On March 29, 1913, Janesville High School boys beat LaCrosse 38-24 to win the state basetball championship in Appleton.
On March 20, 1971, the Parker High School boys defeated Milwaukee Rufus King, 79-68, to win the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) state high school boys basketball championship.
Bob Morgan coached the '71 team, featuring two all-conference players, Bob Luchsinger Jr. and Dick Meier. Parker players set state records by hitting all 23 of their free throws and shot 62.2 percent on field goal attempts. All three are members of the Janesville Sports Hall of Fame.
You can view the commemorative booklet from that championship season in the Janesville Room at Hedberg Public Library, 316 S. Main Street, Janesville, Wisconsin.
According to the WIAA, 1971 was the last year of a single division in the state boys basketball tournament. The 1934 tournament was the first that was broken into divisions. In 1940, it went back to a single division. In 1972, it returned to a divisional format and has remained that way.
In 1993, Parker High School girls won the state championship after trying three times before. Tom Klawitter was the coach, and Jennah Burkholder was named tournament MVP.
Learn more about it at Hedberg Public Library!
Contact the Reference Desk for assistance at referencedesk@hedbergpubliclibrary.org or 608-758-6581.
Source: Century of Stories, George S. Parker High School yearbooks, 1971 commemorative booklet.
--posted by SB on 03/27/2010
