Southwestern High School (Piasa, Illinois)

Southwestern High School
Address
8226 Rt. 111 Piasa , Illinois United States
Coordinates	39.1190°N 90.1404°W / 39.1190; -90.1404
Information
Type	Public High School
Principal	Mark Bearley
Faculty	31.28 (FTE)
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	376 (2022–2023)
Student to teacher ratio	12.02
Color(s)	Kelly green and gold
Nickname	Piasa Birds
Website	www.piasabirds.net/schools/high-school/index

Southwestern High School is a high school for grades 9–12 students located near Piasa, Illinois. It serves students from southwestern Macoupin and eastern Jersey counties in Illinois. Towns served by the high school are Brighton, Medora, Shipman, Piasa, Fidelity, Royal Lakes, Kemper, Plainview, and Summerville.

The school is commonly referred to as SWHS and is home to the Southwestern Piasa Birds. Southwestern is a member of the South Central Conference (Illinois).

Athletics

Baseball

The baseball team plays during the spring. The team has won ten IHSA Regional Titles and two IHSA Sectional Titles. In 1990, the Piasa Birds finished fourth in the IHSA Class A State Tournament.

Boys Basketball

The SWHS boys' basketball team has won 15 IHSA Regional Titles and two IHSA Sectional Titles.

Boys Bowling

Bowling is played during the winter.

Boys Cross Country

Cross Country is a club sport at SWHS and its season is in the fall.

Boys Soccer

Soccer is offered, but a team has not been organized since 2019 due to lack of student interest. Soccer was added during the 2013–14 school year.

Boys Track and Field

The boys' track team competes in the spring. The SWHS track program has won one IHSA Class A Sectional Title in 2009.

Football

The football team plays during the fall. SWHS has qualified for the IHSA State Playoffs 11 times, but has yet to win a playoff game.

Girls Basketball

The SWHS girls' basketball team has won 18 IHSA Regional Titles and three IHSA Sectional titles. In 1991, the Lady Piasa Birds placed third in the IHSA Class A State Basketball Tournament.

Girls Bowling

Bowling is played during the winter.

Girls Cross Country

Cross Country is a club sport at SWHS and its season is in the fall. SWHS won an IHSA Class A Regional title in 2007.

Girls Soccer

Girls at SWHS play soccer during the spring season. Soccer was added during the 2013–14 school year.

Girls Track and Field

The girls' track team competes in the spring. The SWHS track program has won three IHSA Class A Sectional Titles in the years: 2001, 2010, and 2011.

Golf

Golf competes on the team in the fall. Boys' and girls' teams are organized based on the level of interest.

Softball

Softball is a girls' spring sport at SWHS. The Lady Piasa Birds have won nine IHSA Regional Titles and five IHSA Sectional Titles. In 2003 and 2009, SWHS finished second in the IHSA Class A State Tournament. In 2006, the team finished third in the IHSA Class A State Tournament. In 2008, the Lady Birds finished fourth in the IHSA Class 2A State Tournament.

Volleyball

Volleyball is a girls' fall sport at SWHS. In 2010, the Lady Piasa Birds won the South Central Conference Championship.

Activities

Scholastic Bowl

The Scholastic Bowl team plays from August to May. The SWHS team has won 11 IHSA Class 1A Regional Titles, and one IHSA Class 2A Regional Title. The Piasa Birds won the NAQT Small School State Championship in 2017. They have also placed second in the NAQT Small School State Championship Tournament five times. SWHS has placed fourth, fifth (twice), seventh (three times), and eleventh at the NAQT Small School National Championship Tournament, which has been hosted in Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Chicago.