Byron

Byron Tigers
Location: Byron, Illinois
Coaches	Patrick Kirk
State Championships	2000 IHSA
National Appearances	SSNCT: 2018, 2017, 2016
Program Status	active
School Size	456
NAQT Page	link

Byron High School is a public high school in Byron, Illinois located just south of Rockford. It is among the more successful small school programs in Illinois history, placing in the IHSA top-4 across three separate decades including winning the Class A State Championship in 2000 and placing second in 2018, 2008, & 1997. Their strength comes from their membership in the Big Northern Conference perennially competing against comparatively strong programs like Winnebago and Burlington Central. The Tigers have also been fortunate to have had strong leadership over the years, seeing two IHSSBCA Hall of Fame coaches - Carol Nauman & Larry Schnorr.

The 2000 State Championship team was led by Matt Childers and in 2013 was inducted into the school's sports Hall of Fame. The 2008 Runner Up team was led by Marc Smith.

Byron along with nearby Stillman Valley & Winnebago were founding members of what would become the Illinois Masonic State tournament. Hosting what was then called the "Northern Illinois Academic Bowl" throughout the 1980's. Former Byron principal, Frank Conry, along with principals, Neil Pavlus & Nelson Pyle, were recipients of the Robert Grierson Friend of Scholastic Bowl Award in 2012.

Notable Team Accomplishments

• IHSA State Tournament: 2018 - 2nd Place Class A, 2008 - 2nd Place Class A, 2000 - 1st Place Class A, 1998 - 4th Place Class A, 1997 - 2nd Place Class A
• Masonic State Tournament: 2017 - 4th Place Class 2A
• IHSA Sectional titles: (9) 2018-1A, 2017-1A, 2008-1A, 2000-1A, 1999-1A, 1998-1A, 1997-1A, 1990-1A, 1988
• IHSA Regional titles: (10) 2021-1A, 2018-1A, 2017-1A, 2016-1A, 2011-1A, 2009-1A, 2008-1A, 2007-1A, 2006-1A, 2005-1A
• Masonic Sectional titles: 2017-2A, 2000, 1999, 1998
• Big Northern Conference Champions: 2020, 2018, 2017
• NAQT Small School National Championship Tournament: 2018 - T10th
• IHSSBCA NAQT Illinois State Championship: 2018 - 11th, 2017 - T19th, 2016 - T46th

IHSA State Championship 1987-91 Quincy (1987) · Quincy (1988) · IMSA (1989) · IMSA (1990) · Centralia (1991) Class AA (1992-present) Hinsdale Central (1992) · Quincy (1993) · IMSA (1994) · Richwoods (1995) · IMSA (1996) · IMSA (1997) · IMSA (1998) · IMSA (1999) · Stevenson (2000) · IMSA (2001) · Wheaton North (2002) · Wheaton North (2003) · Wheaton North (2004) · Stevenson (2005) · Fremd (2006) · New Trier (2007) · Auburn (2008) · Carbondale (2009) · IMSA (2010) · IMSA (2011) · IMSA (2012) · IMSA (2013) · IMSA (2014) · Auburn (2015) · Hinsdale Central (2016) · IMSA (2017) · Stevenson (2018) · University Lab (2019) Class A (1992-present) Rockridge (1992) · Winnebago (1993) · Latin (1994) · Winnebago (1995) · Niantic-Harristown (1996) · St. Teresa (1997) · Latin (1998) · University (Normal) (1999) · Byron (2000) · Warrensburg-Latham (2001) · Latin (2002) · Stillman Valley (2003) · Latin (2004) · Latin (2005) · Latin (2006) · Decatur Lutheran (2007) · PORTA (2008) · Latin (2009) · Lisle (2010) · Lisle (2011) · Peoria Christian (2012) · Peoria Christian (2013) · Litchfield (2014) · University Lab (2015) · Latin (2016) · Timothy Christian (2017) · Williamsville (2018) · Chicago Christian (2019)