Norris City-Omaha High School "Cardinals"
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Norris City-Omaha High School Building
norriscityhsbldg1949dav.jpg
Submitted by David Cantrell, from the 1949 Norris City HS Yearbook

The History of Norris City - Omaha High School
 
Norris City (population 1,057) is located in southeastern Illinois about 30 miles east of Benton and 10 miles southwest of Carmi.  Norris City sits quietly in the southwest corner of White County 15 miles west of the Indiana state line.  U.S. Route 45 and Illinois Route 1 intersect just south of Norris City.  The Conrail and Prairie Trunk Railroads also intersects on Norris City's south side.  A branch of the Bear Creek flows through the north side of town. Norris City is named after early settlers of the area William and Emaline Norris.
 
Omaha (population 263) is located in southeastern Illinois about five miles south of Norris CIty. However Omaha is nestled in the northwest corner of Gallatin County.  Illinois Route 1 is the main roadway leading to and from Omaha and connects it to its school partner, Norris CIty. The Prairie Trunk Railroad travels through Omaha as well.  A branch of the Cane Creek flows through the east side of town. The village of Omaha was first established in 1871 along the St. Louis & Southeastern Railroad line. It was named by a baggage handler who worked for the railroad named Henry Pearce. Mr. Pearce originally worked in Omaha, Nebraska and named the town after his original work-place town. The fillage was incorporated in 1888. ("Place Names of Illinois" by Edward Callary)
The following brief history of Norris City-Omaha High School was provided to us by David Cantrell:
 
*In 1953, Omaha High School consolidated into Norris City High School District 181 to form Norris City-Omaha (NCO) Community Unit Number 3 High School.

*In 1985, Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (NCOE) Community Unit Number 3 High School was created when Enfield High School merged with NCO. District contains 210 square miles from White, Gallatin, and Hamilton Counties.
(Edward Oliver, Villager’s Voice, May 25, 2016)
 
Norris City-Omaha-Enfield High School remains in Norris City.  The fate of the original Norris City High School building is being sought.
 
Norris City-Omaha High School Quick Facts
 
Year Norris City-Omaha HS opened:  1953
Year consolidated with Enfield:           1985
Consolidated to:                                   Norris City-Omaha-Enfield High School
Norris City HS team nickname:           "Cardinals"
Norris City HS team colors:                 Cardinal & White
School Fight Song:                              Norris City Loyalty
 
                                          Here’s to the Cardinal and the white,
                                          Here’s to our honor and our might, 
                                          Here’s to our love of honesty 
                                          And my our courage always be.
                                          Here’s to our Alma mater brave, 
                                          And May our colors always wave. 
                                          To name a victory for Norris City,
                                          Here’s to the Cardinal and the white.
Athletics
 
It is a fact that Norris City-Omaha High School offered the boys sports of baseball, basketball, track. The girls at N.C.O.H.S. were offered volleyball, basketball, and softball, probably track as well. 
                                   
Boys Basketball 
 
The Norris City-Omaha High School boys had success in IHSA tourney action.  There are a lot of season records and coach's names missing from the history of the program. Several basketball scores from games in the IHSA State Tourney involving Norris City- Omaha HS were located on a website titled "Illinois Postseason High School Basketball Scores." The most successful results are posted below.
 
1954-55                      Norris City Regional Tourney           Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd lost to Carrier Mills 50-48
                                   Shawneetown beat Eldorado in title game
CARRIER MILLS (50): O. Rollins 22, Fitts 12, V. Rollins 10, Berns 4, Reid 2.
NORRIS CITY (48): C. McCormick 17, Johnson 12, Williams 7, La. Bruce 5, Le. Bruce 4, Cantrell 2, E. McCormick 1.
                             
1955-56                      McLeansboro Regional Tourney           Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd lost to McLeansboro 60-50
                                   Shawneetown beat Carrier Mills in title game
MCLEANSBORO (60): Sloan 22, Hall 10, Gateley 10, Bell 10, Sandusky 8.
NORRIS CITY (50): Bruce 17, Johnson 14, Miner 6, McCormick 6, Anderson 6, Haddock 1.
 
1956-57                      Norris City Regional Tourney           Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd Beat Equality 75-55
                                   Semi-final lost to Harrisburg 56-52
                                   Harrisburg beat Carrier Mills in title game
                                   
1957-58                      Eldorado Regional Tourney           Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd Beat McLeansboro 51-50
NORRIS CITY (51): Greathouse 17, DeJarnett 13, Haddock 9, Hamilton 7, Dagley 5.
MCLEANSBORO (50): Sloan 23, Tyler 14, Sandusky 8, Reed 3, Hufstutler 2.
                                   Semi-final lost to Carrier Mills 74-58
CARRIER MILLS (74): Taborn 27, Rollins 20, Keene 14, Smith 7, Manier 6.
NORRIS CITY (58): Greathouse 18, Dagley 13, Hamilton 12, Haddock 11, DeJarnett 4.
                                   Carrier Mills beat Ridgway in title game
            
1963-64                      Norris City Regional Tourney           Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd Beat Equality 63-60
                                   Semi-final lost to Carrier Mills 71-69
                                   Harrisburg beat Carrier Mills in title game
                                                
1965-66                      Harrisburg Regional Runner-Up   Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd Beat Eldorado 78-60
                                   Semi-Final Beat Ridgway 73-61
                                   Title Game lost to Harrisburg 65-51
HARRISBURG (65): Humphrey 20, Cannon 15, Jarrells 12, Wilson 10, Vinyard 8.
NORRIS CITY (51): Cole 15, Hill 13, Allen 9, Johnson 7, Baker 6, Millspaugh 1.
                                                 
1966-67                      Harrisburg Regional Tourney           Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd Beat Eldorado 58-56
                                   Semi-final lost to Harrisburg 71-68 (O/T)
                                   Ridgway beat Harrisburg in title game
                                                 
1967-68                      Norris City Regional Tourney           Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd lost to Ridgway 82-73
                                   Eldorado beat Carrier Mills in title game
RIDGWAY (82): Stallings 41, Ramsey 15, Crawford 14, Patton 9, Holland 3.
NORRIS CITY (73): J. Graves 16, Griffith 14, G. Graves 14, Grisham 14, Black 9, Hardesty 6.
                                            
1968-69                      Harrisburg Regional Tourney           Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd Beat Ridgway 93-82
                                   Semi-final lost to Eldorado 78-65
                                   Eldorado beat McLeansboro in title game
                    
1970-71                      Harrisburg Regional Tourney           Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd lost to Eldorado 83-73
                                   Harrisburg beat Carrier Mills in title game
ELDORADO (83): Tierney 33, Watson 13, Baird 12, Smith 10, White 9, Gidcumb 6.
NORRIS CITY (73): Sallee 23, Harris 16, Eubanks 15, Franks 10, Imboder 6, Morris 3.
                                                 
1971-72                      Norris City Class A Regional            Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd Beat Equality 70-60
                                   Semi-final lost to Eldorado 80-65
                                   Eldorado beat McLeansboro in title game
                         
1972-73                      Norris City Class A Regional            Coach's name & record needed
                                   1st Rd Beat Thompsonville 82-56
                                   Semi-final lost to Ridgway 64-51
                                   Ridgway beat Eldorado in title game
                                   Ridgway won IHSA Class A State Championship
                           
1974-75     17 - 9        Ridgway Class A Regional               Coach David Gray
                                   1st Rd Beat Shawneetwon 106-38
                                   Semi-final lost to Eldorado 86-69
                                   Eldorado beat Carrier Mills in title game
                                   Eldorado placed 4th in Class A Tourney
                      
                                
1976-77     21 - 6        Norris City Class A Regional            Coach David Gray
                                   1st Rd Beat Crab Orchard 81-72
                                   Semi-final lost to Carrier Mills 70-64
                                   Eldorado beat Carrier Mills in title game
                                   Eldorado placed 3rd in Class A Tourney
                                    
1977-78     19 - 4        Eldorado Class A Reg. 2nd Place  Coach David Gray
                                   1st Rd Beat Crab Orchard 76-50
                                   Semi-Final Beat Ridgway 52-50
                                   Title Game lost to Eldorado 78-67
ELDORADO (78): Lane 40, Jones 18, Hiller 10, Finnie 6, Delaney 2, Woods 2.
NORRIS CITY (67): Pearce 17, Wheeler 15, Short 12, Bain 8, Norris 7, McKenzie 4, Johnson 4.
                                
1978-79     22 - 6      McLeansboro Class A Reg. Champ Coach David Gray 
                                   1st Rd Beat Thompsonville 93-44
                                   Semi-Final Beat Woodlawn 56-44
                                   Title Game Beat Wayne City 64-43
                                   Norris City Sectional Tourney
                                   Semi-Final lost to Ziegler-Royalton 69-67
                                   Carrier Mills beat Ziegler-Royalton in title game
ZEIGLER-ROYALTON (69): Mitchell 30, Bandy 19, Colson 8, Moyers 6, Smillie 6.
NORRIS CITY (67): Wheeler 27, Johnson 16, McKenzie 15, Bain 5, Miner 4.
                               
1979-80     23 - 3        Norris City Class A Regional             Coach David Gray
                                   1st Rd Beat Bluford Webber 73-41
                                   Semi-Final lost to McLeansboro 62-61 (3 O/Ts) 
                                   Benton beat McLeansboro in title game
                           
1980-81     16 - 9        West Frankfort Class A Regional      Coach David Gray
                                   1st Rd Beat Thompsonville 83-53
                                   Semi-Final lost to McLeansboro 77-62
                                   West Frankfort beat McLeansboro in title game
                                             
1981-82     14 - 11      Norris City Class A Regional             Coach David Gray
                                   1st Rd lost to McLeansboro 62-49
                                   Benton beat McLeansboro in title game
                                      
1982-83     16 - 10    Norris City Class A Reg 2nd Place  Coach David Gray
                                   1st Rd Beat Enfield 52-49
                                   Semi-Final Beat West Frankfort 58-49 
                                   Title game lost to McLeansboro 70-35
                                   McLeansboro placed 3rd in Class A Tourney
                                           
 
1983-84   (needed)    West Frankfort Class A Regional      Coach David Gray
                                   1st Rd Beat Bluford 57-55
                                   Semi-Final lost to West Frankfort 59-50
                                   McLeansboro beat West Frankfort in title game
                                   McLeansboro won Class A State Championship
                                    
 
1984-85    17 - 8         Norris City Class A Regional             Coach David Gray
                                   1st Rd Beat Bluford 69-54
                                   *Semi-Final lost to West Frankfort 78-73 (O/T) 
                                   McLeansboro beat West Frankfort in title game
   
*Final boys basketball game as Norris City-Omaha High School. Became Norris City- Omaha-Enfield High School in the summer of 1985.
 
Girls Softball
 
The Norris City-Omaha HS ladies of the ball diamond had at least one great season to remember.  The team of 1984-85 won a Regional Championship!  Unfortunately the coach's name and team record of this and other great Norris City-Omaha softball teams are not currently available.
 
1984-85             Regional Champions
 
Girls Volleyball
 
If you are talking Girls volleyball in the Norris City-Omaha-Enfield area, you can sum up the success attained in one name, Coach Cathy Black. 
 
Coach Black has apparently been coaching volleyball at Norris City since the inceptiion of the sport for girls by the IHSA, 1974-75.  What an incredible career and program she has built there!  To date Coach Black (through 2004-05) has won 555 games and lost only 240 for a .698 winning percentage.  She set the tone in her first eleven seasons at Norris City-Omaha High School.
 
 
1974-79                                                            Coach Cathy Black
1979-80    10 - 10                                             Coach Cathy Black
1980-81    13 - 7                                               Coach Cathy Black
1981-82    22 - 2      District Champions        Coach Cathy Black
1982-83 |  27 - 4      Regional Champions     Coach Cathy Black
1983-84    19 - 8                                               Coach Cathy Black
1984-85    24 - 8                                                Coach Cathy Black
 
Need More Information
 
If you have ANY further information to offer regarding the many accomplishments and achievements made by the students and townspeople of Norris City, Omaha, and their initial High School effort together, please share it with us. School fight song as well as other non-athletic related items are being sought.  A photo of the original Norris City-Omaha High School building would especially be welcome. These items can be e-mailed to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net or real-mailed to us at:
 
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago,  Il.  60631