Ryan Boyles provided some big moments for himself and the Wildcats track and cross country programs during his time at Salem Community High School. That ability and success would later continue on at the college level.

A 1996 graduate of SCHS, Boyles began to make a name for himself on the track during his sophomore season in 1994 when he won the North Egypt Conference championship in the 3200 meters with a time of 10:03. Later that season Boyles earned a ticket to the Class AA state meet in the 1600 meters with a runner-up finish at the sectional in a time of 4:35. Boyles added an NEC championship in the 800 meters during his junior season in 1995 as well as a runner-up finish in the 1600 meters to SCHS Hall of Famer Chris Owen. The same scenario repeated itself during Boyles’ senior season in 1996 when he once again won the NEC 800 meters and was second to Owen in the 1600 meters. Boyles, who won Salem’s Most Valuable Player Award in 1996, earned a return trip to the AA state meet in the 1600 meters with a sectional championship time of 4:31.

Boyles was a key contributor to the 1993, 1994 and 1995 Salem cross country teams that reached the Class AA state meet. He ran No. 6 and finished 151st at the 1993 state meet where Salem finished 21st as a team. A year later Boyles jumped all the way into the No. 1 spot for the Wildcats at the state meet where he finished 40th as an individual and Salem was 20th as a team. During the 1995 postseason run Boyles ran No. 2 for the Wildcats and 88th overall at the state race as Salem improved its team position to 16th. (more…)

Norton Spencer was a versatile and highly successful athlete during his time at Salem Community High School and later at the collegiate level.

A 1958 graduate of SCHS, Norton was a four-year member of the Wildcats football and track teams. He also had stints with the baseball and basketball program. His biggest success in high school came on the gridiron where he led Salem in tackles as a junior and was second in that category during his senior season. Spencer received Special Mention on the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Daily News and Champaign News-Gazette All-State Teams. The Wildcats posted four winning seasons and an overall record of 22-13-1 during Spencer’s time with the program, which was under the direction of Coach Howard Thurman.

Spencer took his athletic skills to Eastern Illinois University where he was not only a key contributor to the Panthers football team, but wrestling program as well. During his sophomore season in 1959 he set a school record for solo sacks in a game when he had five against Southern Illinois. Besides earning three letters with the Eastern Illinois football program, he did the same with the wrestling team. Spencer took second place at the Midland Tournament and his only loss in dual competition during his junior and senior seasons was to NCAA champion Roy Conrad of Northern Illinois University. During his senior year at Eastern Illinois Spencer received the Blanket Award, which was the highest athletic award given by the school. (more…)

One of the best distance runners Salem Community High School has ever produced, 1993 graduate Travis Fredericks concluded his high school career with the Wildcats at the Class AA state meet in both track and cross country.

Fredericks was selected to the Southern Illinois Coaches Association All-South Team three straight years beginning with his sophomore season in 1990 followed by return berths in 1991 and 1992. Fredericks also received Salem’s team Most Valuable Player Award in each of those three seasons. Fredericks had to settle for a runner-up finish at the North Egypt Conference Meet held at Salem’s Bryan Park during his senior season in 1992. That setback came to Jason Zieren of Carmi, who later went on to win the Class A state championship and starred at the University of Illinois.

Fredericks led Salem to a Class AA regional championship by winning the individual title with a time of 16:41. While the Wildcats were unable to advance to state as a team, a seventh place finish by Fredericks at the sectional race in a time of 15:47 earned him a trip to the state race as an individual. Fredericks was 54th at state with a time of 15:42. (more…)

The founding father of the Salem Sports Hall of Fame in 1985, John Cavaletto spent 20 of his 38 years in education at Salem Community High School where he served as Athletic Director, Assistant Principal, Principal and varsity boys’ basketball coach.

Cavaletto graduated from Sesser High School and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in education at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Cavaletto completed his education at Eastern Illinois University where he received his Administrative Endorsement.

Cavaletto began his education and coaching career at Mulberry Grove High School where he taught and coached baseball and boys’ basketball from 1966-68. Cavaletto moved to Mater Dei High School in Breese and spent nine seasons as the Knights basketball coach. During that nine-year run Cavaletto’s teams compiled a 143-106 record, which included four regional championships and a fourth place finish at the 1974 Class AA state tournament.
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A state qualifier and school record setter during his time at Salem Community High School, 1977 graduate Doug Hargis has continued that athletic success as a coach at the junior high level.

Hargis carried a heavy athletic workload during his high school days as he participated in baseball, cross country, football, track and basketball. His biggest athletic success came in track where he was a member of Salem’s 4X800 relay team that qualified for state during his 1976 junior season. As a senior in 1977, he qualified for state as an individual in the 880-yard run.

Hargis set the school record in the 880-yard run, now 800 meters, during his senior season. That record held for 22 years until 1999. He was also a member of the 4X800 relay team that established a school record in 1977. That mark would hold for 30 years until it was broken in 2007. He received Salem’s Best Runner Award for the 1977 season.
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Already a member of the Salem Sports Hall of Fame as a player on the 1977 Lady Wildcats volleyball team, Mary (Pitts) Brimberry earned individual selection through a stellar coaching career at South Central High School.

At the time of her induction, Brimberry had spent 23 seasons on the sideline as the Lady Cougars volleyball coach. Brimberry began her stint in 1994 and during her coaching run she has compiled a record of 547-177, a highly impressive .756 winning percentage. Her teams have compiled 17 20-win seasons, three 30-win seasons, and ten Class A/Class 1A regional championships. Her 2004 team won a school record 34 games, while her 2011 team won the program’s first sectional championship and advanced to the Class 1A Elite Eight. Prior to the school’s move to the National Trail Conference, Brimberry’s teams won nine Midland Trail Conference regular season championships and ten MTC Tournament titles. Only once in those 23 years with Brimberry at the helm has South Central had a losing season.

Brimberry has also been a winner off the court as she overcame a battle with cancer that forced her to miss the 2014 volleyball season. She returned to the court in 2015.
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