History of Illini West HS:

 

Illini West is a coop between Carthage, Dallas City and LaHarpe, beginning in the 2007-08 school year. Both Carthage and LaHarpe played their final seasons as separate schools in 2006. Carthage was known as the "Blueboys". LaHarpe was part of a coop with West Prairie in Sciota and known as the "Cyclones".

 

"The La Harpe/Northwestern Coop started in 1992 when Tim Lafferty took over two rival programs coming together as one.  From 1992-1994 the program struggled going 3-6 the first 3 years the program existed.  In 1995 the program turned into a state football powerhouse going 10-2 that year.  The communities really came together as one.  In 1996, the team ran through the playoffs to the state title held in Bloomington (ISU) and lost the game to the Chenoa Redbirds.  After 3 more deep playoff runs from 1997-1999, the team again ran to the state title game in 2000 held in Champaign (U of I).  They then faced off against a conference rival and perennial state powerhouse team, the Carthage Blueboys.  The Thunder defeated Carthage in the regular season, ending a 31 game winning streak.  The Blueboys used their experience in state title games to defeat the Thunder 14-0 and win their 3rd straight state title.  The Thunder had two more great years going 11-1 in 2001 and 10-2 in 2002 before Northwestern and Colchester formed West Prairie.  The coop continued as the LaHarpe/West Prairie Cyclones in 2003.  This coop continued until 2006 and ended with a disappointing 4-5 season.  La Harpe then converged with Dallas City and Carthage to form Illini West.  West Prairie exists on its own now."

 

Thank you Ryan for this information as well as the pictures for LaHarpe/Northwestern.

 

If anyone has information on other helmets used by Carthage, West Prairie-LaHarpe or LaHarpe/Northwestern, I would greatly appreciate your input.

 

 

Pittsfield-Griggsville-Perry

 

 

PORTA-Greenview