1977 Girls Basketball

Capping off an incredible year for DeWitt High School, the girls basketball team won the school’s third team state championship in 1977 alone. Still burning from a heart-breaking two-point loss in the 1976 regional finals, Coach Chris Kane’s team stormed through the regular season, capturing the highly competitive Capital Circuit league title. After losing to Class A power Lansing Everett and then the eventual Class B runner-up Okemos early in the season, the Panthers ran off 21 straight victories to secure the Class C State Championship crown. Balanced scoring was the result of the group’s unselfish play, and a deep bench allowed the Panthers to use their athleticism to wear out opponents with constant full-court pressure. The girls dominated their way through the district and regional levels of the state tournament, winning by an average margin of 18.8 points a game. DeWitt beat Kent City (68-51) in the state quarterfinals before crushing Buchanan (73-41) in their semi-final matchup. Then it was on to Michigan State University’s Jenison Field House for a shot at the state title. The Panthers cruised to a 51-36 victory over Saginaw Carrollton in the state championship game.

The 1977 Girls Basketball State Champions included the following members: Suzanne Elkins, Kimberly Ferguson, Nancy Garland, Debra Lusty, Sue Noch, Kelly Robinson, Rosalind Schneider, Patti Seeger, Kathy Spagnuolo, Nancy Spagnuolo, Maureen Stevens, Julie Wey, Cindy White, Beth Willard and Head Coach Chris Kane.