WINNEMUCCA - About a month ago the Humboldt Sun did a story on the state championships won by Humboldt County High School and Lowry High School, which spans almost 90 years.
Those state championships were based on records kept by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association. The boys records go back to the early 1900s, but the NIAA only started recognizing women's sports and its state champions in the early 1970s with the start on Title IX.
Humboldt Sun reader Ted Hoskins in Quincy, Calif., found more state championships that the school won, including a girls basketball state championship in 1920. The championship was recorded in the Humboldt County High School yearbook Siwabe, which later became Winnada in 1921. The following are some excerpts of the girls season from Siwabe on their state championship run.
The most successful season for the Winnemucca girls' basketball team was brought to a close at the high school tournament held in Reno in March. Although the Humboldt County High School team has held, unofficially, the state championship for the past three years, it captured the cup offered by the University of Nevada to the winner of the title at the tournament.
The 1920 team, coached by Mr. Scott, went 8-0 on the season and had three players named to the all-star team of the state, including Marguerite Otis, Basha Callahan and Ellen Rose. Other girls on the squad included Louise Ruckteschler, Mabel Reil, Doris Cooney, Blanche Guthrie, LaVerne Richardson, Phyllis Poulin and Bertha Pearce.
Humboldt County started out its season at Lovelock and came away with a 37-25 victory. This was one of the hottest contests fought. Although Winnemucca was handicapped by the small court, they played a good game and fine shooting was displayed by the girls.
The rematch with Lovelock took place on Dec. 5 in Winnemucca with Humboldt County easily winning 29-4. The yearbook recalls, that is a very rough game against the Pershingites. It was not as good a contest as some of the other games on account of the lack of good fast playing and the many fouls made by both teams.
Next up for the girls was a pair of games against Elko, starting in Winnemucca. The yearbook noted that an exceedingly strong team from Elko came to try for the basketball honors. After one of the best games of the season, the Winnemucca girls carried off the best score of 17-11.
In the rematch in Elko the game proved to be closer than any previously played. With Elko only one or two points behind in the first half, it made the blue and gold team hustle and some good work was shown on the part of the two teams. Winnemucca eventually won the game 24-17.
At the state tournament in Reno, the first team picked for Winnemucca in the tournament proved to be Tonopah. Winnemucca was able to play all of the subs and easily won 34-4.
On the second morning of the tournament, the Carson City girls and Winnemucca was scheduled to play. Although this game did not prove to be as difficult to carry off as some of the other games, it was more of a game than the one played the day before. The blue and gold girls scored the final result, which was a 24-11 win.
Winnemucca met up with Elko for a third time this season, this time for the championship. By winning the first two semifinal games, Winnemucca played the Elko girls, who had also worked up to the finals.
The game was one of the best games of the entire season. Every girl played her best and excellent plays were witnessed and the game was finally given to the champions! The deciding score was 17-12 in Winnemucca's favor.
Humboldt County's boys and girls basketball teams were back in Reno for the 1921 state championships at the University of Nevada from March 3 - 5. The boys lost their first game 23-21 to Gardnerville and came back to beat the Stewart Institution 25-22.
The girls reached the championship game once again, starting out with a 29-9 win over Reno. The blue and gold went on to pick up wins over Gardnerville 39-12 and Lovelock 33-30. The victory put Winnemucca into the finals against Fallon.
Winnemucca led for all of the first half, with a 12-2 advantage after one quarter and 18-10 at halftime. Fallon came back to take the lead at 22-21 in the third quarter and scored the last basket of the game to win 31-29.
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