THEY DID IT! The Nokomis Lady Redskins successfully defended their Class A state championship in girls' basketball this 1998-99 season.
Pictured at left are team members along with coach Maury Hough as they ride through the streets of Nokomis on March 1, 1998.
At right, they do it all over again Feb. 28, 1999, after their second title. (Thanks State Journal Register and Herald & Review for the pictures).
A complete recap of the Lady Redskins' 1998-99 championship including more pictures is available here, which included their appearance at the Coca Cola KMOX Shootout.
Also, see what the Journal-Register had to say about the Chicago Marshall game Jan. 9, when the Lady Redskins lost their winning streak but gained a lot of respect.
Molly McDowell was named Ms. Basketball by the Chicago Tribune on March 28.
Take your pick of title seasons:
The 1998-99 title
The 1997-98 title
Check out the IHSA's take on the Elite Eight
Congratulations to the Nokomis boys, who played a thrilling Class A sectional final, losing to Elite Eight qualifier Riverton in overtime. The Redskins finished 22-9.
Complete coverage of Nokomis High School girls basketball is here. Well, not entirely. But records from the 1982-83 season through 1999-2000 can be found here. In those 18 seasons, all coached by Maury Hough, the Lady Redskins have compiled a record of 383-87, including magical runs to the 1998 and 1999 Class A state titles!
For all the info on IHSA March Madness - boys and girls - check out their site. I highly recommend it.
Don't forget to review the Lady Redskins' stats, now updated with the 1998-99 season. Peek back at the prestigious Coca Cola KMOX Shootout
Also, see what the Journal-Register had to say about the Chicago Marshall game Jan. 9, when the Lady Redskins lost their winning streak but gained a lot of respect.
The 1998-99 champions are: front row, from left-Ashlee Keller, Lindsay Stauder, Va'Nicia Waterman, Lora Ruppert, Bernadette Marty, Kassie Engelhart and (standing) manager Tisha Morris.
Back row-assistant coach Rachelle McDowell, Molly McDowell, Jessie Hough, Rachelle Detmers, Carrie Eisenbarth, Bonnie Meiners, Jana Spears, Crystal Hayes, Misty Johnson, Emily Heck and coach Maury Hough.
The 1997-98 edition of the Nokomis Lady Redskins took the town by storm, rolling to the Illinois state championship in Class A.
Compiling a remarkable 33-2 record, Nokomis won its last 29 games of the season. They started the postseason road by winning their second straight regional title Feb. 12, routing Pana 76-35.
Newton was next, a 74-42 victim in the opener of the Bridgeport Sectional on Feb. 16.
Mighty Teutopolis fell 67-58 in the sectional final. The Decatur Super-Sectional was no contest Feb. 23 as Nokomis bounced Warrensburg-Latham 61-33. The state tournament went well also, as Nokomis beat Seton Academy 68-34, No. 3 Sterling Newman 63-47 and No. 1 Carthage 70-60 to take it all!
Check out stories about the state tournament by the State Journal Register and the Bloomington Pantagraph.
Here are the 1997-98 Class A state champion Nokomis Lady Redskins. Front row, from left: Assistant coach Rachelle McDowell, Lora Ruppert, Andrea Probst, Ashlee Keller, Amy Braye, Jessie Hough, Emily Heck, Head Coach Maury Hough. Back row: Rynne Hadley, Crystal Hayes, Bonnie Meiners, Amy Prater, Va'Nicia Waterman, Carrie Eisenbarth, Rachelle Detmers, Jana Spears and Molly McDowell.
One of the biggest wins of the regular season came in a 40-38 thriller over Carrollton in the title game of the prestigious Carrollton Tournament. Molly McDowell's jumper with :02 left provided the winning points as the Lady Redskins downed No. 4 Carrollton on its home floor Jan. 31. Statewide Elite Eight information can be found here.
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Last updated May 7, 1999
At left is Molly McDowell, named honorary captain of the SJ-R's Class A girls' basketball team for 1997-98 and 1998-99, as well as MISS BASKETBALL for the state of Illinois in 1998-99. McDowell signed a letter of intent Nov. 11, 1998, to play basketball at Southern Illinois University.