Forreston High School inducts teams, individuals to inaugural Hall of Fame

FORRESTON — The inaugural class of Forreston High School Hall of Fame was introduced during halftime of the varsity football game Oct. 4.

In the first year, 12 inductees from four different categories were inducted into the following categories: dedication, extracurricular, service and teamwork.

The following information was read during the presentation:

Dedication: To meet this qualification individuals must be past staff members and have demonstrated their deep commitment to Forreston students, parents, community or staff.

• Colleen Alvey - Colleen Alvey taught many subjects but her main focus was always mathematics in both Leaf River and Forreston from 1973-2005. She was the only teacher in Forreston history to win the “Teacher of the Year” award twice. Anyone who had Ms. Alvey knows she was a master at her craft and was a beloved person both inside and outside the classroom contributing to the school’s fine arts department, academic bowl and local churches.
• Chip Braker - Chip Braker was band director at Forreston for 30 years. During his tenure he was a part of 13 state titles in Class C, two second-place finishes and three third-place finishes. He was blessed to work with several chorus directors who shined and helped Forreston get those many state titles. For those who had Mr. Braker, they understood the importance of dedication, work ethic and more importantly that a person’s character is essential to being a success outside of the classroom.
• Bob Brinkmeier - Better known as “Coach Brinkmeier” was head coach for boys basketball for 18 years, including 13 of those being 20-win seasons. His dedication to teaching fundamentals of basketball was unmatched but more importantly, his unselfish commitment to school and community was paramount. Coach not only got players to reach their maximum potential but he served the community as an Illinois state representative for 10 years, including two years while he was still coaching basketball.

ExtraCurricular: To qualify in this category individuals must be graduates with extracurricular participation in non-athletic or athletic activities who were recognized for excellence by their organization or team for at least two years. These nominees must have been out of school for at least five years.

• Robert DeVries (2015 graduate) - Robert DeVries was a three-sport athlete at Forreston. He was key to the first football state championship in 2014 and the fourth-place basketball state finish in the 2014-15 season. His many accomplishments include All-State recognitions, All-Conference, MVP’s, Leadership awards, and many more. It was Robert’s leadership abilities and drive to be the best that separated him and made all of his teammates better.
• Roger DeVries (1957 graduate) - Roger played every sport possible in high school and was successful at all. His greatest achievements were in basketball where he still holds the scoring record for Forreston High School with 52 points in a single game. Keep in mind, there was no three-point line in 1957. Roger played center and was a key player on the 1956-57 basketball team.
• Marissa (Ludewig) Gurnett (1996 graduate) - Marissa Ludewig, now Gurnett, was a three-sport athlete at Forreston. Although her successes in volleyball and basketball were tremendous, her 10 state medals in track and field set her apart. From 1993-1996 she medaled in the 4x400 meter relay, long jump, 4x100 meter relay, and the 400-meter run. Marissa went on to run at Western Illinois University where she was first team All Conference and WIU Team MVP.
• Jonathan Schneiderman (1999 graduate) - Jonathan Schneiderman, also known currently as Coach Schneiderman, is well known for his basketball skills. His four years of all-conference recognition and all-state recognition in 1999 was only the beginning of his accomplishments at Forreston. He holds the scoring record with 1,765 points and several other records. Coach went on to play at UIC where he led the Horizon league in shooting percentage and played in the NCAA Tournament versus the number two seed, Oklahoma. Returning as Forreston High School as a coach, he led the basketball team to five regional titles and two sectionals.

Service: Individuals must be graduates who have contributed significantly to their community, state, or country and been out of school for at least five years.

• Joel Ludwig - Joel Ludwig is a 1987 graduate of Forreston High School where he was manager on the football team and band member for all four years. Joel was passionate about sports and that passion for helping people and specifically “the kids” led him to running the youth summer ball program through the Lions Club for over 15 years. His generosity and willingness to give back to his community through the Lions Club, Foundation Board member, and Board of Education member made Joel a truly special person. He passed away in 2021. Ludwig’s wife Shawnda and his children Allison, Samantha, Jackie, and Joel accepted the award on his behalf.

Teamwork: A team or organization that demonstrated outstanding achievement.

• 1956-1957 Boys Basketball Team - The 1957 team finished 29-2 and scored more than 100 points in three games in 1957. This was done without a three-point line! They averaged almost 20 points more per game than their opponent. One of the most memorable basketball games in Forreston history was when they traveled to Sterling in the IHSA state series to take on Rockford West, defending state champions, and won to advance to the state tournament. This was all done in a one-class system in 1957.
• 1980-1981 Girls Basketball Team - The 1980-81 girls basketball team was the first girls team to make it to state, playing at Assembly Hall at the University of Illinois where they lost to Quincy-Notre Dame in a close match-up where they fell behind early but cut the lead to two points in the second half. Finishing 21-3 overall for the season and 13-1 in conference for their third consecutive conference championship. To advance to state they beat Polo, Mt. Morris, Mendota, Newman and Morrison.
• 1995 & 1996 Girls Track & Field Teams - The 1995 and 1996 girls track and field teams took home first place at sectionals both years and in 1995 second place at state with 1996 taking home a third-place finish at state. This was done in a two-class system, not the current four-class system we have today. These teams saw many successes and seven state medalists including Amber Harhen, Jennifer Mennenga, Mandy Scheffner, Marissa Gurnett, Danelle Setterstrom, Erin Moncelle and Jennifer Madden.
• 2014 State Champion Football Team - The 2014 Football Team was the first state championship athletic team in Forreston history. They compiled a regular season record of 8-1. In the first round of the playoffs they defeated Fulton 53-20, second round was Chicago Hope 49-6, quarterfinals was Stark County 33-19, then Galena at home in the semifinals, winning by a score of 28-20 scoring on the final drive of the game in the north end zone leaving only 14 seconds left on the clock. The state championship versus Carrollton ended with a 20-15 win and the first state title in Forreston history.

More information on the inductees’ accomplishments can be found online by visiting the school website at https://www.fvdistrict221.org/