Central Dewitt Hall of Fame Induction Class 2006

Central Dewitt Hall of Fame Induction Class 2006

Colleen Burke graduated from Central High School in 1984. Colleen was considered an all around athlete at Central High School and she excelled in every sport. Colleen was an excellent Volleyball player, earning Big Bend All Conference honors during the 1982 and 1983 seasons. Colleen played 6 -on-6 basketball for the Sabers as a forward. By the time Colleen finished her career, she owned the career points record, with 1501, and the rebounding record forwards with 168. Colleen was a State performer in Track, earning 4 th place in the Discus during her Senior year. Colleen rounded out her athletic experiences each year by participating in Softball.

Colleen Burke competed at Central when girls athletics were still in the early stages. Not only did Burke excel in volleyball, basketball, track and softball, she also did all right with a football, as well, but more on that later. A three-year starter in volleyball, Burke was a second-team All. Big Bend selection as a junior (1982) and a first-team pick a year later. She also earned second-team allstate honors in 1983. In both seasons she led the Sabers in kills (251 and 289) and blocks (30 and 59). Her 289 kills (in 31 matches) in 1983 were a program record until Steph Marsh recorded 387 (in 40 matches) in 1999. Burke’s 59 blocks rank 12 th in the Central single-season record book. The 1982 team sill ranks among the program’s best ever. That year the team set a record with 25 wins (with five losses and a tie). The Sabers rose as high as No. 4 in the rankings. They won four regular-season tournaments – more than any other team in the state. The 25 wins were the most for any Saber team until the 1999 squad went 29 -10 - 1.

Burke also was a member of record-setting Saber basketball teams. The 1983 -84 team set a program record with 13 wins (with six losses). That squad set 15 school records, with Burke having a direct hand in three. She ended her career as the program’s all-time six-on-six leading scorer with 1, 501 points. She also set the career rebounding mark for a forward with 168. In addition, her 70 percent shooting from the free-throw line, was a record, as well. Her single-season standards included 523 points, 27 steals and 11 rebounds a game (the latter two are forwards). Burke’s outstanding play led to her being a three-time unanimous first-team All-Big Bend forward. After skipping her junior season of track, Burke placed fourth at the state meet in the discus. She came into state ranked 11 th, but with a 116 -1 toss on a rainy day, she moved all the way up to fourth. Earlier that season she set a new program record in the event with a 124 -0 toss. Needing something to do in the summer, Burke pitched for the Central softball team. She excelled there, as well. Once again she was part of a record-setting Saber team as the 1983 squad set a program record with 22 wins (and 11 losses).

That summer she tossed her first no-hitter in a 12 -0 win over Bellevue. The same week she tossed a pair of one-hitters. In both her sophomore and junior seasons she was a first-team All-Big Bend selection. On the program’s record book, Burke ranks seventh in career wins (32), eighth in career strike-outs (124), sixth in season wins (21) and winning percentage (. 724), and ninth in season strike-outs (107). Now, about football. While in junior high, Burke entered the local punt, pass and kick competition. In those days there weren’t separate boys and girls divisions. Didn’t matter, Burke won her age division, beating all the boys her age. That sent her to Davenport for the next level. Not wanting anyone to know she was a girl, she signed up as C. Burke and tucked her hair under a baseball hat. Although she didn’t win, she did place among the leaders. “Colleen was just an extra-hard competitor, ” Duncan, her volleyball and track coach said. “She was such a team player. She contributed so much to whatever team she was on. On top of that, she was an outstanding person and a good student at school. It was a privilege to have coached her. ”