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Bureau County Sports Hall of Fame Honor Roll, July 27, 2024

By Kevin Hieronymus

The 1945 Walnut Blue Raiders were the only undefeated, unscored upon team in the state. They went 7-0, outscoring opponents 126-0. They were inducted into the BCR Bureau County Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. (BCR file photo)

Note: The Bureau County Sports Hall of Fame was formed in 1995 as part of the BCR’s Tribute to Sports program. While the Tribute to Sports was discontinued in 2005, the Hall of Fame was reinstituted in print in 2016.

Individuals (year inducted)

• Bill Anderson, Ohio HS, state’s leading scorer in 1943-44 (2002)

• Ken Bourquin, Walnut all-stater in football, longtime coach at Manlius, BV (1998)

• Brad Bickett, Ohio High School All-Stater, BV basketball coach (2019)

• Eric Bryant, DePue, Hall basketball coach (2021)

• Roger Cannon, all-time leading scorer in Neponset boys basketball (1999)

• Nicole Coates, Princeton, Notre Dame volleyball (2024)

• Charlie Fiochi, Ladd Grade School coach (1997)

• Lew Flinn, Princeton, NIU (2002)

• Jean Fox, Wyanet, All-American Girls Baseball League (1996)

• Chips Giovanine, Bureau Township, Western, L-P coach (2019)

• Grey Giovanine, Lamar University, Augustana coach (2019)

• Ken Gorgal, St. Bede, NFL (2003)

• Carl Gustafson, Princeton, Illinois Bowling Association (1998)

• Dick Hamrick, Wyanet, state’s leading scorer in 1954-55 (2001)

• Lance Harris, Ohio High School basketball All-Stater (2019)

• Lonnie Hewitt, Buda Western, three-time state high jump champ (2022)

• Shawn Jeppson, Hall High School basketball All-Stater (2023)

• Syl Kastigar, Better Fishing Association (1999)

• Bill Kaiser, Logan Jr High coach (2004)

• Mike Kesseler, Logan Jr High coach (2004)

• Kailey Klein, Hall High School basketball All-Stater (2023)

• Oliver Jochums, Mineral basketball coach (2004)

• George Meagher, DePue, Notre Dame track star (1997)

• Bill McDonald, Hall, Marquette, NBL (2001)

• Richard Nesti, all-state football player, coach at Hall (1996)

• Rita Placek, Princeton volleyball coach (2024)

• Bob Prusator, Tisilwa basketball coach (1997)

• Joe Ruklick, Princeton, Northwestern, NBA (2002)

• Don Sheffer, Princeton basketball coach, 1950-65 (2000)

• Hugh Skinner, BCR Sports Editor (1995)

• Randy Swinford, PHS wrestling/football coach (2017)

• Jim Troglio, all-state RB for Hall, leading rusher at Northwestern (2000)

• Wahlgren family - Lee, Erick, Kai, Kipp, Kristian (2022)

• Larry Wilcoxen, Walnut, IHSA official (1999)

• Gary Vicini, Hall football coach (2021)

• Frank and June Yohn, horseshoes advocates (2003)

• Ron Zagar, DePue, state’s leading basketball scorer in 1957 at 37.6 ppg (2004)

The 1999-00 Storm basketball team was the first from Bureau Valley to reach State and placed third-place basketball team. Team members are (front row, from left) Eric Wiggim, Mike Jacobs, Chris Heward, Mike Behrens, Reuben Slock, Justin Yepsen, Phil Endress and Matt Tumbleson; (and (back row) manager Justin Hansen, manager Andy Lanxon, Matt Hewitt, John Elliott, Jim Marlowe, Ryan Litherland, Chad Dever, Tim Eckberg, Jamie Durham, Adam Endress, assistant coach Brett Helms, assistant coach Jason Stabler and head coach Brad Bickett.

The 1999-00 Storm basketball team was the first from Bureau Valley to reach State and placed third. it was inducted into the Bureau County Sports Hall of Fame this year. Team members are (front row, from left) Eric Wiggim, Mike Jacobs, Chris Heward, Mike Behrens, Reuben Slock, Justin Yepsen, Phil Endress and Matt Tumbleson; (and (back row) manager Justin Hansen, manager Andy Lanxon, Matt Hewitt, John Elliott, Jim Marlowe, Ryan Litherland, Chad Dever, Tim Eckberg, Jamie Durham, Adam Endress, assistant coach Brett Helms, assistant coach Jason Stabler and head coach Brad Bickett. (Photo provided)

The 2000-01 Storm basketball team was the second from Bureau Valley to reach State and placed third-place basketball team. Team members are (front row, from left) Chad Dever, Jim Marlowe, Mike Jacobs, Mike Behrens, Reuben Slock, John Elliott, Matt Hewitt and Jack Creason; and (back row) assistant coach Jason Stabler, assistant coach Nick Hartz, manager Jared Draper, manager Luke Nelson, Greg Cooley, Brandon Bowman, Adam Gutshall, Phil Endress, Nathan Koning, Reid Oberle, Mike Jesiolowski, manager Jacob King, manager Kris Wilcoxen, head coach Brad Bickett and assistant coach Bret Helms.

The 2000-01 Storm basketball team was the second from Bureau Valley to reach State and placed third. it was inducted into the Bureau County Sports Hall of Fame this year. Team members are (front row, from left) Chad Dever, Jim Marlowe, Mike Jacobs, Mike Behrens, Reuben Slock, John Elliott, Matt Hewitt and Jack Creason; and (back row) assistant coach Jason Stabler, assistant coach Nick Hartz, manager Jared Draper, manager Luke Nelson, Greg Cooley, Brandon Bowman, Adam Gutshall, Phil Endress, Nathan Koning, Reid Oberle, Mike Jesiolowski, manager Jacob King, manager Kris Wilcoxen, head coach Brad Bickett and assistant coach Bret Helms. (Photo provided)

The 2001-02 Storm basketball team was the third from Bureau Valley to reach State and placed third-place basketball team. Team members are (front row, from left) Justin Von Holten, Nathan Koning, Greg Cooley, Adam Gutshall, Phil Endress, Brandon Bowman, Mike Jesiolowski and Reid Oberle; and (back row) assistant coach Bret Helms, assistant coach Jason Stabler, Steve Szabo, Josh Marlowe, Nick Yates, Matt Moodie, Jake Mahnesmith, Chris Behrens, manager Jared Draper, manager Jacob King, head coach Brad Bickett and assistant coach Nick Hartz.

The 2001-02 Storm basketball team was the third straight from Bureau Valley to place third at state. it was inducted into the Bureau County Sports Hall of Fame this year. Team members are (front row, from left) Justin Von Holten, Nathan Koning, Greg Cooley, Adam Gutshall, Phil Endress, Brandon Bowman, Mike Jesiolowski and Reid Oberle; and (back row) assistant coach Bret Helms, assistant coach Jason Stabler, Steve Szabo, Josh Marlowe, Nick Yates, Matt Moodie, Jake Mahnesmith, Chris Behrens, manager Jared Draper, manager Jacob King, head coach Brad Bickett and assistant coach Nick Hartz. (Photo provided)

Teams (years inducted)

• Bureau TWP 1957-61 basketball (2003)

• Bureau Valley 1999-02 state basketball (2024)

• DePue 1948-53 Little Giants basketball (2016)

• Hall 1931 state football champs (2002)

• Hall 1996-97, 1997-08 state runner-up basketball (2024)

• Manlius 1946 and 1947 football (2000)

• Mineral Leopards 1949-52 basketball teams (2004)

• Neponset Lady Zephyrs 1991-93 Sweet 16 basketball teams (2021)

• Ohio Bulldogs 1986 state runner-up basketball team (2019)

• Princeton 1953-54, 1954-54 Sweet 16 basketball teams (1995)

• Princeton 1989 State Runner-up Football (2023)

• Princeton 1990 State Champion Volleyball (2020)

• Sheffield 1944-46 all-sports teams (2001)

• St. Bede 1940-42 undefeated all-sports teams (1997)

• St. Bede 1988 Class A State baseball champions (2022)

• Tiskilwa 1939-41 Little 8 football champs (2002)

• Tiskilwa 1982-83 Elite Eight basketball (2017)

• Walnut 1945 undefeated, unscored upon football team (1998)

• Walnut 1982 state runner-up football team (2018)

• Western 1974-75, 1975-76 Elite Eight basketball teams (1996)

• Wyanet 1966, 1967 football teams (1999)

The 1982 Walnut Blue Raiders were the first football team from Bureau County to make the IHSA state championship game, falling to Zeigler-Royalton 7-6. They won their first 12 games of the year, sweeping the Indian Valley Conference and winning their first three playoff games. Junior and senior team members were (front row, from left) manager Nancy Frank, Jeff Holaway, Noel Carr, Chip Stiver, Chuck Woolley, Jerry Schulte, Mike Nelson, James Schoff, Randy Eckberg, and manager Michelle Perino; (second row) Ken TerBush, Don Hassler, Rick Von Holten, Tom Broeren, Corby Meyer, Craig Woodley, Brian Warling, Scott Pritchard and Doug Christiansen; and (back row) coach John DeMay, coach Dave McFadden, Joe Frank, Bob Howes, Ron Schoff, Kevin Kennedy, Dave Baker, Rick Fritz, Greg Wallace and coach Kim Courtwright. (Photo contrubuted)

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