INDIVIDUALS:
Richard Czerwonka – Class of 1959
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School Record-Holder in 440yd dash – 53.7
School Record-Holder in Mile relay – 3.43.4
MTC All-Conference in Cross-Country (1959)
3-year participant in Basketball and Track
1-year participant in Baseball
1-year participant in Cross-Country
Gene Stremming – Class of 1962
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School Record-Holder in Shot-Put – 53’3”
School Record-Holder in Discuss – 148’ 5 ½ ”
MTC Shot Put winner in 1962
MTC Discuss winner in 1962
Member of the 1960-61 Dieterich track team that won the MTC Conference
4-Year participant in basketball
3-Year participant in baseball
3-Year participant in track
Member of the Letterman’s Club for 3 years
Richard Thomas – Class of 1965
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Scored 1,700 points during basketball career
IHSA All-State Team (1965)
All-State Honorable Mention (1963,1964)
Champaign News-Gazette All-State Basketball Team (1965)
Chicago Daily News All-State Basketball Team (1965)
Evansville-Courier Press All-State Basketball Team (1965)
3-Time MTC All-Conference Team (1963,1964,1965)
John H. Outland 4-Year Scholarship to the University of Kansas (1965)
Member of the 1965 Boys’ Basketball Team that won the school’s first District Title
10 Varsity Letters
4-year participant in Basketball, Baseball, and Track
Bill Steppe – Class of 1966
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2-time MTC All-Conference in Basketball (1965, 1966)
Member of the Boys’ 1965 Basketball team that won the school’s 1st District Title
Scored 1,300 points during his basketball career
Signed a letter of intent to attend Southern Illinois University to play basketball
120-yd. high hurdles school Record-Holder - 15.6
70-yd. high hurdles school Record-Holder - 9.1
4 – year participant in basketball, baseball, and track
3-year member of Letterman’s Club
Burl Griffith – Class of 1968
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1967 MTC Track 2-Mile winner 10:31.3
1968 MTC Track 2-Mile winner 10:30
1968 State Track Qualifier in 2-Mile
Top Cross-Country Runner for 1967-68 Dieterich team that was the conference champion.
o Burl went to state competition and placed 89th. He was the first cross-country
runner to go to state from DHS.
Won every regular season 2-Mile event in 1967 & 1968
Won every cross-country regular season meet in 1967 & 1968
4-year Letterman in cross-country and track
3-year Letterman in Baseball
2-year Letterman in Basketball
4-year participant in basketball, baseball, track, and cross-country
4-year member of Letterman’s Club
Tom Wright – Class of 1971
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Member of the 1971 Boys Basketball Team that won District Championship
MTC All-Conference Team (1971)
Team member of 4-Straight MTC Conference Champions in Cross-Country
(1968,1969,1970,1971)
4-year participant in basketball, baseball, track, and cross-country
3-year Member of Letterman’s Club
12 Letters Earned
Rod Harvey – Class of 1972
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School Record-Holder in One - mile – 4.29.8
School Record-Holder in Two - mile – 9.24.9
School Record-Holder in Two – mile relay – 8.48.9
School Record-Holder in Distance Medley – 8.06
State-Qualifier in Two-Mile for Track in 1970, 1971, & 1972
Placed 2nd in District meet and 3rd in Sectional meet in Cross-Country in 1972
Placed 7th in District meet and 11th in Sectional meet in Cross-Country in 1971
Runner on the Dieterich Cross-Country teams that won 4 straight Midland Trail Conference
Championships (1968-1971)
Randy Niebrugge – Class of 1974
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School Record-Holder in High Jump – 6’3 ½”
Decatur Area Best in High Jump (1974)
Member of 2 Straight MTC Conference Champions in Baseball
Starter on the 1974 Basketball team that went 25-1
Vandalia Holiday Tournament All-Tournament Team 1974
Member of 3 Straight MTC Conference Champions in Cross-Country (1971,1972,1973)
4-year participant in Basketball, Baseball, Cross-Country and Track
Earned 11 Varsity Letters
Mark Steppe – Class of 1976
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2-Time MTC All-Conference in Basketball (1975, 1976)
2-Time MTC All-Conference in Baseball (1975,1976)
Starter on the 1974 Basketball team that went 25-1
Team Member of 4th Straight MTC Conference Baseball Champions (1973,1974,1975,1976)
Scored 1,154 points during his basketball career
Member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Team (1976)
MTC Tournament MVP (1975)
School Boys’ Basketball Record-Holder for:
o Most Assists in one Game: 20 (1974-75)
o Most Assists in one Season: 263 (1974-75)
o Most Assists in a Career: 642 (1972-1976)
Member of the School Record-Holding Track 440yd. relay team – 48.2
4-year participant in basketball, baseball, and track
3-year participant in cross-country
4-year member of Letterman’s Club
Tom Steppe – Class of 1977
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Decatur Herald-Review All-Area Team (1977)
Scored 1,520 points and 1,082 rebounds during his basketball career
Team Member of 4th Straight MTC Conference Baseball Champions (1974,1975,1976,1977)
Member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Team (1976)
2-Time MTC All-Conference Team for Basketball and Baseball (1976,1977)
3-Time MTC All-Tournament Team for Basketball (1975,1976,1977)
2-Time Vandalia Holiday Tournament All-Tournament
School Boys’ Basketball Record-Holder for:
o Most Rebounds in one Game: 27 (1976-77)
o Most Rebounds in one Season: 439 (1976-77)
4-year participant in basketball and baseball
3-year member of the Letterman’s Club
Kirk Martin – Class of 1979
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3-Time MTC All-Conference Team in baseball (1977,1978,1979)
Team Member of 4th Straight MTC Conference Baseball Champions (1976,1977,1978,1979)
Played college baseball at Lake Land College and SIU-Edwardsville
4-year participant in baseball and basketball
2-year participant in track
Bob Ervin – Class of 1979
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3-Time MTC All-Conference in Basketball (1977,1978,1979)
Scored 1,308 points during his basketball career
All-State Special Mention for Basketball (1979)
2-Time MTC All-Conference in Baseball (1978, 1979)
2-Time MTC All-Tournament Team in Basketball (1977,1978)
MTC All-Conference Honorable Mention in Baseball (1977)
Team Member of 4th Straight MTC Conference Baseball Champions (1976,1977,1978,1979)
53 consecutive stolen bases without being thrown out
Member of the School Record-Holding Track 440yd. relay team – 48.2
4-year participant in basketball and baseball
2-year participant in track
3-year Member of Letterman’s Club
Dennis Blievernicht – Class of 1979
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3-Time MTC All-Conference Team for Baseball (1977,1978,1979)
Team Member of 4th Straight MTC Conference Baseball Champions (1976,1977,1978,1979)
MTC All-Conference Team for Track (1976)
Highest Batting Average for Baseball (1978,1979)
Most RBIs for Baseball (1977,1978)
Member of MTC Conference Co-Champions in Basketball (1978,1979)
3-year Member of Letterman’s Club
4-year participant in baseball
3-year participant in cross-country
2-year participant in track
Earned 11 Varsity Letters
2-year starter at Lake Land College
o Named to Illinois Junior College All-Star Team (1981)
Penny (Radloff) McCollum – Class of 1983
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1st Female to score 1,000 points at Dieterich High School
Scored 1,192 points during her basketball career
2-Time MTC All-Conference Team in Basketball (1982, 1983)
Effingham Daily News All-Area Team (1983)
Averaged 18.9 pts./game (1983)
Awarded Highest FT% (1983) – 83.1%
Awarded Highest FG% (1983) – 49.7%
Assist Leader (1982) - 135
Received Scholarship to play basketball at Lakeland College
Jeff Hartke – Class of 1985
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Decatur Herald-Review All-Area Team (1985)
MVP of MTC Conference Regular Season (1985)
MVP of MTC Tournament (1984)
2-Time MTC All-Conference Team for Basketball (1984,1985)
2-Time MTC All-Tournament Team for Basketball (1984,1985)
Dieterich Holiday Tournament All-Tournament Team (1985)
2-Time MTC All-Conference Team for Baseball (1984,1985)
Team Member of 1985 MTC Conference Regular Season and Tournament Baseball
Champions
Tim Bohnhoff – Class of 1986
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2-Time MTC All-Conference Team in Basketball (1985,1986)
2-Time MTC All-Tournament Team in Basketball (1985,1986)
2-Time Dieterich Holiday Tournament MVP (1985,1986)
Scored 1,209 points during basketball career
MTC All-Conference Team in Baseball (1985)
Team Member of 1985 MTC Conference Regular Season and Tournament Baseball
Champions
Susan Worman – Class of 1991
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Dieterich Girls’ Basketball Career Scoring-Leader with 2,104 points
o Averaged 35.6 pts./game during Senior year
Decatur Herald-Review All-Area 1st Team (1991)
4-time MTC All-Conference Team (1988,1989, 1990,1991)
2-Time MTC Regular Season and Tournament MVP (1990,1991)
4-Time MTC All-Tournament Team (1988,1989, 1990,1991)
Team Member for 3 Straight MTC Conference Champions in Basketball
Received full-ride basketball scholarship to SIU-Edwardsville
o Scored 1,043 pts and 616 rebounds in college
o 1993-1994 Team MVP
Sara (Hartke) Miller – Class of 1997
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Decatur Herald & Review Special Mention All-Area Team (1996,1997)
Scored 1,403 points during basketball career
3-Time MTC All-Conference Team in basketball (1995,1996,1997)
3-Time MTC All-Conference Team in softball (1995,1996,1997)
Effingham Daily News All-Area Team (1995,1996,1997)
8 Varsity Letters
4-year participant in basketball and softball (lettered each year)
Jodi (James) Mulvey – Class of 1998
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Decatur Herald & Review All-Area Team (1997,1998)
Scored 1,206 points during her basketball career
Effingham Daily News All-Area Team (1996,1997,1998)
3-Time MTC All-Conference Team in basketball (1996,1997,1998)
Team MVP in basketball (1996,1997,1998)
Finished 5th in State at the Country Companies 3-Point Showdown (1998)
4-Time MTC All-Conference Team in softball (1995,1996,1997,1998)
Team MVP in softball (1997,1998)
Highest Team Batting Average (1995,1996,1997,1998)
Most Stolen Bases (1995,1996,1997,1998)
Played College basketball and softball at Park Land College
Stephanie (Behrns) Baughman – Class of 1999
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3-Time MTC All-Conference Team in Volleyball (1996, 1997, 1998)
All-State Special-Mention (1997,1998)
Effingham All-Area Team (1997,1998)
Effingham Crossroads Classic All-Tournament Team (1997,1998)
Received 4-year Volleyball Scholarship to Bradley University
o 1st Team All-Missouri Valley Conference (Junior & Senior)
o 1st Team Missouri Valley Conference Scholar Athlete (Junior & Senior)
o Honorable Mention Missouri Valley Conference Scholar Athlete (Sophomore)
o 1,000 digs/1000 kills club
o Charles Osborn Award
Nathan Mellendorf – Class of 2004
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Scored 1,461 during basketball career
Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State 2nd Team (2004)
Decatur Herald & Review All-Area Team (2004)
Effingham Daily News Player of the Year (2004)
Effingham Daily News All-Area Team in Basketball (2003,2004)
MVP for MTC Conference in Basketball (2004)
3-Time MTC All-Conference in Baseball (2002, 2003, 2004)
2-Time MTC All-Conference in Basketball (2003,2004)
Honorable Mention MTC All-Conference in Basketball (2002)
3-Time Dieterich Holiday Tournament All-Tournament Team (2002, 2003,2004)
MVP for Dieterich Holiday Tournament (2003)
MVP for Cumberland Thanksgiving Tournament (2004)
2-Time MTC All-Tournament Team (2002,2004)
Team Member of the 2004 MTC Conference Champions in Basketball (25-3)
4-year participant in basketball and baseball
Ted Westendorf – Class of 2004
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Scored 1,007 points during basketball career
MVP of MTC Conference in Baseball (2004)
2-Time MTC All-Conference Team in Baseball (2003,2004)
2-Time MTC All-Conference Team in Basketball (2003,2004)
Team Member of the 2004 MTC Conference Champions in Basketball (25-3)
4-year participant in baseball and basketball
Ashley Winterrowd – Class of 2005
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4-Time MTC All-Conference Team in Softball (2002,2003,2004, 2005)
MVP of MTC Conference in Softball (2005)
4-Time MTC All-Conference Team in Basketball (2002,2003,2004,2005)
Co-MVP of MTC Conference in Basketball (2005)
4-Time MTC All-Tournament Team in Basketball (2002,2003,2004,2005)
Scored 1,423 points during her basketball career
Okaw Valley Holiday Tournament All-Tournament Team (2003, 2004)
Okaw Valley Holiday Tournament MVP (2004)
Member of 2-Straight MTC Conference Champions for Basketball (2004,2005)
Member of MTC Conference Champions for Softball (2003)
Received Basketball Scholarship and played 2 years at Lake Land College
COACHES:
Stan Martin - Coached from 1957-1963
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Dieterich High School’s 1st Coach in:
o Baseball (1958 – 1963)
o Boys’ Basketball (1958 – 1963)
o Cross-Country (1959 – 1963)
o Track (1957 – 1963)
D.A. Winkler – Coached from 1964-2002
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Coached Boys’ Basketball the following years: 1964, 1973-1978
o Head Coach for the 1974 Team that went 25-1
o Career record of 116-58
Coached Girls’ Basketball the following years: 1980-1981, 1992-2002
o Career record of 147-150
Coached Boys’ Track the following years: 1967-1977
o MTC Conference Champs (1969,1971,
Coached the only Girls’ Track team in school history in 1978
Coached Boys’ Cross-Country the following years: 1964-1977, 1980, 1981
o 5-Time MTC Coach of the Year
o 4 Straight MTC Conference Titles
Coached Boys’ Baseball the following years: 1964, 1968, 1969
Bill McClain – Coached from 1973-80
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High School Baseball Coach from 1973 – 80
o 6 Straight Midland Trail Conference Championships
o 46 Straight Conference Victories
o 5-Time MTC Coach of the Year
Assistant Coach on the 1974 Boys’ Basketball Team that went 25-1.
Graduated from Dieterich in 1966
Member of the 1965 Boys’ Basketball Team that won school’s 1st District Title
11 Varsity Letters
Member of the Letterman’s Club for 3 years.
4-year participant in basketball, track, and cross-country
Mike McCollum – Coached from 1982-1990
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Coached Boys’ Basketball for 8 seasons compiling a record of 140-65
Won 4 MTC Conference Tournament Titles
Won 4 MTC Conference Regular Season Championships
Won 2 Dieterich Holiday Tournament Championships
Formed and implemented the Dieterich Holiday Tournament in 1984
5-Time MTC Coach of the Year
Major-fundraising activities to take Athletic Club to Hawaii twice.
CONTRIBUTORS:
Chuck Fritscher – Scorekeeper - 1984 – Current
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Has served as a scorekeeper and bus driver for athletic events for over 30 years running
o Served in that capacity for 7 different coaches
Wright’s Furniture – Contributor
Wright’s Furniture has been an avid supporter of Dieterich Athletics since the beginning of formation of
organized athletic programs. They annually contribute financially to support the ongoing viability of the
programs as well as in kind contributions for special events. They are members of the Dieterich
Sportsbackers and Tom Wright has served as founding President of the organization as well as serving in
the same capacity several years later. When there is a need in the athletic programs, Wright’s Furniture
has always stepped up and offered whatever assistance they could provide. They take great pride in
being a strong supporter of Maroon Nation.
1st National Bank of Dieterich – Contributor
The First National Bank of Dieterich would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Dieterich
athletic teams on the many successful seasons and accomplishments throughout the years. In the spirit
of community banking The First National Bank of Dieterich is eager to support the school and athletic
programs. The bank has honored its commitment to the athletic department by supporting various
projects including the recent baseball field renovation, the updated scoreboard in the gymnasium and
membership in the Dieterich Sportsbackers Organization. Congratulations to the athletes and thank you
for representing our community well! The bank is confident in the future success of the school and its
athletic programs.
TEAMS:
1965 Boys’ Basketball Team
In 1964-65 Dieterich basketball team finished the season with a 20-7 record. They were led by Richard
Thomas on the outside and Bill Steppe on the inside. The team won the first District title in the school’s
history. Dieterich was defeated by Lawrenceville in the championship game of the regional. The Fighting
Maroons captured 2nd in the Midland Trail Conference.
Team Members:
David Wells, Mike Camlin, Lynn Webb, Jim Niemerg, Richard Thomas, Bill Steppe, Roger Kingery, Larry
Flach, Brandon Bethards, Richard Boerngen, Ken Brown, Bill McClain, Head Coach Andy Pullen
1971 Boys’ Basketball Team
The 1970-71 Dieterich basketball team finished the season with a 16-9 record that was capped off by
winning the 2nd District title in school’s history beating Allendale, Palestine, and Hutsonville. Among
their other achievements was finishing 3rd at the Clay City Holiday Tournament.
Team Members:
Ed Pickens, Mark Behrns, Bruce Mundt, Stan Kabbe, Tom Wright, Curtis Pickens, Bob Behrens, Mike
Passalacqua, Keith McKinney, Dee Stortzum, David Cameron, Greg Westendorf, Mike Waldhoff, Bruce
Richars, Assistant Coach D.A. Winkler, Head Coach Bill Fancher
1974 Boys’ Basketball Team
The 1974 Dieterich basketball team is considered by some the best basketball team in school history.
The 1973-74 season was nothing short of spectacular with 25 wins against 1 loss. That year Dieterich
was the last undefeated team in the state when they suffered their season-ending loss to arch-rival TTown in the District Championship. Undefeated Midland Trail Conference Champion and Vandalia
Holiday Tournament Champions.
Team Members:
Jerry Steppe, Ed Pickens, Roger Niemerg, Randy Niebrugge, Mark Steppe, Gary Norris, Gordie Garbe,
John Benline, Brian Hartke, Sid Kibler, DeWain Bohnhoff, Allen Niemerg, Manager Joe Ludwig, Manager
Gary Worman, Assistant Coach Bill McClain, Head Coach D.A. Winkler
2002 Baseball Team
1st Regional Title in school’s history won by any team at any sport.
Team Members:
Nathan Mellendorf, Ted Westendorf, Kirk Miller, Ryan Woltman, Jimmy Brummer, Tim Worman,
Michael Martin, Jonathan Phillips, T.J. Ervin, Luke Thoele, Tyler Brummer, Whitney Miller, Troy Probst,
Chad Nosbisch, Assistant Coach Jacob Pruemer, Head Coach Bob Duzan