Front Row: Stephen Riley, Stephen Bryant, Brayton Becktell, Alex Heseler
Back Row: Coach Steve Ludwig, Keith Bumgarner, Wec Villalobos, Chase Smith, Assistant Coach Linda Kniker

The 2006-07 Salem Wildcats bowling squad became the first team in school sports history to win a state championship in just its fourth year of existence. The Wildcats had qualified for state in each of their three previous seasons, which included a third-place state finish in the 2004-05 campaign.

Salem’s path to the state title endured its share of ups and downs during the regular season as the Wildcats were just 4-4 in dual competition. Salem posted victories against O’Fallon, Herrin, Taylorville and Highland. On the down side the Wildcats lost twice to Harrisburg and also were defeated by Alton and Herrin. During regular season tournament competition Salem posted a runner-up finish at its own invitational, a fourth-place effort at the Alton Invitational and a fifth place spot at the Collinsville Invitational.
Coach Steve Ludwig’s crew turned it on at the right time when they won the eight-team field at the Herrin Sectional. The Wildcats knocked down 6,254 pins, 196 better than runner-up Harrisburg’s total of 6,060. Senior Keith Bumgarner finished second overall at the sectional with a score of 1,323 pins and finished just two pins back of the individual championship. Team captain Alex Henseler finished in the No. 2 position for Salem with 1,255, while Stephen Bryant filled the team’s No. 3 spot with 1,248. Wes Villalobos held the fourth spot at 1,223, Chase Smith contributed 1,002 and Stephen Riley contributed 203 pins.

Salem used a huge come-from-behind effort to win the state championship. The Wildcats stood in fifth place out of 24 teams and 173 pins out of the lead with a team score of 6,078 after the first day of competition. Salem made up that gap and then some as it roared back with a round of 6,568 on day two and finished with a two-day score of 12,646. That was good for a 36-pin margin of victory over state runner-up Harrisburg, which had those two regular season dual meet wins over the Wildcats.

Henseler led Salem at state and finished second overall with a two-day total of 2,823 pins. Bryant also cracked the top ten at state as he was eighth overall with 2,598. Other contributors for the Wildcats at state were Bumgarner with 2,203 pins, Smith with 2,143, Villalobos with 1,886, Brayton Becktell with 1,837 and Riley with 154.

Even though boys bowling was still in its infancy with the school being in just its second year of competition, the 2005 Salem Wildcats not only emerged as one of the top teams in southern Illinois but the entire state.

Under the direction of coach Steve Ludwig, the Wildcats put together a strong regular season with victories over some of the south’s top programs such as Trenton Wesclin, Harrisburg and Waterloo. That set the stage for a tremendous postseason run as the Salem won the Herrin Sectional with a score of 5,867 pins. That was 23 pins better than runner-up Harrisburg. Sophomore Curt Denzik led Salem with a score of 1,230, which was good for a third place individual finish. Senior Travis Sweney took the No. 2 position for Salem with a score of 1,170 followed by senior Bob Sheehan at 1,175 and senior Chase Goostree at 1,006. Salem also got a round of 905 from freshman Alex Henseler and 202 from senior David Angeloni.

The Wildcats capped off their season with a third place finish at the state meet held at O’Fallon. Salem stood in ninth place out of 24 teams after day one with a score of 6,166 pins prior to its big move on the second and final day of competition. The Wildcats finished with a final score of 12,538 pins as they trailed only state champion Tinley Park, which had a score of 12,588, and runner-up Edwardsville at 12, 574. Henseler helped Salem reach its lofty position as he led the Wildcats at state and finished sixth overall with a score of 2,620 pins. Denzik also cracked the top 20 as he was 19th at 2,559. Sheehan took the No. 3 position for Salem at state with 2,541 pins followed by Goostree at 2,533, Sweney at 2,519 and Angeloni at 366.

The other varsity members for Salem in the 2005 season were Kyle Pruden and Jacob Steele.

The 2004-05 Salem Lady Wildcats basketball team put together one of the best seasons in the program’s history. Their 28-3 record matched the same mark compiled by the 1998-99 state team.

Under the direction of head coach Janet Holst, Salem was often its best during tournament time as the Lady Wildcats won their own Thanksgiving Tournament with a thrilling 46-36 victory over perennial power Edwardsville in the championship game. The Lady Wildcats finished runner-up at Mascoutah with wins over Marion, Mascoutah and Belleville West before falling 60-46 to Belleville East. Salem also won the Effingham Round Robin Tournament. The other big regular season Salem accomplished was when it won the Apollo Conference championship.

Salem began postseason play at home by winning its own Class AA regional as the top-seeded Lady Wildcats knocked off Charleston and Mattoon. The season came to an end for the Lady Wildcats when they lost to East St. Louis 44-33 in the semifinal round of the Mt. Vernon Sectional.

The 2004-05 Lady Wildcats possessed a deep roster, many of which moved on to the collegiate level. Senior Kim Kreke left the program as the school’s all-time season and career shot blocker. Kreke took her skills on to the Air Force Academy. Senior Shana Stein moved on to the University of Illinois at Springfield. Junior Lacey Hester went on to play at John A. Logan, while junior Erin Pea played at Kaskaskia College. Sophomore Ellen Young eventually became the school’s all-time career scoring leader with 2,500 points before she moved on to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and the University of Southern Indiana.

While the 1994 Salem Wildcats cross country team had some returning members from the 1993 team that had finished 21st at the Class AA state meet, the 1994 squad used a rebuilt lineup to take the program to even higher levels never previously achieved by the program.

Salem had a dominant regular season as it won six invitational races. The Wildcats claimed the title at Murphysboro, Hannibal, Mo., Herrin, Mt. Vernon, Edwardsville and Springfield. They also successfully defended their North Egypt Conference championship.

The Wildcats postseason run began with their third straight regional championship. The following week Salem did something it had never accomplished before when it won the Decatur Sectional. Not only was that the first sectional title for the cross country program, but it was the first sectional title by a Salem boys team in any sport since the Wildcats basketball team turned the trick way back in 1943.

Salem closed out its season with a 20th place finish at the state meet, which at the time was its best in school history.

Ryan Boyles led the Wildcats at state with a 40th place finish followed by Chris Owen in 104th place. Brett Bundy was 133rd, Shaun Clark was 159th and Shawn Andrews was the fifth and final counter in 175th place. Other runners for the Wildcats at the state race were Rob Henson in 183rd place and Bob Sanchez was 198th. Boyles, Owen and Bundy had competed for Salem the previous season at state. Clark, Andrews, Henson and Sanchez were new to the lineup.

Perfection is something all teams strive for, but few achieve. The 1999 Salem Wildcats tennis team under the direction of Coach John Thomas is in that elite group.
The school record for wins in a season set by the 1998 team did not last long as many of the same faces established a new mark one year later with a perfect 31-0 record that included the program’s first-ever North Egypt Conference championship as well as a second straight sectional crown.

Eight of Salem’s regular season wins were matches where the Wildcats did not lose a game. They won five additional matches where they dropped just one game. Their closest margin of victory in any regular season match was 7-2 and that happened only three times. Along the way Salem won the Teutopolis Doubles Tournament and the Carmi Quad Doubles Tournament with a perfect 4-0 record.
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The 1998 season was a historic one in more ways than one for the Salem Wildcats tennis team and Coach John Thomas.

Salem established a new school record for wins in a season with a record of 27-4. Two of those losses came to Olney, which had an undefeated regular season. One of those setbacks to Olney came at the North Egypt Conference Tournament where the Wildcats finished second. Alex Bryant won the NEC singles championship at the No. 5 position, while Bryant and Justin Henke won the NEC Doubles title at No. 2. Salem’s other defeats came at the hands of Teutopolis and Charleston. During its regular season run the Wildcats posted a perfect 3-0 record as it won the Carmi Quad Doubles Tournament. The Wildcats did not lose a game in three of their wins and lost just once in four of their victories.
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