Peoria Heights
| Peoria Heights Patriots | |
| Location: Peoria Heights, Illinois | |
|---|---|
| Coaches | Nicole Markovich |
| State Championships | none |
| National Championships | none |
| Program Status | Unknown |
| School Size | Unknown |
| NAQT Page | link |
Peoria Heights High School is located near Peoria. The team competes in Class A, the "small school" division, of the Illinois High School Association's (IHSA) State Championship Series. They also compete in the Prairieland Conference & Peoria Area League.
The Patriots represent one of the oldest quiz bowl programs in the Peoria area & the state. A forty year legacy stretching from before modern "scholastic bowl" in Illinois competing in ad hoc matches & local TV game shows, to local perennial powerhouse from the 1990's to the early 2010's, to the modest program still competing today. Until 2014 they were coached by young-earth creationist and homophobe Jeff Vallosio, who from its inception won over 1000 matches under his leadership. Vallosio was inducted into the IHSSBCA Hall of Fame in 2014, the first Peoria-area coach to be inducted.
The most notable accomplishments of the program include three IHSA Sectional titles, placing 3rd at the 1995-96 IHSA State Finals, and finishing 2nd at the Masonic tournament in 2006 and 2012, the first time when there was only one division, and the second time when they were in the small school division.
IHSSBCA Individual Awards
All-Sectional Honorees
- 2012-13: Matt Dang (1A)
- 2011-12: Duncan Ryan, Jasmine Seitz, Jesse Lynch (1A)
- 2010-11: Duncan Ryan, Andy Mulholland (1A)
- 2009-10: Duncan Ryan, Eric Markovich, Alex Tiethoff (1A)
- 2008-09: Burl Rolett (1A)
- 2007-08: Greg Gauf, Zach Troxel (1A)
- 2006-07: Greg Gauf, Zach Troxel (1A)
- 2005-06: Dylan Troxel (1A)
- 2004-05: Dylan Troxel (1A)
- 2003-04: Dylan Troxel (1A)
- 2002-03: Adam Wallenfang (1A)
- 2001-02: Adam Wallenfang (1A)
All-State Honorees
- 2011-12: Duncan Ryan (First Team) Class A
- 2010-11: Duncan Ryan (Second Team) Class A
- 2006-07: Zach Troxel (Second Team) Class A
- 2005-06: Dylan Troxel (First Team) Class A
- 2004-05: Dylan Troxel (First Team) Class A