Joliet Central offered a wide-variety of sports and activities for its students. The boys had their choice among football, cross-country, soccer, basketball, wrestling, swimming, baseball, tennis, and track. On the other hand, the girls could compete in volleyball, tennis, basketball, track, softball, and bowling, According to the IHSA website (www.ihsa,org) no records were found for cross-country, golf, and gymnastics for both genders, and soccer, swimming, and softball for girls. We are aware that several of those sports were offered, and would appreciate more information if it is available by contacting us at the addresses listed below,

 

 

From the moment Joliet Township split into three schools, Central staked its reputation as a basketball school. Coaches Ed Woods, Dale Glenn, and Greg Peden all had winning percentages of at least .575 to keep the school at the forefront of top basketball teams in the state of Illinois. The 1969-70 team is considered the best team to have represented the school, getting third in the single-class state tournament, and led by All-Stater Roger Powell, the father of University of Illinois hoops star Roger Powell, Jr. from the 2005 Fighting Illini squad that took second in the NCAA Division I mens’ tournament.

 

1964-65   15-12    First season as Joliet Central                Coach Ed Woods

                           Centralia Tourney Cons. Champs

1965-66   24-  8    Regional Champions                         Coach Ed Woods

                              Ottawa Sectional Champions

                               Peoria Super Sectional Winners—Beat Pekin 63-50

                                Lost in Elite Eight to Belleville 74-72

                                Albert Crusoe named to All-Tournament Team 

1966-67   20-  6                                                              Coach Ed Woods

1967-68   10-15                                                              Coach Ed Woods

1969-70   27-  7    3rd in State!!                                       Coach Dale Glenn

                             Joliet Regional Champions             

                              Lockport Sectional Champions

                               Evanston Super Sectional Winners

                               Beat Park Ridge Maine South 71-68

                                Beat in Okawville in Elite Eight 56-43

                                 Lost to LaGrange Lyons 63-52 in semifinals

                                  Downed Peoria Spalding 82-75 for third place

                                  (LaGrange Lyons eventual state champ)

                                  Roger Powell leading scorer & was all-tournament  

1970-71   26-  4    Joliet Regional Champions          Coach Dale Glenn

     Lost to eventual state champ Dolton Thornridge in Joliet Central Sectional finals 68-63

                               Rated #3 in final Regular Season Associated Press Poll

1971-72   23-  6    AA Regional Champions             Coach Dale Glenn

                               Lost to Lockport Central in Joliet Central AA Sectional Finals 59-58               

1972-73   24-  4    AA Regional Champions             Coach Dale Glenn

                               Rated #8 in final regular season Associated Press Poll

1973-74   15-11                                                        Coach Dale Glenn

1974-75   25-  4    AA Regional Champions             Coach Dale Glenn

                               Rated #15 in final regular season Associated Press Poll

1975-76   26-  5    AA Regional Champions             Coach Dale Glenn

                              Lost to Bloomington HS in Kankakee Westview AA Sectional Finals 87-63

                               Rated #12 in final regular season AP poll

1976-77   21-  5    AA Regional Champions             Coach Dale Glenn

1977-78   24-  7    AA Regional Champions             Coach Dale Glenn

                              Lost to Danville HS in Normal AA Sectional Finals 57-52

1978-79   14-11                                                        Coach Dale Glenn

1979-80   19-  7                                                        Coach Dale Glenn

1980-81   15-10                                                        Coach Dale Glenn

1981-82   16-10                                                        Coach Greg Peden

1982-83   21-  6                                                        Coach Greg Peden

1983-84   20-  7                                                        Coach Greg Peden

1984-85   15-12                                                        Coach Greg Peden

1985-86   12-15                                                        Coach Greg Peden

1986-87   15-12  AA Regional Champions               Coach Greg Peden

1987-88   11-14                                                        Coach Greg Peden

1988-89   21-  9  AA Regional Champions               Coach Greg Peden

                            AA Sectional Champions

                             Lost in AA Aurora East Super Sectional to Chicago Hts. Bloom Twp. 69-68     

1989-90   23-  7                                                        Coach Greg Peden

1990-91   17-  8                                                        Coach Greg Peden

1991-92   22-  5                                                        Coach Greg Peden

1992-93   21-  8                                                        Coach Greg Peden

 

**Success attained at the Bloomington-Normal State Farm Holiday Classic Tournament as submitted by Mark Jurenga: 

 

All-Tournament Selections
1979 - Novel Woods
1977 - Isiah Williams

 

WRESTLING

 

 

 

OUTSTANDING PLAYERS AND COACHES

--Chris Prieboy (class of 1979), three-time all-state basketball player, later attended the University of St. Francis and scored 2,377 pts—best in Lady Saints’ history. Chris won 15 letters at JT Central HS in five sports (4 in basketball, 3 in softball, 4 in volleyball, 1 in tennis, 1 in track, and 2 in swimming.

 

--Jesse Barfield (class of 1977), drafted (1977, 9th round) & played with Toronto (1981-89), then traded to the New York Yankees (1989-92). He hit .289 with 40 HR & 108 RBI in 1986 during his best season with Toronto, along winning two Gold Gloves, and led AL outfielders in assists from 1985-87, which gave proof to having a strong and accurate arm from rightfield. Barfield was an American League All-Star in 1987, and played in what some baseball analysts consider one of the finest all-around outfields in the Major Leagues during the 1980’s with George Bell and Lloyd Moseby in Toronto. Son Josh (second baseman) played with San Diego in 2006, and another son, Jeremy, was drafted by the New York Mets in 2006 as well as the Oakland Athletics in 2008. Jesse’s Major League career totals are 241 home runs, 716 runs batted in, and a batting average of .256.

 

--Roger Powell (class of 1970), all-state basketball player in 1970, led the Steelmen to a third-place finish in one of the final single-class state tournaments, losing to eventual champion LaGrange Park Lyons in the semifinals. Powell was an all-tournament selection and later played his collegiate ball at Illinois State. His son Roger Junior starred at Joliet Township and at the University of Illinois where he was a member of the NCAA Division I tournament runnersup in 2005. Roger was named to the All-Time IHSA Tournament team in 2007! Check out his bio at http://www.ihsa.org/initiatives/legends/index.htm.

 

--Ed Woods, basketball coach 1964-68. In just four seasons, his Steelmen cagers were 67-41, but made a trip to the Elite Eight in 1965, and left the program in good hands for Dale Glenn.

 

--Dale Glenn, basketball coach 1968-81. Glenn picked up where Woods left off as his teams won seven regionals in eight years, had 20 wins or more in eight seasons, plus were state-ranked squads. Glenn’s Joliet Central teams were 270-96 for a winning percentage of .738 in 13 seasons, and took third in the 1970 tournament.

 

--Greg Peden, basketball coach 1981-93. JT Central continued their winning ways under Peden, who had six 20-win seasons and two regionals, plus a sectional and a supersectional appearance in 1989. The school had three consecutive 20-win seasons in as many years before Central & West consolidated their athletic programs.  

 

--Jerry Pius, baseball coach 1973-77. In five seasons, Pius’ boys of spring won 129 games against just 26 losses (an .832 winning percentage), took two regional titles and second place at the state tournament in 1975.

 

--Eural “Mac” McLaughlin, wrestling coach. Coach Mac got the most of the wrestlers he had and produced a team championship in 1985, along with a second in 1986, and sixth in 1976. His teams were undefeated in 1984-85 at 21-0 and went 20-2 the following season.

 

--Scott (class of 1976) and Mark (class of 1979) Trizzino, wrestlers. Both Trizzinos were state champions on the mat for the Steelmen, winning not once, but back-to-back state championship in their weight classes. Scott took home the gold at 132 pounds in 1975 & 1975, while Mark won the 105 pound title in 1978, following it up with the 112 championship in 1979.

 

--Pat O’Connell, soccer coach 1985-87. O’Connell’s teams may not have won any state tournament trophies, but they did win a fair share of their matches in his three years as skipper of the Steelmen soccer program, going 37-14 (.725 percentage) in those seasons.

 

--Marsha Tate, (class of 1977), track.  She was Joliet Central’s first female medalist, bringing home three in successive seasons for her work in the 440-yard dash by placing seventh, second, and third, respectively, in those seasons.

 

--Sharron Evans (class of 1989), track.  As the Steelwomen were placing sixth in the state AA track finals, Evans was state champion in the 100-meter hurdles, second in the 300-meter hurdles, and seventh in the long jump.

 

There are other notable alums from Joliet Central, To find out who they are, this link has all the details:

http://www.jths.org/community_alumni/alumni_default/central_history.aspx

 

 

 

 

Chicago, IL  60631