The only inductee into the 2007 Hall of Fame is Greg Malan. Greg attended Salem Community High School from 1969 – 1972. He was a three sport athlete having success in football, basketball and track.

In football, Greg was a three year letterman and starter on the offensive line. He was elected a captain in his senior year and also played defense. Greg received many post-season honors including 1st team North Egypt Conference in 1970 and 1971. Other awards included 1st team Evansville Courier, 1st team All-South, and the Decatur Herald 1st team. Described as “the best athlete in the league who was very quick and difficult to block, even though most teams tried to avoid him,” Malan went on to Eastern Illinois University on scholarship to play football. He started as a freshman, earned a varsity letter, and was named “Freshman of the Year”; however, a back injury forced him to leave football for track and field.
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Mary Riley started her coaching career at Salem Community High School in the spring of 1983 coaching softball. She had previously taught and coached softball at Flora High School. Mary coached softball only three years but her real accomplishments would start in 1994 when she became the head girls’ golf coach at SCHS.

The 1994 Lady Wildcats golf team would prove to be one of the most dominant teams in SCHS history. The team’s record was an impressive 58-15. They won the Olney and Benton Invitational tournaments, finished second at the Edwardsville Invitational, and fourth at the Blazier Classic.
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Henry “Red” Hinkley attended Salem High School and graduated in the spring of 1940. He was an outstanding athlete that competed in football, basketball, and track. He was very fast and made a fine running back during his time for the Wildcats.

In 1941, Henry enrolled in school at Southern Illinois National University (SIND) which is now known as SIU. He was an honor student, a sophomore repre5entative to the student council and a three sport letterman in football, basketball, and track.
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The golf teams at Salem Community High School would certainly not be as well known today if it were not for the coaching of William “Bill” Morgan.

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.
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In the early 1970′s no other athlete displayed more ability to excel in three sports than Don Jones. Don played football, basketball and baseball for SCHS and was a large contributor to the success of all three teams.

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.
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Since Salem added tennis as a team sport in the early 70′s, most observers consider Bob Plaschke, a 1981 Salem Community High School grad, to be the best player produced by the program.

There is much to support this:

• He is the first tennis player to be elected in the SCHS Sports Hall of Fame.
• Bob has won more singles matches than any player in Salem history.
• He was the North Egyptian Conference Singles Champion in 1979 & 1981.
• He was a two-time NEC Doubles Champion with partner Mike Martin. They also won the District and were State finalists in ’79 & ’81.
• He lettered in tennis all four years at SCHS under coach Bill Morgan.
• Bob was a member of the 1981 Junior Davis Cup Team.
• He was rated the #1 tennis player in Southern Illinois for those 16 & under and then again for those 18 & under.
• He also played tennis for Northwestern University his freshman year there.

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