cissna Park 26-23
                             Cissna Park beat Armstrong in title game
 
1939-40                IHSA Regional Champions               Coach's name & record needed
                             Regional Scores Needed
                             Champaign Sectional Tournament
                             1st Rd Beat St. Joseph 42-30
                             Semi-final lost to Paxton 29-26
                             Paxton lost to Champaign in title game             
                                         
1940-41                IHSA Regional Champions               Coach's name & record needed
                             Regional Scores Needed
                             Champaign Sectional Tournament
                             1st Rd lost to Urbana 47-34
                             Urbana won title game over Champaign
     
1941-42                Hopeston Regional Champions       Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Cissna Park 44-23
                             Semi-final Beat Rankin 53-44
                             Title Game Beat Watseka 31-28 
                             Champaign Sectional Tournament
                             1st Rd Beat Danville 38-29
                             Semi-final lost to Urbana 36-35
                             Urbana Beat Champaign in title game
    
1942-43                Watseka Regional Tournament           Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd lost to Cissna Park 44-39
                             Cissna Park beat East Lynn in title game
   
1943-44  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
            
1944-45                Hoopeston Regional Tournament        Coach's name & record needed
                             Hoopeston did not compete in District
                             1st Rd Beat Rankin 55-38
                             Semi-final lost to Rossville 25-22
                             Rossville lost title game to Milford
   
1945-46                Milford Regional Tournament               Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Bismarck 66-42
                             Semi-final lost to Milford 40-32
                             Milford lost to Cissna Park in title game
    
1946-47                Hoopeston Regional Champions       Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Potomac 52-24
                             Semi-final Beat Cissna Park 30-27
                             Title Game Beat Rossville 42-32 
                             Champaign Sectional Tournament
                             1st Rd lost to Champaign 66-32
                             Champaign beat Danville in title game
                                         
1947-48                Milford Regional Champions             Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Milford 48-35
                             Semi-final Beat Rossville 51-41
                             Title Game Beat Bismarck 59-38 
                             Hoopeston Sectional Tournament
                             1st Rd Beat Onarga Military 69-48
                             Title game lost to Champaign 50-30
                     
1948-49                Hoopeston Regional Runner-up         Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Armstrong 70-37
                             Semi-final Beat Rankin 64-34
                             Title Game lost to Potomac 42-37
     
1949-50                Milford Regional Tournament                 Coach's name & record needed
                             Semi-final lost to Rossville 43-38
                             Rossville lost title game to Armstrong
       
1950-51                Hoopeston Regional Champions       Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Bismarck 59-40
                             Semi-final Beat Cissna Park 56-35
                             Title Game Beat Watseka 39-36 
                             Danville Sectional Tournament
                             Semi-final Beat Champaign 41-39
                             Title Game lost to Danville 59-51
    
1951-52                Hoopeston Regional Tournament        Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd lost to Watseka 42-34
                             Watseka lost to East Lynn in semi-final
                             East Lynn lost title game to Armstrong
    
1952-53                Watseka Regional Tournament            Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Rossville 55-51
                             Semi-final lost to  Cissna Park 52-41
                             Cissna Park beat Watseka in title game
    
1953-54                Hoopeston Regional Champions      Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Bismarck-Henning 52-35
                             Semi-final Beat East Lynn 56-50
                             Title Game Beat Watseka 45-40
                             Champaign Sectional Tournament
                             Semi-final Beat Champaign 67-65 (O/T)
                             Title Game lost to Danville 58-47
    
1954-55                Watseka Regional Tournament            Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd lost to Potomac 68-54
                             Potomac beat Cissna Park in title game
  
1955-56                Hoopeston Regional Tournament         Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Bismarck-Henning 45-41
                             Semi-final lost to Armstrong 41-33
                             Armstrong lost to Potomac in title game
    
1956-57    4 - 20  Watseka Regional Tournament             Coach Bill Campbell
                             1st Rd Beat Rossville 46-42
                             Semi-final lost to Cissna Park 57-35
                             Cissna Park beat Watseka in title game
   
1957-58    8 - 18  Hoopeston Regional Tournament         Coach Bill Campbell
                             1st Rd lost to Watseka 58-50
                             Watseka lost to Cissna Park in title game
    
1958-59                Watseka Regional Tournament            Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Milford 50-49
                             Semi-final lost to Armstrong
                             Armstrong lost to Watseka in title game
    
1959-60                Hoopeston Regional Tournament         Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Armstrong 57-55
                             Semi-final lost to Rossville-Alvin 59-47
                             Rossville-Alvin beat Watseka in title game   
   
1960-61                Watseka Regional Runner-up            Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Armstrong 53-46
                             Semi-final Beat Rossville 50-42
                             Title Game lost to Sheldon 50-44 (O/T)
    
1961-62                Hoopeston Regional Tournament         Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Potomac 61-55
                             Semi-final lost to Watseka 58-47
                             Watseka lost to Sheldon in title game
    
1962-63                Watseka Regional Tournament            Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Armstrong 60-53
                             Semi-final lost to Cissna Park 51-50
                             Cissna Park lost to Watseka in title game
        
1963-64                Hoopeston Regional Champions       Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Rossville-Alvin 85-41
                             Semi-final Beat Sheldon 62-47
                             Title Game Beat Milford 65-47
                             Champaign Sectional Tournament
                             Semi-final lost to Arcola 64-39
                             Arcola beat Champaign in title game
                             Arcola lost to 3rd Pl Winner Stephen Decatur in Sweet 16 Rd
        
1964-65                Watseka Regional Champions          Coach's name & record needed
                             (early round scores needed)
                             Title Game Beat Milford 54-50
                             Urbana Sectional Tournament
                             Semi-Final Beat Rantoul 54-41
                             Title Game lost to Danville 73-51
                             Danville lost in Sweet 16 Rd.
   
1965-66  Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.
  
1966-67                Hoopeston Regional Runner-up        Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Bismarck-Henning 61-51
                             Semi-final Beat Donovan 70-56
                             Title Game lost to St. Anne 73-54
    
1967-68                Watseka Regional Tournament            Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd Beat Milford 55-41
                             Semi-final lost to Bismarck-Henning 61-58
                             Bismarck-Henning beat Rossville-Alvin in title game
    
1968-69                Rossville Regional Tournament            Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd lost to Bismarck-Henning 49-36
                             Bismarck-Henning lost to Rossville-Alvin in title game
   
1969-70                Hoopeston Regional Tournament         Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd lost to Rossville-Alvin 35-33
                             Rossville-Alvin lost semi-final to St. Anne
                             St. Anne beat Bismarck-Henning for title
   
1970-71                Watseka Regional Tournament            Coach's name & record needed
                             1st Rd lost to Milford 79-57
                             Milford lost to Cissna Park in semi-final
                             Cissna Park beat Bismarck-Henning in title game 
       
1971-72                Bismarck Class 'A' Regional Tourney   Coach Ed Byrd
                             1st Rd lost to Bismarck-Henning 60-55
                             Bismarck-Henning lost to Potomac in semi-final
                             Potomac lost to Schlarman in title game
 
**Hoopeston consolidated with East Lynn in the summer of 1972 to form the Hoopeston-East Lynn High School District.
        
Notable Roundball Athletes
 
Vernon Fink and Don Cade - Helped lead the Cornjerkers on the court during the late 1930s and early 1940s Regional championship teams, eventually garnering All-State honorable mention honors in 1940-41.
 
 
Boys Cross Country
 
The Hoopeston High School harriers won a District title as well. Coach Quentin Ryder started the Cross Country program in 1967 at Hoopeston and coached it for 33 years.  He held the Illinois State High School Association record for most wins in Cross Country (311-159) from 1967-1999.  He now stands at 3rd place.  Coach is tied for 1st place in most dual meet wins at one school. .
 
1972-73           District Champions                Coach Quentin Ryder
 
Boys Track & Field
 
A pair of NINTH place finishes in the Class 'B' Meet Competition in the early 1920s hi-lited the Hoopeston HS boys track & field successes. In addition a total of fouteen medals were won by ten different boys and one Relay team!  
 
1913-14     Individual Medalist - Ralph Webber          Discus                    4TH Place
1915-16B   Individual Medalist - Stanton Boardman   Discus                    3RD Place
1921-22B   Individual Medalists - Frank Foster            220 Yard Hurdles    4TH Place
                                                   Wallace Tyler          Pole Vault             3RD Place
1922-23B   Individual Medalist - Wallace Tyler            High Jump            4TH Place
                                                                                    Pole Vault            3RD Place
 
1923-24B   Team Finished NINTH in STATE MEET Competition!!
 
                 Individual Medalists
 
                 Lowell Hall        Pole Vault          STATE CHAMPION!!
                 Harold Lucas      440 Yard Dash    STATE CHAMPION!!
                
                 Final Team Standings
                 1)  Girard                                     20   
                 2)  Chesterfield                             16  
                 2)  White Hall                               16  
                 4)  Carlinville                                 15   
                 5)  Gridley                                    13  
                 5)  Hinsdale (Twp.)                        13
                 7)  Wheaton (H.S.)                        12   
                 7)  Bridgeport                                12  
                 9)  HOOPESTON HIGH SCHOOL  10
               10)  Chicago (Pullman Manual)          8  
               10)  Abingdon                                   8
 
1924-25B   Team Finished NINTH in STATE MEET Competition!!
 
                 Individual Medalists
 
                 Scott Ingle         Pole Vault           2ND Place
                 RELAY TEAM      880 Yard Relay    4TH Place 
                 Harold Lucas      440 Yard Dash     5TH Place
                 Alan Miller         Shot Put              5TH Place
                 Edgar Potts        100 Yard Dash      5TH Place
 
                 Final Team Standings
                 1)  Hinsdale (Twp.)                        28  
                 2)  Carlinville                                 22½ 
                 3)  Wenona                                   11  
                 4)  Fisher                                      10½ 
                 5)  Carrollton                                 10  
                 5)  Wheaton (H.S.)                         10  
                 7)  Elmwood                                    9½  
                 8)  Staunton                                    9   
                 9)  HOOPESTON HIGH SCHOOL     7½
                 9)  Chandlerville                               7½
 
1947-48    Individual Medalist - Herbie Neathery       880 Yard Run       5TH Place
      
**Coach Bob Doty, and his wife Nancy each worked for 27 years at Hoopeston High School, Hoopeston-East Lynn (H-EL), and Hoopeston Area High School from 1967-1994.  Hoopeston Area High School has elected Coach Bob Doty into its Athletic Hall of Fame for his track and football coaching.  Coach Doty  is a former State of Illinois champion in the 100 yd. dash & silver medalist in the 200 yd. dash - 1959 St. Elmo Illinois High School.  He came to Hoopeston to assist the sprinters under head coach Dick Hobbs.  Coach Doty retired from Hoopeston after 27 years; became the head men's and women's track and cross-country coach at Murray State University in Murray, KY, where he and his wife continue to live. Coach Doty's daughter, Jill Doty, also won the State of Illinois 100 m. dash and 2nd in the 200 m. dash while competing for Hoopeston-East Lynn High School in the spring of 1987.
 
Wrestling
 
Hoopeston High's grapplers won a District title in the school's final year of exstence.  
 
1971-72   17 - 1                                                   Coach Jim Richards
1972-73   14 - 4    District Champions            Coach Jim Richards
                
Football
 
The boys competed in football each Fall as well. Dean Bentley located the following season records and coaches' names listed below. If you have any other information regarding the Bison football program contact us via e-mail.
     
1925-26      6 - 2                   Coach Brasel
1956-57      6 - 2                   Coach Robert Sanders
1957-58      4 - 4                   Coach Robert Sanders
              
1971-72      8 - 0                   Coach Anthony Velasco
            
Drama
 
The Drama team also had a great year of IHSA success.  In team competition the Hoopeston thespians won a sectional and qualified for the State Competition!
 
1942-43                Team Qualified for State Competition
                            Sectional Champions
 
Speech Sweepstakes
 
The Speech Sweepstakes competition saw Hoopeston High School win back to back Sectional titles.  There must be a good coach/teacher story there waiting to be told.  Three Individual Medalists came from Hoopeston High School as well.
 
1943-44               Sectional Champions
                          
                           Individual Medalist
 
                           Martha Holmes          Verse                 5TH Place
 
1944-45               Sectional Champions
                          
                           Individual Medalist
                          
                           John Leeman            Extemporary      5TH Place  
 
1945-46                Individual Medalist
           
                            Bob Calvin                  Serious               3RD Place
 
Need More In-Put
 
We are requesting further information regarding Hoopeston High School.  If you can provide any information you would like to share please complete a School Submission Form or a Guest Commentary Form.  We especially enjoy photos of the old school buildings and great teams, players, and coaches of Hoopeston's storied past.  You may also contact us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or write us at:
 
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il.    60631