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Coach Frank Adams |
Boys- 1955- Elite 8 18-12 (State Rank-Unranked)
This is the first team in my “scrapbook.” My intent is to include all boys teams (staring with 1955) and all girls teams who made it to the “Sweet Sixteen.” In basketball “going to State” is considered making it to the Sweet Sixteen. The rationale was that originally 16 teams advanced to State.
In 1955 Galesburg made it to the Elite 8, where they lost an overtime game to Elgin. Elgin went onto take 2nd in State, losing to Rockford West in the Championship Game.
Galesburg started two seniors- Carroll Fay (5'10" Guard) and Gene Youngquist (6'4" Post). The three juniors in the starting lineup were Mike Owens (6'1" Guard), Russ Lind (6'1" Guard), and Bill Graning (6'5" Post).
Graning and Youngquist were typically the leading scorers but both Owens and Lind had nights they were the high scorers. The combination of Owens, Lind, and Fay gave the Streaks tough, quick defense.
Frank Adams came to Galesburg after coaching in Nebraska. This was Adams one, and only year at Galesburg. After the season was over, he went to coach at Knox College and John Thiel (his assistant) became the head coach.
The Streaks were still playing games at Steele Gym, located at the corner of Broad St. and Simmons St. This was the last year that the Illinois High School Association took 16 teams to play at Huff Gym. The Sweet Sixteen games (now Super-Sectionals) were played on Wednesday, and then the Elite 8 on Friday.
Owens, Graning, and Lind became the nucleus of the 1956 team that advanced to the Super-Sectional before losing to Rockford West in double OT.
Adams coached five years at Knox but had enough success that he was recognized as the "Knox coach of the first 100 years." Bill Graning followed him to Knox, where he graduated as the all-time leading scorer. Russ Lind played at U. of Colorado where he earned all Big 12 honors. Mike Owens played at Bradley on a team ranked in the top 10 in the U.S.
Tom Wilson- Article on Frank Adams
Massey Blog- Steele Gym