Inductees

Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s as girls athletic teams began to emerge in high schools and colleges across the country, most observers understood that it would take many programs several years – if not a decade or more – to find success.

However, the Springfield Catholic High School Lady Irish Basketball Program was not among them, firing out of the so-called starting block like a souped-up drag car.

Seven years after the Lady Irish tipped off for the first time – and four after MSHSAA hosted its first girls state basketball tournament – Springfield Catholic burst through to the Final Four. And then pulled the trick again in 1978.

And so began one of the state’s most respected prep programs in any sport and a success story suited for the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, which is proud to induct the Springfield Catholic Lady Irish Basketball Program with the Enshrinement Class of 2020.

The Lady Irish have advanced to 10 Final Fours and earned four state championships. The state titles cover 1983 (Class 1) as well as three in Class 2 (1990, 1992 and 1993). The Lady Irish were state runners-up twice (1989, 2007), placed third in 1977 and 1994, and fourth twice (1978, 2005).

They also reached the regional finals in 1975, the state quarterfinals in 1995 and captured 12 district titles.

Coaches have included Judy Bonnett, Don Meirick, Mary Doyen, Jana Hukriede, Patti Henderson, Cindy Castillon, Mary Martin, Cindy Deskin, Ken Hopper, Ronda Hubbard, Ginger King, Pete Kjorvrstad, Courtney Heman, Bobby Cornelison, Dustin Larsen, Josh Miller, Dan Stander and Jacob Morlan. Henderson was 128-40 in six seasons, including the 1983 state championship team. Hopper the 1990 state title team and Hubbard coached the 1992 and 1993 state championship teams.

The program is believed to have launched in the fall of 1970 and played three games that season, beginning with a 27-10 victory against Springfield’s Hillcrest High School on Oct. 22, 1970.

The 1977 team was coached by Hukriede, and the 1978 team by Henderson. Around that time, a junior high program began. It helped set the stage for the 1983 team, which finished 30-2 and beat Winston for the state title as Angela Hyde-Meyers scored 31 points — a Class 1 state championship game record.

“A lot of us played together for several years,” said Hyde-Myers, who scored a then-school record 2,180 career points, including 777 that season. “And between our junior and senior years, Springfield started a summer league that made a difference for our team.”

The 1990 state championship team beat Brentwood 53-38 in the finals a year after a heart-breaking loss in the finals.

Hopper’s team returned all five starters, picked up transfers Kendra Elton and Stephanie Thurman Phillips (MSHOF 2011) and went wire to wire as Class 2’s No. 1-ranked team. It finished 28-2, with both losses to Class 3 state champion Marshfield.

“Someone asked me if I was more overjoyed or relieved,” Hopper told the Springfield News-Leader after the state title win. “I’m definitely more relieved. We’ve had so much pressure on us because everybody expected this to happen.”

Hubbard built on the success in the 1990s.

“Those teams were committed to the process of getting better each day,” Hubbard said. “There were a lot of good teams in the area, such as Marshfield and Kickapoo. We wanted to be considered the best.”

The 1991 season ended in an upset loss to Marionville in the sectional, so the 1992 team stormed in.

“The returners knew what it felt like to lose and watch the team you lost to go on and win state,” Hubbard said. “So the motivation was easy.”

In the 1992 season, the Lady Irish ended Marshfield’s 102-game win streak.

“It was a marquee win, but we had a very tough schedule that year, purposefully,” Hubbard said.

The 1993 state championship team (26-5) beat Cole Camp 40-31 in the finals. The News-Leader headline read, “Another pot of Irish gold” atop a sports page.

The program returned to the Final Four in 2005, a postseason that included a 54-53 overtime win against Seymour in the sectionals. Two years later, the Lady Irish reached the state finals after beating two-time defending champion Pembroke Hill 41-38 in the semifinals.

Overall, the Lady Irish have succeeded thanks to a ton of selfless players. Its All-State selections include Cindy Castillon, Linda Castillon, Sharon Bramer, Angela Hyde, Courtney Swift, Colleen Swift, Stephanie Thurman, Molly Swift, Teresa Baird, Marty Hamilton, Paulina Tuell, Sam Deragowski, Sam Bertalott, Abby Reith and Bekah Bade.