Massey Basketball: Small Town Pride- Fulton Steamer Basketball

Proud Tradition

Fulton HS for almost 100 years has been known for having great basketball teams. If I-80 is the dividing line for “northern Illinois”, the Steamers are the top small school basketball program in “northern Illinois.” Going into the 2024-5 season, Fulton had won 1,526 basketball games. Only Freeport had won more games in “northern Illinois.”

In 2023-4, Fulton was recognized by the Illinois Basketball Association for having won over 1,500 games.

Fulton proudly displays a banner with all of their conference and regional championships as well as State appearances.

26 x Conference Champions

27 x Regional Champions

4 x Sectional Champions

2 x Elite 8 appearances

Fulton celebrates 2 coaches and 1 player who have been honored by the IBCA Hall of Fame.

W.F.Massey- Fulton’s first basketball coach in 1928-9.

Stan Borgman- The winningnest coach in Fulton history in his 24 years of coaching.

Eric Ottens- Fulton player who graduated from Fulton HS in 2001. He was selected 1st All-State, and was Conference MVP three times. He scored over 1500 points, and went onto play at Evansville.

Tragically Eric Ottens was killed in an automobile accident in 2006.

Fulton annually holds the Eric Ottens Shootout to celebrate Ottens memory.

Start of Fulton Basketball

While many area schools had basketball programs for 10-20 years, Fulton started basketball for the 1928-9 season. Supt. E.E. Liljquist reached out to W.F.Massey who had coached at New Lisbon, Wisconsin for 4 years, compiling a 16-11 record on a limited schedule.

In the letter to Massey, E.E. Liljquist said,”I shall not require a personal interview.” The letter indicated that Massey would receive $185/month to coach and be a science instructor.

The initial Fulton basketball team had a 16-5 season record.

Fulton still honors the outstanding senior in their program with the Massey Award.

Click here for more info on Massey.

Massey Hired As Coach

Great Steamer Teams

Please note that there are many great Steamer teams, so I do not have all of them included. If there are other teams that should be included, simple send me a text message at 309-368-0008. Include in the text- Team Picture, Over-all Record, Brief Paragraph about the teams achievement. Thanks!!

1936- Elite 8 Team

The 1936 team was the first Steamer team to make it to the Elite 8. No other Whiteside County made it to the Elite until the two-class system was started in 1928.

During the regular season, the Streamers went 19-2, losing at Moline, and splitting with Clinton, Ia. Fulton scheduled to play at Moline each year because of the competition, but also to play on an 84 foot high school court. Many of the courts at the small schools were less than 84 feet, so they wanted the experience of playing a regulation court like they would in the Sectionals.

In the Regional, Fulton beat Thomson, Chadwick, and Hanover by an average of 32 points, which was impressive considering many games in this era in the 20’s. In the Freeport Sectional, Fulton beat Rockford, the hosts- Freeport, and Princeton.

At State, they beat Paris and their legendary coach Ernie Eveland in the Sweet 16 game by 25-19.

Fulton lost to Dolph Stanely’s Mt. Pulaski 22-18.

Breakdown of the teams at State in 1936.

Scoring for the 1936 team at State.

1937- 23 Straight Wins

Fulton went undefeated during the 1937 regular season.

Their perfect regular season included wins at Moline and two wins over rival Clinton.

In the Savanna Regional, Fulton swept Chadwick 44-14, Morrison 48-12, and Mt. Carroll 40-14.

In this era, there were 8 teams in the Sectional. At the Moline Sectional, Fulton defeated Tiskilwa 35-17. In the semis, the Steamers were faced with host Moline. Fulton had beaten Moline comfortably in the regular season. In this rematch, unfortunately, the Steamer’s leading scorer was sick and unable to play. The Steamers went down 40-24. The 1937 team was labeled by Massey as the best team he coached, and after the successful 1936 trip to State, there were many Steamer fans that thought this team could win it all.

1938- Sectional Finals

In the one class system, Fulton breezed thru the Mt. Carroll Regional and beat Mt.Carroll 29-19 for the Regional Championship. At the Moline Sectional, Fulton beat Walnut 46-36 and East Moline 36-27. In the Sectional Championship, Fulton fell to Rock Island 50-44.

This ended a three year stretch of where the Steamers were 70-8.

1956- 26-3

Coach Chuck DeWild’s 1956 teams established a record at the time for most wins in a season, winning 26 games.

The Steamers lost in the opening game of the Rockford Sectional to the Freeport Pretzels 69-68. Fulton was led in scoring by brothers, Jerry Woods and Mike Woods.

1958- Sweet 16

Led by Coach Chuck DeWild, Fulton won the Fulton Regional with wins over Hanover 78-52, Milledgville 71-63, and Morrison 68-56. In the Regional Championship, Fulton was led by Larry Prins 20, Mike Woods 19, Vernon Smith 10, Larry Moldermaker 9, Arky Wiebenga 6, and Joe DeWeerdt 4.

The Steamers advanced to the Geneseo Sectional where they beat state-power Galesburg 69-61. This ended Galesburg’s 3 year run of trips to State. Silver Streak All-American, Doug Mills had 30 points but was not match for the tandem of Woods 30 and Prins 23.

In the Sectional Championship, Fulton beat Moline 70-62. Woods 25 and Prins 22 again were unstoppable for the Maroors.

At the Moline Super-Sectional, Fulton bowed out to Rock Falls. Rock Falls had future Big 10 star Ken Seibel, who later starred at Wisconsin. The Steamers were led by Woods 23, Prins 14, and Wiebenga 12. Fulton was hampered by foul trouble as Prins fouled out, and Wiebenga and Smith both had 4 fouls.

Rock Falls went onto to lose in the State Championship game to Chicago Marshall. The 1958 Marshall team became the first all-black team to win an Illinois State title, and only the second in the nation to do this.

1973 Elite 8

Fulton won the Fulton Regional with wins over Savanna 101-57, and Chadwick 74-55. Vs. Chadwick, the Steamers were led by Steve Workman 25, Jim Kinney 16, Mike Miller 12, and John Eissens 11.

The Steamers advanced to the Port Byron Sectional where they beat the hosts in the first game 72-63. Fulton was led by Kinney 18, Eissens 16, Miller 16, Workman 12, and Klooster 12.

Fulton was to play highly ranked Lanark in the championship. Lanark was a perfect 25-0. Before the championship game, the IHSA ruled Lanark had violated IHSA rules and could not play.

The rule pertained to a long standing rule that players were allowed to only play in three tourneys during the season. A player could play in the State series which all counted as one tourney, then a Christmas Tourney, and one other like a Thanksgiving Tourney. It was ruled that a sophomore on the Lanark team had played in 3 regular season tourney and had played in the State series- making him ineligible. Lanark took it to court.

So Fulton was caught in the middle. The day of the game, they had to wait to see if they had to play or not to play. The judge ruled Lanark could play.

Fulton won the game over the previously undefeated Lanark 63-57. The Steamers were led in scoring by Miller 22 and Workman 18.

Fulton advanced to the Rock Island Super-Sectional vs Bushnell-Prairie City. In a low scoring, tight game, Fulton came out with a 38-37 win. The Steamers were led by Eissens 11 and Kinney 11.

In the two-class system, Fulton was headed to Champaign and the Elite 8. It was Fulton’s first trip to Champaign in 37 years since the 1936 team. The Steamers led after three quarters 24-21 but Kaneland exploded with a 21-11 fourth quarter to take a 42-35 decision.

The Steamers went 15 for 53 from the field for 28%. Fulton was led in scoring by Miller 11 and Workman 10.

Kaneland lost in the championship game.

2000- 26-2

The 1999-2000 Steamers tied the record for most wins at that time. They won the Regional under Coach Barry Bauer.

2001- 26-5

The 2000-1 Steamers tied the record for most wins at that time. They won the Regional under Coach Barry Bauer.

2022- 29-4

The 2021-2 Steamers established an all-time record for wins in a season with 29 wins. In the Lanark Regional, after beating Pearl City 62-22, Fulton lost to Freeport Aquin in OT 59-56. Fulton was coached by R.J.Coffey.

2023- 26-10

Coach R.J.Coffey’s 2022-3 Fulton team won the Fulton Regional with wins over Forreston 62-49, Eastland 48-38, and East Dubuque 48-42. The Steamers opened the Lanark Sectional with a win over Pecatonica 62-51. In the championship game, Fulton lost to Scales Mound 50-46. This was Fulton’s third trip to the Sweet 16, having made it to Elite 8 in 1936 and 1973. It 50 years between the 1973 team and the 2023 team’s achievement.

Fulton Record Setters