Why stop at 6..? Checkout the 1964 Cobden AppleKnockers...

[DOGFATHER1]

When I was in high school the state of Illinois had only ONE class for he entire
state. Yes the tiny schools with 62 enrollment had to play against the big Chicago
schools with many thousand. An impossible task for a tiny school to win a
state championship, but it did happen in 1964 when the Cobden AppleKnockers
won it all... Some good books about this team, check em out... C =)~
~~00~~
https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2014...nockers-cobden-illinois-made-it-all-the-way-t

 

[SEMO747883]

They need a movie too, lots of story lines in this one including playing the Pekin "Chinks". That nickname was later changed, it certainly was a sign of the times.

 

[TJ_DUB]

They need a movie too, lots of story lines in this one including playing the Pekin "Chinks". That nickname was later changed, it certainly was a sign of the times.

If I recall correctly, their best player drowned in the summer before their state championship season.

 

[SEMO747883]

If I recall correctly, their best player drowned in the summer before their state championship season.

True, and they had a whole team of 6-4 to 6-5 kids. I have heard that he was the best player they had and they won it all anyway. Amazing.

 

[hangmanbobbyjaggers]

True, and they had a whole team of 6-4 to 6-5 kids. I have heard that he was the best player they had and they won it all anyway. Amazing.

I wish they would have gotten to play against the Hicks from the Sticks! What a game that would have been!
On a side note, Wish they would take all the state champions and play in a Bracket play single elimination tournament.

 

[SEMO747883]

I wish they would have gotten to play against the Hicks from the Sticks! What a game that would have been!
On a side note, Wish they would take all the state champions and play in a Bracket play single elimination tournament.

I bet the teachers would hate losing that much class time. I will say it would be interesting for the 8 best basketball playing states to have a tournament of champions. Texas, Illinois, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, and either Ohio, Michigan, or California.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

I grew up 5 miles down 51 in the late 70s and early 80s. That Cobden team was absolutely revered in that area. I can still remember my grandpa (who was a former coach and admin at the time) and everybody else talk about how good that team was. Tom Crowell, who was the PG, was the boy that died. Fun fact, another player, name escapes me, got kicked out of school for getting his g/f pregnant. It was a big town conspiracy when they let him back in school to play. Man, I ate those stories up as a kid about that team. I can still remember the big pic that hung in the gym. Fun thinking about that again.

 

[SEMO747883]

I grew up 5 miles down 51 in the late 70s and early 80s. That Cobden team was absolutely revered in that area. I can still remember my grandpa (who was a former coach and admin at the time) and everybody else talk about how good that team was. Tom Crowell, who was the PG, was the boy that died. Fun fact, another player, name escapes me, got kicked out of school for getting his g/f pregnant. It was a big town conspiracy when they let him back in school to play. Man, I ate those stories up as a kid about that team. I can still remember the big pic that hung in the gym. Fun thinking about that again.

Wasn't the name Flick there. Or Flack, or both?

 

[SEMO747883]

I grew up 5 miles down 51 in the late 70s and early 80s. That Cobden team was absolutely revered in that area. I can still remember my grandpa (who was a former coach and admin at the time) and everybody else talk about how good that team was. Tom Crowell, who was the PG, was the boy that died. Fun fact, another player, name escapes me, got kicked out of school for getting his g/f pregnant. It was a big town conspiracy when they let him back in school to play. Man, I ate those stories up as a kid about that team. I can still remember the big pic that hung in the gym. Fun thinking about that again.

I was farther down 51 late seventies, early eighties at conference rival Dongola. Gene Dammerman was the coach at that time. They played slow, slower, and slowest.

 

[SEMO747883]

Actually Pekin won the championship game 51-45. Cinderella turned pumpkin, but still a story for the ages.