(1-31-23) Warsaw won the very first IHSAA Girls State Basketball Championship in 1975-75. The Tigers finished the year with a 22-0 record after beating Bloomfield in the Single-Class Championship game 57-52.

Bloomfield would play in a total of three state final appearances…1976, 1977, 1998 (A).

IHSAA Girls Basketball Tournament Timeline


February 2, 1976: The IHSAA first sponsored a state tournament for girls basketball. Mirroring the boys state tournament, the format includes 64 sectionals, 16 regionals, four semi-states which feed into the state finals.

February 28, 1976: Warsaw tops Bloomfield, 57-52, to finish a perfect 22-0 in the first IHSAA girls basketball state championship game held at Hinkle Fieldhouse. A total of 360 teams are entered into the first state tournament with Bloomfield, East Chicago Roosevelt, Indianapolis Tech and Warsaw advancing to the state finals. Warsaw senior Judi Warren was selected as the mental aƫtude award winner. WRTV in Indianapolis televises all three games. Official attendance includes 7,362 for the championship game and 117,526 for the entire tournament

Warsaw would come back in 1978 to pick up another state title, the last one they have won. They also made state final appearances in 1991 and 2004 (4A)

February 25, 1978: Warsaw defeats Jac-Cen-Del, 75-60, to become the first school to win two state championships. Head coach Janice Soyez also earns the distinction of becoming the first to win two championships. State championship game attendance increases again as 10,680 look on. A total of 392 teams are entered.

A look at Bloomfield

Making some of their own IHSAA history after the ending of the one class system….22 years later Bloomfield (26-2) would win the first ever Class A state title defeating Morgan Township 90-58.

March 14, 1998: For the first time, the state tournament is separated into four different classes based on school enrollment as Martinsville (Class 4A), West Lafayette (3A), Southridge (2A) and Bloomfield (A) win their respective state championships.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks to the IHSAA web site on use of Warsaw material from above athe the 1975-76 Bloomfield yearbook ‘Spirit of 76’

RELATED:

Advertisement