When it came to participating in Class AA state meets, Chris Owen was a fixture during his four years in high school.

The 1997 Salem Community High School graduate qualified for state all four years in track and field as an individual, but he also was a part of four state-qualifying cross country teams.

Owen qualified for state in the 3200 meters in each of those years. As a freshman he advanced to state with a second place finish at the sectional meet with a time of 9:50.84 and was 12th in his heat at the state prelims at 10:04.06.
(more…)

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.
(more…)

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.
(more…)

A 1971 graduate of Salem Community High School, James Willhite had a highly prolific athletic career.

Willhite participated in four sports during his high school career with football and track the site of his
biggest success.

In football Willhite put up the best numbers ever for a Salem tight end and some of the best yardage numbers ever for Wildcats receivers.

A three-year starter. Willhite caught 23 passes for 513 yards as a junior in the 1969 season. During his senior season Willhite hauled in 25 catches for 421 yards and two touchdowns.
(more…)

Over the years, Salem Community High School has developed a reputation for producing great distance runners. A lot of that tradition began with 1973 graduate Mark Daniels.

Daniels set a lot of distance standards for Wildcats track and cross country, some of which still stands.

Daniels still holds the school track record in both 1600 meter at 4:16.6 and the 3200 meters at 9:21.6.

He was a state qualifier in both of those events. During his junior season, Daniels was fifth at the state meet in the 3200 meters when he set his school record time of 9:21.6. As a senior, Daniels finished eighth at the state meet in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:23.
(more…)

Only two Salem High School boys have ever placed in the Illinois state track meet and both occurred under the old one-class system.

The first came when Ross Smith placed second in the hammer throw in 1905.

The other was Louis Middleton, who placed in the state meet on two occasions.
(more…)