Woodruff
| Woodruff Warriors | |
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|---|---|
| Location: Peoria, Illinois | |
| Coaches | none |
| State Championships | 1997 Masonics |
| National Championships | none |
| Program Status | Unknown |
| School Size | Unknown |
| NAQT Page | link |
Woodruff was a public high school located in Peoria, Illinois serving the northeast side of the city. It is best known for being among the better schools competing in Illinois scholastic bowl throughout the 1990s under the leadership of John Rathbun.
The program's greatest accomplishment was winning the 1997 Masonic State Championship behind top player, Jeremy Light. Light went on to be the only Woodruff player to have competed for Team Illinois. During Rathbun's tenure, Woodruff was an early influencer of the Peoria-area scholastic bowl community as a founding member of the Peoria Area League & routinely hosting tournaments including the IHSA State Finals in 1995 & 1996. After the Tournament's move to the Peoria Civic Center, Woodruff & Rathbun continued their roles as de-facto "hosts" in assisting with staffing.
Coach Rathbun retired in 2000. In the following years, Woodruff fell into relative obscurity. The Warriors never saw any meaningful playoff runs as their success in the IHSA State tournament pre-dated the Regional era and remained a low-seed until the school's eventual closure after the 2009-10 season.
Following his retirement, Rathbun still continued as a respected quiz bowl community advisor & manager for many years. So much so that he was the 2007 recipient of the Robert Grierson Friend of Scholastic Bowl Award. He continued serving up these roles until 2017. Rathbun was honored the same year as an inductee into the IHSSBCA's Hall of Fame.
Following its closure in 2010, the school was consolidated with Peoria District 150 & Peoria Heights. The building has been since repurposed and serves as a vocational school for Peoria District 150.
Team Accomplishments
- Masonic State Tournament: 1997 - 1st Place
- IHSA Sectional titles: 1992 (A), 1987
- Masonic State Sectional titles: 1999, 1997
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