1915 & 1916
The first Ranger Football team in Benton (Township) High School history was in the fall of 1915 and was coached by W.E. Griffin. The 1915 team played three games that fall and finished with a 1-2 record. The following year, in the fall of 1916, Coach Griffin once again took the helm of the Rangers and led them to a 3-2 season...the first winning season in Ranger Football history. That 1916 season was highlighted by a 56-0 win over soon to become arch rival West Frankfort and a 6-0 Thanksgiving Day win over Marion.
1916 Roster:
Newton Alvis (Left End) John Hemphill (Left Tackle)
Clifton Hill (Right Guard) Frank Quillman (Center)
Leslie Mundell (Right Tackle) Arthur Adams (Right End)
King Quillman (Right Guard) Thoma Dillon (Left Guard)
Tim Cantrell (Full Back) Burleigh Seymour (Quarterback)
John Aiken (Left End) Lorain Meads (Right End)
William Sauther (Manager)
The Beginning of Ranger Football
1916 Benton Rangers
1917
The 1917 season proved to be one of the most successful football teams in Benton High School history. In only the third season having a football team at Benton Township High School, the 1917 team went undefeated...winning the Championship of Southern Illinois. The defense was extremely strong, only allowing one touchdown over the course of the entire season. B. Floyd Smith took over the reigns as head coach for that 1917 season and Harry Moses was his assistant coach, leading the team to a perfect 11-0 record.
1917 Roster:
Pyles (Right End) Mundell (Right Tackle)
Seeber (Right Guard) * Johnson (Center) *
Hill (Left Guard) Dillon (Left Tackle) *
Hemphill (Left End) * Quillman (Left Half Back)
Martin (Right Half Back) * Eskew (Full Back) *
Adams (Quarterback)
(*=All Southern Team Selection)
1917 Schedule:
Sept 22 Benton 51.....Sesser 0
Sept 29 Harrisburg (Forfeit)
Oct 6 Benton 7.....Vienna 0
Oct 13 Murphysboro 7.....Benton 23
Oct 27 Harrisburg (Forfeit)
Nov 5 Benton 71.....Eldorado 0
Nov 10 Eldorado (Forfeit)
Nov 10 Sesser 0.....Benton 51
Nov 29 Vienna (Forfeit)
Nov 29 East St Louis 0.....Benton 13
Nov 30 Carbondale University High (Forfeit)
1917 Benton Rangers
1917 Championship of
Southern Illinois Plaque
