Berwyn Morton West High School "Falcons"

(*School remains open, athletics combined with Cicero Morton East High School.)

Morton West High School

Berwyn, IL (courtesy of : http://www.jsmortonhs.com/west.html)

The History of Berwyn Morton West High School

Berwyn (population 54,016) is located about 10 miles west of Chicago north of Interstate 55 along Illinois Route 43 and south of Interstate 290. Ogden Avenue (also known as U.S. Route 34) also brings traffic thru town.

The community began its life in 1856 when Thomas Baldwin bought land from the Illinois & Michigan Canal Company (which passed nearby from Chicago to LaSalle) to develop land for an affluant community called LaVergne. Railroad traffic from the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy line did not come to the area until 1874, Over time, the community grew with developers such as Marshall Field, Charles Piper, and William Andrews, as they platted the land, constructed streets, sidewalks, and sewers during the 1880's and 1890's.

Piper and Andrews renamed the community Berwyn for a Philadelphia suburb on a timeline for a railroad and continued to purchase land as middle-class Chicagoans were enticed to see what was developed there, purchasing homes west of the big city. The community incorporated itself in 1894.

Berwyn broke away from Cicero Township in 1901 as Chicago was moving readily to buy up land to annex into their city, but the working class Germans, Polish, Italians, and Czechslovakians helped build Berwyn as the population more than doubled itself from 1910-20, and gained the reputation as the fastest growing Chicago suburb.

Educationally, its students attended Morton High School in Cicero, even the school suffered its growing pains as Morton offered morning classes for its juniors and seniors, while freshman and sophomores went in the afternoon. And to boot, students from Morton Junior College also attended classes in the same building!!

After many years of court delays, lack of public support, and the combination of the Great Depression and World War II, the land for a second Morton High School was finally purchased and developed for a new school in the 1950's, opening up in 1958. The school was named Morton West and eased the overcrowded conditions at the Cicero location.

Morton West continued to prosper on its' own until the mid-1980's when it was decided to bring the schools back together for extra-curricular activities under the name Berwyn-Cicero Morton. Similar to what would take place at Joliet Central and Joliet West in 1993 or at Chicago Heights Bloom Township and Bloom Trail in 2003, Morton West remains open and has its own attendance boundaries, as does Morton East.

To view photos of Morton high school alumni check out the webaddress of http://georgekrejci.com/ , submitted to us by George Krejci!

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BERWYN MORTON WEST HS

Year opened: 1958

Year school activities merged to one school: 1985

Consolidated to: Morton Township High School

School colors: Green & White

School nickname: Falcons

School fight song: "Falcon Fight"

Link to school song on YouTube (courtesy of Jane Gruber Sinclair, class of 1967): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOk4zh-ztUI

Words to "Falcon Fight:"

Stand up and fight

Stand for the right

And stand behind the Green and White

And in the end

We score again

We win the game and fame for J.S.M.

And when it's done

When we have won

Our team will be still be champions, Mor-ton!

Come on, you Falcons

Fight, fight, fight

For dear old J.S.M!

(repeat verse)

Nothing can stop us

No one can top us

Vic-tor-y in every game

Let's make the rafters

Ring ever after

Echoing the Morton name

Let's let 'em hear it

Show 'em our spirit

Falcons, fight! fight! fight!

(back to first verse to conclude)

ATHLETICS

Morton West offered a number of sports and other activities for their student body when the school had its own extracurricular activities prior to merging with Morton East. According to the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org), the school offered baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, track & field, and wrestling for the boys.

The girls were able to participate in bowling, basketball, and softball, but this author would like to believe they could have been offered volleyball, cross-country, soccer, track & field, swimming, tennis, and gymnastics. If you have any information to show that Morton West offered those sports or others to their student body that are being reported, we would like to hear from you by contacting us at one of the addresses listed below.

BOYS’ TRACK & FIELD

The Falcons made the most noise in state tournament action by sending a number of athletes to the state finals in either Champaign or Charleston, who came home with state titles (like Rich Ellison and Terry Erickson) or placed well enough to receive medals on the podium after the event was decided.

1963 Individual Medalist Coach Jim Rexillus

Rich Ellison Pole Vault---STATE CHAMPION!!! (13’9”)

(only the second person to clear 13 foot at state finals---was state finals record for two years)

Ted Nykiel 440 Dash---5th place

1964 Tied for 5th in State!!! coach unknown

Team Standings

1 Alton Senior 19

2 Winnetka New Trier 18

3 Evanston Township 16

4 Palatine HS 11

5 Chicago Hts. Bloom Township 9

Berwyn Morton West 9

7 Elmhurst York 8

Park Ridge Maine East 8

Aurora East 8

Hillside Proviso West 8

Hinsdale Township 8

Individual Medalists

Rich Ellison Pole Vault---STATE CHAMPION!!! (13’4”)

Ed Halik Pole Vault---2nd place

1965 Tied for 10th in State coach unknown

Team Standings

1 Evanston Township 25

2 Champaign HS 15

Hillside Proviso West 15

4 Alton Senior 12

5 Chicago Dunbar 11

6 Taylorville 10

7 East St. Louis Lincoln 9

Rock Island HS 9

9 Palatine HS 7

10 Chicago Hts. Bloom Township 6

Berwyn Morton West 6

Individual Medalists

Bruce Self 180 yard Hurdles---2nd place

Ed Halik Pole Vault---4th place

1966 Tied for 10th in State coach unknown

Team Standings

1 Evanston Township 30

2 Chicago Hts. Bloom Township 21

3 East St. Louis Senior 15.5

4 Elmhurst York 14

5 Campbell Hill Trico 12

6 Maywood Proviso East 10

7 Palatine HS 9

8 Chicago Phillips 8

Winnetka New Trier East 8

10 Berwyn Morton West 7

Rockford Auburn 7

Individual Medalists

Larry Erickson 100 yard dash---3rd place

220 yard dash---2nd place

1967 Individual Medalist coach unknown

Larry Cascio Pole Vault---5th place

1968 Individual/Relay Medalists coach unknown

1 mile relay---5th place

Terry Erickson 440 yard dash---3rd place

1969 5th in State!!! Coach Gordon Busse

Team Standings

1 Alton Senior 25

2 East Moline United 16

3 Chicago Englewood 15

4 Chicago Hts. Bloom Township 13

5 Berwyn Morton West 10

6 Hillside Proviso West 9

7 Palatine HS 8

Maywood Proviso East 8

9 Glen Ellyn Glenbard West 6

Harvey Thornton 6

Elmhurst York 6

Colfax Octavia 6

Moline HS 6

Wheaton North 6

North Chicago 6

St. Charles HS 6

Individual/Relay Medalists

Terry Erickson 440 yard dash---2nd place

1 mile relay---STATE CHAMPION!!! (3:19.7)

(Terry Erickson, Krev, Regac, Vondra made up relay)

1970 Tied for 8th in State coach unknown

Team Standings

1 Evanston Township 21

2 Alton Senior 17

3 Glen Ellyn Glenbard West 14

4 Chicago Englewood 10

5 Belleville West 9

6 Villa Park Willowbrook 8

7 East St. Louis Senior 7

8 Chicago Hts. Bloom Township 6

Galesburg HS 6

Ottawa Township 6

Skokie Niles North 6

New Lenox Lincoln-Way 6

Hillside Proviso West 6

Elmhurst Timothy Christian 6

East St. Louis Lincoln 6

Berwyn Morton West 6

Urbana HS 6

Individual Medalists

Terry Erickson 440 yard dash---STATE CHAMP!!! (:48.2)

1973 Individual Medalist coach unknown

Paul Proffitt Long Jump---3rd place

Gary Remius Shotput---5th place

1976AA Individual Medalist coach unknown

Don Piha Shotput---4th place

1977AA Individual Medalist coach unknown

Tom Piha Shotput---3rd place

1979AA Individual Medalist coach unknown

Steve Piha Shotput---6th place

1984AA Individual Medalist coach unknown

Jeff Gennarelli Shotput---5th place

WRESTLING

The Green and White of Morton West made their mark on the prep wrestling mats of Illinois by placing in the top 10 of the state early in the school's career and sent a number of grapplers who finished in the top four of their weight classes.

1962 Tied for 9th in State Coach Ken Geiger

Team Standings

1 Burbank Reavis 62

2 Waukegan HS 36

3 Savanna 34

4 Moline 29

5 Evanston Township 28

6 LaGrange Lyons 18

7 Palatine HS 16

Granite City HS 16

9 Park Forest Rich East 15

Berwyn Morton West 15

Winnetka New Trier 15

Maywood Proviso East 15

Individual Medalists

Lee Mungai 180 lbs---4th place

Lee Olson 145 lbs---2nd place

1963 Individual Medalist Coach Ken Geiger

Lee Mungai Heavyweight---STATE CHAMPION!!!

1969 Individual Medalist Coach John Polz

Joe Vicchiollo 127 lbs---2nd place

1970 Individual Medalist coach unknown

Craig Baldacci 175 lbs---2nd place

1978-79 Coach Joe Callahan

1984AA Individual Medalist coach unknown

Dan Ivanisevic Heavyweight---4th place

BASEBALL

In trying to keep pace with their district counterparts at Morton East, West also had some flags of their own to show off to fans in the western suburbs of Chicago. The Falcons reached the Elite Eight of the state baseball tournament twice before bowing out of contention.

1963 21- 2 Regional Champions Coach Stan Pace

Interim League Champions

1968 22- 2 Elite Eight Qualifier!!! Coach Stan Pace

Regional Champions

Sectional Champions

Lost to Peoria Manual 7-4 in state quarterfinals

1972 Regional Champions coach unknown

1982 18-12 AA Elite Eight Qualifier Coach Roger Hahn

Regional Champions

Sectional Champions

Lost to Darien Hinsdale South 9-7 in state quarterfinals

BOYS’ SOCCER

The Falcons were competitive on the soccer pitch, with a number of successes in the win-loss column, and made it the state Elite Eight once under long-time coach Bill Stamper, who complied a win-loss record of 105-72-17 (.585 percentage) in his 11 years on the sidelines at Morton West.

1974 8- 6 Coach Bill Stamper

1975 16- 3 FINAL FOUR!!! Coach Bill Stamper

Sectional Champions

Elite 8 Qualifier

Shutout Chicago Senn in quarterfinals, 1-0

Lost to Park Ridge Maine East in semifinals, 1-0

1976 10- 6 Coach Bill Stamper

1977 14- 3-1 Coach Bill Stamper

1978 11- 7-2 Coach Bill Stamper

1979 10- 5-1 Coach Bill Stamper

1982 8- 7-1 Coach Bill Stamper

1983 10- 8-2 Coach Bill Stamper

1984 9- 9-2 Last season Coach Bill Stamper

BOYS’ SWIMMING

Morton West made a splash in the wintertime, sending several tankmen to the state meet who came home with medals at the finals. One excellent coach who helped bring this program along was Jim Ellinger. Dan Swacina (Class of 1971) tells us:

"We had a really good coach that developed the swimming program at Morton West HS, Mr. Jim Ellinger. Mr. Ellinger died in a tragic car accident in the mid to late 1970's."

INDIVIDUAL MEDALISTS

1971 Dan Swacina 50 Freestyle---6th place

1973 Jim Martin Diving---5th place

1974 Jim Martin Diving---2nd place

1974 Bob Olson Diving---5th place

1976 Lou Kammerer 50 Freestyle---5th place

1977 Lou Kammerer 50 Freestyle---STATE CHAMPION!!!

1978 Lou Kammerer 100 Freestyle---2nd place

50 Freestyle---5th place

1982 Todd Ronde Diving---4th place

1985 Doug Arnish Diving---10th place

SOFTBALL

The Lady Falcons started slow, but built their program up all the way to a peak when Morton West & East brought their athletic departments back together. A year after the merger, Coach Jim Kulawiak led Morton to a state title. His record at Morton West was 135-23 (.854 percentage)!

1976 0- 5 first season Coach Campagna

1978 11- 3 Coach Gerry Stiverson

1979 10- 4 Coach Gerry Stiverson

1980 14- 6 Coach Jim Kulawiak

1981 17- 5 AA Regional Champions Coach Jim Kulawiak

1982 26- 2 AA EILTE EIGHT FINALISTS Coach Jim Kulawiak

AA Regional Champions

AA Sectional Champions

Lost to Herrin in quarterfinals, 5-3

1983 24- 4 AA Regional Champions Coach Jim Kulawiak

1984 28- 2 AA Regional Champions Coach Jim Kulawiak

1985 26- 4 AA Regional Champions Coach Jim Kulawiak

GIRLS’ BOWLING

In the early days of girls' sports, Morton West won four district titles and qualified for the state meet on the bowling alleys of Chicagoland. If you have more details, we welcome your information at the addresses listed below.

1973-74 District Champions Coach unknown

State Qualifier

1974-75 District Champions Coach unknown

State Qualifier

1975-76 District Champions Coach unknown

State Qualifier

1977-78 District Champions Coach unknown

State Qualifier

FOOTBALL

A fan of the Glory Days site and alum of Morton West, Kenny Klimes, sent us the following information regarding the incredible football program at MWHS. We are told that Ken Kimes is a modest guy, but was a great quarterback in the late 1960s for the Falcons:

"I noted in your High School football team record section that Berwyn (Morton West H.S.) season records were lacking and incomplete. The school’s first year in football was 1961 in the Des Plaines Valley Conference. During the sixties, Morton West was one of the Chicago area’s football powerhouses. During this 10 year period, they won 49 games while only losing 15 games. They won four conference championships and had three second place finishes. The head coach during this period, Mr. Jim Regan, is a member of the Illinois Coaches Hall of Fame. I have the records of the Morton West football teams from 1961 to 1984 to include the coaches, and would appreciate that they be included on your web site. I have personally talked with coaches Duchon, Evan, and Ruzycki just recently about the won - loss records. I have also researched the accuracy in past Morton West yearbooks. The following should complete your web site for Berwyn (Morton West H. S.)":

1961-62 4 - 3 - 1 Coach Jim Regan

1962-63 6 - 1 - 1 Coach Jim Regan

1963-64 5 - 3 - 0 Coach Jim Regan

1964-65 8 - 0 - 0 Undefeated DPVC Champs Coach Jim Regan

1965-66 4 - 2 - 2 Coach Jim Regan

1966-67 4 - 2 - 2 Coach Jim Regan

1967-68 5 - 2 - 1 Coach Jim Regan

1968-69 6 - 2 - 0 Coach Jim Regan

1969-70 7 - 0 - 0 Undefeated DPVC Champs Coach Jim Regan

1970-71 2 - 6 - 0 Coach Jim Regan

1971-72 3 - 4 - 0 Coach Frank Duchon

1972-73 4 - 3 - 1 Coach Frank Duchon

1973-74 4 - 4 - 0 Coach Jim Evan

1974-75 6 - 3 - 0 Coach Jim Evan

1975-76 2 - 7 - 0 Coach Jim Evan

1976-77 3 - 6 - 0 Coach Jim Evan

1977-78 5 - 4 - 0 Coach Leonard Ruzycki

1978-79 3 - 6 - 0 Coach Leonard Ruzycki

1979-80 4 - 5 - 0 Coach Leonard Ruzycki

1980-81 7 - 3 - 0 Coach Leonard Ruzycki

1981-82 3 - 6 - 0 Coach Leonard Ruzycki

1982-83 2 - 7 - 0 Coach Leonard Ruzycki

1983-84 7- 4 IHSA 6A Playoff Qualifier Coach Pete Ventrelli

Edged Chicago Gordon Tech 8-7 (OT)

Lost to Chicago St. Rita 35-13 in quarterfinals

1984-85 5 - 4 - 0 Coach Pete Ventrelli

"I also would like to add some school history. As you may have noticed the football team was undefeated, champions in 1969. But the record was not 8-0 but 7-0. That is because in the fall of 1969 the teachers went on strike at Morton West High School. Since the school was not in session the first two weeks, Morton West had to cancel the first game of the season with non-conference rival, Riverside Brookfield High School. If the strike would have lasted another week the team was threatened with losing the rest of their season. The students decided to protest to get the teachers to come back to the negotiations. The student body even made the front page of the Chicago Tribune during their protest march. The teachers came back to work and the football team was allowed to continue their season. This was especially important to many senior players since many seniors received athletic scholarships that year."

Nice job Kenny!

CROSS-COUNTRY

One athlete had the honor of going to state in this event, and came home with a medal. Unforunately, there is very little information to list about the Falcon harriers, so we are in need of more details.

1966 Individual Placer coach unknown

Carl Ruzicka---7^th place

BOYS' BASKETBALL

Morton West participated on the hardwood, winning one regional title in the early 1960's before losing in the sectional finals to Harvey Thornton.

1961-62 Summit Argo Regional Champions Coach John Capron

Beat Joliet in Harvey Sectional, 79-74

Lost to Harvey Thornton in Sectional Finals, 78-60

Note from Chuck Karabin: "That 1961 team was really led by guard Tom Gribben, who was quite the shooter."

BOYS’ GOLF

The Falcons did offer golf to its boys and they came home with a district plaque on one occasion. How long they offered it and what successes they had beyond the district championship is unknown.

1973 District Champions coach unknown

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

The girls also played hoops in the winter, and came away with one winning season out of the nine that the school offered the sport to its' female athletes.

1976-77 Coach C. Gilbertson

1977-78 Coaches T.Kulp & M. Ripple

1978-79 Coach R. Hapac

1979-80 Coach R. Hapac

1980-81 Coach R. Hapac

1981-82 8- 4 Coach T. Kulp

1982-83 Coach T. Kulp

1983-84 Coach T. Kulp

1984-85 Coach T. Kulp

DRAMA

If there was any one field that Morton West proved itself as one of the top schools in the state, it was in Drama. Lead by coach T.F. (Fred) Meyer, the school finished in the top five of the state four times over a five-year span, and helped fill up the trophy case at the school.

1974 District Champions Coach T.F. (Fred) Meyer

Sectional Champions

State Qualifier

1975 2nd in State!!! Coach T.F. (Fred) Meyer

District Champions

Team Standings

1 Homewood-Flossmoor 7

2 Berwyn Morton West 9

3 Wheaton Warrenville 12

Normal University 12

5 Waukegan HS 14

6 Lansing Thorn. Frac. S. 21

7 Geneseo Darnall 23

Lincoln 23

9 Northbrook Glenb’k North 25

10 Bloomington Cen. Cath. 32

1976 5^th in State!!! Coach T.F. (Fred) Meyer

District Champions

Sectional Champions

Team Standings

1 Homewood-Flossmoor 7

2 Dolton Thornridge 8

3 Decatur MacArthur 12

4 Elgin HS 13

5 Berwyn Morton West 15

6 Summit Argo 16

7 Highland Park 20

8 Rochester 26

9 Pekin 28

10 Edwardsville HS 29

1977 District Champions Coach T.F. (Fred) Meyer

1979 4^th in State!!! Coach T.F. (Fred) Meyer

Team Standings

1 Bensenville Fenton 6

2 Homewood-Flossmoor 6

3 Dolton Thornridge 9

4 Berwyn Morton West 13

5 Des Plaines Maine North 18

6 Carbondale 21

Arlington Hts. Forest Vw 21

Belleville West 21

9 Peoria Woodruff 24

10 East Moline United 31

1981 4^th in State!!! Coach T.F. (Fred) Meyer

1 Homewood-Flossmoor 3

2 Highland Park 7

3 Belleville West 10

4 Berwyn Morton West 13

5 Normal University 13

6 Dolton Thornridge 18

7 Buffalo Grove 21

8 Peoria Richwoods 25

9 Rochelle 26

Roselle Lake Park 26

1982 District Champions Coach T.F. (Fred) Meyer

GROUP INTERPRETATION

Morton West came home with one state title, had a top ten finish another time, and have several individuals take home some medals in the state finals. Obviously, there was some talent in the English department at Morton West.

1976 STATE CHAMPIONS!!! Coach T.F. (Fred) Meyer & student Patrick Shanahan

Team Standings

1 Berwyn Morton West 6

2 Tremont 7

3 Lansing Thornton Fractional So. 9

4 Homewood-Flossmoor 13

5 Peoria Richwoods 17

6 Murphysboro 22

7 North Chicago 24

Burbank Reavis 24

9 Belleville West 25

10 Bloomington Central Catholic 26

1981 8^th in State sponsor unknown

Team Standings

1 Harvey Thornton 5

2 Dolton Thornridge 8

3 Lincoln 9

4 Highland Park 16

5 Rochelle 17

6 Belleville West 19

7 Carbondale 20

8 Berwyn Morton West 21

9 Wheaton-Warrenville 28

10 Stanford Olympia 29

INDIVIDUAL EVENTS---MEDALISTS

1962 Linda Bates comedy---3^rd place

1963 James Finerty radio speaking---2^nd place

Joyce Verbik after dinner speaking---4^th place

1964 Russell Skleviska extemporaneous speaking---5^th place

Joseph Sveda radio speaking---5^th place

1965 Paul Woldy original oratory---5^th place

1969 Pam Braun original comedy---STATE CHAMPION!!

Debbie Duepner serious---3^rd place

1970 Joseph Cappelletti original comedy---4^th place

1972 Nesladek & Tumas duet—6^th place

1975 Ann Slivinski prose reading---3^rd place

All of these students were coached by Maxine Lichtermann.

SPEECH SWEEPSTAKES

In addition to Individual Events, Morton West made its name by getting into the top 10 at the state finals on one occasion.

1968-69 Tied for 9^th in State Coach Maxine Lichterman

Team Standings

1 Homewood-Flossmoor 14

2 Bensenville Fenton 13

Peoria Richwoods 13

4 Arlington Heights Arlington 10

Dolton Thornridge 10

Northfield New Trier West 10

Wheaton Central 10

8 Highland Park 9

9 Chicago St. Ignatius 8

Berwyn Morton West 8

Famous Rock Band

The rock group "The Ides of March" hail from Morton West High School!

MEMORIES

From Jane Gruber Sinclair (class of 1967):

"Hello. Just found your website while looking for my HS alma mater, J. Sterling Morton West in Berwyn, IL. I just did the fight song and posted it to YouTube. You do note the fight song. Thought you might want to add a link. Thanks for all the great info. I went to grade school with Larry Cascio. You have him winning
a medal in the Pole Vault. Nice to see."

From alums Dennis Heydanek, Jim Przybytek, and Carole Cech:

"Great site! Thanks for sharing.

"Stan Pace was the Baseball Coach in 1963. The team was Interim League Champions and lost in the Sectional Finals of the State Tournament that year and finished with a 21-2 record. I have newspaper clippings if interested.

I can confirm that Robert (Bob) Reynolds coached the pole vaulters of note in 1963 (and likely for 3 years prior to that). His standout performers were Rich Ellison and Ed Halik. Ed Halik was a Fraternity Brother of mine at the University of Illinois."

From Ed Talluch (class of 1963):

"Here is an update of your website on Morton West athletics..........Wrestling Coach in 1962 and 63 Ken Geiger 1969 John Polz .......Track Coach in 1969 Gordon Busse.....Baseball Coach 1963 Stan Pace Hope this helps filling in the blanks......ED TALLACH Class of 1963........Assistant Football Coach to Jim Regan 1967-1969."

From Deborah Nykiel Oles:

"My brother, Ted Nykiel, graduated from Morton West in 1963. After receiving multiple scholarship offers in track from many universities, he attended University of Missouri on a full 5 year scholarship. Ted can fill you in on more particulars but Ted wrote to me and said he was 6th in the state in the 440 yard dash in 1963, which was not listed in your site."

DO YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION WE CAN USE....

...about Morton West High School? If so, we'd like to hear from you. Please contact us by emailing us at dr.veeman@gmail.com or by using the USPS. Our address is:

Illinois High School Glory Days

6439 North Neva

Chicago, IL 60631