Winnebago

Winnebago Indians
Location: Winnebago, Illinois
Coaches	Kristin Strey
State Championships	1993 IHSA, 1995 IHSA, 1994 Masonic
National Championships	1994 Scholastic Showdown
National Appearances	PACE NSC: 2023, HSNCT: 2022, 2019
Program Status	active
School Size	451
NAQT Page	link

Winnebago High School is a public high school in Winnebago, Illinois. Winnebago competes in Class A, the "small school" division, of the Illinois High School Association's State Championship series. The Indians also compete in the Big Northern Conference.

Winnebago is home to one of the oldest Scholastic Bowl teams in Illinois history. The team was started in 1981 by IHSSBCA Hall of Fame coach Karen Niemeier, who served as head coach for over thirty years until 2010. Since 2014, the team has been coached by Winnebago alum, Kristin Strey, under whose leadership the team has seen a resurgence.

Noted Team Accomplishments

• IHSA State Tournament Championships: 1993, 95
• Masonic State Championships: 1994
• IHSA State Tournament - 2nd Place: 2024
• IHSA State Tournament - 3rd Place: 2023, 2022, 2006, 1994
• IHSA State Tournament - 4th Place: 2019
• IHSA Sectional Titles: (13) 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1989
• IHSA Regional Titles: (17) 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1997
• Masonic Sectional Titles: 2023-2A, 2022-2A, 2009
• Big Northern Conference Varsity Titles (15): 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1989, 1987
• Big Northern Conference JV Titles (?): 2022, 2019, [?]
• Bergstrom Stateline Champions: 2023
• IHSSBCA NAQT Illinois State Championship: 2024 - 20th, 2023 - 13th
• NAQT High School National Championship Tournament: 2022 - T261st, 2019 - T272nd

1981-1987

Year	Wins	Loses
1980-81	4	1
1981-82	4	3
1982-83	10	4
1983-84	14	6
1984-85	20	5
1985-86	25	6
1986-87	26	8

Source: IHSA: Winnebago Scholastic Bowl — 2009-10, http://www.ihsa.org/archive/scb/2009-10/1info5.htm

1987-1991

Year	Wins	Loses
1987-88	32	9
1988-89	44	10	IHSA Class A Sectional Champions
1989-90	34	10
1990-91	44	11

Source: IHSA: Winnebago Scholastic Bowl — 2009-10, http://www.ihsa.org/archive/scb/2009-10/1info5.htm

1992-1996

Winnebago's biggest run of success came in the mid-90's, as the team won the 1993 and 1995 IHSA Class A State Championships, the 1994 Masonic State Championship, and the 1994 Scholastic Showdown.

Year	Wins	Loses
1991-92	51	15	IHSA Class A Sectional Champions
1992-93	61	8	IHSA Class A State Champions
1993-94	80	4	3rd Place IHSA Class A State Championship Masonic State Champions Scholastic Showdown National Champions
1994-95	50	3	IHSA Class A State Champions
1995-96	45	5	IHSA Class A Sectional Champions

Source: IHSA: Winnebago Scholastic Bowl — 2009-10, http://www.ihsa.org/archive/scb/2009-10/1info5.htm

1997-2000

Year	Wins	Loses
1996-97	40	8
1997-98	42	6
1998-99	32	10
1999-00	30	8

Source: IHSA: Winnebago Scholastic Bowl — 2009-10, http://www.ihsa.org/archive/scb/2009-10/1info5.htm

2001-2010

The team entered a resurgent period in 2001, with a series of good teams led by some old and new names. The team made its first return to state since the mid-90's in 2001, but ended up not placing. The 2001 roster included Chris Meyers (captain), Ben Carollo, Josh Crandall, juniors Benjamin Vassmer, Kati Fay, and sophomore Adam Crandall.

The 2002 team's roster included seniors Benjamin Vassmer (co-captain), Kati Fay (co-captain), juniors Jarrod Cook, Adam Crandall, and Sara Boeke, and sophomore BJ Houlding.

The 2003 team featured seniors Adam Crandall and the last member of the Boeke family, Sara, as well as junior BJ Houlding, but was overshadowed in conference by eventual state champions Stillman Valley and upset in Regionals by Pecatonica.

In 2004, a senior class led by Houlding, Ryan Bland, Mindy Milosch, Jimmy Smith, and John Mitchell won the Big Northern Conference title and a Regional title but narrowly lost in Sectionals to Galena.

The 2005 team was led by the last member of the Visel family, Edward, and junior Brad Fischer - both players would make All-State. The team won the Winnebago Invitational, Big Northern Conference, and a second straight Regional championship, but would lose Sectionals to Woodstock Marian by less than 20 points.

The 2006 season would see Winnebago attend their most tournaments in a year, including the first attendance at Earlybird, Loyola Ultima, and New Trier Varsity. Captain Brad Fischer placed in the top 4 at Scobol Solo and led the team to their third straight Conference and Regional titles. Bago finally got over its two year streak of underperforming at Sectionals with a commanding win over rival Byron to advance to State. At State, the team defeated Alton Marquette and Fairfield but lost by one question to Latin School in pool play, then defeated Decatur Lutheran to take third place. The 2006 roster included seniors Brad Fischer (captain), Megan Hazzard, juniors Kellen Hill, Kristin Strey, and sophomores David Smith, Madeline Dillner, and Emelyn Baker.

In 2007, captain Kristin Strey and junior Madeline Dillner led the team to their fourth straight Regional championship before being upset by Morrison at Sectionals.

In 2008, Dillner, senior Graham Johnson, and junior Kyler Carlson led the team to another Regional title before falling to Byron, eventual State Runner-Up, at Sectionals.

For Karen Niemeier's final year coaching in 2010, the roster included seniors Ian Connelly, Emily Dillner, Alex Kelley, Chelsea Shullanberger, and captain Aaron Mitchell, and sophomore Ron Hansen.

Year	Wins	Loses
2000-01	24	15	IHSA Class A Sectional Champions
2001-02	31	18	IHSA Class A Regional Champion
2002-03	32	21
2003-04	30	9	IHSA Class A Regional Champion
2004-05	37	9	IHSA Class A Regional Champion
2005-06	70	20	3rd Place IHSA Class A State Championship
2006-07	53	23	IHSA Class A Regional Champion
2007-08	44	27	IHSA Class A Regional Champion
2008-09	59	33
2009-10	33	29

Source: IHSA: Winnebago Scholastic Bowl — 2009-10, http://www.ihsa.org/archive/scb/2009-10/1info5.htm

2014-Present

Bago alumna Kristin Strey began coaching the team in 2014-15 with an inexperienced team of three players: brothers Nicholas and Tyler Zarembski and Noah Weinrich. The players recruited two classmates so that Winnebago could participate at IHSA Regionals, where the team lost in round 1. In 2015-16, freshmen Evan Scholl, Zane Smalley, and Trevor Vice took over, putting up a 1-20 varsity record and a 14-9 JV record. From there, the team built up and grew back into a program with year-on-year success. Of particular note in this era is William Samuel "Sam" Asplund (class of 2023; Winnebago's only Team Illinois player), who joins Zane Smalley, Hannah Jacobson, Carson Jacobson, and Merrick Hill among the All-State players of Winnebago's current era.

Year	Wins	Loses
2014-15	3	43
2015-16	1	20
2016-17	19	24
2017-18	38	26	IHSA Class A Regional Champion Had to forfeit IHSA Sectionals for insufficient number of players due to a player's personal emergency
2018-19	59	28	4th Place IHSA Class A State Championship
2019-20	36	32	IHSA Class A Regional Champions Remainder of season had to be cancelled due to the COVID pandemic
2020-21	29	42	IHSA Class A Regional Champions
2021-22	42	25	3rd Place IHSA Class A State Championship Masonic Class 2A Sectional Champions
2022-23	72	35	3rd Place IHSA Class A State Championship Masonic Class 2A Sectional Champions Stateline Quiz Bowl Champions
2023-24	61	36	2nd Place IHSA Class A State Championship

Team Captains

• 1981-2000: incomplete
• 2001: Chris Meyers
• 2002: Benjamin Vassmer, Kati Fay
• 2003: Sara Boeke
• 2004: Ryan Bland, BJ Houlding
• 2005: Edward Visel, Alec Hill
• 2006: Brad Fischer
• 2007: Kristin Strey
• 2008: Madeline Dillner
• 2009: Jen Sojka, Kyler Carlson
• 2010: Aaron Mitchell

IHSSBCA Individual Awards

The following were honored by the Illinois High School Scholastic Bowl Coaches Association (IHSSBCA) for outstanding play through their All-Sectional/All-State Program. Each sectional comprises roughly 24 geographically concentrated teams, and thus roughly 125 starting players. Through the 2006-07 season, the top ten players were recognized in each sectional,(starting with 2007-08, the number was raised to 15) with teams restricted to no more than two nominations (three nominations starting in 2007-08). There are twenty All-State awards given each year (10 First Team, 10 Second Team) in each of Illinois' two classes.

All-Sectional Honorees

• 2001-02: Adam Crandall
• 2002-03: Adam Crandall, Brent Houlding
• 2003-04: Brent Houlding, Ryan Bland
• 2004-05: Brad Fischer, Edward Visel
• 2005-06: Brad Fischer
• 2006-07: Madeline Dillner, Kristin Strey
• 2007-08: Madeline Dillner, Graham Johnson
• 2008-09: Diedra Hong
• 2009-10: Aaron Mitchell
• 2010-11: Rob Hansen
• 2011-12: Ron Hanson
• 2014-15: Nicholas Zarembski
• 2016-17: Zane Smalley
• 2017-18: Zane Smalley, Trevor Vice, Natalie Howell
• 2018-19: Zane Smalley, Natalie Howell, Trevor Vice
• 2019-20: Davy Lyons, Hannah Jacobson
• 2021-22: William Samuel "Sam" Asplund, Carson Jacobson, Hannah Jacobson
• 2022-23: William Samuel "Sam" Asplund, Carson Jacobson, Dillan Rinehart
• 2023-24: Carson Jacobson, Merrick Hill, Charlotte Maher

All-State Honorees

• 2001-02: Adam Crandall (1st team)¹
• 2003-04: Brent "BJ" Houlding (1st team)
• 2004-05: Brad Fischer (1st team), Edward Visel (2nd team)
• 2005-06: Brad Fischer (1st team)
• 2007-08: Madeline Dillner (1st team)
• 2008-09: Diedra Hong (1st team)
• 2009-10: Aaron Mitchell (1st team)
• 2017-18: Zane Smalley (1st team)
• 2018-19: Zane Smalley (1st team)
• 2021-22: William Samuel "Sam" Asplund (1st team), Hannah Jacobson (2nd team)
• 2022-23: William Samuel "Sam" Asplund (1st team), Carson Jacobson (2nd team)
• 2023-24: Carson Jacobson (2nd team), Merrick Hill (2nd team)

Notable Alumni

• Brad Fischer
• BJ Houlding
• Ryan Bland
• James Smith
• John Mitchell

Notes

1. Adam Crandall is (as of 2008) one of three players to be named All-State before their senior year, and then not be named All-State subsequently. Crandall lost time from competition in the 2002-03 season due to a ski accident, and participation in other activities. His numbers were far below his junior year, and several other players eligible for All-State honors that year.
2. Phil Huckelberry won a state championship on the Winnebago Scholastic Bowl Team and went on to head the Illinois Green Party.

See Also

• 1993 IHSA State Championship Tournament
• 1995 IHSA State Championship Tournament

Scholastic Showdown Champion
Preceded by	Year	Succeeded by
None?	1994	Eisenhower

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