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 was nearly perfect in the regular season where it compiled a 47-1 record. The Wildcats won the NEC Meet, which was played at Lawrenceville, by 33 strokes over second place Carmi. Salem’s winning score of 304 included a 73 from NEC individual champion Mike Williams and a 75 by runner-up Blake Morrison. The Wildcats also got identical rounds of 78 by Ryan Andrews, Jeff Morgan and Mike Russell.

Salem came out on top again at the Class AA Centralia Regional when it held off second place Marion 311-320. Morgan and Morrison led the way with matching rounds of 75 and tied for third place overall. Andrews was 11th at 79 followed by Russell at 82, Williams at 92 and Craig Vieira at 96.

Salem’s hopes for a state berth came to an end at the sectional where the Wildcats finished eighth in a very difficult 13-team field with a score of 351, 13 stroked out of the last state advancer spot. Morgan led the way with a sixth place finish at 82 followed by an 85 by Vieira, a 91 by Morrison, 93 by Williams and Andrews and a 94 by Russell.

While Salem’s season as team ended at the sectional, Morgan’s season continued as his sixth place sectional finish was good enough to land him an individual berth in the state meet.

Morgan, who had broken the Salem Country Club Course record during the regular season when he shot a three-under-par 33, turned in an impressive 11th place finish at state with a round of 140.

Having coached for 33 years, 22 of which were as the golf coach at SCHS, Bill has achieved an impressive list of accomplishments. Probably the most impressive is a string of 15 North Egypt Conference championships, defining SCHS as the school to beat every year in the conference tournament. Also during his tenure, Salem won 16 invitational championships, seven Class AA regional championships, one sectional championship, three appearances in the State finals as a team and 12 individual State final appearances. He was named the Southern Illinois Coach of the Year in 1991 and 2002. Bill coached at least 15 players that have received college scholarships and 6 golfers who are now members of the PGA of America.

In 1988 Bill started the first girls’ golf program at SCHS. This program has also grown into a conference power each year. In 1991 Bill had the rare opportunity to coach both of his daughters, Julie and Jane, and his son, Jeff, in the State finals with the girls’ and boys’ teams. In addition to coaching golf, Bill coached tennis, ran the intramural program, and taught driver education at SCHS.

Since Bill’s retirement in 2003, he has continued to be involved with golf as a golf club maker, being named the Club Maker of the Year in Illinois in 2004, 2005, and 2006, and still plays daily at the Salem Country Club.

Coached by Bill Morgan, the 1984 team won invitational meet championships at Granite City and Centralia and also won the regional tournament. They placed fifth in the sectional tournament.

The 1984 golfers established a school record in a match against Carlyle with a team score of 145.

Rob Albright was named the most valuable player for the 1984 team. Albright also was chosen to the All-Southern Illinois team for the third consecutive year. Cindie Fry also was selected to the All-Southern Illinois squad.

In addition to Albright and Fry, team members included Mike Chitty, Rich Haney, Tommy Kane, Randy Larson, Craig Liddle, Tony Malan, Joe Meador, Don Roberts, Kerry Wallace and Jeff Williams.

A 1969 graduate of SCHS, Hill was known as a fierce rebounder on the basketball court despite his lack of size inside. That ability led to special mention on the all-state team in the 1968-69 season.

In football Hill capped off a solid high school career in 1968 when he was named to the All-South Team as a split end.

Hill was medalist during several meets as a Wildcat golfer. His biggest moment came during his junior season in 1968 when he finished second at the regional and qualified for the state meet as an individual. During state competition Hill finished 30th out of 144 golfers.

While Hill had a good career at Salem, his career skyrocketed in college. Hill played his first two years at the University of Missouri before he transferred to the University of Missouri at Rolla for his junior season.

During his junior year in college he won the MIAA Conference individual championship and qualified for the NCAA Division II championships as an individual.

Hill also set two course records while at Rolla although both have since been broken.

Once Hill graduated from Rolla in 1974, he continued to stay active in golf. In 1977 Hill qualified for the Missouri Amateur Championship Round. That led to his selection to the Missouri Amateur Golfers Honor Roll in 1978.

Hill soon turned professional and earned his first check in 1979. He has been a member of the Professional Golfers Association of America since 1980.

Hill has also been active in the distribution of sports merchandise. In 1983 he was named Sports Illustrated Merchandiser of the year.

Other associations Hill has had with golf include time spent on the PGA rules committee and the operation of a golf pro shop.

Meador, overcame his disability to become a successful businessman and one of the top golfers in the nation. He won the National Championship of the United States Blind Golfers Association (USBGA) at the Firestone Country Club at Akron, Ohio, in 1977 and has finished second seven times.

In high school he participated in football, basketball, track and golf. He was an All North Egypt Conference center on the 1965 football team that finished with an 8-1 record and won the NEC Championship. He was a member of the first Salem Community High School golf team. His basketball playing started at St Teresa grade school and carried on through high school.

Meador attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Loyola University in Chicago.

Meador is a successful insurance agent for Northwestern Mutual Life in Nashville, Tennessee, having earned his Certified Life Underwriters ranking. He not only enjoys his association with the USBGA for the opportunity to play golf at some of the finest courses in the country but appreciates the funds those events raise for charities, particularly the Leader Dog Program for the Blind. He has been a member of the USBGA since 1971.

David is the son of Delores Meador of Salem and the late Francis Meador. His father was member of the 1942-43 State Basketball Team and the 1941 football team, both having been inducted into the Salem Sports Hall of Fame. His youngest brother, Joe, is an assistant pro at the Sandestin Golf Resort in Destin, Florida.

David is married and he and his wife, Connie, have two daughters, Emily and Julia.