Thornridge High School is a public high school located in Dolton, Illinois. It was built as part of Thornton Township High Schools District 205. It is sometimes confused with the similar schools in the same district: Thornton Township High School and Thornwood High School.
Teams from Thornridge are nicknamed the "Falcons". The school colors are Columbia blue, grey, and navy blue. The school's teams compete as a member of the South Inter-Conference Association or SICA. These teams also compete in state championship series sponsored by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA).
The school sponsors teams for both men and women in basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis, and track & field. Men may also compete in baseball, football, swimming & diving, and wrestling. Women may compete in cheerleading, softball, and volleyball.
The following athletic teams placed in the top four of their respective class in their respective sports in IHSA sponsored state championship series.
basketball (boys): State Champions (1970–71, 71–72)cross country (boys): 3rd place (1978–79, 79–80)cross country (girls): 3rd place (1983–84)swimming & diving (boys): 4th place (1966–67, 67–68, 68–69); 3rd place (1969–70)track & field (boys): 3rd place (1979–80)Thornridge has had an extensive history of success in the performing arts and competitive public speaking. The following teams have placed in the top four of their respective state championship competitions sponsored by the IHSA.
Debate: State Champions (1975–76); 2nd place (1972–73, 77–78)Drama: State Champions (1971–72, 89–90, 2003–04, 04–05, 07–08); 2nd place (1969–70, 73–74, 75–76, 81–82, 84–85, 88–89, 2005–06); 3rd place (1976–77, 78–79, 82–83); 4th place (2001–02)Group Interpretation: State Champions (1974–75, 93–94, 2002–03); 2nd place (1980–81, 97–98, 2000–01, 03–04); 4th place (1996–97, 99–2000)Individual Events: State Champions (1967–68, 68–69, 69–70, 70–71); 3rd place (1984–85, 93–94); 4th place (1964–65, 80–81, 82–83, 89–90)Speech (sweepstakes): State Champions (1967–68, 69–70); 2nd place (1970–71, 71–72), 4th place (1968–69)Quinn Buckner was a basketball player and later coach, broadcaster and executive. He led Thornridge to the 1972 IHSA state basketball championship, was co-captain of the 1976 national champion Indiana Hoosiers, won a gold medal in the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, and had a ten-year NBA career, including membership on the 1984 NBA Champion Boston Celtics. His Indiana Pacers biography claims he is one of three people in history to claim championships at all of these levels of basketball competition.David Clayton is a human rights activist. He was named to the IHSA All-Star Cast for his performance in The Firebugs in 1972.Kevin Duckworth was a two–time All-Star NBA center (1986–97)Nelsan Ellis is a Juilliard-trained actor, best known for his roles on the television series The Inside and True Blood.Reggie Hayward was an NFL defensive end (Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars)Syleena Johnson is a Grammy-nominated R&B singer and TV reality show starJane Lynch is an actress, comedian, and singer, perhaps best known for her role as Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee and various roles in the Christopher Guest-directed films A Mighty Wind, and Best in ShowSam Mack was an NBA guardRichard Roeper is a writer and film critic, perhaps best known for co-hosting At the Movies with Roger EbertJoe Skalski was an MLB pitcher (Cleveland Indians)LisaRaye McCoy is a film and television actress (The Players Club, Single Ladies)