Saturday, July 27th, 2024

1981 State Champion Basketball Team | Monterey High School

There is nothing easy about winning a state championship in the State of Texas. It takes a rare combination of talented players, great coaching, experience, and a little good fortune along the way. The 1981 Monterey Girls Basketball Team had all of that and more. Led by Head Coach Tim Tasker and Assistant Coach Gay Benson, the Lady Plainsmen almost pulled off the state championship in 1980. They defeated Austin Lanier 68-55 in the state semifinals before falling to Dallas South Oak Cliff 74-69 in the state title game. With a lot of key players back, and the experience of the 1980 run to the championship game, the 1980-81 Lady Plainsmen were ready to win. The unofficial motto of the ’81 Team was, “The best team, in the best school, in the best state.” Their goal was to show everyone in the state that their motto was a reality. The Lady Plainsmen breezed through district and the playoffs, claiming championships all along the way. Led by senior Captains, Kriss Ethridge and Tracey Muehlbrad, and junior Captain, Kamie Ethridge, Monterey entered the state tournament with an outstanding record of 29-2. In the state semifinals, Monterey played a San Antonio Lee team, who came to the tournament with a record of 30-3. Led by Kamie Ethridge’s 28 points, the Lady Plainsmen easily disposed of Lee by a final score of 76 to 49. The win over Lee set up the state championship game against Duncanville with a record of 33-3. It was a great game and the Lady Plainsmen earned the 5A State Champion Title with a hard fought 72-71 victory. Kamie Ethridge had 35 points in the win followed by her sister, Kriss Ethridge, who finished with 19 points. Both of them were selected to the All-State Tournament Team. Monterey finished the year at 31-2 and earned the very first state championship for Lubbock ISD Girls Basketball.
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