THE TIME MACHINE
The 1974 team included Sue Tappe, Pam Young, Molly Zosel, Teresa Askew, Susie Roes, Ruth Beckel, Pat Beckel, Pam Solseth, Vicki Hutson, Karen Olson, Sue Nelson, Pat Reineccius, Gwen Hooten and Margaret Schmitz.
WADENA
Ninety years ago, December 1935, the Wadena High School basketball team was looking forward to another successful season. In each of the previous three seasons, come March, the “Orange Men” found themselves in the district 24 title game, each time taking on the Rangers of Crosby-Ironton. C-I won in 1933 and 1935, the Indians in 1934. As it turned out not only did the WHS team prevail in the 1936 district 24 title game, but they were also crowned the region 6 champions and ended up just one victory short of being the state champions! Success bred success.
Fifty years ago, December 1975, the WHS girls basketball team was looking forward to another successful season. The string of success started in the fall of 1972, the Minnesota Stat High School League’s first year for girls basketball. I remember it well, in my junior year, as a group of football, cross-country, and boys’ basketball buddies were at every home game. It was easy to hop on the band wagon when the girls hit the ground running and never looked back.
The eager girls rallied around a young teacher and their new coach, Miss Sylvia Lee, finishing that inaugural fall of 1972 season at 10-6. Under Lee’s leadership, the girls basketball program would become a powerhouse, losing only one home game in four years. In year two, the fall of 1973, for the first time there would be statewide district and regional tournaments. WHS went as far as they could, winning the district 24 title and runner-up honors in region 6. They finished 15-3, losing to Verndale, Little Falls, and in that region 6 title game to New York Mills, by 2 points.
That team included Sue Neitzke, Pam Young, Pat Sartell, Molly Zosel, Teresa Askew, Jean Zosel, Susie Roes, Ruth Beckel, Pam Solseth, Jodi Erickson and Vicki and Mary Hutson. In the fall of 1974, year three, Lee’s basketball team went 19-3, with losses to Verndale, Starbuck and Glencoe. On the winning side of the ledger, they captured the conference and district 24 titles and were region 6 runners-up, which qualified them to participate in the first ever statewide tournament for girls.
They made it to the championship game but fell to a very tough Glencoe team. The 1974 team included Sue Tappe, Pam Young, Molly Zosel, Teresa Askew, Susie Roes, Ruth Beckel, Pat Beckel, Pam Solseth, Vicki Hutson, Karen Olson, Sue Nelson, Pat Reineccius, Gwen Hooten, and Margaret Schmitz.
For the 1975-76 school year girls’ basketball moved to “prime-time”. The season would start in December and end in March. This fourth season under coach Lee would present a huge challenge. At the time, there were two classes, A and AA, and Wadena was the smallest school in Class AA competing against schools in the tournaments with much larger enrollments.
However, in the regular season WHS did play against both class A and AA teams. Come tournament time Wadena went on to claim the Sub-Section 2AA, and Region 8AA titles. Heading into the AA State Tournament at 18-0, Wadena would face St. Paul Central. The Minutemen would prove to be the spoilers of a perfect season, topping the Indians by 8 points. The loss moved Wadena to the consolation bracket where they won twice and claimed that title.
The Minutemen went on to be the 1976 Minnesota State Champions. It makes me wonder, were the 1976 Indians the 5th best team in Class AA, or the 2nd best? I guess it does not matter, it was one hell of a run either way! This team’s average margin of victory in 1976 was 30 points.
Going from 10-6 to 15-3 to 19-3 to 20-1, in four seasons is why Sylvia Lee and her 1976 squad are in the WDC Hall of Fame. Success bred success. On the court, and ultimately in life. Sylvia remembers her four years in Wadena as, “some of the best years of her life”. She noted that the people in Wadena were so kind and really threw their support behind the girl’s basketball program. Sylvia inspired many of the girls on her teams to go on to play four years of college basketball, coach basketball at many different levels and have successful coaching careers in other sports as well.
As of 2025, Sylvia still has the best winning percentage of any girl’s basketball coach that has led the Wadena or Wadena- Deer-Creek girls teams. Sylvia’s tenure in Wadena may have been only four years, but her impact on Wadena girls sports was immense. Three of her players have been inducted into the WDC Hall of Fame. Pam Solseth-Fisher, who went on to be inducted into the University of North Dakota Hall of Fame for basketball and then had a very successful basketball coaching career in Bowman North Dakota. Colleen Solseth Roenbeck was the ace pitcher on the State Tournament Championship Softball team in 1979. At WHS she earned 11 varsity letters. She went on to play college basketball and had a successful coaching career. Sue Tappe Volkmann led 6 WDC volleyball teams to the State Tournament and had an undefeated season in 2010 winning the State Girls AA Volleyball Tournament.
The managers of the team were Cheryl Reger and Joyce Rentz. The cheerleaders were Diane Bodeen, Julie Edeburn, Kathy Kohoutek, Judy Nelson and Jacki Stinar.
I was able to write this article because of the research work conducted by T. Askew, L. Maklem, P. Solseth, S. Tappe and M. Zosel. Just like back in the 70’s teamwork produced a desirable outcome. If any readers are interested in their complete work email me at jebbwillis1955@gmail.com and I will send it.