Banner Season
by Don Hill
(Reprinted McLeansboro Times-Leader March 5, 1987)
THE HUSTLER - The McLeansboro Lady Foxes had their 22 game winning streak halted in the semi-finals of the Class A state basketball tournament at Champaign this weekend in the semi-finals against Carthage. But it was not for lack of hustle as Holly Sloan demonstrated off the bench all season for the girls in green. The Lady Foxes regained their winning ways Saturday afternoon and are now one of only two teams with a winning streak going into next season. |
When the McLeansboro Lady Foxes took to the floor for the first time at Champaign's Assembly Hall Thursday night, it may have marked the beginning of an era for McLeansboro basketball.
Since coach Willie Grubb took over the Lady Foxes program six years ago, he has steadily and masterfully, directed them toward the moment they achieved Saturday afternoon when they ended a 28-3 season by capturing third place at the Illinois Class A State Tournament.
Grubb’s first few campaigns were not the talk of the basketball world and he used them as a learning experience. It became obvious over the long haul this season, that the lessons he learned were valuable ones.
It is no secret that the Lady Foxes had a very talented team this year with the three seniors leading the way on numerous occasions. But a good coach must learn from a winning campaign as well as a losing one. Grubb proved this year that he has grown with the job.
In his four years, the Lady Foxes were building on the future, but were always in the shadow of the Eldorado Lady Eagles.
Last year, that curse was removed forever as the memory of all those losses was erased with the Lady Foxes first regional championship.
With that ghost gone, the Lady Foxes dominated this time around and with the likes of Tina Thomas, Wendy Wingo, Denise Bowers and Holly Sloan returning, it appears that the fires of victory may burn for sometime in the camp of the Lady Foxes.
Reprinted by permission from McLeansboro Times-Leader - June 17, 1999 by Ryan Nelson
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