Saybrook-Arrowsmith H.S. "Comanches"

Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School

1952 - 1989

The History of Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School

Saybrook (population 764) and Arrowsmith (population 298) are located in eastern Illinois in the southeastern portion of McLean County. Both towns are located about 15 - 20 miles east (and a little south) of Bloomington. You can read about the histories of both of these towns and their individual school districts on their individual pages of this site.

It is known that both towns supported their own high schools from about the late 1800's through the early 1950's. The towns agreed to consolidate their school districts in 1952. The new district was known as Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School. The high school was located in Saybrook and is pictured above. It is not know if the school building in Arrowsmith was used any time after the consolidation took place. The athletic teams kept the Saybrook Comanche name and school colors.

For nearly four decades, the Saybrook-Arrowsmith Comanches served the two communities proudly. Declining enrollment and financial issues took their toll. In 1989 Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School closed her doors for good. The students became part of a new consolidation effort with Colfax Octavia High School (also on this site). This new district is known as Colfax Ridgeview High School and is still going strong today.

The fate of the Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School building is a sad one. After being used as a junior high school through 1995, the majority of the building was demolished a few years later. The gymnasium is still standing, used as a garage for the township it is located in.

Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School Quick Facts

Year created: 1952

Year closed: 1989

Gymnasium today: used a township garage

School nickname: the "Comanches"

School colors: Red & White

School Fight Song: "On Comanches"

University of Wisconsin Fight Song Tune

Athletics

The Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School Comanches competed in many different sports and were successful in each. The boys competed in basketball, baseball, track, and football (1952-1968). The girls were offered the sports of volleyball, basketball, track, & possibly softball and golf. The Comanches competed in the Sangamon Valley Conference with many other small schools in their area.

Saybrook-Arrowsmith Football Newspaper Clippings

1962 Football Season

Saybrook-Arrowsmith Football Team - 1955-56

Sangamon Valley Conference Co-Champs (7-1)

Football

The Saybrook-Arrowsmith Comanches competed in football from their inception in 1952 through the fall of 1968. It is thought that declining numbers may pushed the reason for the dropping of the football program. However, as you can read above in the newspaper clippings provided by the web site www.ridgeviewfootball.us, the Comanches did have some outstanding seasons during those 16 years. The best of these seasons are listed below.

1952-53 4 - 2 - 1 First Season as SAHS Coach Russell McKeon

1955-56 7 - 1 - 0 SV Conference Co-Champs Coach Marvin Schlosser

1956-57 7 - 1 - 0 SV Conference Co-Champs Coach Marvin Schlosser

1957-58 5 - 2 - 1 SV Conference 4th Place Coach Marvin Schlosser

1962-63 6 - 2 - 0 SV Conference 3rd Place Coach Duane West

The team records for the 1953 and 1954 teams are not available.

The 1952-53 Comanches

Saybrook-Arrowsmith's First Team (4-2-1)

The 1956-57 Comanches

Conference Co-Champs (7-1)

Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School Gymnasium

Today a Township Garage

Boys' Basketball

The Saybrook-Arrowsmith Comanches had many successful seasons on the hardwood court as well. The school won one District and one Regional Championship. However, they enjoyed many seasons which brought more winds than losses. The best of the SAHS seasons are listed below.

1952-53 13 - 13 School's First Season Coach Russell McKeon

1953-54 17 - 10 Coach Russell McKeon

1955-56 16 - 12 Coach Marvin Schlosser

1956-57 19 - 6 Coach Marvin Schlosser

1957-58 20 - 7 Coach Marvin Schlosser

1964-65 16 - 9 Coach Don Sobotta

1967-68 14 - 10 Coach Robert Berg

1968-69 19 - 7 Coach Bill Winn

1969-70 21 - 8 District Champions Coach Henry Bonner

1974-75 13 - 11 Coach Henry Bonner

1975-76 15 - 11 Coach Henry Bonner

1977-78 22 - 4 McLean Co. Tourney Champs Coach Gerry Thornton

1978-79 25 - 3 Regional Champions Coach Gerry Thornton

1979-80 24 - 2 Coach Gerry Thornton

1981-82 18 - 7 Coach Charles Hall

1982-83 19 - 6 McLean Co. Tourney Champs Coach Charles Hall

1983-84 18 - 8 Coach Charles Hall

1988-89 Coach Allen Beck

Girls' Basketball

The Lady Comanches equalled the boys in IHSA tournament hardware. The program won two Regional titles during their existence, and brought home other trophies as well to show for their successes.

1975-76 Coach Betty Gardner

1976-77 Coach Betty Gardner

1977-78 Coach Betty Gardner

1979-80 16-7 Regional Champions

Normal U-High Round-Robin Tourney Champs

1980-81 19-4 Regional Champions Coach Clifton Gibbons

McLean Co. Tourney Champs

Beat Lexington 61 to 41
Won Regional Tournament 66 to 46

Boys' Baseball

The boys' baseball team of 1958-59 won a Regional championship as well. Team record and coach's name of this and other great baseball teams in SAHS history are not currently available.

1958-59 Regional Champions

Girls' Volleyball

The Lady Comanche netters had but one coach in their entire time as a program. Coach Betty Gardner lead the Comanche girls volleyball team from its inception in 1973-74 to its end in 1988-89. The best of her seasons at SAHS are listed below.

1974-75 7 - 2 Coach Betty Gardner

1975-76 7 - 3 Coach Betty Gardner

1976-77 7 - 7 Coach Betty Gardner

1977-78 7 - 6 Coach Betty Gardner

Boys' Track & Field

One Comanche thinclad brought home a medal from the IHSA State Track Meet. His excellent accomplishment is listed below.

1978-79 J.C. Zimmerman 100 Yard Dash 8TH Place

Activities: Theatre

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. Saybrook-Arrowsmith participated in this festival in 1980.

Seeking More Information

Please forward any information regarding the many successful endeavors of Saybrook-Arrowsmith High School to us at eganann@sbcglobal.net. You can also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631