By Woodrow Carroll
Sometimes being in the right place at the right time is what is needed. For others, a blend of skill and timing come together and bring championship success. For Harold “Sam” Samorian, the right mix was clearly at the high school level.
Let us turn the clock back to 1948 and make our way to the Illinois high school boys basketball State tournament in Champaign.
It was the age of the Sweet 16 when 16 sectional champions went to Huff Gym on the campus of the University of Illinois. The super-sectional level that many have come to know was eight years away. Four victories were needed to claim the State championship in 1948 at the State tournament.
Rockford East High School was one of the Sweet 16 teams in 1948. The E-Rabs, led by coach Jimmy Laude, were 23-3 a nice record for sure. Yet, Rockford East was not one of the teams picked to win the State championship. Pinckneyville, however, was one of the top picks, and, did claim the championship with a victory over Rockford East, 65-39, in the State championship game..
Harold Samorian played for Rockford East in the 1948 State finals. He was no star, nor all-State candidate, however he did play in the championship game, and, that counts.
Following a stop at Sycamore High School, in Spring 1966, Samorian was at Glenbrook North High School as a teacher and coach. As an assistant coach for the powerful baseball program, Samorian was in Peoria when North defeated Maine South, 15-2, for the baseball championship.
Samorian was still helping the baseball program at North in 1974 when the school captured its second championship by beating East Peoria.
In Fall 1974 the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) conducted its first State football playoffs with five champions from 1A through 5A.
Samorian was the head football coach of the Glenbrook North Spartans in 1974 who were in the 5A championship game against a monster in East St. Louis.
The Flyers of East St. Louis, with future NFL Hall-of-Famer Kellen Winslow in the lineup, had dispatched Naperville Central, 35-0, and Chicago Gordon Tech, 46-0, prior to meeting Glenbrook North. Few gave the Spartans a chance.
Maybe it was a good omen for Samorian. Prior to the 5A championship game, Samorian’s alma mater, Rockford East, defeated Normal Community, 34-15, for the 4A championship. The championship games were at Illinois State University where Samorian played football, basketball, and baseball.
Glenbrook North held its ground against East St. Louis and regulation concluded with the two teams tied at 13. With first possession in overtime, the Spartans scored a touchdown to go in front, 19-13, but, failed to convert the extra point. A touchdown and extra point would give the Flyers the 5A championship. However, Glenbrook North stiffened and four tries by East St. Louis went for naught! With that Glenbrook North took a 19-13 victory and the biggest-school,5A, championship.
We need not overlook Samorian’s contribution to wrestling.
Early in his teaching career, Samorian started an intramural wrestling program at Sycamore High School. Samorian was already with another group of Spartans (Glenbrook North) by the time wrestling became a varsity sport at Sycamore. But he did pave the way for varsity wrestling at Sycamore!
Once Samorian caught the wrestling fever it stuck. In 1980 Samorian was IHSA Wrestling Official of the Year. In 1990 Samorian was IHSA wrestling grand marshal.
From the 1948 State basketball tournament to the State baseball tournament on to a State football championship and a final stop on the mat, Samorian did it all with distinction.