SHS Sports: Timelines From The Sidelines Tradition Everlasting

Overview Of 1960-1969

The decade of the 1960’s saw the baseball program continue its dominance, as well as football’s return to prominence. Combined, the two sports won fourteen of twenty possible conference titles in the decade. Unfortunately, the basketball program fell on hard times and, in fact, failed to secure even one winning season in the 1960’s. While no new sports were added during the era, golf did disappear as an option for SHS Students.

The 1960s witnessed numerous changes to the South Central Conference. The first two years of the decade saw the SCC remain a seven-team league with Benld, Carlinville, Gillespie, Mt. Olive, Nokomis, Southwestern, and Staunton in the fold. The conference was back down to five teams beginning with the 1961-62 academic year when the Benld school district was annexed by Gillespie and Southwestern left to join Illinois Valley Conference (IVC). The IVC later merged with another league to form the Western Illinois Valley Conference (WIVC). Two years later, the Springfield Feitshans Flyers were admitted into the South Central Conference, making the conference a six-team league. Unfortunately, Springfield Feitshans was swallowed up by Springfield Southeast High School at the start of the 1967-68 school year. In order to keep the league at six teams, the SCC extended an invitation to Virden, which was accepted.

Class of 1967

Baseball

Coach Fred Brenzel’s 1967 baseball team only played twelve games, but the Bulldogs made the most of them, finishing 9-3 overall and 6-1 in the South Central Conference to three-peat as league champions. In fact, the SCC title marked the program’s thirteenth such championship in the previous fourteen years, as span that saw the Dogs go 94-10 in SCC affairs. Statistical leaders Al Culp; Tom Monschein; and Brad Neuhaus sparked the squad. Seniors later returned to Staunton school district and served as the elementary principal for more than three decades. Monschein continued his baseball career at Illinois State University where he was a member of the school’s 1969 national championship team.

Basketball (Boys)

Dave Davison took over the basketball program for the 1966-67 school year, and he welcomed seniors Al Culp; Jack McDole; Tom Monschein; and Tom Oettel as leaders of his team. The Bulldogs experience an up-and-down season, ending the campaign with a record of 11-13, including 5-5 in the South Central Conference. The Bulldogs struggled in the early portion of their schedule but ended the regular season with five consecutive wins before falling to Carlinville (72-61) in the Regional Tournament. Monschein and Oettel were both named to the First Team All-Conference squad that year, and Culp was named Honorable Mention. Team MVP Oettel averaged a double-double for the season with 115.6 points and 11.5 rebounds. Monschein (15.4 points, Free Throw Award) Culp (11.6 points, 8.4 rebounds) also averaged double figures for the Dogs.

Football

Having graduated nearly every starter from the previous season, Staunton was supposed to be in rebuilding mode for the 1966 football season. However, in those days the Bulldogs didn’t rebuild, the reloaded. The youthful squad experienced an excellent campaign, finishing the season with a record of 8-1-1 overall and 4-1 in the South Central Conference. SHS recorded wins over Springfield Feitshans (37-6), Gillespie (19-7), Hillsboro (28-6), Jerseyville (20-13), Litchfield (21-7), Mt. Olive (20-0), Nokomis (45-6), and Quincy CBC (21-6). The tie was a 13-13 battle against Belleville East. Unfortunately, the lone loss was an SCC affair with Carlinville, with the Cavaliers won by a score of 7-6. CHS thus took the conference championship back to Carlinville after Staunton had won it three straight years. However, coach Fred Brenzel’s Bulldogs had nothing to be ashamed of, as they surpassed all reasonable preseason expectations.

The Dogs were led by seniors and All-Conference First Teamers Bob Barnhart; Tony Bechem; Al Culp; Gary Frioli; and Dave Link, while Ed Hilmes was named All-SCC Honorable Mention. Juniors Lyndall Kleeman (First team) and Phil Callovini (Honorable Mention) were also honored for their play during the SCC portion of the schedule. Joining the aforementioned players, additional seniors in the Class of 1967 included Dave Hall; Bob Karl; Mike Minkanic; Mark Skertich; and Mark Wenner. Barnhart continued his football career at Culver-Stockton College, while Link moved on to the University of Iowa. Meanwhile, Skertich returned to Staunton schools as elementary principal, a position he held for more than thirty years.

Track (Boys)

Though they have since been broken there were two school records set by track athletes in 1967. Hank Fey; John Hochmuth; Dave Larcker; and John Pingolt were successful in 800 meter relay, while Ron Barber set the initial school record in the 32000 meters in the first year that the event was added to the sport. Seniors on the team included John Ashley; John Davis; Harry Eller; Ed Fey; Dave Hall; Pingolt; and Steve Ziglar. The team, coached by Jim Haynes, finished third at the South Central Conference Meet.

Class of 1968

Baseball

Coach Fred Brenzel’s 1968 baseball squad failed to capture the South Central Conference championship, though the team did win the Districts Tournament. The Dogs dispatched of Mt. Olive 2-1 before downing Livingston 8-2 to take the title. Seniors Louie Crook; Lyndall Kleeman; Bryan Kinnikin; and Joe Mitchell spearheaded the effort. Kinnikin won the team Hitting Award, while sophomore Dennis Smiley won the Pitching Award.

Basketball (boys)

Dave Davison had to rebuild his team for the 1967-68 season, as the squad was hit hard by graduation. As expected, the Dogs struggled for most of the year, eventually finishing with a record of 6-17. SHS had a balanced attack, as seniors Bob Braasch (16.0 points, 9.7 rebounds); Lyndall Kleeman (12-6 points, 8.6 rebounds); and Bryan Kinnikin (11.3 points, Free Throw Award) all averaged double figures for the team. Additional seniors included Hank Fey; Dave Larcker; and Joe Mitchell.

Football

The Staunton football team had an outstanding season in 1967, culmination in yet another South Central Conference championship for the program under coach Fred Brenzel. SHS finished the year 9-1 overall and a perfect 5-0 in the SCC, with the only lone loss coming in the last game of the season to Belleville East. The Dogs began the schedule with non-conference victories over Hillsboro (26-6), Litchfield (28-19, Quincy CBC (35-0), and Jerseyville (14-7). Staunton began the conference slate with a Week five matchup against rival Carlinville, and SHS came away with a 21-13 victory. The game represented the only time the Dogs surrendered points in the SCC games, as they went on to shut out Gillespie (13-0), Virden (7-0), Nokomis (27-0), and Mt. Olive (55-0), Week ten brought a stiff test with Belleville East. Unfortunately, Staunton was on the wrong end of a 40-0 shutout.

The squad was led by seniors Phil Callovini; Gary Herbeck; Bryan Kinnikin; Lyndall Kleeman; Jim Morris; Mike Pintar; George Przymuzala; and Jim Tiburzi. Kleeman, in particular, had an outstanding season, and he was rewarded for his efforts with Defensive MVP honors, as well as being named to the All-State team. Quarterback Kinnikin took home the Offensive MVP award at the annual sports banquet. All-Conference First Team status went to Callovini; Kinnikin; Kleeman; Pintar; Przymuzala; and Junior Larry Grabruck. Herbeck and junior Tom Kolkovich took home All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.

Track (Boys)

Seniors John Caldieraro; Drennan Cloyd; Ed Felchner; Hank Fey; Kirk Kramer; Dave Larcker; Mike Streeb; and Jim Tiburzi led the 1968 track squad to a Second place finish at both the South Central Conference and Macoupin County track meets. Though the marks have since been broken, six individuals set school record that season. Larker (400 meters) and Streeb (800 meters) posted event records, as did juniors Bob Smith (Hurdles) and Tom Stephens (3200 meters), as well as sophomores John Hochmuth (200 meters) and Jim Wilson (shot put). Larker took home Team MVP honors for a unit coached by Jim Haynes.

Class of 1969

Baseball

Fred Brenzel’s 1969 baseball team was led by seniors Rick Allen; Don Best; Wes Campbell; and Tom Goldasich. Unfortunately, SHS failed to capture a conference or postseason title for the third time in nineteen years.

Basketball (Boys)

Dave Davison’s 1968-69 basketball team finished the season 9-15 overall, including 7-3 in the South Central Conference. The SCC mark was the program’s best league finish in several years, and it was even more impressive considering the Dogs started just one senior, Terry Best.

A Second Team All-Conference selection, Best averaged 11.0 points per game for the Dogs. The team’s leading scorer and rebounder was Brad Bah, a junior who also captured the Free Throw Award. Bahn, the Team MVP, was also a First Team All-SCC selection. Additional seniors on the squad included Larry Grabruck and Terry Meyer.

Football

Although the 1968 football team finished with a winning record of 6-4, including 3-2 in South Central Conference, the season did mark the first time in ten years that the Dogs failed to win seven games of finish as one of the top two teams in the South Central Conference. The season started off in a fine fashion, as the Bulldogs won three straight, including victories over Hillsboro (28-7), Litchfield (14-0), and Quincy CBC (19-7). However, three consecutive losses pushed the Bulldogs back to the .500 mark. Jerseyville started the slide with a 14-7 victory over the Dogs, while Carlinville (13-6) and Gillespie (15-7) also registered narrow wins over the boys in red and white. The Bulldogs righted the ship with a 13-7 victory over Virden in Week seven, and they followed up with the wins over Nokomis (25-0) and Mt. Olive (59-6). The final game of the season saw SHS fall to Belleville East by a score of 31-0. Carlinville captured the SCC title in 1968. Coach Fred Brenzel said goodbye to seniors Rick Allen; Don Best; Dean DeVries; Tom Goldasich; Larry Grabruck; Tom Kolkovich; Loran Kovaly; Mark Neuhaus; and Ron Williams. DeVries; Grabruck; and Kolkovich were each named All-Conference, as were Juniors Al Conroy; Gene Frioli; Dave Russell; and Jim Wilson. Goldasich (Offense and Grabruck (Defense) were named Team MVP of their respective units.

Track (Boys)

Jim Haynes coached the 1969 track team to second place finishes at both the South Central Conference and Macoupin County track meets behind seniors Terry Best; Larry Grabruck; Terry Meyer; and Ron Saunders. At the SCC Meet, junior John Hochmuth was a champion in three events (200 meters, 400 meters, 1600 meter relay). Best won the SCC high jump title, Grabruck took home discus honors, and sophomore Nick Wineburner captured gold in the long jump. Joining Hochmuth and Roehl on the relay team was a combination of juniors Al Conroy; Dave Russell; and Kevin Sullivan. Hochmuth; Roehl; and Wineburner each won their respective events at County, while Grabruck took home shot put honors.