1977-78 Varsity Basketball Team

The 1977-78 Pirates compiled a 24 win 5 loss record while capturing the North Central Illinois Conference (NCIC), Illinois Valley Conference, and Homewood-Flossmoor Thanksgiving Tournament championships. In the largest class, AA, Illinois High School Association state basketball tournament they captured the Regional, Sectional, and Super-Sectional titles before ending their season in the Quarterfinals of the state tournament at Assembly Hall in Champaign-Urbana in a tightly contested 49-43 point loss to the eventual state champion Lockport Porters. The Pirates garnered a multitude of individual awards as well with Cameron Meyers named as NCIC Special Mention and Honorable Mention All-State Class AA; co-captain Bob Roth received NCIC Honorable Mention and Honorable Mention All-State Class AA; Kevin Kimes was named to the All-NCIC team and Honorable Mention All-State Class AA; and co-captain Craig McCormick was named first team all tournament at both the HomewoodFlossmoor and Pontiac Holiday tournaments, and also named to the NCIC All-Conference team, the Associated Press Class AA All-State team, second team UPI and AP state tournament teams, the Sun-Times Class AA twenty man All-State team, and the Chicago Tribune second team All-State. The Pirates were coached by Head Coach Dean Riley and Assistant Coach Gary Vancil. Team Members: 1st row (L-R): Manager Scott Mills, John Haeffele, Dave Schrader, Kevin Kimes, Craig McCormick, Cameron Meyers, Tony Mason, Mitch Roether, Manager Doug Gjerde, 2nd row: Assistant Coach Gary Vancil, Jeff Yocum, Charlie Schmitt, Bob Roth, Jon Schaefer, Tom Henderson, Jeff Workman, Steve Carr, Tim Bohannon, John Peisker, and Head Coach Dean Riley. Missing from photo Ball Boy Brent Sonday.