The Wildcats brought home three District Championship plaques, a country title, and a Regional trophy during the 90+ year run at "The Thunderdome." The best seasons are listed below.

 

According to the 1994 Wapella HS yearbook, the Retro, the Wapella basketball program had an excellent and storied history: 

 

The school offered boys’ basketball as early as 1922-23, playing in 16 games and averaging 23 points a game that season. At that time, a tournament was held for DeWitt County schools in which Wapella won four times between 1929-33, including a 27-24 victory over Waynesville in the 1933 title game.  

In 1956-57, the Wildcats went thru the entire Kickapoo Conference circuit undefeated until losing to Danvers in the last game of the season on a long shot at the end of the game. Other schools in the Kickapoo were Armington, Beason, Downs, Deland-Weldon, Stanford, Ellsworth, Bellflower, and Heyworth. 

During the 1968-69 season, Wapella was second in the Kickapoo standings, but won the conference title the next season. The Wildcats also won the Kickapoo and Lincolnland Conference titles in 1984-85, which was the last season for the Kickapoo. As a result, the "Traveling Tomahawk Trophy" was permanently retired to the Wapella trophy case. 

 

1922-23              First season

1927-28              DeWitt County Tourney Runner-Ups    coach unknown

1928-29              DeWitt County Tourney Runner-Ups    coach unknown

1932-33              DeWitt County Tourney Champs     coach unknown    

1939-40   15 - 10 District Champions                          Coach Bob Rissor

1940-41   14 - 11 District Champions                         

1942-43   16 - 9   District Champions                          Coach Feldman

1950-51   15 - 10 (good record)                                     Coach George Kidd

1968-69   19 - 6   (good record)                                     Coach James Bryan

1969-70   21 - 7   Kickapoo Conf. Champs                  Coach Jim Carrona

1970-71   19 - 8   (good record)                                     Coach Lynn Curtis

 

Allan Lord was the team's leading scorer and second leading scorer in the state that year. The team was involved in one memorable game against Tri-Valley, a six overtime affair!!

 

Another one of the best players to grace the hardwood of Wapella is Marvin Morris. His 50 points in a November 27, 1956 game against Heyworth is a school record.

 

Memories of the 1984-85 season:

• The 84-85 basketball record was 16-11---some academic difficulties early in the season contributed to a slow start but an eight-game winning streak ended in a 66-61 defeat in the Regionals to eventual Regional Champ Leroy as Leroy went 24-28 from the foul line in that game.
• The 84-85 basketball team was the Kickapoo runner-up but recaptured the Kickapoo basketball traveling Tomahawk trophy in the final year of the Kickapoo conference in the regional opener against DeLand-Weldon. The game was a squeaker (49-48) and the Wildcats pulled it out on a last second shot by all –conference player Todd Davis. Coach Peroutka’s quote from the Clinton Journal said about Davis, “Todd’s come through before in tough situations and made some winning buckets. It’s nothing new for him. It’s a nice thrill every time he does it.”
• 84-85 baseball record was 15-2. That baseball team won the Kickapoo outright and were co-champs of the Lincolnland with San Jose .

Other sports 

The 1994 Retro yearbook showed pictures of a baseball team at Wapella as early as 1961, boys’ track from 1962, and boys’ cross-country in 1980. Golf was also offered in the 1980's. In 1971, Alan Lord qualified for the state track meet in the 180-yard low hurdles, becoming the first WHS track athlete to make it to the state meet. The Wildcat baseball team won both the Kickapoo and Lincolnland Conference titles in 1985 while having its best record (15-2). 

On the girls’ side, GAA actitivies were offered for a number of years until track was started in the spring of 1974, followed by basketball in 1975-76, volleyball in 1978, and softball was started during that same period. In fact, the softball team won the Kickapoo Conference title for four consecutive years from 1979-82, along with the Lincolnland Conference title in 1982.  

Kelley Fryman was the first female athlete from the school to compete at the state track meet, qualifying in the discus. Angie Olson starred for the Lady Wildcat basketball team during the early ‘80’s, setting a single-game scoring record of 43 points in 1984.  

In its’ final years, Wapella formed several co-ops with its neighbor to the north, Heyworth, in several sports. The football program at Heyworth benefited from this agreement, especially in 1993 when the Hornets reached the state class 1A playoffs, winding up with a 8-3 record.

 

What made this so unique was that in 1992, Heyworth had to forfeit the entire season due to the lack of varsity players, but with the extra year of junior varsity play and the addition of several Wildcats, it enabled them to reach the second round in 1993. Other co-op agreements between the two schools were in baseball, softball, and track.  

FAMILIAR FACULTY MEMBERS 

The school was also known for its involvement in the Future Farmers of America (FFA) from the organization’s beginning. Even before then, Wapella students were offered agriculture classes as early as 1920, had a stock judging team that competed in 1922 at the University of Illinois, and in 1923, formed a forerunner to the FFA called the Vo-Ag club. This organization was formed to promote farming as a way of life. 

Under faculty members such as Charlie Schettler (33 years) and Vera Fulton (22 years), the school thrived as a place that trained the citizens of tomorrow, while becoming a part of family and community life. Schettler’s FFA program had a total of four American Farmer recipients, 40 State Farmers, 4 District Star winners, 65 Sectional Foundation Award winners, 11 District & three State Foundation Award recipients, not to mention that the Wapella chapter received 14 gold, 10 silver and seven bronze awards at the state level, along with four bronze nationally. Schettler himself was named the National Vo-Ag Teacher of the Year in 1973, which earned him a trip to Switzerland paid for by CIBA-GEIGY. 

Fulton spent her 22 years at Wapella as an English and History teacher, not to mention being a class sponsor and involved with the Retro and the school newspaper, the Retro Jr. Miss Fulton moved to Saunemin in 1947 to be close to family and teach in that community before retiring and passing away there. 

Another faculty member worthy of mention is Maurietta Cusey, who sponsored the Future Homemakers of America (FHA) chapter at the school for 19 years. She not only taught Home Economics, but sewing, tailoring, and cooking as well. Under her leadership, Wapella was represented by 15 winners of the state Homemaker Award in a 10-year period. 

NOTABLE ALUMNUS 

The FFA had one of its own go on to become an Undersecretary of Agriculture during the mid-70s. Richard (Dick) Bell graduated from Wapella in the early ‘50’s, having served a FFA Section president and District Director of State in 1952. Bell credited Charlie Schettler as an “inspiration” and being a “great teacher with great values.” Bell was Undersecretary of Agriculture from 1973-77 during the Richard Nixon/Gerald Ford administrations.

 

 

The Illinois Theatre Festival is the largest, non-competetive high school theatre festival in the world. It was organized in 1976 by teachers from the Chicago suburbs. This festival is still going strong as they perform at the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) and Illinois State University every other January. Wapella High School participated in this festival from 1986 to 1988.

 

As a way of paying tribute to their school, the WHS Class of 1947 wrote this poem, entitled “To Our School.” 

To Our School

Here at the end of Main Street

In a most convenient spot

Stands our school WCHS

The school we love a lot.

 

In spring we were glad to leave

In the fall, glad to come back.

For there was always some excitement

To brighten our usual path.

 

We like your fun at parties

Your lively basketball

Your sportsmanship unfailing

When someone took a fall.

 

We liked your daily lessons

Your studies weren’t bad

And so in leaving you

We feel a trifle sad.

 

Now as we give you a fond goodbye

We have just this to say

We’ll cherish and remember you

When we are old and grey. 

(Taken from the 1994 Retro)

GREAT JOB WAPELLA HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI!!  

 

to Wapella resident David Taylor for his photos and information he was able to provide to this page. His copy of the school's last year was invaluable in the amount of information that we put together as well as the photos of the three basketball teams you see above.

 

 

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Chicago,  Il.   60631