Best Team Ever from Southern Illinois

[Southern_Hospitality]

I want hear some of your thoughts was the best high school wrestling team ever to come out of southern Illinois. I have my thoughts on this matter, but I just want hear everyonyone else.

[IllgetUanyerdog2]

I know the GC 95 squad was really tough but they never were able to find out since the State Tourney was cancelled. I dont know too much about decades before though. What are your thoughts?

[Southern_Hospitality]

I know the GC 95 squad was really tough but they never were able to find out since the State Tourney was cancelled. I dont know too much about decades before though. What are your thoughts?

I was going say the 94-95 Granite City or the 91 Cahokia team. I know Cahokia had some powerhouse teams in the 80s and Granite City had some solid teams before they close that school.

[Southern_Hospitality]

East St. Louis looked thay had some great teams in the early 40s. I read somewhere they had four state champions in 1941 alone, which were Herbert Littlefield (95), Frank Abromovich (145), Eael Guiette (165), Charles Gottfried (HWT). Also, Gene Sowman placed 4th that year at 135.

http://www.ihsa.org/activity/wr/records/ybysch3.htm

Now, that is pretty darn impressive for any team!

[wrestlingdude1]

I would have to say that the 95 Civic Memorial team also...if you all remember so the match between them and Granite that year was a very close one.

[Mr. White]

I would have to say that the 95 Civic Memorial team also...if you all remember so the match between them and Granite that year was a very close one.
That was the year after Granite lost half their team to graduation (rebuilding year). Still I must say that was the best team CM ever had. 3 state placewinners Steve Bryant-4th, Travis Zimmerman-3rd, and Jason Christeson-1st.

[Southern_Hospitality]

That was the year after Granite lost half their team to graduation (rebuilding year). Still I must say that was the best team CM ever had. 3 state placewinners Steve Bryant-4th, Travis Zimmerman-3rd, and Jason Christeson-1st.

Yeah, I would have to say that that was CM best team. Shoot, I rememeber that Ike and Jake Sullivan were on that team and they were tough as nails.

[grapple44]

ok Southern u are going to make me go down stairs and retrieve all my records. First of all this is a very hard thread to really answer since there have been so many good teams come out of this area, especially dating all the way back to the 1940's. Though the 1941 E. St. Louis team finished 2nd, and the 1965 Granite City team were state champions. I will base my opinion on the best team that I have seen in my 40 years, damn Im getting old. I would definitely have to say that the 1995 team of Granite City is the best team that I have seen come out of this area. Some facts for my opinion:

25-0 Record, G.C Holiday Tour. champs scoring 353.5 pts, still a record.
1st. at the Springfield Tour., 1st. at the Hazelwood Tour., Conference champs, Regional champs and dual meet sectional champs. 10 wrestlers in the finals of the sectional, and of course 10 state qualifiers.

Though there is no official score kept by the IHSA during the individual state Tournament, the coaches association keeps score just like the old days. The 1995 Granite City team was awarded a plaque from the coaches association for the most points scored during the 95 individual state tournament. Though it was about 13 yrs to late, they would of been state champs if individual scoring was still kept.

4 state placers:
112- T. Fulkerson: 4th
130- TJ Slay: state champ
171- T. Buchek: state Runner Up
hwt- C. Janek: 6th

7 wrestlers with over 200 team pts scored and 10 wrestlers with 30 or more wins:
103- B. Chausett: 32-4, 19 falls, 206 team pts.
112- T. Faulkerson: 41-2, 16 falls, 244 team pts.
130- TJ Slay: 39-0, 26 falls, 254 team pts.
135- B. Schooley: 34-4, 11 falls, 191 team pts.
145- J. Estrada: 36-7, 16 falls, 201 team pts.
152- J. Venne: 32-5, 11 falls, 175.5 team pts.
160- J. Scott: 34-10, 19 falls, 186 team pts.
171- T. Buchek: 41-2, 9 falls, 232.5 team pts.
189- J. Selliers: 36-5, 22 falls, 228 team pts.
hwt- C. Janek: 40-4, 23 falls, 222 team pts.

[Southern_Hospitality]

ok Southern u are going to make me go down stairs and retrieve all my records. First of all this is a very hard thread to really answer since there have been so many good teams come out of this area, especially dating all the way back to the 1940's. Though the 1941 E. St. Louis team finished 2nd, and the 1965 Granite City team were state champions. I will base my opinion on the best team that I have seen in my 40 years, damn Im getting old. I would definitely have to say that the 1995 team of Granite City is the best team that I have seen come out of this area. Some facts for my opinion:

25-0 Record, G.C Holiday Tour. champs scoring 353.5 pts, still a record.
1st. at the Springfield Tour., 1st. at the Hazelwood Tour., Conference champs, Regional champs and dual meet sectional champs. 10 wrestlers in the finals of the sectional, and of course 10 state qualifiers.

Though there is no official score kept by the IHSA during the individual state Tournament, the coaches association keeps score just like the old days. The 1995 Granite City team was awarded a plaque from the coaches association for the most points scored during the 95 individual state tournament. Though it was about 13 yrs to late, they would of been state champs if individual scoring was still kept.

4 state placers:
112- T. Fulkerson: 4th
130- TJ Slay: state champ
171- T. Buchek: state Runner Up
hwt- C. Janek: 6th

7 wrestlers with over 200 team pts scored and 10 wrestlers with 30 or more wins:
103- B. Chausett: 32-4, 19 falls, 206 team pts.
112- T. Faulkerson: 41-2, 16 falls, 244 team pts.
130- TJ Slay: 39-0, 26 falls, 254 team pts.
135- B. Schooley: 34-4, 11 falls, 191 team pts.
145- J. Estrada: 36-7, 16 falls, 201 team pts.
152- J. Venne: 32-5, 11 falls, 175.5 team pts.
160- J. Scott: 34-10, 19 falls, 186 team pts.
171- T. Buchek: 41-2, 9 falls, 232.5 team pts.
189- J. Selliers: 36-5, 22 falls, 228 team pts.
hwt- C. Janek: 40-4, 23 falls, 222 team pts.

Grapple44

I realize this is hard question to answer; however, I agree with you and strongly believe that the 95 Granite City team was the best team I ever saw in person from southern Illinois. Man, I was at individual sectionals that year watching the finals and the first place matches was like watching a Granite City dual meet. I believe they had 8 going for first that year.

[grapple44]

we had 10 in the finals that year.

[IllgetUanyerdog2]

Grapple44, you are old man!

[grapple44]

getting older every day. In the prime of my life lol.

[Southern_Hospitality]

we had 10 in the finals that year.


Wow, I just knew they had alot in the finals. Wasn't that a state record or something?