2023 Hall of Fame Inductees
1985-86 Girls Basketball Team
The 1985-86 Lady Saukees had a very successful season, taking first place in the Pike
County Conference Tournament, winning Sectionals, and then capping off the season
with an impressive fourth place finish in the state. The team went 1-2 at the state
tournament in Champaign, defeating Eureka in their first game with a score of 45-37.
This was the first basketball team in Pittsfield High School history to bring home a state
trophy. The team’s head coach was Jim Hirsch and the assistant coach was Gary
Wilder. The team’s 22-9 season record gave them a 71% winning percentage, and they
are one of only seven girls’ basketball teams in PHS history to achieve 22 wins.
Ron Ghrist - Individual
Ron Ghrist was a pillar of the 1970s Saukee football program, and is still considered to
be one of the greatest players during the record-setting streak of 64 consecutive wins.
At tackle and linebacker, the 6’5’’ 250 pound Ghrist never lost a game during his four
years as a Saukee, including being a member of the incredible 1970 team that was
never scored upon. Although only a sophomore in 1970, Ghrist was a starter on the
state-ranked defensive team. He was a two time all-stater and also an all-American his
senior year. As a senior, Ghrist was co-captain, MVP, and was also featured in a Sports
Illustrated article called, “Faces in the Crowd”. Ghrist also holds the school record for
shot put and discus. His discus record of 176’ 10’’ is over 10 feet further than the
second place record. After high school, he played football at the University of Missouri
and Western Illinois University. He went on to graduate from Veterinary School, and he
opened Ghrist Veterinary Clinic in Pittsfield in 1984, which was a staple of the
community for many years.
Tom McCartney - Individual
Throughout the Saukee football teams’ record-setting streak of 64 consecutive wins,
there were many talented players. But Tom McCartney, who played quarterback during
the heart of the streak, is remembered as one of the all-time greats. McCartney played
football at PHS from 1966-1969, and was also a standout athlete in baseball and
basketball. During his senior year, McCartney was named to the Champaign News-
Gazette all-state team, and he went on to play quarterback at the University of Illinois
for three years. At Pittsfield, he began playing varsity as a sophomore tight end, before
eventually transitioning to the quarterback role. As a senior, McCartney was co-captain,
MVP, and he led his team to another undefeated season, in which the Saukees
outscored their opponents 371 to 8. Playing for the legendary Deek Pollard, McCartney
excelled through rigorous training, tough practices, and a spirit of winning in order to
become one of the most recognizable names to come out of the streak.
John Schultz - Coach
When people think about Saukee baseball, they might think about the tradition, or the
success, and there’s a good chance that they also might think about John Schultz. As
head of the Saukee baseball program, Schultz coached for 29 seasons from 1992-
2021, amassing an incredible record of 565-338-1. During this time, Schultz’s teams
won four regional championships, and had sixteen 20-win seasons, including the 2010
team who went 31-5. Schultz has a 63% career win-loss record, including a run of 17
straight winning seasons. Schultz was a three-time Herald-Whig coach of the year, and
he was inducted into the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of
Fame in 2017. One former player described Schultz as a coach who “pushed his
players to be the best version of themselves.” Another player remarked that Schultz
“always had your back no matter what.” Former players will forever remember his
humble attitude, his attention to detail, and of course, The “30 Point Buck” song, which
played for years during pregame.
Dale Willard - Educator
Dale Willard graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1947. After receiving a degree
from Illinois College in 1953, Willard returned to Pittsfield and began what would
become a long and productive career in education. He worked in Pittsfield schools until
1991, as both a history teacher and also as Athletic Director. His 21 years as PHS
Athletic Director included many pivotal moments for Saukee athletics, such as being in
the position during the football team’s record-setting streak of 64 consecutive wins.
Willard always said that his most difficult challenge every year as Athletic Director was
finding schools who were willing to play against the Saukee football team. He was also
instrumental in rebuilding and expanding the football stadium, establishing the first girls’
athletic teams at PHS, and creating the Saukee wrestling program. Willard was also
active in the community, as he built the Dari Ripple in 1955, and operated the iconic
Pittsfield ice cream store for many years. As part of his master’s program at MacMurray
College in 1964, Willard wrote a detailed account titled, Education and the Educators in
Pittsfield, Illinois, 1833-1963. This book provides extensive research about the history of
education throughout Pittsfield schools. With his life of educational service, it is no
surprise that many of his children also pursued careers in education.