It’s time for March Madness! The Minnesota State High School League Boys’ Basketball tournaments start next Wednesday (March 21-24, 2012). The Minnesota State High School League Girls’ Basketball tournaments end today (March 14-17, 2012). The first Little Falls boys basketball team to go to state was the district champion team of 1918. The first girls basketball team to go to state was the 1980 Little Falls Flyers. This photograph by Gordon Guy of Little Falls, Minnesota, shows the Little Falls High School boys basketball team from 1949.
“The Little Falls Flyers entered the District 24 finals this year for the third time since 1925. In the opening game they defeated Wadena, 42-40. Wadena was the pre-tournament favorite to win the championship. Brainerd won the championship by a 35-28 victory over the Flyers in the finals. This year’s squad was captained by Tom Werner and was coached by Mr. Louis Filippi.” (Flyer Forty-Niner – Little Falls High School yearbook)
Front Row (L-R): Jim Pekarek, Coach Harvey Shew, Bob Kohs, Captain Tom Werner, Coach Louis Filippi, Dean Stahl.
Middle Row (L-R): Jim Brousseau, George Green, Dale Landwehr, Charles “Chuck” Schumacher, Carl Eckerson.
Back Row (L-R): Earl Super, Willis Swanson, Kenneth Ziebarth, Lloyd Lubbert, Lloyd Wolford.