Reusse: 50 years ago: Sherburn beats South St. Paul for last one-class boys' basketball title in Minnesota

[BleedGopher]

Pat at his best...

There were the usual 18,000 customers inside Williams Arena to watch a state one-class basketball champion in 1970, when tiny Sherburn ended that era by beating South St. Paul.

50 years ago: Sherburn beats South St. Paul for last one-class boys' basketball title in Minnesota

This Week in Minnesota Sports: There were the usual 18,000 customers inside Williams Arena to watch a state one-class basketball champion in 1970, when tiny Sherburn ended that era by beating South St. Paul.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I was 14 years old. Every boy that age in MN wanted to be McCarron or Mulso.

For people who have grown up in the multi-class system, things were different back then. Even when they went to two classes, the tournament still had a lot of mystique - and the A and AA Champs played each other in a show-down game for the first 5 years of the two-class tournament, so you still had an unofficial state champ.

It just doesn't have the same feel with four classes. Still have good teams and good games, but when you have 4 State Champs as opposed to 1 or 2, it just doesn't have the same impact. And it makes it easier for the Twin Cities media to focus on the big schools and ignore the smaller schools.

 

[builtbadgers]

I was 14 years old. Every boy that age in MN wanted to be McCarron or Mulso.

For people who have grown up in the multi-class system, things were different back then. Even when they went to two classes, the tournament still had a lot of mystique - and the A and AA Champs played each other in a show-down game for the first 5 years of the two-class tournament, so you still had an unofficial state champ.

It just doesn't have the same feel with four classes. Still have good teams and good games, but when you have 4 State Champs as opposed to 1 or 2, it just doesn't have the same impact. And it makes it easier for the Twin Cities media to focus on the big schools and ignore the smaller schools.

Great post. This is the age of giving everyone a prize.

 

[GopherVotary]

For people who have grown up in the multi-class system, things were different back then. Even when they went to two classes, the tournament still had a lot of mystique - and the A and AA Champs played each other in a show-down game for the first 5 years of the two-class tournament, so you still had an unofficial state champ.

The A champ won two of the five overall titles during that ‘71 to ‘75 time period. One of them was Mark Olberding’s Melrose team.

 

[MennoSota]

I read that up until this season, South St Paul had the worst record of any boys high school team over the past decade. It's hard to imagine them ever being good, but it's not surprising they lost the game. Ever the bridesmaid...SSP.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Great post. This is the age of giving everyone a prize.

I think they should have 4 classes. 8 teams per class make the state tournament. A1 plays A8, A2 plays A7, A3 plays A6 and A4 plays A5. You do that in every class. Then you're down to 16 teams.

Then you make a 16 team, winner takes all bracket featuring the Final 4 from each class. How you determine who plays, is up to people who have built college programs or short norwegians. But I think it would be awesome to see this play out. And really, it allows everyone to make state and then you whittle it down. Sure, you'd likely see a lot of AAA and AAAA schools in the final 8 but you'd also see small school powers like Braham, Litchfield, Minnehaha, Caledonia, etc. every year, playing the best teams, in front of everyone. It would be excellent theater.

I can't, off the top of my head, think of any class A teams that would compete (outside of some recent MPLS North teams, but they've since moved up)

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I don't know if I would take it as far as UpAndUnder.

but - as a compromise- play out the tournament under the current format. then, have a two-day "final four" tournament. A plays AA in one game, 3A plays 4A in the other game, and then you have a final game for an overall champ.

I understand why the 4-class system evolved. But it has in essence turned the state tournament into four separate tournaments. Also makes it impossible for a fan to watch every game. Back in the 70's, my brother and I used to go to the tournament a lot just for fun. I think the current format has lost a lot of those fans who weren't backing a specific team but just went to watch hoops and see the best players in the state. Admittedly, tickets were cheaper back then, too.

 

[builtbadgers]

I don't know if I would take it as far as UpAndUnder.

but - as a compromise- play out the tournament under the current format. then, have a two-day "final four" tournament. A plays AA in one game, 3A plays 4A in the other game, and then you have a final game for an overall champ.

I understand why the 4-class system evolved. But it has in essence turned the state tournament into four separate tournaments. Also makes it impossible for a fan to watch every game. Back in the 70's, my brother and I used to go to the tournament a lot just for fun. I think the current format has lost a lot of those fans who weren't backing a specific team but just went to watch hoops and see the best players in the state. Admittedly, tickets were cheaper back then, too.

Love either of the last two ideas.