A four-sport athlete during his time at Salem Community High School, 2005 graduate Scott Murfin used his baseball and basketball skills to take him to the collegiate level.

Murfin graduated as the Wildcats all-time career scoring leader in basketball with 1,202 points, a mark that has since been broken. Murfin, who had a 36-point outing as a junior, put together one of the better individual seasons in the program’s history as a senior when he was an All-Apollo Conference Team selection. Murfin scored 555 points and averaged 18.5 points per game, which earned him Honorable Mention on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State Team. Murfin was also selected for the Southern Illinois Lions Cub All-Star Game.

Murfin continued his basketball career for two more seasons at Maryville University, but it was on the baseball field where he made his biggest contributions for the Saints. Murfin made a quick splash as a freshman when he earned St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week honors. Overall Murfin put together one of the better pitching careers in school history. His 17 wins and 36 games started ranked second on the school’s all-time career list. Murfin was also fifth in career innings pitched with 187 and career strikeouts with 137.

At the time of his induction into the Salem High Sports Hall of Fame, Murfin was working as a doctor of physical therapy at the Orthopedic Center of Southern Illinois and assistant director of the physical rehabilitation center at OCSI.  He resides in Pinckneyville with his wife Jamie, daughters Nora and Noelle, and son Nolan.

Petrea participated in cross country, basketball and baseball during his time with the Wildcats and received the Salem team rebounding award for the 1976-77 season. It was Petrea’s abilities on the baseball field that landed him a spot at Kaskaskia College where he excelled for the Blue Devils from 1977-1979. Petrea, who handled first base duties, made an immediate impact at Kaskaskia College as during the 1977 fall season he hit .354 and was selected to the Southern Illinois Collegiate Conference Team.

During his overall career at Kaskaskia College Petrea batted .288 with 15 doubles, 8 triples, 1 home run, 49 RBIs and a .432 on base average. Petrea stole 18 bases in 23 attempts and was solid in the field with a fielding average of .979. Petrea was selected and played for the South team in the 1979 Junior College All-State All-Star game held at Wrigley Park in Chicago. Petrea was selected to the Kaskaskia College Hall of Fame in 2013.

After graduation from Kaskaskia College he continued his baseball career at Middle Tennessee State University. Petrea, who also played during an era when wooden bats were used at the college level, posted a career batting average of .321 which included 21 doubles, 1 triple, 24 singles to go along with 45 RBIs. Petrea set the Raiders school record for doubles, which has since been broken. Petrea also continued to the All-Ohio Valley Conference Team during his senior year in 1981 when Middle Tennessee State qualified for the NCAA Tournament and played in the South Regional.

Petrea returned to the Salem area after he completed his education and playing career. He has continued to stay active in sports over the years having coached T-ball, Pony League and American Legion baseball, Salem Little Cats boys’ and girls’ basketball, and flag football.

At the time of his induction into the Salem Wildcat Sports Hall of Fame, Petrea serves as equipment manager at M.G. Dyess Inc.

A 1980 graduate of SCHS, Saikia was a stellar pitcher for the Wildcats having tossed a no-hitter against Mt. Vernon in a contest where he had the game’s only hit and the game’s only run.

Saikia continued his baseball career as a player at Eastern Illinois where he was part of a Panthers squad that reached the NCAA D-II World Series. Saikia transferred to Rend Lake College and transferred again to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Saikia played two seasons for the Kenai Peninsula Oilers in the Alaska League and was named to the All-Alaska Team in 1984.

After his days as a player ended, he became the head baseball coach at York, PA. College. Saikia served as the Spartans head coach for 24 years and complied a 515-392-4 record during that time. His teams won three Capital Athletic Conference championships and three times he was named the CAC Coach of the Year (1992,1996 and 1999). Nine times he coached teams that reached the NCAA D-III tournament. Saikia coached four players that won the CAC Player of the Year and five players who were named CAC rookie of the Year.

Saikia served as York’s assistant athletic director form 2001-11. He was named interim assistant Dean of Athletics in 2011, the same year he stepped away from coaching the Spartans baseball program. Saikia had the interim tag removed the following summer. Saikia was inducted into the York College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.

After college Kerry became an assistant coach at Sparta High School for three seasons and then became the head coach for one season. That year Sparta won the Southwest Egyptian Conference and qualified for the playoffs. From there he became the head coach at Flora High School where he stayed for three years and finished with a record of 18-11 and two playoff appearances. Kerry moved on to Carterville High School where his team won four Black Diamond Titles and qualified for seven playoff appearances. His 1996 season was his most successful going 14-0 and winning the state championship. In 2002 he moved on to Marion High School where he currently coaches. His record at Marion stands at 87-49. Marion has made ten consecutive playoff appearances and his overall record stands at 178-82.

During his career Kerry has served as Athletic Director at Carterville, he is an avid Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader, has been named Coach of the Year by The Southern Illinoisan and has been chosen as Teacher of the Year. He has also coached in fourteen different All-Star games.

As a quarterback on the football team, Don was a 1st Team North Egypt Conference quarterback. His head coach, Gary Brandt, stated “Don does a fine job of running the club and I have not seen any other quarterback as good as Don this season.” He was also named the “Player of the game” vs. Mt. Carmel on October 15, 1971.

Basketball was the sport that Don excelled in probably more than any other. He was part of the 1971-72 team that was inducted in 2005 to the SCHS Hall of Fame. This team won the Salem Invitational and finished with a strong 17-9 record. Head Coach, Lee Emery, said “Jones is truly a standout playmaker and a very smooth guard”. He led the team in scoring with a career total of 964 points, which was impressive considering the three point shot had not been introduced. Don was selected 1st Team North Egypt Conference and was selected to the Southern Illinois Basketball “All-Stars”.

In the spring of 1972, Don was also a standout baseball player for Coach Bob Jamison. Bob stated “Donnie was a standout baseball player that was a good student and fun to be around. He was our best pitcher”. The highlight was when Don hit a home run in the last inning in the District Championship to win the game played at Kaskaskia College.

Following high school, Don considered numerous offers to play basketball at the college level. He chose Millikin University and became a starter with the Big Blue as a freshman. Don, along with another freshman guard, Brian Peters, became two of the best guards in the conference. Don scored 150 points in 23 games for the Big Rlue. Millikin Head Coach Jerry Gray said “Don is much better than his statistics indicate and he provides the intangibles which are necessary to win. He is one of our most talented ball handlers and is a clutch performer,” During his second year Don suffered a leg injury that kept him sidelined after scoring 73 points for that season. Don ended his basketball career following the 1973-74 season.

He graduated from Millikin University in December of 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Finance. Jones returned to Salem and became a Certified Public Accountant. He remains in Salem and continues to work as an accountant. He is the son of Clark and Vivian Jones of Salem. His brother, Rick Jones, lives in Centralia. Don and his wife Dena have been married for almost 27 years, and have two children, Danette and Doug, both former SCHS athletes.

Morris followed up a good high school career with an even better collegiate and coaching career.

A 1980 graduate of SCHS, Morris participated in both baseball and football in high school. His best sport was baseball where he earned All-North Egypt Conference honors as a junior and led Salem in hitting with a .353 average. He also led Salem in hitting during his senior season.

Morris landed an opportunity to continue his baseball career at Kaskaskia College.

During his two years at Kaskaskia, Morris hit above .300 every season except his fall freshmen campaign where he saw limited duty. As a sophomore he established a school record that still stands for most triples in a season with nine. During his fall sophomore campaign he hit .391 for the Blue Devils and was an All-Southern Illinois Conference selection. Morris was also selected to play in the North/South Illinois All State Game held at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Morris transferred to Southeast Missouri State in 1982 where he continued his baseball career.

As a junior in 1983 Morris hit .324 with a team high 50 runs scored for a squad that went 29-10. The 50 runs scored in a season was a school record. As a senior in 1984 Morris batted .333 and again led Southeast Missouri State in runs scored with 32. His play helped Southeast Missouri State win the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship and earn a berth in the NCAA Midwest Regional.

Morris received Honorable Mention to the All-Missouri Intercollegiate Team in both 1983 and 1984.

After graduation from college, Morris has been in the coaching profession for the past 16 years.

From 1985-93 he served as assistant football coach at Paris, Tennessee High School. He then moved to Milan, Tennessee High School were he again was an assistant football coach in 1994 and 1995.

He took over the head coaching duties at Milan in 1996. Since that time he has compiled 51-13 career record. His 1998 squad went 13-2 and won the Tennessee Class 2A state title. In 1999 Milan went 15-0 and won the Tennessee Class 3A state title.

This summer he will serve as the head coach for the Tennessee All-State All-Stars in a game against Kentucky All-Stars. He served as an assistant coach in that game last year.

Late in the 1963-64 season Gibbs became the first player in school history to score 1000 points. His career total of 1023 points stood as the school record for 18 years until Jim Gaule broke it in 1982. He led the North Egypt Conference in scoring in both his junior and senior seasons and was an All-NEC First Team pick both years.

During his senior season he averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds a contest, both team highs. Those accomplishments led to Special Mention to the Champaign News Gazette All-State team.

In football Gibbs was named to the Evansville Courier All-South team as an end for the Wildcats during his senior season in 1963. That year Gibbs averaged more than 17 yards a reception and had 206 yards in receiving yardage. On defense Gibbs also led Salem in tackles and served as the team’s punter with an average of more than 30 yards a kick. Although his senior team only went 3-6, Gibbs was a member of the 1962 squad that went 8-1 and missed a perfect season by two points.

Gibbs also made his name known on the baseball diamond as a catcher and outfielder. In 1964 he led the Wildcats with a .355 batting average and also hit six home runs.

Although he could not sign with them because he was still in high school, Gibbs had a tryout with the Cincinnati Reds at the SCHS diamond in 1963 and his skills drew strong reviews.

At the conclusion of high school playing days, Gibbs opted for basketball and played at Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana. Gibbs led Centenary’s freshmen in in scoring with an average of more than 20 points a game in the 1964,5 season. He currently resides in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

That combination spelled one of the best seasons in school history. The Wildcats won their third straight North Egypt Conference championship with a 5-0-1 mark. Their 16-1-1 overall mark set a school record for wins in a season. Salem won its second regional championship that season and advanced to the sectional finals for the first time.

Outside of a 3-3 tie against Fairfield, the Wildcats cruised by the rest of their NEC competition. Salem outscored their other five league opponents by a combined 45-2.

Once they entered post-season, the Wildcats won the district tournament with a 2-1 win over Odin and a 7-2 triumph over Mt. Vernon. Salem’s next stop was the regional and the Wildcats won that with a 72 victory over Pocahontas. The Wildcats then advanced to the sectional tournament and they defeated a tough Collinsville team 2-1 in the opening round. Freeburg ended Salem’s season in the sectional championship game with a 5-4 victory.

How dominating was Salem on the season? They outscored their opponents 136-25 and outhit their opponents 149-43.

The pitching staff for coach Sam Bliss’ team was anchored by Hall of Famers Jerry Mercer, who threw five no-hitters during the season, and Morris Steevens plus John Bachmann.

The everyday lineup usually consisted of catcher Garry Pratt, Hall of Fame first baseman Ed Perry, second baseman Jim Martin, shortstop Don White and third baseman Jim Matthews, who led the team with a .420 average. The outfield usually consisted of a rotation of Jerry Forrester, Tom Thomas, Delmar Weems, Mercer and Steevens.

The 1954 squad began that streak of dominance and as a result earned selection to the Salem Community High School Sports Hall of Fame.

The 1954 Wildcats, coached by Sam Bliss, were one of the most successful squads in school history. They went 15-3 overall and won the NEC title with a 10-2 record.

Salem had an awesome lineup that produced seven victories by 10 runs or more. The Wildcats needed to win their final six conference games in order to win the title and outscored those opponents by a combined score of 66-5. That included a 22-0 win over Bridgeport in the regular season finale which clinched the league crown.

The team also had a strong pitching staff anchored by Hall of Farner Jerry Mercer and John Gillmore. The duo combined on a no-hitter in an 8-0 win over Lawrenceville.

One of the few disappointments the team suffered came when it lost the district championship game 3-2 against Mt. Vernon, a club it had beaten 5-0 in the regular season.

While many contributed to the team’s success, the regulars consisted of Garry Pratt at catcher, Jack Clutter at first base, Jim Martin at second base, Don Guymon at shortstop, Bob Martin at third base, Phil Jones in leftfield, Jerry Forrester in centerfield and Fred Gain in rightfield.

The 1954 Wildcats became the first baseball team to be inducted into the SCHS Hall of Fame.

Mercer, who had an 11-0 record in regular season action, opened with a 4-0, no-hit victory over Vandalia, striking out 18 batters. He walked one batter that game and then promptly picked him off at first. He next recorded an 8-0 no-hitter over Lawrenceville, also fanning 18. Then came a no-hit, 11-0 win over Centralia, with 13 strikeouts, and a 13-0 no-hitter over Olney, with 10 strikeouts. Both of those games were five-inning affairs. National recognition came after the fourth no-hitter with a two-page spread in Life magazine.

Mercer’s no-hit string was broken in a 3-0 win over Flora, giving up one hit, while striking out 10. He picked up the no-hit binge with a 12-0, five-inning victory over Bridgeport, facing only 15 batters and striking out 13. Over the season, he allowed only 21 hits in 84 innings pitched. Salem had a 16-1-1 record that year (5-0-1 in NEC play) being tied 3-3 by Fairfield. The Wildcats advanced to the sectional final before bowing to Freeburg 5-4.

Mercer began his organized baseball career in Salem Little League program as a pitcher for the 4-H sponsored team. He recorded a 4-0 record as a high school sophomore, with one no-hitter and one one-hitter. During his junior year, he recorded a 9-3 record.

After high school, Mercer signed a contract with the Kansas City Athletics in 1957 and spent his rookie year at Grand Island, Nebraska. He spent one year at Selma, Alabama, two years at Sioux City, Iowa, and played his last year at LeWiston, Idaho. After a very cold spring in Albany, New York, he suffered a back injury from which he never fully recovered. This curtailed his baseball career so he left and entered college. He received a B.Ed. degree from Washburn College in Topeka. He could not play college ball because of his pro career so he served as pitching coach of the Washburn baseball program from 1963 through 1965.

He has worked with juvenile delinquents at the Youth Center of Topeka and the Youth Center at Atchison for over 30 years. For 18 years, he and his wife lived in a cottage with 18 boys plus their own family of four sons and a daughter. He is currently Director of Youth Services over all cottages at the Youth center in Atchison, Kansas, supervising over 100 13 to 16-year-olds and 80 youth service workers.

Mercer was selected State of Kansas Correction Association Employee of the Year in 1982. He has directed the Youth Baseball program, coached American Legion baseball and women’s softball in Atchison.