While his first Salem boys track team in 1985 came up short at the North Egypt Conference Meet, his squads came back to win the title in each of the next 16 seasons. Phillips’ greatest success with the Wildcats track program came in 1999 when Salem grabbed a share of the Class AA Murphysboro Sectional championship. That remains as the program’s only sectional title. That 1999 team later finished fourth at the state meet. During Phillips’ track tenure Salem qualified more than 30 individuals and 15 relay teams for the Class AA state meet in a two-class system.

When Phillips took over the boys cross country program in 1987 his teams won 15 straight NEC championships. Eight times his teams qualified for state, which began in 1987 followed by trips in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998. Salem won six regionals with Phillips at the helm (1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998) and four sectionals (1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998). The 1998 squad cracked the top ten at state for the first time when it placed ninth.

Phillips took over the girls cross country program when the sport was still in its infancy. It was not until 1996 when the NEC held its first girls meet. Salem won that inaugural title followed by championships in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2001.

The Lady Wildcats qualified for the Class AA state meet six times during Phillips’ tenure with the first advancement in 1987 followed by trips in 1988, 1991, 1996, 1997 and 1998. The 1998 team posted the best finish among those squads with a 15th place mark. Phillips’ girls’ teams won regional titles in 1991, 1996, 1997 and 1998 and the program’s only sectional crown in 1996.

Phillips was named the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Cross Country Coach of the Year for the state’s southern division in 1998 and received the same honor for the 1999 track season.

Phillips has been a lifetime Wildcat having played football and track at SCHS from 1967-1971. Phillips was part of a shuttle relay team that set the school record. Phillips attended Kaskaskia College and Eastern Illinois University before he returned to SCHS as a biology teacher. Phillips began coaching with the Wildcats football program in 1976 as sophomore coach and varsity assistant. Phillips continued that role until 1981 when he moved to the freshmen level.

During Phillips’ tenure as an underclassmen football coach his teams compiled a 48-13 record. Phillips’ best freshmen squad was the 1982 team that went 10-0. His 1984 team went 9-1.

It is not just athletic venues where Phillips enjoyed success. During the 1986-87 school year he filled in as scholar bowl coach and led that team to a second place finish at the state meet. While Phillips’ head coaching duties ended in 2002, he has remained active as a volunteer assistant boys track coach.

McMullen will always hold the distinction of being the only girl to win four North Egypt Conference individual cross country championships, as that league disbanded in 2003. When McMullen won the first four of those NEC titles in 1996 as a freshman, she did so by establishing a new Salem Bryan Park Course record with a time of 12:06. McMullen had to be at her best that day because teammate Trisha (Hustedde) Richards also broke the course record.

McMullen’s other NEC cross country titles came at Carmi in 1997 with a time of 12:51, at Fairfield in 1998 with a time of 13:34 and finally at Olney in 1999 in a time of 15:54, which marked the first year girls courses were lengthened from two to two and a half miles. Led by McMullen, the Lady Wildcats won the NEC championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998.

McMullen competed in the Class AA state cross country meet during all four years in high school Salem qualified as a team during three of those years. As a freshman in 1996, McMullen was fifth at the Troy Triad Regional and fourth at the Centralia Sectional to lead Salem to team championships in both meets. She ended the year with a 107th place finish at the state meet, as Salem took 19th as a team.

Led by McMullen’s seventh place finish at the Centralia Regional, Salem defended its regional title at Centralia in 1997. McMullen was 14th at the Decatur Sectional race, as the Lady Wildcats finished third as a team and earned another trip to state. When McMullen helped Salem to a 19th place at the state meet, she set a new school standard at the state race for the best place (54th) and best time (12.33).

McMullen accomplished some more school history in 1998 when she became the first Lady Wildcat runner to win an individual regional championship, as she took home the title at Mt. Vernon with a time of 15:21 and led Salem to a third regional title. McMullen was ninth at the Centralia Sectional, as a second place team finish earned Salem another trip to state. McMullen improved her girls school record for best place at the state race when she finished 38th in a time of 15:07 and the 15th place finish by the Lady Wildcats was also the best in school history.

McMullen’s fourth and final trip to state in cross country came as an individual in 1999, as she was third at the Salem Regional, 23rd at the Centralia Sectional and 125th at state when she was Salem’s only qualifier.

McMullen’s success was not just limited to cross country. During her freshman track season in 1997, McMullen broke the SCHS record in the 3200 meters with a time of 11:48.2 and also set a new NEC record with a 12:16. As a sophomore McMullen qualified for the Class AA state meet in the 3200 meters and finished 29th with a time of 12:16. As a sophomore McMullen earned another trip to state in the 3200 meters in 1998 and improved her finish to 20th in a time of 11:49. Also during her sophomore season McMullen set new SCHS indoor records in the 1600 meters with a time of 5:37.1 and the 3200 meters at 12:21.8. She also teamed up with Stephanie Helton, Trisha Hustedde and Megan Grizzle to set a new SCHS indoor record in the 3200-meter relay with a time of 10:38.3.

After graduation from SCHS, McMullen continued her running where she competed for Murray State University and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

At the time of her induction, McMullen was working as an elementary school teacher.

Coming off one of the best seasons in school history, the 1998 Salem Lady Wildcats cross country team had high hopes despite losing 3 of it’s Top 5 runners as graduating Seniors and facing an increase in official course length from 2 miles to 2.5 miles. The team returned the top 2 runners in Junior Erin McMullen and Senior Trisha Hustedde and rounded out its experience with returning varsity runners in Junior Gena Terlizzi and Senior Audrey Hargis. Add several talented younger runners into the mix and the team had a promising season ahead.

The Lady Cats started the season with a victory scoring 35 points at the Murphysboro Invitation, finishing in front of rival school Mt. Vernon. McMullen lead the team with a 2^nd place finish, Hustedde right behind in 3^rd and Freshman Erica Jansen in 5^th. Next, the ladies won the Granite City Invitational with a team score of 65 points. The Mt. Vernon Invitation made it three in a row for the Lady Cats with a combined score of 10 points, winning 4 of the 7 filghted races.

The Peoria Notre Dame Invitational proved the first challenge for the ladies as they ran short-handed. Hustedde was a double sport athlete and was playing for the Lady Cats’ volleyball team that weekend. Despite missing their number two runner, the team finished 16^th in the loaded field of 41 teams. Two days later, the ladies were back on track at the annual tri meet with Mt. Vernon and Centralia putting up 18 points with McMullen, Hustedde and Jansen finishing in spots 1 through 3.

On to the Springfield Invitational and another team win for the Lady Cats of Salem with a team score of 68 points against 16 other schools. The Lady Cats then traveled North to the power packed Peoria Invitation and brought home a 3^rd place finish. Once again, the team was lead by Erin McMullen, while Freshman Erica Jansen stepped into the number two spot. Gena Terlizzi ran 3^rd for the ladies, Trisha Hustedde, Brittany Heuerman, Audrey Hargis and Shandi Murphy rounded out the varsity squad for the meet.

Next up was the NEC Conference Championship where the Lady Cats took the title with 17 points and an individual win by McMullen and into the post-season they ran. The ladies won the regional title hosted by the Mt. Vernon Rams with McMullen winning the individual title. The IHSA Sectional proved a show down with some of the top teams across Central and Southern Illinois. With a strong showing from McMullen, Jansen, Terlizzi, Hustedde, Heurman, Hargis and Freshman Ashley Crompton, the Lady Wildcats captured a 2^nd place finish behind Champaign Centennial – a team that went on to place 5^th at the state meet. The Ladies had just punched their ticket to the IHSA state meet in Peoria.

The 1998 Lady Wildcats continued one of the best seasons in school history with an impressive and best ever team finish at the IHSA State Cross Country meet by placing 15^th. The Lady Cats were once again lead by Erin McMullen with a school best finish in 38^th place. Six members of the team were elected to the All-South Team in McMullen, Hustedde, Jansen, Heuerman, Terlizzi and Hargis.

Members of the 1998 Lady Wildcats lead by Coach Kirby Phillips  & Coach Suzanne Henry were Erin McMullen, Trisha Hustedde, Gena Terlizzi, Erica Jansen, Brittney Heuerman, Audrey Hargis, Ashley Crompton, Sarah Larmier, Kim Minton, Anna Larmier, Nicole Evans, Carrie Graham, Kassie Clutter, Jolene Wattelet, Kristen Brough, Meghan Hawkins and Shandi Murphy.

The 1996 Salem Lady Wildcats cross country team owns two notable distinctions in school history at the time of their induction into Salem High School Sports Hall of Fame as the owners of the program’s only sectional championship and best finish at the state meet.

Coach Kirby Phillips’ crew won three invitational meets during the regular season, as they took home top honors from the Murphysboro invitational, Springfield Invitational and the Herrin Invitational. The Lady Wildcats posted a runner-up finish at the Mt. Vernon Invitational, took third in meets at Granite City, and Metamora and a fourth place effort at Peoria.

The Lady Wildcats claim the first-ever North Egypt Conference Girls Meet held at Salem’s Bryan Park and did so with a perfect team score of 15 points. League Champ Erin McMullen set a new course record with a time of 12:18, while runner-up Trisha Hustedde also broke the previous course mark with a time of 12:20.

The rest of the perfect score included a third place finish by Jerri-Lynn Sparling, a fourth place mark by Andrea Fisher and a fifth place effort by Stephanie Helton, Salem also got a sixth place mark by Brooke Rollberg and a tenth place spot by Gena Terlizzi.

Salem kicked off its postseason path by winning the Class AA St. Jacob Triad Regional, as the Lady Wildcats slipped past Mt. Vernon 50-55 for the top spot.

Hustedde and McMullen had identical times of 12:07 to lead the Lady Wildcats although Hustedde nipped McMullen at the finish line for the fourth place spot. After the fifth place mark by McMullem, other counters for Salem were Sparling in ninth place at 12:26, Helton in 15th place at 12:42 and Rollberg in 17th place at 12:44. Also competing were Fisher in 18th place at 12:46 and Terlizzi in 30th place at 13:34.

Salem returned back to Marion County for the sectional at Centralia and once again survived a tough battle with MT. Vernon, as it edged the Lady Rams 107-113 to secure a berth in the state meet.

McMullen led the Lady Wildcats at the sectional with a ninth place time of 12:41, while Hustedde also cracked the top ten and was one spot back in tenth place at 12:47. The other sectional counters were Sparling in 17th place at 12:56, Helton in 39th place at 13:15 and Rollberg in 50th pace at 13:28. Also competing were Fisher in 51st place at 13:29 and Audrey Hargis in 120th place at 14:47.

Salem ended the season with a 19th place finish and a team score of 467 points at the Class AA state meet held at Peoria’s Detweiller Park.

Hustedde led Salem at state in 103rd place with a time of 13:06, while McMullen was one second back at 13:07 and in 107th place. Sparling was 122nd at 13:13, Rollberg was 164th at 13:35 and Fisher was the final counter in 167th place at 13:38. Also competing at state were Helton in 168th place at 13:38 and Hargis in 213th place at 14:39.

There were no seniors among the seven runners who competed for Salem at state. Sparling, Fisher and Helton were juniors, Hustedde and Hargis were sophomores and McMullen and Rollberg were freshman.

Young did more than just participate. She also excelled. Young was an All-South selection and state meet participant in cross country, earned All-North Egypt Conference honors in volleyball and won her team’s Rebound and Defense Awards in basketball.

Young probably enjoyed her biggest success in track as a senior where she set a North Egypt Conference and school record in the 800 meter with a time of2:25. Young later lowered that school record to 2:23 when she took first place at the sectional meet.

Young was also part of two other school records. She, along with Carrie Bierman, Jennifer Bethard, and Jennifer Morton teamed up in the 1600 meter relay with a time of 4:14.2 in 1989. In 1990, she teamed up with Amy Iman, Erin Jones, and Monika Schuette for a school record in the 800 meter medley relay with a time of 1:54.7.

While it was not officially recognized as a school record, Young posted the best time at that point in history by a Salem girl in cross country in 1989 when she ran the two-mile course at the sectional meet in 12:29.

Young continued her athletic career in track and cross country at the United States Air Force Academy. Young broke the school freshmen record in the 800 meter and ranks in the school’s top ten all-time in that event. She was named the Air Force Academy Top Track Competitor for the 1992 season. Young also served as team captain.

Young, who has also attended Wichita State University, was a member of the Air Force Academy cross country team that finished second in the NCAA Division II Meet in 1990 and the 1991 team that was 15th. In addition to her athletic participation at the Air Force Academy, Young served on the school’s student government as athletic officer. She also initiated and organized the Air Force Running Club at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.

Since graduation from college, Young has taught and coached at Amistad Christian Academy in Del Rio, Texas and Calvary Christian School in Wichita, Kansas where she organized and directed the One-Mile Fun Run Fundraiser. At the time of her induction, Young was coaching youth athletics in Knoxville, Tennessee.