SHS Sports: Timelines From The Sidelines Tradition Everlasting

Class of 1975

Baseball

The 1975 baseball team finished the season 4-7 overall, which is possibly the first losing season in school history, though documented records for the sport are not very thorough. Coach Barry Deist’s team did finish with a winning record in the South Central Conference (4-3) behind seniors Dwight Garrells; Bob Gay; Mark Stein; Don Sullivan; and Greg Yarnik. Sullivan won the Pitching Award, while junior Eric Pingolt led the team with a .352 batting average. Yarnik continued his playing career at MacMurray College.

Basketball (Boys)

The 1974-75 Bulldogs were coached by Randy Legendre. Unfortunately, the Dogs were unable to match the previous season’s success, as they finished 12-14 overall and 5-7 in the South Central Conference. Furthermore, the program had to replace a big group of seniors the following season, including Glenn DeVries; Jeff Hebenstreit; Bob Lietz; Mark Stein; Don Sullivan; Joe Tosolin; and Greg Yarnik.

Football

The 1974 football team finished 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the South Central Conference under coach Bob Chiti in his fifth and final year directing the program. The first six games of the season resulted in shutouts, though SHS ended up on the short end in the majority of them. After losing 8-0 to Hillsboro in Week One, the Bulldogs bounced back to defeat Litchfield (20-0) and Southwestern (36-0). A Week four setback to Pittsfield (20-0) preceded losses to Carlinville (28-0) and Gillespie (26-0). Staunton righted the ship in a Week seven victory over Virden (22-10), though the Bulldogs fell the very next week in a close game against Nokomis by a score of 12-6. SHS did end the season on a high note, knocking off rival Mt. Olive (38-32) in Week nine. Carlinville took home the South Central Conference championship that season, the first of two straight titles.

Senior Jeff Hebenstreit was the lone member of the Bulldogs to garner First Team All-Conference status, and fellow senior Rich Bednar was awarded Second Team accolades. Seniors Ken Kleeman and Bob Lietz, as well as junior John Clark, received All-Conference Honorable Mention. Senior Bulldogs included Mark Albrecht; Bednar; Tony Cerentano; Jack Felchner; Dwight Garrells; Hebenstreit; Lietz; Brian Margaritis; Kevin Murphy; Mike Renner; and Don Sullivan.

Track (Boys)

The 1975 track team was guided by Gale Bryan and finished third at both the South Central Conference and Macoupin County track meets. It was a fantastic year for individual accomplishments, as several school records were broken. Keith Gockel (300 meter hurdles), Greg Humphries (high jump), Bob Lietz (pole vault), Don Sullivan (triple jump), and the 400 meter relay team of Jim Beisner; Jeff Hebenstreit; Sullivan; and Brian Wall all set school marks. Humphries was named Team MVP and also won the SCC title in the high jump. Sullivan won a conference title in the long jump and also advanced to State in that event. The 800 meter relay team of Hebenstreit; Humphries; Sullivan; and Wall were also SCC champions. The following season’s team had big shoes to fill, as Hebenstreit; Humphries; Lietz; Sullivan; and Wall all graduate in 1975.

Track (Girls)

The 1975 track team welcomed Donna Ruehrup to the coaching fold and, in doing so, touched off a series of spectacular seasons for the young program. The success included two straight Macoupin County crowns, as well as South Central Conference titles in six of her first seven seasons. In fact, Staunton has not won a Macoupin County or SCC championship since that time. Given the success of her track and volleyball programs, Ruehrup is rightfully considered one of the best coaches in school history.

The 1975 season was very impressive, as SHS won each regular season track meet that it entered. Sheila Pingolt was particularly notable, winning District in the discus and advancing to State in that event. The team also featured seniors Paula Hering; Mary Sue Stiegemeier; and Terri Streeb.

Volleyball

The 1974 volleyball team was the first of its kind in school history, and the squad made its mark immediately by winning the District Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs were coached by Sandal Herbeck in her one and only term as leader of the volleyball program. Paula Hering; Dorothy Johnson; and Mary Sue Stiegemeier were the program’s first-ever seniors.

Class of 1976

Baseball

Barry Deist’s 1976 baseball team featured seniors Dennis Baum; Al DeVries; Lark Horton; Steve Hribernik; Terry Libbra; Eric Pingolt; and Phil Vesper. The team finished 11-9 overall, including 9-3 in the South Central Conference. The Dogs struggled early, dropping their first five games of the year. However, a six-game winning streak ensued, and a five-game winning streak later in the season accounted for Staunton’s victory total on the year. Pingolt took home the Hitting Award with a .489 batting average, while Vesper and sophomore Bart Yakos shared the Pitching Award. First Team All-SCC members included Pingolt and juniors Ron Heflin and Dan McDole. Vesper and Yakos received All-Conference Honorable Mention as did junior Kevin Barrett.

Basketball (Boys)

Randy Legendre’s third and final year in his first stint leading the basketball program saw the 1975-76 team finish just 4-18 overall, with all four wins (against eight losses) coming against South Central Conference opponents. The Bulldogs were able to defeat Carlinville, Gillespie, Mt. Olive, and Virden behind the play of Team MVP and Free Throw Award winner John Clark. Clark received Second Team All-SCC honors after this season, while junior John Podwojski was named Honorable Mention All-Conference. Seniors in the Class of 1976 included Clark; Keith Gockel; Lark Horton; and Eric Pingolt.

Cross Country (Boys)

1975 was the first season that Staunton High School offered cross country. Eight members comprised that squad, led by Keith Gockel, the lone senior on the team. Gockel was joined by Rich Barber; Jay Edmiston; Ted Hancock; John Hering; John Maroso; Tom Spears; and Paul Zimmer. Spears eventually emerged as one of the top runners in school history.

Football

After serving several years as an assistant coach, the 1975 season represented Barry Deist’s first year directing the football program. Deist, a former standout at SHS, graduated in 1962 and took his talents to the University of Illinois on a football scholarship. He eventually returned to his high school alma mater and led the football program for fifteen seasons, fielding many competitive teams along the way. In fact, given the current scenario in which a team generally only has to win five games to qualify for the postseason, Deist’s teams would have done so in nine of those years. One such season was the 1975 campaign, as the team finished 5- overall and 3-3 in the South Central Conference.

The year started out on a high note, as the Bulldogs defeated Hillsboro 10-6 in Week One. Week Two saw Staunton register another close victory, this time by a score of 20-18 over Litchfield. A Week Three shutout of Southwestern (31-0) followed, giving the Dogs three straight wins. Unfortunately, three consecutive losses ensued, with the Bulldogs dropping games to Pittsfield (28-6), eventual SCC champion Carlinville (43-14), and Gillespie (20-0). A 7-6 squeaker over Virden put the Dogs back above .500 but they dropped back to even in Week Eight with a 12-6 loss against Nokomis. SHS finished the season strong with a 45-8 victory over rival Mt. Olive.

All-Conference football players included seniors John Clark (First Team), Al DeVries (First Team), and Phil Vesper (Second Team), as well as juniors Lou Cipriano (Second Team), Mike Cockrell (Honorable Mention), Ron Heflin (Honorable Mention), and Tony Muenstermann (Second Team). Clark; DeVries; Eric Pingolt; Randy Rhodes; and Vesper comprised the senior members of the team.

Golf (Boys)

After fifteen years without a team, Staunton High School fielded a golf squad for the 1975 season. Larry Kuba directed the program, and he ended up coaching golf for twenty-six years before retiring for the district in 2001. In fact, his tenure as head of the golf program is the longest of any coach, regardless of sport, in school history. He also racked up nearly three hundred career victories, which is the second most in school history across all sports. Kuba’s initial team was led by seniors Steve Hribernik and Terry Libbra.

Track (Boys)

Coach Gale Bryan’s 1976 track team lacked depth at the upper levels, with only Al DeVries; Keith Gockel; and Randy Rhodes representing the senior class. Gockel was voted Team MVP, while sophomore distance runner Tom Spears earned the most points for the club.

Track (Girls)

Donna Ruehrup’s 1976 track team repeated as South Central Conference and Macoupin County champions. The team placed Third at the District Meet, with nine athletes advancing to State. The qualifiers included the 400 meter and 800 meter relay teams of Lynne Eddington; Karen Hering; Kathy Maxville; and Kime Maxville, as well as the 1600 meter relay team of Chris Cordani; Liz Link; Sarah Link; and Ellise Schuette. Sheila Pingolt (hurdles) also advanced to State, as did the 800 meter medley team of Hering; Kathy and Kim Maxville; and Schuette. Seniors on the squad included Cheryl Ahrens; Hering; Liz Link; Charlene Maxville; and Sue Travis.

Volleyball

Donna Ruehrup’s first season directing the volleyball program was fairly uneventful, as the team finished 5-9 behind seniors Cheryl Ahrens; Cindy Beyer; and Patty Leyden. However, the volleyball team did not experience losing for long, as Ruehrup quickly turned the program into an area power and one of the most successful sports at Staunton High School.