Cicero Morton East High School Mustangs

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

Morton East High School

Cicero, IL (courtesy of http://www.jsmortonhs.com/east.html)

The History of Cicero Morton East High School

Cicero (population 85,616) is located seven miles west of downtown Chicago, north of Interstate 55 and south of Interstate 290. US Route 34, better known as Ogden Avenue, and Cermak Road (aka 22nd Street) are also major roads in this near western suburb, which got its name from a city in New York State.

The community has its roots back to 1848 when the Galena and Chicago Railroad ran its rails thru the area, and it expanded from there. Other communities such as Oak Park and Berwyn also benefitted from this action as Cicero formed a township in 1857, and incorporated by 1869. Because of its prosperity, both the Chicago & Alton along with the Chicago & North Western Railroads also built shops there.

As the area grew, Cicero and Chicago were always trying to annex more land into their communities so that one didn't swallow the other up. Finally in 1899, the final neighborhood was annexed into Chicago and Cicero's borders were settled; however, Berwyn and Oak Park separated from Cicero Township two years later.

Cicero's need to have a high school became official in the 1890's when Morton High School (named for J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day) was built in 1894. The school was also known as Clyde High School, but no reason has been found for the name. Morton High School grew rapidly as the population boomed from 1910-20, largely on account of Western Electric's telephone plant, which employed more than 20,000 at the time. In doing so, the school was forced by the 1930's to hold classes for juniors and seniors in the morning, while freshmen and sophomores went in the afternoon. All the while, Morton Junior College was also holding classes in the same building!!

The enrollment continued to grow and finally in 1958, Morton West opened in Berwyn, while the original Morton location was renamed Morton East. Both schools had their own extra-curricular activities and athletic departments, but that changed in 1985 when in a cost-cutting measure, the schools merged their activities to just one school while keeping both schools open. The school is now referred to as Berwyn-Cicero Morton, and each location has its own boundaries for attendance purposes.

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 CICERO MORTON EAST HIGH SCHOOL

Year opened as Morton or Clyde High School: 1894

Year it began operating as Morton East: 1958

Year that school activities with Morton West merged: 1985

School colors: Maroon & White

School nickname: the "Mustangs"

School fight song: "Mortonia"

(words courtesy of www.hereintown.net)

In J.S.M., we have a school

A school for you and all

With Morton spirit back of us

We'll do our best or fall.

With cheers and song we'll rally 'round

With courage and with might

Due to the flag we'll always hail

Dear old maroon and white.

Stand for the right and true

And all that's best for J.S.M.

Fight, fight, for every game

Morton's honor to defend

Rah, rah, rah!!!

Mustangs sis boom bah

And locomotives by the score

For we'll fight with a vim

That is sure to win

For old MOR----TON!!!!

ATHLETICS

A number of sports were offered for students at Morton East while it was known by that name. Baseball, basketball, cross-country, soccer, swimming, track, and wrestling were offered, according to the Illinois High School's Association's website (www.ihsa.org), but football is not listed. In researching another school's history, there was a gridiron team at Morton East, and hope that an alum can provide more information about it. On the girls' side, they competed in basketball, soccer, gymnastics, track, and volleyball. Being that the school had one of the bigger enrollments in the state of Illinois, it is possible that other sports such as swimming, tennis, soccer, or badminton may have also been offered.

GIRLS’ GYMNASTICS

The Lady Mustangs were known state-wide as one of the better schools in gymnastics as they placed in the top five of the state's elite at the state finals on four occasions in as many years.

1978-79 5th in State!!! Coach unknown

Team Standings

1 Addison Trail 112.575

2 Palatine HS 111.275

3 Glenview Glenbrook South 109.7875

4 Park Ridge Maine East 109.70

5 Cicero Morton East 108.625

6 Arlington Heights Hersey 107.6125

7 Skokie Niles West 106.5125

8 Arlington Heights Arlington 106.5125

Individual Medalists

Sue Tonietto All-Around Events---2^nd place

Balance beam---2^nd place

Toni Niemiec Balance beam---5th place

1979-80 3rd in State!!! Coach unknown

Team Standings

1 Addison Trai) 115.46

2 Park Ridge Maine East 113.29

3 Cicero Morton East 113.04

4 Skokie Niles West 109.30

5 Arlington Hts. Forest View 109.23

6 Evanston Township 107.51

7 Northbrook Glenbrook N. 105.84

8 Tinley Park Andrew 101.15

Individual Medalists

Sue Tonietto All-Around Events---3^rd place

Balance Beam---3^rd place

Floor Exercises---2nd place

Vault---4th place

Toni Niemiec Balance Beam---5th place

1980-81 3rd in State!!! Coach unknown

Team Standings

1 Addison Trail 116.37

2 Elmhurst York 112.31

3 Cicero Morton East 112.05

4 Park Ridge Maine East 111.92

5 Arlington Hts. Hersey 111.51

6 Glenview Glenbrook S. 111.05

7 Skokie Niles West 110.57

8 Carol Stream Glenb’d N. 109.48

Individual Medalists

Laura Hicks Balance Beam---2nd place

Sandi Thompson Floor Exercises---5th place

1981-82 4th in State!!! Coach unknown

District Champions

Sectional Champions

Team Standings

1 Carol Stream Glenb’d N. 118.17

2 Arlington Heights Hersey 114.30

3 Deerfield 113.50

4 Cicero Morton East 112.53

5 Addison Trail 112.00

6 Elmhurst York 111.76

7 Downers Grove North 111.17

8 Mundelein HS 109.48

Individual Medalists

Debbie Leon Vault---5th place

Laura Hicks Balance Beam---6th place

1982-83 Regional Champions Coach unknown

State Final Medalist

Debbie Leon Vault---3^rd place

1983-84 Individual Medalists Coach unknown

Debbie Leon All-Around Events---3^rd place

Vault---2^nd place

Laura Hicks Balance Beam---6^th place

FINE JOB BY THE MUSTANGS GYMNASTS!!!

BASEBALL

The Mustang diamond cutters made their school proud, winning two state championships in a ten-year period and showing that there was some baseball played in the Western suburbs of Chicago.

1961 23- 2 STATE CHAMPIONS!!!! Coach Dick Kucera

Regional Champions

Sectional Champions

Beat Skokie Niles in quarterfinals, 10-3

Downed Peoria Central 12-2 in semifinals

Shutout East Alton-Wood River in championship game, 20-0

1965 Suburban League Champs Coach Herb Salberg

1966 Regional Champions Coach Herb Salberg

1970 23- 4 STATE CHAMPIONS!!! Coach Doug Peterson

Regional Champions

Sectional Champions

Edged Pekin 2-1 in quarterfinals

Defeated Chicago Lane Tech 5-1 in semifinals

Beat Bradley-Bourbonnais in 11 innings to win title, 7-3

1971 Regional Champions Coach unknown

1974 Regional Champions Coach unknown

SOCCER

When the IHSA began offering soccer as part of the state tournament experience, Morton East was in on the ground floor, advancing to the state finals twice in the 1970's, including a second-place finish,

1973 17- 4 2nd in State!! Coach Klaus Kummer

District Champions

Sectional Champions

State Semifinalist

Beat Granite City South 2-1 by penalty kicks in semifinals

Lost to Chicago Harrison in championship match, 1-0

1977 11- 7-1 Elite Eight Finalist Coach Wayne Justman

District Champions

Sectional Champions

Lost to Chicago Schurz in quarterfinals, 3-0

BOYS' CROSS-COUNTRY

Morton East had three all-staters in boys' cross country and its' 1971 hill & dale squad wound ninth in the state meet while the school offered the sport.

1968 Individual Medalist Coach Hutson

Pat Mandera----9^th in state

1969 Individual Medalist Coach Hutson

Pat Mandera---7^th in state

1971 9^th in STATE Coach Hutson

Team Standings

1 Elmhurst York 67

2 Centralia 136

3 Park Ridge Maine East 137

4 Riverside-Brookfield 138

5 New Lenox Lincoln-Way 171

6 Hillside Proviso West 194

7 Arlington Hts. Forest View 265

8 Palatine Fremd 266 (app.)

9 Cicero Morton East 291

10 Chicago Lane 305

Individual Medalist

Jim Lobianco----25^th in state

BOYS' BASKETBALL

Could the Mustangs hoop it up? The answer was yes, and they were one of the top teams in the state during the winter of 1960-61 when they made it the Sweet 16 of the single-class tournament under coach Jim Vopicka.

1960-61 19- 5 Sweet 16 Finalist!!! Coach Jim Vopicka

Regional Champions

Sectional Champions

Lost to Harvey Thornton 48-36 at Hinsdale Super-Sectional

1962-63 Regional Champions Coach William J. Hapac

1971-72 AA Regional Champions Coach unknown

BOYS’ TRACK

Morton East had a competitive track program in the western suburbs, and had two of its athletes come home with medals at the state finals in back-to-back seasons.

1970 Individual Medalist Coach Don Ritchie

Pat Mandera 2-mile run---2^nd place

1971 Individual Medalist Coach Don Ritchie

Allen Stanczak 880-yard run---3^rd place

SOFTBALL

The Lady Mustangs were able to get into the state tournament the first year it was played, and continued their competitive spirit thru the time that Morton East & West came back together. When they did combine forces in 1985-86, Morton won the state softball title.

1976 11- 3 ELITE 8 FINALISTS Coach Fran Balla

Regional Champions

Sectional Champions

Lost to Machesney Park Harlem in quarterfinals, 9-7

(1^st state softball tournament)

1977 13- 2 Regional Champions Coach Fran Balla

1978 8- 7 Coach Fran Balla

1979 6- 5 Coach Fran Balla

1980-83 Coach Fran Balla

1984-85 Coach Karen Hodel

GIRLS’ TRACK

Morton East was represented at the state AA meet on the medals' podium in the early 1980's when Janet Bertkowics was in the shotput finals. Here's a look at how she did at the state finals in Charleston in those years.

1982AA Individual Medalist coach unknown

Janet Bertkowics shotput---2^nd place

1983AA Individual Medalist coach unknown

Janet Bertkowics shotput---5^th place

BOYS’ SWIMMING

In the entire time that Morton East was open, they were represented in the state swimming finals on one occasion in an area that is considered one of the better prep swimming hotbeds in the nation with schools such as New Trier, Hinsdale, and others not too far away from Cicero.

1967 Individual Medalist

Dan Jamros 50 free---6^th place

WRESTLING

Not to be left behind, the Mustang wrestling program left an impression in the schools' final year with its own individual medalist at the state meet.

1985AA Individual Medalist coach unknown

Rudy Banuelos 145 pounds---5^th place

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Morton East offered basketball to its' female students before there was a state tournament, and they were competitive during the time that the school had its' program.

1974-75 First season Coach S.J. Peterkin

1975-76 Coach C. Eukovich

1976-77 9- 5 Coach S.J. Schleim

1977-78 8- 5 Coach S.J. Schleim

1978-79 Coach H.C. Kalcsits

1979-80 10-10 Coach H.C. Kalcsits

1980-81 Coach H.C. Kalcsits

1981-83 Coach W.H. Johnson

1983-85 Coach D. Poprowski

BOYS FOOTBALL

Football was also offered at Morton East HS. Several records were found on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org) and forwarded to us by Douglas Greger.

1962-63 Coach William Vohaska

1963-64 Coach William Vohaska

1964-65 Coach William Vohaska

1965-66 Coach William Vohaska

1970-71    0 - 9       Coach Ken Geiger
1971-72    3 - 6       Coach Ken Geiger
1972-73    0 - 9       Coach Salerno
1973-74    0 - 9       Coach Ken Geiger
1974-75    2 - 7       Coach Bob Vashinko
1975-76    2 - 7       Coach Bob Vashinko
1976-77    3 - 6       Coach Bob Vashinko
1977-78    2 - 6       Coach Bob Vashinko
1978-79    1 - 8       Coach Bob Vashinko
1979-80    1 - 8
1980-81    0 - 9       Coach John Underfrantz
1981-82    0 - 9       Coach John Underfrantz
1982-83    0 - 9       Coach John Underfrantz
1983-84    2 - 7       Coach John Underfrantz
1984-85    2 - 7       Coach John Underfrantz

DRAMA

The drama club at Morton East was one of the sources of pride within the school as it was one of the top ten schools in the state four times in 11 years in state competition. Here's a listing of their finishes.

1974 6^th in State sponsor unknown

Team Standings

1 Homewood-Flossmoor 7

2 Dolton Thornridge 9

3 Normal University 11

4 Peoria Richwoods 12

Naperville HS 12

6 Cicero Morton East 15

7 Lincoln 24

8 Bloomington HS 26

9 Waukegan HS 27

10 Sparta 28

1977 8^th in State sponsor unknown

Sectional Champions

Team Standings

1 Homewood-Flossmoor 3

2 Mt. Prospect Prospect 11

3 Dolton Thornridge 13

4 East Moline United 15

5 Highland Park 19

6 Quincy Sr. 22

Pekin 22

8 Cicero Morton East 23

9 Sparta 25

10 Wheaton-Warrenville 27

1983 9^th in State sponsor unknown

Regional Champions

Team Standings

1 Homewood-Flossmoor 3

2 Wheaton Central 7

3 Dolton Thornridge 9

4 Tinley Park Andrew 14

5 Pekin 15

6 Peoria Woodruff 20

7 Wauconda 21

8 Normal University 23

9 Cicero Morton East 24

10 Benton 29

1985 8^th in State sponsor unknown

Team Standings

1 Harvey Thornton 6

2 Dolton Thornridge 7

3 Wheaton Central 8

4 Lansing Thornton Frac. So. 9

5 Roselle Lake Park 15

6 Pekin 20

7 Tremont 22

8 Cicero Morton East 25

9 Decatur MacArthur 27

10 Charleston 30

GROUP INTERPRETATION

In one school year, Morton East made a name for itself by taking fifth in state in the group interpretation category at state, plus had two individuals medal in speech team events in its earlier years.

1974 5^th in State!!! sponsor unknown

Sectional Champions

Team Standings

1 Peoria Richwoods 6

2 Decatur Eisenhower 8

3 Normal University 10

4 Highland Park 12

5 Cicero Morton East 13

6 Murphysboro 23

7 Dolton Thornridge 24

8 Sparta 27

9 Bartonville Limestone 28

10 Normal Community 29

1977 District Champions sponsor unknown

1982 District Champions sponsor unknown

1984 Qualified for State Finals sponsor unknown

INDIVIDUAL EVENTS—MEDALISTS

1962 Edrene Furman Verse Reading---5^th place

1967 Larry Baldacci Serious---3^rd place

CHESS

Even the chess team at Morton East had its moment in the sun when it tied for second overall in one of the first meets held in the sport. Nice work by the Mustang chess team!!

1977-78 AA –Tied for 2nd in State!!! sponsor unknown

1 Rock Island HS

2 Hillside Proviso West

East St. Louis Senior

Cicero Morton East

MEMORIES

From Mike Ciancio:

"Morton East offered a zero hour Boxing class. They also competed against other schools."

From Glenn Sowa:

"I came across your site, re: History of Morton East Mustangs. I can fill in some of the sports facts you are missing. I played on the 1966 baseball team that was the regional champions. It was coached by Herb Salberg. We lost to Maine South 1-0, in our bid to go downstate. The 1965 team, also coached by Herb Salberg, was the Suburban League Champion. The coach of the 62-63 basketball team was William J. Hapac, who was a Morton alum, and also lettered in basketball at University of Illinois. There was football at Morton East while I was there, 1962-66, but the teams were not very successful. The Varsity football coach was William Vohaska during that time."

From Janet (Phillips) Bartell (class of 1959):

"I attended Morton East from 1955 through 1959, and was in the last graduating class in June, 1959, to graduate from the one Morton before subsequent classes were divided between East and the new West in Morton.

"One of the most important aspects of Morton was its nationally-known music department. It filled three floors in the northeast corner of the building. The second floor held bank and orchestra rehearsal space, a music library room, and the offices of the music department. The third floor held individual practice rooms, and the fourth floor held rooms for choral rehearsing. An elevator accessed these floors that facilitated transporting instruments, music stands, etc. to the back of the large high school auditorium for concert performances.

"Robert J. Dvorak was the head of the entire department during my time, but our orchestra teacher/conductor was Mr. Radak, a wonderful of Czech heritage with whom we rehearsed every day during noontime "hours" in course schedules. The Czech heritage of so many in the town of Cicero (including my own) was well-represented in the value and prominence of music in the life of its children.

"Our orchestra was nationally-known in music educator circles. Our entire large orchestra travelled to National Music Educators conferences several times over the years a well as regional music contests. Mr. Dvorak also composed music for which he won awards.

"We had our own two-week summer music camp in Wisconsin, which was not only musical and educational, but a real blast of fun and high school mischief.

"For concerts, the girls wore very fancy formal dresses. There were many fine musicians among us who went on to engage in subsequent musical careers. In later years, my two sisters also went through the music department at Morton (East) as well. Just thought I'd add a very important piece to your fine history of music at Morton."

OUR SPECIAL THANKS...

go out to the following faculty members at Berwyn-Cicero Morton High School for assisting us with additional information. They include Cindy O'Boyle, Diane Minarick, and Dr. Pierce for providing us with information about the school's history and fight songs.

IF YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MORTON EAST...

then we want to hear from YOU! We want to make the information and history about the school as complete as possible, but we can't do it without you. Please write to us about the additional details to us dr.veeman@gmail.com or at:

ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL GLORY DAYS

6439 N. Neva

Chicago, IL 60631