Looking Back: 1991 Lady Tigers basketball team won districts... then set their eyes on state

It's been 30 years since the Plattsburg Lady Tigers basketball team won a district championship and advanced to the state playoffs, but that 1991 team left their mark all of the way down to Springfield.

(Left to right) 1991 Plattsburg Lady Tigers basketball players Nicole Jones, Lori Branstuder, Angie Engnes, Christy Jones and Amber Shultz after the state quarterfinal victory against Holden.

The 1991 Lady Tigers got their first major postseason win in the district semifinals, upsetting East Buchanan, who was ranked second in the state at the time. Plattsburg managed to grab a 24-13 lead by halftime and held out for a 40-35 victory. Christy Jones scored 16 points in the first half alone and finished night with 24 points for Plattsburg.

That saw the Lady Tigers through to the district championship, where – much like tonight in the 2021 Class 2 State Sectionals – Plattsburg ran up against LeBlond. The Lady Tigers won that game 70-55 behind a stellar performance from senior center Angie Engnes, who scored 34 points with 11 rebounds. Jones added 14 points with 12 rebounds.

Plattsburg's run continued into the following week, as they downed St Mary's in the sectional round at Missouri Western, 66-60. Jones scored 34 points with 21 rebounds in a monster performance. The Lady Tigers followed it up with a 60-55 win against Holden in the quarterfinals, earning a trip to Springfield and the Missouri Final Four.

“Every morning I wake up and ask myself if I'm dreaming,” Plattsburg head coach Cindy Bond told The Leader back in 1991. “But so far, nobody has told me any different. It's really hard to believe. Our team is playing so well and everybody is contributing to our success. It seems like someone steps up at the right time to pick our team up.”

That's where the run ended, however, as Plattsburg fell in the semifinals to Palmyra, 61-46, in Springfield, which was followed by a loss to Eskridge (St. Louis) in the third-place game, 62-55. The dream season netted Plattsburg fourth place in the state in 1991.

1991 Plattsburg athlete April Downey scores in the district title game against LeBlond.