Tournament History

The 96th McLean County Boys High School Basketball Tournament is the oldest running basketball tournament in the state of Illinois.  It has been an annual highlight, except for 1933, since Lexington defeated LeRoy to win the first tourney in 1911. Other teams that played that year at the Bloomington YMCA included Normal, Saybrook, Bellflower, and Bloomington’s junior varsity.

The tourney was originated by the McLean County Principals Association and was managed by Lloyd Eyer of the YMCA.

The first girls tournament was held at Bellflower in 1981 and was won by Saybrook-Arrowsmith over Lexington 61-41.

This year’s tournament is the twelfth to be held at Illinois Wesleyan’s Shirk Center after 23 years at Fred Young Fieldhouse. In the 1920’s and 30’s, the tourney was held 11 times at IWU’s Memorial Gym. Previous years’ tournaments were held at ISU’s Horton Fieldhouse and McCormick Gym. It has has also been staged at ISU’s Felmley Gymnasium and Bloomington High School, as well as the Bloomington YMCA.

This is the eleventh year to incorporate the championship games for the girls’ tournament with the boys’ tournament at the Shirk Center and the second year for all winner’s bracket games to be played at the same location for boys and girls teams.

No Twin City schools have participated in the tournament since Normal Community and University High withdrew after the 1929 tournament. Bloomington withdrew after 1925.

The consolation bracket, discontinued in 1939, was reinstated in 1978 when school consolidations shrunk the field from a record high of 22 in 1924 to 9 teams. The current 8 boys’ teams is the fewest number of teams to play in the tournament. When 22 teams competed in 1924, 11 games were played on each of the first two days and 7 on the third and final day.

With the 2004 consolidations for both Gridley and Chenoa school districts, teams outside McLean County have been invited to participate in the tournament to maintain a minimum of 8 teams. The 2007 tournament will include all 13 teams in the new Heart of Illinois Conference.

Three boys’ teams have won three consecutive tournaments: U-High (1927-29), Octavia (1966-68), and Gridley (1975-1977). Octavia won in 1989, and its consolidation Ridgeview won in 1990 and 1991.

Ridgeview’s girls team has won four consecutive tournaments (1991-94), while Blue Ridge has won three consecutive tournaments twice (1987-89 and 1999-2002).

Ridgeview boys increased the most championships by any team to 17 (12 under Octavia and 5 as Ridgeview) with last year’s victory over DeeMack. Ridgeview also tops all girls teams for number of tournaments won with eight.

The highest combined point total for a championship game occurred in 1973, when Octavia downed Lexington 78-68. The lowest was in Downs’ 11-10 victory over Saybrook in 1930.

The most points scored in any game by an individual is 49 by Abe Zeller of Gridley in 1998. Jennifer Schmid of Heyworth scored 45 points in one game to lead the girls.

 

 Boys Championship Games

1911 Lexington 38 LeRoy 29 YMCA
1912 Lexington 20 U High 18 YMCA
1913 U High 58 Bellflower 18 YMCA
1914 Bellflower 25 U High 24 YMCA
1915 Saybrook 26 Lexington 25 YMCA
1916 U High Unavailable YMCA
1917 U High 15 Stanford 12 YMCA
1918 Lexington 23 Normal 14 YMCA
1919 Normal 20 U High 19 YMCA
1920 Stanford 28 Lexington 26 YMCA
1921 Stanford 26 Bloomington 23 BHS
1922 Bloomington 42 Saybrook 24 BHS
1923 Downs 16 Bellflower 12 Wesleyan
1924 Bloomington 28 Danvers 16 Wesleyan
1925 U High 15 Bloomington 12 Wesleyan
1926 Normal 29 U High 9 Wesleyan
1927 U High 15 Normal 9 Felmley
1928 U High 18 Bellflower 12 Felmley
1929 U High 32 Heyworth Wesleyan
1930 Downs 11 Saybrook 10 Wesleyan
1931 Heyworth 21 Downs 16 Wesleyan
1932 Carlock 14 Arrowsmith Wesleyan
1933 No County Tournament Held
1934 Stanford 29 Lexington 9 Wesleyan
1935 Lexington 43 Cropsey 20 Wesleyan
1936 Saybrook 25 McLean 12 Wesleyan
1937 Saybrook 18 Stanford 15 McCormick
1938 Cropsey 28 Saybrook 22 McCormick
1939 Chenoa 28 Saybrook 19 McCormick
1940 Stanford 28 Danvers 22 McCormick
1941 McLean 26 Danvers 25 McCormick
1942 Stanford 43 Danvers 33 McCormick
1943 LeRoy 44 Danvers 37 McCormick
1944 Gridley 39 Heyworth 32 McCormick
1945 LeRoy 28 Heyworth 23 McCormick
1946 Gridley 46 Cropsey 28 McCormick
1947 Gridley 39 Bellflower 37 McCormick
1948 Chenoa 65 Saybrook 37 McCormick
1949 Saybrook 54 Lexington 53 McCormick
1950 Lexington 59 Chenoa 39 McCormick
1951 Chenoa 47 Lexington 41 McCormick
1952 Lexington 65 Chenoa 47 McCormick
1953 Gridley 50 Octavia 45 McCormick
1954 Lexington 59 Ellsworth 47 McCormick
1955 Chenoa 59 Octavia 57 McCormick
1956 Octavia 59 Chenoa 34 McCormick
1957 Octavia 66 Saybrook 59 McCormick
1958 Lexington 76 Saybrook 65 McCormick
1959 Octavia 66 Saybrook 58 McCormick
1960 Heyworth 50 Bellflower 38 McCormick
1961 Heyworth 29 McLean-Waynesville 27 McCormick
1962 Octavia 53 McLean-Waynesville 40 McCormick
1963 Octavia 64 Bellflower 40 McCormick
1964 Lexington 47 Octavia 36 Horton
1965 Bellflower 58 Octavia 53 Horton
1966 Octavia 68 Lexington 48 Horton
1967 Octavia 66 Heyworth 44 Horton
1968 Octavia 57 Lexington 48 Horton
1969 Chenoa 54 Octavia 48 Horton
1970 Octavia 70 Lexington 38 Horton
1971 Hopedale 60 McLean-Waynesville-Armington 53 Wesleyan
1972 Lexington 59 Octavia 45 Wesleyan
1973 Octavia 78 Lexington 68 Wesleyan
1974 Lexington 75 Octavia 57 Wesleyan
1975 Gridley 47 Octavia 35 Wesleyan
1976 Gridley 77 Lexington 52 Wesleyan
1977 Gridley 57 Octavia 49 Wesleyan
1978 Saybrook-Arrowsmith 52 Gridley 50 Wesleyan
1979 Chenoa 61 Gridley 60 Wesleyan
1980 Gridley 57 Saybrook-Arrowsmith 52 Wesleyan
1981 Lexington 59 Heyworth 48 Wesleyan
1982 Gridley 50 Octavia 49 Wesleyan
1983 Saybrook-Arrowsmith 62 Gridley 60 Wesleyan
1984 Gridley 48 Octavia 27 Wesleyan
1985 Heyworth 44 Gridley 38 Wesleyan
1986 Gridley 56 Lexington 48 Wesleyan
1987 Octavia 56 Lexington 46 Wesleyan
1988 Blue Ridge 59 Lexington 56 Wesleyan
1989 Octavia 61 Heyworth 45 Wesleyan
1990 Ridgeview 63 Heyworth 57 Wesleyan
1991 Ridgeview 63 Gridley 51 Wesleyan
1992 Gridley 53 Heyworth 51 Wesleyan
1993 Gridley 49 Ridgeview 46 Wesleyan
1994 Ridgeview 62 Heyworth 49 Wesleyan
1995 LeRoy 65 Ridgeview 49 Wesleyan
1996 Tri-Valley 48 Ridgeview 46 Wesleyan
1997 Ridgeview 53 Heyworth 40 Wesleyan
1998 Tri-Valley 56 Ridgeview 33 Wesleyan
1999 Tri-Valley 59 Heyworth 53 Wesleyan
2000 Lexington 56 Tri-Valley 48 Wesleyan
2001 Tri-Valley 69 Lexington 59 Wesleyan
2002 Lexington 64 Ridgeview 62 Wesleyan
2003 Tri-Valley 60 Ridgeview 52 Wesleyan
2004 Tri-Valley 55 Lexington 49 Wesleyan
2005 Ridgeview 48 DeeMack 44 Wesleyan


 Girls Championship Games

1981 Saybrook-Arrowsmith 61 Lexington 41
1982 Lexington 49 Tri-Valley 41
1983 Heyworth 36 Chenoa 30
1984 Heyworth 50 Tri-Valley 44
1985 Tri-Valley 56 Lexington 28
1986 Chenoa 30 Tri-Valley 28
1987 Blue Ridge 35 Tri-Valley 34
1988 Blue Ridge 56 Octavia 34
1989 Blue Ridge 44 Lexington 40
1990 Chenoa 46 Blue Ridge 43
1991 Ridgeview 44 Heyworth 43
1992 Ridgeview 41 Heyworth 40
1993 Ridgeview 57 Blue Ridge 24
1994 Ridgeview 55 Tri-Valley 45
1995 Tri-Valley 63 Ridgeview 52
1996 Ridgeview 39 Tri-Valley 28
1997 Ridgeview 39 Tri-Valley 34 OT
1998 Tri-Valley 40 El Paso 37
1999 Tri-Valley 44 Ridgeview 38
2000 Blue Ridge 52 Tri-Valley 44
2001 Blue Ridge 48 Leroy 38
2002 Blue Ridge 47 Ridgeview 39
2003 Ridgeview 54 Flanagan 46
2004 Ridgeview 44 Flanagan 35
2005 GCMS 39 Ridgeview 30

 
Girls Records Boys Records
Most points in one game: 45 by Jennifer Schmid, Heyworth in 1997

Most points in championship: 19 by Laura Zimmerman, Blue Ridge in 2001

Most points in career: 215 by Mindy Stille, Tri-Valley, 1992-1995

Most field goals in one game: 17 by Jennifer Schmid, Heyworth in 1997 vs. Lexington

Most field goals in championship: 8 by Christy Legner, Tri-Valley in 2000 vs. Blue Ridge

Most field goals in tournament: 26 by Ali Fairchile, Ridgeview, 2004

Most 3-point field goals in one game: 6 by Sarah Bell, Blue Ridge in 2004 vs. Heyworth

Most 3-point field goals in championship: 4 by Tiffany Leonard, Flanagan in 2003 vs. Ridgeview

Most 3-point field goals in tournament: 10 by Sarah Bell, Blue Ridge in 2003 and 2004

Most free throws in one game: 11 by Christy Legner, Tri-Valley in 2000 vs. Heyworth

Most free throws in championship: 6 by Ali Fairchild, Ridgeview in 2003

Most free throws in tournament: 21 by Ali Fairchild, Ridgeview in 2003

Most rebounds in one game: 19 by Kelli Adams, Lexington in 2001

Most rebounds in championship: 13 by Stephanie Winterland, Ridgeview in 1999 vs. Tri-Valley and Nancy Marcum, Leroy in 2001 vs. Blue Ridge

Most assists in one game: 12 by Megan Ambrose, Leroy in 2001

Most assists in championship: 10 by Jessica Forrest, Blue Ridge in 2000

Most points in one game: 80 by Blue Ridge in 2000 vs. Chenoa

Most points in championship: 63 by Tri-Valley in 1995 vs. Ridgeview

Most points in one tournament: 185 by Blue Ridge in 2000

Best field goal % in one game: 60.6% by Blue Ridge in 2000 vs. Chenoa

Best field goal % in championship:45.2% by Blue Ridge in 2002 vs. Ridgeview

Most field goals in one game: 34 by Blue Ridge in 2000 vs. Chenoa

Most field goals in championship: 20 by Blue Ridge in 2000 and 2001 and by Ridgeview in 2003

Most 3-point field goals in one game: 10 by Blue Ridge in 2003 vs. Flanagan

Most 3-point field goals in championship: 5 by Blue Ridge in 2001 vs. Leroy and by Flanagan vs. Ridgeview in 2003

Most free throws in one game: 22 by Tri-Valley in 2001 vs. Lexington

Most free throws in championship: 14 by Ridgeview vs. Flanagan in 2003

Most rebounds in one game: 58 by Tri-Valley vs. Lexington in 2003

Most rebounds in championship: 44 by Ridgeview in 1999 vs. Tri-Valley

Most assists in one game: 36 by Blue Ridge in 2000 vs. Chenoa

Most assists in championship: 18 by Flanagan vs. Ridgeview in 2003

 

 		 Most points in one game: 49 by Abe Zeller, Gridley, 1998.

Most points for one tournament: 130 by Steve Rich, Hopedale, 1972.

Most points in one tournament career: 230 by Steve Rich, 1970-72.

Most points in championship game: 35 by Troy Hall, Tri-Valley, 2001.

Most field goals in one game: 21 by Warren Smith, Saybrook-Arrowsmith, 1967.

Most field goals in one tournament: 47 by Steve Rich, Hopedale, 1972.

Most field goals during career: 96 by Bill Sarver, Chenoa, 1947-50.

Most field goals in championship game: 14 by Jerry Nord, Octavia, 1957 and Curt Nord, Octavia, 1970.

Most 3-point field goals in one game: 9 by Kory Blumer, Blue Ridge, 1999.

Most 3-point field goals in one tournament: 18 by Kory Blumer, Blue Ridge, 1999.

Most 3-point field goals during career: 25 by Kory Blumer,Blue Ridge, 1996-1999.

Most 3-point field goals in championship game: 4 by Greg Maupin, Ridgeview, 1991; Jason Coakley, Heworth, 1999; Josh Simpson, Tri-Valley, 2000, Nick Stephey, Lexington, 2002

Most free throws in one game: 18 by Don Van Winkle, Saybrook-Arrowsmith, 1959.

Most free throws in one tournament: 40 by Blair Sanders, LeRoy, 1955.

Most free throws in championship game: 12 by Jim Kaufman, Octavia, 1977 and Troy Hall, Tri-Valley, 2001.

Most rebounds in one game: 35 by John Fox, McLean-Waynesville, 1963.

Most assists in one game: 10, Josh Champion, Chenoa, 2000.

Most assists in one tournament: 22 by Pat Hayes, Gridley 1976.

Best field goal percentage in one game:72.4% (21/29) by Tri-Valley in 2001 vs. Lexington.

Best field goal percentage in championship game:72.4% (21/29) by Tri-Valley in 2001 vs. Lexington.

Most 3-point field goals made in one game:12 by Ridgeview in 2002 vs.Chenoa.

Most 3-point field goals made in one tournament: 28 by Ridgeview in 2002.

Most rebounds in one game: 68 by Saybrook-Arrowsmith in 1967 vs. McLean-Waynesville.

Most rebounds in championship game: 53 by Saybrook-Arrowsmith in 1958 vs. Lexington.

Most assists in one game:18 by Blue Ridge in 1999 vs. Leroy in 1999.

Most assists in one tournament:48 by Gridley in 1969.

Most points in one game: 98 by Gridley in 1969 vs. Atlanta.

Most points in chamionship game: 78 by Octavia in 1973 vs. Lexington.

Most points in one tournament: 296 by Octavia in 1956.