For years, they played in a crackerbox gym perfect for small-school basketball, with the locals in their community north of Sikeston packing the place on winter Friday nights.
Banners of success and retired jersey numbers now decorate the new place, named for its patriarch, Ronnie Cookson. So one can imagine if there ever was a movie made along the lines of “Hoosiers” that directors would have to include a scene with coaches – just before walking into the gym – whispering to themselves, “Welcome to Scott County Central basketball.”
What a special place it is. In fact, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct the Scott County Central boys and girls basketball programs with the Class of 2016. Combined, the teams have won 25 state championships, including 18 by the boys program alone, and galvanized an entire community.
The programs’ induction is part of the Enshrinement in Cape Girardeau, set for a noon reception and 1 p.m. luncheon and ceremony at the Show Me Center on Sunday, November 2. (For tickets, call 417-889-3100, and see information below.)
“I had all kinds of parental support. They just believed in what we could do,” said Cookson, the boys coach from 1971 to 1995 and again for a couple of seasons in the mid-2000s. He also assisted the girls program. “I was a little bit tough, and we had quite a bit of discipline. But I don’t think any of the kids regretted it. They all felt like it was something you had to do.”
Cookson was at the controls for the first 13 boys state championships. Those came in 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2009, and then coach Kenyon Wright led teams to state titles in 2010, 2011 and 2012 before coach Frank Staple’s teams won it all in 2014 and 2015. The 1988 and 1991 teams finished 34-0 and 33-0, respectively, while the 1976, 1980, 1985 and 1990 teams lost only one game each.
However, Scott County Central is more than just basketball. It is about family, as the Braves’ school district includes the communities of Morley, Vanduser, Haywood City and part of Sikeston.
Sons of former players have played here. Grandsons now, too. Retired numbers in the boys program belong to Gary Owens (21), Paul Hale (25), Otto Porter (35), Marcus Timmons (50), Donnie McClinton (43) and Otto Porter Jr. (22). The younger Porter graduated in 2011 and plays for the NBA’s Washington Wizards. His dad was on the school’s first state championship team, which included Ricky Thomas, Frog Williams, Steve Mills and Keith May.
“I was lucky to play during a time that Coach Cookson and Coach Farmer really had our programs rolling. You just didn’t want to be the group that dropped the ball,” said Matt Cline, now the boys coach. “The program was so established that you couldn’t wait to put on a Braves or Bravettes uniform.”
The Scott County Central girls program has dominated, too. The Bravettes won seven titles in a 14-year period (1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993) and also reached the state semifinals six other times. In fact, the Bravettes were state runners-up in 1981, 1990 and 1995.
Marvin Ohmes and Ron Cook were the head coaches in 1980 and 1981, respectively. Fred Johnson coached the Bravettes’ first two state championship teams, and Danny Farmer coached the next five state title teams. Semona Penrod coached the 1995 team that placed second.
“They were already prepared and ready to win a state championship (when he arrived),” Johnson said. “The only thing I did was come in and fine-tune a few things. We put in a man-to-man defense and that helped a lot.”
Semona Hawkins (42), Virginia Blissett (15) and Tonia Harris (33) have all seen their jerseys retired. Blissett was on the first state championship team, and Elnora Timmons, Otto Porter Jr.’s mother, was on the second state championship team.
In Farmer’s 10-year tenure, the Bravettes were 60-0 in the Scott-Mississippi County Conference. The 1992 team finished 27-0, and the 1985 and 1991 teams lost only one game apiece.
Overall, Scott County Central’s basketball teams have had a combine 84 All-State selections, including 21 multiple All-State picks.
“In those early days, we would play the big schools – Jackson, Poplar Bluff,” Farmer said. “It didn’t matter to us.”
To all the Scott County Central basketball coaches, the community’s passion for the sport has kept the fire burning. What enhanced the success was the collaboration between coaches. Cookson, for whom the new gym is named, assisted on all of the girls state championship teams.
What a school. What an era.
Said Farmer, “It is amazing when you reflect back on it.”
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Enshrinement in Cape Girardeau
What: Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2016
When: Noon reception & 1 p.m. luncheon & ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 6
Where: The Show Me Center, Cape Girardeau
Missouri Sports Legend: Three Rivers Community College basketball coach Gene Bess
Inductees: Blake Dewitt (Sikeston/Dodgers/Cubs/Braves), James Wilder (Sikeston/Mizzou/Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Mark Littell (Gideon/Royals/Cardinals), Eddie Moss (Poplar Bluff/Southeast Missouri State/St. Louis Football Cardinals), Dr. Rick Wright (Sikeston/Mizzou/St. Louis Blues), track standout Miles Smith (St. Louis/Southeast Missouri State), high school basketball coach Lennies McFerren (Charleston/New Madrid), softball coach Lana Richmond (Southeast Missouri State), soccer/basketball coach Brad Wittenborn (Notre Dame High School), high school football coach Bob Stolzer (Ste. Genevieve), Capahas semi-pro baseball program (Cape Girardeau), the Scott County Central High School boys and girls basketball programs (Sikeston), the Valle Catholic High School football program (St. Genevieve), and the 1979 and 1992 Three Rivers Community College men’s basketball teams (Poplar Bluff) that won NJCAA national championships.
President’s Award: Poplar Bluff attorney Joe Scott, a former Gainesville/Mizzou basketball standout
Tickets: Call 417-889-3100, or visit one of four First State Community Bank locations. Those locations are at 201 N. Main in Sikeston; 2527 William St. and 1602 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau; and 320 W. Main St. in Jackson. An individual ticket is $125. A table of eight is $1,250 and includes autographed print of Coach Bess, an autographed print of the induction class as well as sponsorship recognition at the table and in the printed program.
