For the last four winters it has truly been a historic run for the fates of Lake Region UHS basketball. While the ebb and flow of talent usually surfaces every few years at least with improvement, at LRUHS the efforts to produce success had taken decades. Except for a few breakthroughs occasionly the end result for most campaigns was dismal. And even when the program was competitive it was not of championship caliber seldom reaching the Barre Auditorium and quite often ending the schedule with frustration or embarrassment.
All that changed on March 1st, 2008. After 40 years the boys team arrived at the promised land knocking off number one seeded Winooski in Barre to finally take home the gold. The girls followed the next winter winning their first title in 35 years as they ousted long time tormentor Windsor after falling short in two previous championship attempts.
This winter the against-all-odds of a school producing two teams in the championship game in the same year and in the same sport unfolded.
Boys coach James Ingalls has seen the view from both sides. From the outhouse with a pair of 1-19 campaigns when not much basketball talent was in place to the penthouse with a state title and a pair of undefeated regular seasons where he has had the luxury of six or seven athletes that had one overall goal. With six productive seniors moving on, Ingalls will face his first rebuilding year after four years of glory compiling an overall record of 76-14 over that span highlighted by the 2008 champions. There is talent in the system, but they have big shoes to fill.
Ingalls’s squad finished this year’s title attempt going 47-2 over the last 49 games. Throw out this years championship defeat and last years loss to BFA in the 2009 semis and a heart wrenching two-point loss in the 2007 semis and Lake Region has had a real shot at four straight boys state championship titles. You’ve gotta be good to be in the league final four title hunt every year.
The girls' program has been even better – going 85-11 and reaching the championship game four years in a row. The LRUHS girls have played with every program in the state, compiling a stellar record against all Divisions, including the iron of Division I while producing several recent college players and even a college Division Ischolarship athlete and another on the way on the current roster. The Rangers have gone 67-6 during the last three years, winning it with their best overall team last year in 2009. And who’s to say if Hannah Kinsey had not missed the entire season, the Lady Rangers would have been crowned again.
And with four starters back next season, rebuilding is not yet necessary, reloading is still the word of choice. With a veteran squad hardened by big game competition, Mark Tinker’s club will be among the favorites again in 2010-11.
It’s truly has been the best of times for LRUHS basketball in the last 48 months and no matter where the program’s go from here the bar has been set at an amazing level. And to the players, coaches and fans it’s truly been a great ride.
