(10-10-23) Ft. Wayne Elmhurst opened their doors in 1929…the school was closed 13 years ago in 2010 due to financial issues facing the Ft. Wayne City Schools. Elmhurst as a football school had a tough time over the years winning.

But there is one game that the Trojans played that will be long remembered in Ft. Wayne and in Indiana.

Entering the 2003 season the Trojans had lost 64 consecutive games…but that opening game on August 22nd with #1 Class 4A Bishop Dwenger, who was state runner-up in 2002, would be that one game that is still remembered to this day.

The Trojans would pick up an unexpected 27-23 win over Dwenger and would gain national attention...including the New York Times.

From the article…Elmhurst survived a Dwenger comeback to win, 27-23. The players showered their coach, Roosevelt Norfleet, with Gatorade. Some cried. The celebration on the field lasted about an hour.

Norfleet said

”It was time to shock the world, or at least shock the state.’

64 game losing streak….

The Trojans streak started on October 4th 1996 losing to SAC rival Ft. Wayne North Side 48-14…the week before on September 26th they would win their last game over Concordia 26-17 before they would pick up their next win in 2003. Before that win they had lost 13 consecutive games.

Elmhurst H.S. Breaks Losing Streak- 2003
The Video Factory Fort Wayne – You Tube Video

Did you know…

Bishop Dwenger did not forget the opening game loss in 2002 and got a little revenge in the playoffs beating the Trojans 56-19

On March 7, 2009, the Elmhurst Girls’ Basketball team brought home the first state championship for any team sport in the school’s history, defeating Owen Valley 62-59 to win the Class 3A IHSAA State title.

On August 21, 2009, the football team won their first game since the ’04 campaign under head coach Kyle Beauchamp in their final year before shutting their doors- defeating Ft. Wayne Northrop, 21-13.

They would also would have a 45 game losing streak with the last five games of the 2004 season and the final game of the 2008 season, That streak ended with a win in the 2009 opener when they beat Northrop 21-13…and would lose the next nine in the school’s final year.

From 1960 until the school closed in 2010 Elmhurst had 15 seasons where they did not win a game, during that same time period they had only eight .500 or better seasons.

In 1976 they would go 9-1…losing only to Bishop Dwenger 13-12.