Purcell posted the highest finish by a Salem runner at the Class AA state meet during his junior season in 1997 when he finished seventh with a time of 14:36, as the Wildcats’ 13th place finish was their best as a team.

During his senior season in 1998 Purcell won individual regional and sectional championships followed by a ninth place finish at the state meet with a time of 14:44. That year the Wildcats climbed four more spots in the team standings with a ninth place finish.

Purcell was a two-time North Egypt Conference individual champion with victories in 1997 and 1998. During his senior season he earned a top 25 finish and was third among Illinois runners at the Foot Locker Mideast Meet of Champions. He was also selected to represent Illinois at the Midwest Meet of champions and finished fourth among Illinois runners.

A 1999 graduate, Purcell was named to the Southern Illinois Coaches association All-South Team four times (1995-98) and was chosen SICA Runner of the year on 1998.

Besides leading Salem to its highest team finishes at the state meet, he helped the Wildcats win four NEC titles, qualify for state four times and win three regional and sectional championships.

Purcell was equally successful in track and field capped off by a fifth place finish in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:19.07 at the 1999 Class AA state meet. Purcell was able to qualify for state in that event with a time of 4:26.5 despite being limited to only one race at the sectional meet due to illness.

Purcell also qualified for state as a sophomore in the 1600 meters and as a junior in the 3200 meters.
Purcell was part of multiple relay records at SCHS including the distance medley relay, the 6400-meter relay, the freshmen 3200-meter relay, the sophomore 3200-meter relay, the sophomore 1600 meters, the indoor 1600 meters and indoor 3200 meters.

Purcell won the program’s B.E. Gum Award in 1998 and again in 1999.

Salem won four NEC team championships with Purcell in the program and the 1999 squad posted its best finish at the Class AA state meet when it was fourth.

Purcell continued his cross country and track career at Indiana University where he competed for the Hoosiers at both the Big Ten Conference and NCAA level. During cross country Indiana finished 17th at the 2000 NCAA Meet and 25th in 2002.

Track events for Purcell at Indiana included the 1500 meters, the mile run, 3000 meters and 3000-meter steeple chase.

Purcell continued his athletic competition after his school days ended, as he participated at the Ironman Competitor held at Madison, Wis. in 2008 and finished 144th out of 2,207 entries.

Purcell received a Bachelors Degree in business management and marketing at Indiana and also a Masters Degree in engineering management at George Washington University.

Nathan works for the United States Department of State and his stationed in the embassy in Kuwait.

Minton claimed his first two state medals as a sophomore in 1997 when he finished third in the discus throw with a toss of 171-8 and fifth in the shot put at 56-7 1/2. Those medals were the first by a Salem Community High School boy at the state track meet since Louis “Tuffy’ Middleton’ took fourth in the mile back in 1927.

As a junior in 1998, Minton not only became a two-event state champion but also set a state meet record in the discus with his winning throw of 192-1. That came after he won the shot put with a throw of 60-8 1/2.

Minton successfully defended both of his state championships as a senior in 1999 when he again won the shot put with a throw of 60-5 3/4 and the discus at 187-7.

Prior to winning those six state medals Minton won six Class AA sectional championships with throws of 56-10 in the shot put and 169-8 in the discus in 1997, 59-3 in the shot put and 190-7 in the discus in 1998 and 58-5 in the shot put and 182-9 in the discus in 1999.

Minton’s state meet record of 192-1 still stands as the SCHS record at the time of his induction as does his shot put throw of 62-2 1/2 set during the 1999 season when he finished 2nd at the Golden West Inivitational in Sacremento, CA. Minton is also part of the school high hurdle shuttle relay record along with Ryan Petrea, Joey McDonald and Bryan Carter with a time of 1:02.6 set in 1997, the shot put relay record of 148-4 1/2 set in 1996 along with Bobby Carter and Bobby Donoho and the discus relay record of 457-7 1/2 set in 1998 with Billy Tate and Clint Wolfe.

Minton was a four-time North Egypt Conference champion in the shot put and three-time champ in the discus. Minton broke the NEC record in both events as a sophomore in 1997 with throws of 58-2 in the shot put and 175-5 in the discus. Minton broke the NEC shot put record again as a junior in 1998 with a throw of 60-0.

Minton was also a standout performer on the football field where he was an All-North Egypt Conference performer on both offense at running back and on defense at linebacker leading the Wildcats to three playoff berths and the 1997 NEC championship.

Minton was an NEC Second team choice on offense in 1996 when he rushed for 640 yards and eight touchdowns. A year later Minton was an NEC First Team choice on defense and shared the team lead in rushing with Tyson Bargh with 571 yards. Minton was an NEC First team choice on both sides of the ball in 1998, as he scored a team-high eight touchdowns and rushed for 337 yards. Minton was honored again for his football skills in 1999 when he was voted as one of the linebackers for the program’s 75th anniversary team, which was voted on by the fans.

Minton continued his track and field career at Indiana University where he earned a fourth place finish in the Big 10 Conference Outdoor Meet shot put competition in 2001. At the time of his graduation from Indiana, he ranked sixth on the Hoosiers all-time discus list with a throw of 183-0.

Minton ranked 27th nationally in the shot put during the 2003 indoor season with a throw of 59-2 3/4 and was an NCAA Regional qualifier in 2003 and 2004.

During his time at Indiana Minton was a three-time All-Big 10 Conference Academic Team selection and was an NCAA Life Skills Champ Recipient in 2003.

Currently, Mike is the director of the Trio-Student support services at the University of Southern Indiana.

The 1997 Salem Community High School graduate qualified for state all four years in track and field as an individual, but he also was a part of four state-qualifying cross country teams.

Owen qualified for state in the 3200 meters in each of those years. As a freshman he advanced to state with a second place finish at the sectional meet with a time of 9:50.84 and was 12th in his heat at the state prelims at 10:04.06.

As a sophomore in 1995, Owen won the 3200 meters at the sectional meet with a time of 9:49.6 and was 25th at the state race at 9:57.

Owen was back at state again in 1996 as a junior when he won the 3200 meters at the sectional with a time of 9:49.2 and was 21st at state at 9:51.

As a senior in 1997, Owen qualified for state in two events for the first time advancing in both the 1600 and 3200 meters. Owen won both events at the sectional with times of 4:28.6 in the 1600 meters and 9:40.3 in the 3200 meters. Although he did not advance to the finals, Owen set a personal best time at state in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:25.3 and was 30th in the 3200 meters at 9:51.

Owen finished runner-up in the North Egypt Conference 1600 meters as a freshman in 1994 with a time of 4:37.3. Owen won NEC titles in the 1600 and 3200 meters the next three years.

As a sophomore in 1995 Owen won the NEC 1600 meters at 4:42.66 and the 3200 meters at 9:55.32. As a junior in 1996, he took the NEC 1600 meters at 4:34.2 and the 3200 meters at 10:46.8. As a senior in 1997 he took the league title in the 1600 meters at 4:35.4 and the 3200 meters at 10:04.

During the track postseason Owen earned his state berths with a second place finish in the sectional in the 3200 meters in 1994 at 9:50.84. He won the sectional 3200 meters the next three years with times of 9:49.6 in 1995, 9:49.2 in 1996 and 9:40.3 in 1997. Owen also won the sectional title in the 1600 meters in 1997 at 4:28.6.

Owen had similar success in cross country. During his freshman season in 1993 he was fourth at the NEC Meet at 14:36, fourth at the regional in 17:12, 36th at the sectional in 16:54 and 149th at the state meet at 16:15.

Owen did not run in the NEC Meet as a sophomore due to injury, but came back to finish eighth at the regional in 17:24, 27th at the sectional at 16:24 and 104th at state in 16:25.

As a junior in 1996, Owen won the NEC championship and set a new course record at Salem’s Bryan Park with a time of 15:21. Owen also won the St. Jacob Triad individual title at 15:47, was second at the sectional at 15:50 and was 52nd at state at 15:29.

Owen set another course record, this one at Olney, when he won the 1996 NEC championship with a time of 15:38. Owen once again won the St. Jacob Triad Regional title at 15:50, was sixth at the sectional at 15:54 and was 60th at state in 15:29. Owen continued his running career at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he competed for the Salukis from 1998-2001.

Owen earned varsity letters three times in track and four times in cross country. He was selected as team captain in both sports in 2000. He earned NCAA All-American Academic honors for the 1999-2000 school year. He won the cross country program’s Outstanding Leadership Award in 2000 and was a Student Government Senator.

Currently, Chris is a Sergeant with the Illinois State Police and the U.S. drug enforcement administration and is a full service K-9 handler with his partner Xocko.

At the time of his induction into the SCHS Sports Hall of Fame, Morgan owned the top three scoring averages with marks of 36.2 strokes per nine holes in 1991, 36.8 in 1992 and 37.6 in 1990.

Besides season averages, Morgan set course records at Salem Country Club with a three-under-par 33 and at Mt. Carmel with another round of three-under-par 33. Morgan finished first or tied for first in 37 of Salem’s 46 regular season meets during his four years in high school.

Morgan claimed two North Egypt Conference individual championships with rounds of 73 as a freshman in 1989 and 73 again as a sophomore in 1990. He cracked the top ten again in 1991 with a 78 and was fourth in 1992 with a 76.

Twice Morgan qualified for the Class AA state meet as an individual. As a junior in 1991, Morgan finished third at the regional meet with a round of 75 and sixth at the sectional. Morgan posted an 11th place finish at the state meet with a two-day total of 158.

As a senior in 1992, Morgan won the Centralia Regional individual championship with a score of 76 and earned a return trip to state with a third place finish at the Danville Sectional. Morgan came in 19th place at the state meet with a round of 162.

Morgan was chosen to the Southern Illinois Coaches Association All-South First Team and was the team’s most valuable player all four years in high school.

During his time with the Wildcats golf program Salem won four NEC team championships and one regional title. The Wildcats qualified for sectional play all four years.

Morgan’s road to success in high school golf began at an early age, as he played in national youth tournaments at Ann Arbor, Mich., Las Vegas, Nev., Palm Beach Gardens, Fla, Pekin, Philadelphia, Pinehurst, NC and San Diego. He also participated in Gateway Junior PGA Tournaments throughout southern Illinois and St. Louis, Oklahoma State Golf Camp and in national junior tournaments with future PGA players Tiger Woods and D.A. Points among others.

Besides golf, Morgan was also a starter for the Wildcats basketball and baseball teams in high school. Morgan earned All-NEC Honorable Mention in baseball for the 1993 season.

Morgan continued his golf career into college where he played three seasons for Parkland College and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

After college Morgan has worked for the Tommy Armour Golf Company, the PGA Tour, Nevco Scoreboard Company, Porter Athletic and is the current owner of Jeta Morgan, Inc.

Salem’s road to a 28-3 record began when the Lady Wildcats won the Mascoutah Round Robin Tournament with victories over Greenville 62-40, Breese Central 46-41 and Mascoutah 49-42. Renee Brubaker scored 33 points during the three games and was named tournament most valuable player, while Megan Grizzle was also named to the all-tournament squad.

Salem added victories over Highland, Lawrenceville, Red Hill, Flora and Mt. Carmel before it suffered its first blemish at Mt. Vernon 64-50.

The Lady Wildcats finished second at the 16-team Charleston Tournament with wins over Hume-Shiloh 85-37, Paris 69-35 and Olney 59-38 before falling to Teutopolis 47-35 in the championship game. Brubaker was named to her second all-tournament team of the season after she scored 56 points in the four games and was joined on the squad by teammate Shawnda ‘Bear’ Hunt.

Salem’s path to a perfect North Egypt Conference test got its toughest test when the Lady Wildcats rallied to nip visiting Carmi 58-53 in overtime. Grizzle tied the game in the closing moments of regulation with a field goal and then put Salem ahead for good with two free throws in the extra session.

Twelve points by Brubaker led the Lady Wildcats to a 44-35 victory over Centralia, their first win over the Annies in 18 years.

Salem clinched the NEC championship with a 48-33 victory at Olney on the same day Grizzle scored her 1,000th career point. The Lady Wildcats finished off a perfect 14-0 NEC season with a 63-54 win at Carmi thanks to a season-high 24 points by Audrey Husk and 17 more by Danette Jones, who made her first varsity start.

Brubaker tied the school record for three-pointers in a game with seven and scored a career high 29 points when Salem celebrated Senior Night with an 85-50 win over Carbondale.

Coach Janet Holst’s squad won the program’s first regional championship on their home floor when they dismantled St. Jacob Triad 74-31 in the semifinal round and Chatham Glenwood 78-51 behind a career-high 28 points by Chandra Hensley. The regional championship game victory was the squad’s 25th of the season and broke the school record of 24 for most wins in a season set by the 1978-79 team.

The Lady Wildcats added the program’s first sectional title to their resume when they downed Mattoon 64-46 in the semifinals at Taylorville behind 17 points by Husk. They defeated Collinsville 59-47 in the championship game behind 15 points by Husk and Brubaker.

Fate had the Lady Wildcats back at home for the super-sectional where they toppled a heavily favored East St. Louis squad before a full house 72-65. Hunt upstaged the Flyers two Division I guards by scoring a career-high 28 points including ten free throws in the final two minutes to secure the win.

The Lady Wildcats raced out to a 9-0 lead in its Class AA state quarterfinal game against Glenbard West, but Salem’s dream season ended when the Lady Hilltoppers rallied and won 47-45 on All-Stater Kristi Faulkner’s shot at the buzzer.

All five Salem starters earned All-NEC honors along with reserve Danette Jones. Grizzle was named the league’s Honorary Captain, while Brubaker and Hunt made the First Team. Husk was named to the Second Team, while Hensley and Jones received Honorable Mention. Holst was also recognized named NEC Coach of the Year.

Brubaker was named to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Class AA All-State Third Team. Brubaker and Grizzle received Honorable Mention on the Champaign News Gazette All-State Team.