Athletics
The Fairbury-Cropsey Tartars had many great teams and successful athletes in their short run together. IHSA hardware
(
www.ihsa.org) was won in the boys sports of track & field, wrestling, and one journey into the state football playoffs. The boys had
some nice sesons in basketball as well. The girls also won some hardware in track & field, including several individual
medals, as well as some good success in volleyball. It is believed the Lady Tartars also competed in basketball.
What is a Tartar, you ask? A Tartar was a Mongolian Warrior. A brave sole at that!
Boys' Basketball
The Tartars were competitive in both the Mid-State and Sangamon Valley Conferences while the school was open, taking
one IHSA regional title and three conference plaques to go along with some nice seasons recorded on the IHSA web site. The
best of those are listed below.
1952-53 15- 9 Mid-State Conf. 3rd Place (10-4) Coach
John Reakes
1955-56 16-11 MId-State Conf. Champs (10-2) Coach
George Fyke
1956-57 23- 7 Mid-State Conf. Champs (11-1) Coach
George Fyke
1957-58 24- 6 Regional Champions
Coach George Fyke
1958-59 15- 8
Coach George Fyke
1962-63 13- 8 Coach
Dwayne Roe
1969-70 Sangamon Valley
Conf. Champs Coach Dave Jeffries
1970-71 16- 8 Coach
Bill Winn
1980-81 18- 8 Sangamon Valley Conf. Champs Coach Dennis
Kagel
Football
The boys football team at Fairbury-Cropsey High School also had some good seasons on record. Starting with
the first year that the school was in existence, F-C was a contender for the Mid-State Conference title, winning the
conference in 1956 and stopped Chenoa's 44-game unbeaten conference streak that season.
During their stint in the Mid-State as Fairbury or Fairbury-Cropsey, the Tartars sported a conference record
of 40-12-2 (.769 winning percentage)!! In Sangamon Valley play, the 1970 & 1973 teams won confernece titles
as the 1970 squad was undefeated! The team of 1983-84 even ventured into the 2A state playoffs. The best of the Fairbury-Cropsey Tartar
football seasons are listed below.
1951-52 6-2 Mid-State Conf. Runner-up (6-2) Coach
Bob Hainline
1955-56 5-2-2 Mid-State Conf. Runner-up (5-1-1) Coach Pat Zuchowski
1956-57 8-1 Conference Champs (7-0)
Coach Pat Zuchowski
1969-70 Undefeated Regular
Season Coach John Feely
Sangamon Valley Conf. Champs
1970-71 Undefeated Regular
Season Coach John Feely
Sangamon
Valley Conf. Champs
1973-74 7-2 Sangamon Valley Champions Coach
John Ayres
1974-75 7-2 Coach
John Ayres
1975-76 6-3
Coach Ken Johnson
1979-80 6-3
Coach Curt Christenson
1982-83 7-2
Coach Randy Clifton
1983-84 9-1 Qualified for Class 2A Playoffs Coach
Randy Clifton
Undefeated Regular Season
Lost to Dwight in Playoffs
Wrestling
The Fairbury-Cropsey Tartars had two individuals win medals at the state wrestling tournament. Their efforts led
the FCHS grapplers to a 5th place finish in the IHSA tournament in 1980. This was Fairbury-Cropsey's best finish
on a state competition level in its short history.
Jim Farley followed up his FOURTH place effort of 1980 in the 105 LBS. Weight Class with a STATE
CHAMPIONSHIP in the 112 LBS. Weight Class in 1981!!
1978-79 Team Won a District Championship
Individual
Medalist
Tom
Odom Weight Class - 138 3rd
Place
1979-80 Team Placed 5TH in the State Tournament
Individual
Medalists
Tom Odom
Weight Class - 138 3rd Place
Jim Farley
Weight Class - 105 4th Place
Final
Team Standings
1.)
Savanna HS
101.5
2.) New Lenox Providence HS 59.5
3.) Mahomet-Seymour
HS 41.5
4.)
Erie HS
40
5.)
FAIRBURY-CROPSEY TARTARS 32.5
6.)
Dakota HS
32
7.) Princeton
HS
29
8.) Yorkville
HS 28
9.) London
Mills Spoon River Valley HS 26
10.) Westville HS 24
1980-81 Individual Medalist
Jim Farley Weight
Class - 112 STATE CHAMPION!!
Girls Track & Field
The Fairbury-Cropsey Lady Tartars had some great success in track & field. A total of eight medals were
brought back from the State Track Meet. The girls also won a District title.
1977-78 Team Won a District Championship
Individual Medalists
Kathy
Ward Long Jump
4th Place
440 Yard Relay Team 7th Place
1978-79 Teresa Bachtold 440 Yard Run
2nd Place
440 Yard Relay Team 2nd Place
1979-80 Teresa Bachtold 400 Meter
Dash
4th Place
1980-81
800 Meter Medley Relay 3rd Place
4
X 100 Meter Relay 6th
Place
4 X 200 Meter Relay 8th
Place
Girls Volleyball
The Lady Tartar netters won four District titles, two Regional Titles, and a Sectional title. Unfortunately, the
team records and coach's names are not available.
1974-75 District Champions
1977-78 District/Sectional Champions
1978-79 District Champions
1981-82 District Champions
1983-84 Regional Champions
1984-85 Regional Champions
Boys Baseball
The Tartars knew their way around the baseball diamond as well. The teams of from 1952-55 were in the thick of the Mid-State
Conference race by staking a claim to a conference title in those years, plus in 1970 and 1971, Fairbury-Cropsey won
Sangamon Valley Conference Championships completing their run with only one defeat each season.
1951-52 8 - 2 Mid-State Conf. Champions Coach
Bob Foard
1952-53 12 - 4 Mid-State Conf. Co-Champs (5-1) Coach
John Reakes
1953-54 7 - 8 Mid-State Conf. Co-Champs (4-1) Coach
John Reakes
1954-55 Mid-State Conf. Co-Champs
(4-1) Coach John Reakes
1969-70 Sangamon Valley Conf. Champs
Coach Dave Jeffries
1970-71 Sangamon Valley Conf. Champs
Coach Dave Jeffries
Boys Track
The Male thinclads showed great speed and agility as well in their neck of the woods, taking the runner-up position in
the Mid-State Conference three times during the 1950's along with a title in 1956-57, and in 1970-71, the Tartars
won the Sangamon Valley Conference Championship.
1952-53 Mid-State Conference Runner-up
1954-55 Mid-State Conference Runner-up
1955-56 Mid-State Conference Runner-up
1956-57 Mid-State Conference Champions Coach George Fyke
1970-71 Sangamon Valley Conf. Champs Coach John Feely
*Dick Stevens won the Mid-State Conference high jump championship during three consecutive seasons
in 1953, '54, and '55.
Memories
From Cindy Helmers:
"Especially during the 1970’s, FCHS also had an extraordinarily
great award-winning band….the “Marching Tartars” directed by Mr. Bruce Hammitt.
Seeking More Information
The Fairbury-Cropsey High School Tartars existed for 34 years and deserve to be remembered for their many accomplishments. If
you have any information you can share, especially a photo of the high school building, you can e-mail it to us at
dr.veeman@gmail.com or you can write to us at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631
