Established in 2015 to recognize and honor outstanding teams from Elgin’s past. Nominated by members of the foundation, a maximum of two teams are selected annually by the board of directors. High school teams must be a varsity team in an IHSA team sport that advanced to the state final tournament or had an undefeated regular season, while college teams must have had a top four finish in a state or national competition.

2022 1972-1973 Elgin High School Basketball Team

Bottom Row: Jeff Wilkins, Don Helper (mgr), Ed Bartee, Steve Corn, Tom Koch, Mark Vallee (mgr), Tim Jones

Top Row: Bill Flanagan (assistant coach), Ed Linz (mgr), Andy Kaptain, Tom Hudgens, Dan Benac, Tom Hale, Terry Drake, Jay Geldmacher, Randy Ollis, Steve Roth, Coach Bill Chesbrough

The team finished the regular season with a 22 – 1 record and proceeded to win the regional and sectional titles before beating Proviso East 67-66 for the supersectional title. As a member of the Elite 8, the team advanced to the quarterfinals where they were defeated by West Aurora in double overtime. Overall, the 72-73 team outscored opponents by an average of 73.2 points per game to 52.5.

  • Upstate 8 Conference co-champions with West Aurora
  • 13-1 conference record
  • 27-2 overall and outscored opponents by an average of 73.2 points per game to 52.5

2022 1997 – 1998 LARKIN HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM

First row (sitting): Megan Bowgren and Marianne Egan Second Row: Lindsey Baldwin, Rebecca Ooyen, Tricia Gielow
Third Row (sitting) Amanda Abernathy, Jill Engel, Vicki Lublow, Lindsay Siete Fourth Row (standing) Joni Melahn, Jenny Fisher
Coaches: Mary O’Brien and Dennis Sugino

  • 14-0 Upstate 8 Conference Champions
  • 29-0-1 Undefeated regular season record
  • Team advanced to the sectional championship

2021 1939 Elgin High Lightweight Football Team

Front Row – Bob Becker, Dick Real, George Wendt, Les Davenport, Harold Groneman, Laverne Studebaker, Charles Wagner, Tom Bonnike, Floyd Meyer, Bill Davis
Middle Row – Darwin Kaiser, Elmer (Red) Steinmann, Roger McDonough, Bill Schmitz, Frank Waterman, Tom Maule, Tom Kienle, Bill Clements, Carl Lindoerfer, Roland Ekstrom, Jim Nesler, Dave Koch, Webster Blazier, Jim Reese
Back Row – Assistant Coach Myron Myers, Ken Lindoerfer, Frank Bonnike, Jack Snellgrove, Dale Ramft, Glenn Runge, Jerome Samples, Milford Rein, Paul Scheele, Murrell Goll, Herb Funk, Capt. Art Mapes, Don Wiltshire, Bob Connell, Coach John Krafft

  • Undefeated Big Seven Conference Champions (9-0)
  • Outscored opponents 173 – 0

2021 1983 St. Edward High School Golf Team

Team members from left: Bill Sheehy, Mark Miller, Matt Schweik, John Harwood, Mike Lehman
Coach: Jim Perkins

  • Class 1A – 2nd place in state
  • Season Record 12 – 2
  • Won regional and sectional

2020 1973 Elgin High School Girls Bowling Team

Front Row: Cheryl Tokarz, Maureen Kappler, Kim Thompson, Wendy Stevens
Back Row: Deb DeRoo, Cindy Durin, Coach Doris Balridge, Karen Kozoyed, Sue DeRoo, Julie Humbracht

  • 3rd Place In State

2019 1944 Elgin High School Tournament Basketball Team

1st Row – Charles Becker, Sam Sauceda, Eugene Manley, Karl Plath, Bill Goedert, Bill Myers
2nd Row – Head coach John Krafft, Wally Graf, Jack Burmaster, Tom Parker, Jim Rager, Howard Kugath, and Ed Ahearn (assistant coach)

  • IHSA State Tournament – 2nd Place
  • Won 21 Lost 4
  • Won Conference, Regional, and Sectional Titles
  • Leading Scorers – Karl Plath, Sam Sauceda, Jim Rager
  • Coach – John Krafft

2019 1979-1980 Larkin High School Football Team

1st Row – Jack Napoli, Gregg Hofstetter, Steve Kellenberger, Stean Allen, Willie Mabry, Donnell Daniel, Brett Vence, Kevin Muth, Joe Schroeder, Mike Smart
2nd Row – Asst. Coach Larry Husinga, Richard Christensen, Joe Villella, Candido Higareda, Mike Armentrout, David Roome, Ricky Ellis, Paul Jensen, Jeff Smith, Steve Bonucci, Steve VanBuren, Darryl Smith, Asst. Coach Dennis Sugino
3rd Row – Asst. Coach Ed Washington, Mike Duchaj, Asst. Coach Terry Schabert, Alan Arps, Scott Summers, Greg Bohlin, Scott Cravens, Greg Huxtable, Dan Haas, Steve Ziegler, Victor Bills, Fred Didier, Steve Zimmerman, John Martin, Asst. Coach Bill Hofstetter, Asst. Coach Korf, Head Coach Ray Haley
4th Row – Jerry Ramlet, Ken Lloyd, K. Carlson, Kirk Small, Steve Abbott, Don Johnston, Keith Brunner, John McNutt, Paul Leman, Curt Hameister, Scott Creadon, Tom Plate

  • Undefeated Upstate 8 Conference Champions
  • Undefeated regular season
  • Won 11  Lost 1
  • Outscored opponents 319 – 134
  • Coach – Ray Haley

2018 1957 Elgin High School Tournament Basketball Team

1st Row – Jim Behrens, Don Harrison, ?? , Coach Bill Chesbrough, Dave Groeninger, Ernie Akemann
2nd Row – Steve Shaw, Phil Sokody, Ted Tammearu, Chuck Brandt, Gary Kane, Dick Becker

  • Undefeated regular season
  • Won 27  Lost 1
  • IHSA State Tournament – Elite 8
  • Won Conference, Regional, Sectional, Supersectional Titles
  • Averaged over 72 points per game
  • Top scorers – Chuck Brandt, Gary Kane, Dick Becker
  • Coach – Bill Chesbrough

2018 1988 St. Edward High School Girls Basketball Team

Row 1 (sitting): Stacey Karom, Kerri (Waller) Hicks, Julie (Janek) Hardesty
Row 2 (kneeling): Todd McMahon (manager), Maureen (Mueller) Kremer, Ingrid (Crane) Freelan, Michelle LaPorte, Alison (Rudolph) Wille, Meg Hassenmiller, Jackie (Robinson) Kieltyka, Manager Matt Price
Row 3 (standing): Coach Carl Valenti, Cheryl Trudy, Colleen Cromie, Coach Ken Mattini, Pam (Laudont) Zobott, Alice Garry, assistant coach Lisa Bass

  • IHSA Class A State Tournament – 2nd Place
  • Won 29  Lost 5
  • Won Regional, Sectional, and Supersectional Titles
  • Coach – Ken Mattini

2017 1967-1968 Larkin High School Undefeated Football Team

First Row: Kenneth Kuntzelman, Robert Garrelts, Larry Kathalynas, Mike Cork, Alan Polse, Todd Christensen, Arthur Boelke, Clifford Kramer
Second Row: Terry Riebock, mgr., Terry Whipple, Larry Corbin, Ronald Moody, Greg Bryant, Daniel Rowlwing, Al Buie, Robert Schambach, Curt Whipple, Richard Puchyr, Mark Scharf, mgr.
Third Row: John Fender, Michael Coffey, Kenneth Smeltzer, Vance Peters, Brian Winer, Michael Jocab, James Ballje, David McDonald, Jeffrey Johnson, Clifford Fox
Fourth Row: Donald Turner, mgr., Steve Burris, Lyle Wolff, Jeff Corn, Larry Burnell, Ronald Scheid, Todd Kruger, Marc Eshelman, Herbert Lind, Scott Hulke, Mike Priegnitz, mgr.

  • Undefeated regular season  (pre-playoffs)
  • Season record  9 – 0; Upstate 8 Conference Champions
  • Ranked 2nd in Chicago Tribune West Suburbans
  • Outscored opponents 191 – 27 (6 shutouts)
  • Starting defense allowed one touchdown
  • 8 All-Conference selections
  • 2 All-State players (one of which was All-American 3rd team)
  • Coach – Ray Haley

2017 1995-1996 Elgin High School Girls Basketball Team

Top Row: Kristin Groth, Julie Janota, Theresa Watson, Jana Ledbetter
Coaches: Patricia McBriarity (mgr) Pete Sauter, Brad Datisman, Lee Turek, Tim Davis, Mark Sharf, DJ (mgr)
Middle Row: Rachael Voss, Kim Kieskowski, Karly Kirkpatrick, Ramona Aguado, Anna Hallock Monica Ludeks
Bottom Row: Suzy Smith, Melissa Parker, Leslie Schock, Tina Wenckaitis, Karisa Turek

  • Finished 2nd in IHSA Girls State AA Basketball Tournament
  • Season record  31 – 2; Conference record 14 – 0
  • One of five consecutive conference titles
  • Part of conference record of 63 – 1 from 1993 – 1996
  • Won regional, sectional, super-sectional titles
  • Leading scorers – Leslie Schock  (18.6 ppg) and Melissa Parker (18.1 ppg)
  • Coach – Lee Turek

2016 2016 Westminster Baseball Team

This team won 30 and lost 10 during the season. It then proceeded to win the regional with victories over South Beloit and North Shore Country Day, won the sectional by beating Lanark and Lena, defeated Ottawa-Marquette in the supersectional, Lebanon in the semi-finals, and Goreville in the state championship game.

2016 1985 St Edwards Girls Basketball Team

Front Row (left to right) -Maureen Mueller, Heidi Schmitt, Leslie Biggins, Jennifer Piazza
Middle Row – Fred Smith (team manager) , Anne Rotundo, Kristine Sullivan, Amy Dayon, Jennifer Kuch, Jody Thompson (team manager)
Back Row – Ken Mattini (Coach), Denise Ghidorzi, Julie Mousel, Beth Hasenmiller, Evette Robeson, Alice Garry, Tammy Engers

  • 1985 St. Edward Girls Class 1A State Champion Basketball Team Overall Record: 29 – 4
  • Conference Record 10 – 21st State Champion for Girls Team at St. Edward High School

2015 1924 Elgin High School State Champion Basketball Team

Front Row: Ted Stern, Clayton Stone, Doug Mills, Herb Hill, Hayward Biggers
Back Row: Mark Wilson (Coach), Elmer Johnson, Andrew Solyom, Louis “Soup” Semeny, Harry Lange, Fritz Lehman, E.C. Wagoner

  • Led by Coach Mark Wilson
  • 25 wins and 3 losses.
  • The team held its opponents to single digits four times during the regular season while outscoring its opponents 882-447.
  • The team swept through the four regional games by 40 and 50 point margins.
  • Won three games to capture the sectional title before defeating Canton 16 -14 and Athens 28 – 17 to win the state championship.
  • Competed in a national tournament in Chicago, winning three games and losing the final to Warrensburg (MO) 34 – 27.
  • Leading scorers for the team were Louis (Soup) Semeny and Herb Hill.

2015 1925 Elgin High School State Champion Basketball Team

The 1925 Elgin High basketball team had a record of 24 wins and 2 losses.  Coached by Cliff Adams, this team lost only to Freeport during the regular season.  It won four games to capture the regional at Elgin High in the third floor gym, defeating St. Charles 15 – 9 to advance to the regional championship versus McHenry, which Elgin won 50 – 14.  In the sectionals, Elgin beat Waukegan 16 – 14 in overtime, defeated Streator 23 – 20, then won the sectional championship 10 – 9 over Freeport.  At the state finals, Elgin defeated Canton before advancing to win the championship against Champaign 25 – 17.  In the national tournament, EHS beat Saranac Lake (NY), then lost to DuPont Manual 26 – 14.  Leading scorers for the team were Doug Mills and Chappie Wells.

2015 1955 Elgin High School State Tournament 2nd Place Basketball Team

Led by Coach Bill Chesbrough, the 1955 Elgin High basketball team had a season record of 26 wins and 4 losses. Going into regional play, the team had an 18 – 3 record. They capped three convincing victories by defeating St. Edward 77 – 53 in the championship, before beating Arlington Heights and edging Evanston for the sectional title. In state tournament action, EHS won three games including an overtime victory over Galesburg, before losing a controversial heartbreaker to Rockford West in the championship game 61 – 59. Tom Aley and Gary “Whitey” Smith were the leading scorers for Elgin.

2015 1981 St. Edward State Champion Golf Team

Coached by Jim Perkins, the golf team had a match record of 11 wins and 4 losses. In tournament play, the team finished 1st in the E-Rab tournament, 1st in the District State Tournament, 2nd in the Sectional Tournament, and 1st in the State Final Tournament, becoming the first team in St. Edward High School history to win a state championship. Members of the team were Sean O’Connor (captain), Rob Olson, Jay Huffer, Peter Collingbourne, John Haywood, and Chris Carlson.

Experience it in person!

If you’d like to view previous Award Recipients we invite you to the ESHOF on-site Touch Pro Experience, located at The Centre of Elgin.

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