In 1976, Warsaw High School won the first state championship ever in Indiana girls basketball history. They won it again two years later.

Saturday, the 50th IHSAA Girls Basketball State Championship will take place and how fitting it is that Warsaw will be one of the teams playing when the Tigers take on Lawrence North in 4A Title Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“Putting on the Warsaw jersey means so much to me,” Warsaw senior Brooke Winchester says. “Being able to go play for Warsaw and for all the people that played before–I know it’s the 50th anniversary and Warsaw won 50 years ago–so to be able to play for them and keep their legacy going but to also leave a legacy is awesome.”

The Warsaw players are aware of the moment they are taking part in and how full circle Saturday will be for the history of not only their program but also all of girls basketball in the state.

“It’s crazy,” adds senior Abbey Peterson. “It would be awesome if they are able to come and support us and be able to talk to them and share that experience with them and then in the next 30 years, we come back and do the same.”

Peterson will get her wish. The 1976 and 1977 Warsaw teams will be honored during the state championship game.

Warsaw is making its 5th trip to the state finals and first since 2004 but the program has not won it all since capturing two of the first three championships in 76 and 78. Simply getting the chance to make it this far means a lot for the players who have never even seen Warsaw play for a state title in girls basketball in their lifetime.

“I can’t put into words how much it means because since I’ve been a little girl, this is all I ever dreamed of,” says Warsaw junior Joslyn Bricker of getting to play for a state championship. “To do it alongside my best friends and our amazing community, it’s an incredible opportunity. We are not taking it for granted. It’s amazing.”

The opportunity gives Warsaw the chance to play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home to both the NBA’s Pacers and WNBA’s Fever.

“I remember going to games as a little girl to the Pacers with my dad and I watch Caitlin Clark play there and it’s an unreal experience that we are about to have,” says Warsaw junior Brooke Zartman. “Playing in front of a bunch of people for a state championship and playing at a beautiful facility and having fun with my best friends and having a great experience.”

Coach Lenny Krebs is in his 8th season at Warsaw with an impressive 138-54 record in that time but this year marks not only his first sectional championship at Warsaw but his first sectional title in 22 seasons overall as a head coach.

And once Warsaw and Krebs won the sectional, it didn’t end there.

“I wish people could feel the emotions that I’m going through right now to know it wasn’t just the sectional,” Krebs told Sports Michiana this week. “If you would have told me at the beginning of the year, you are going to get your first sectional, I would have been like ‘cool man, that’s what I need.’ But now we are going regional, semi-state and playing for a state title.”

Krebs says he is more excited for his players who have been through so much together. While they are 26-1 this season it was just 14 months ago that the Tigers were struggling at 8-7 at Christmas time in 2023. 14 months later, they weathered the storm of a 16-0 run from #1 Hamilton Southeastern last week to win Semi-State and move on to the state finals.

But being the emotional guy that he is, it begs the question what the emotions will be like for him if Warsaw does indeed win the state championship Saturday night.

“I wish I could tell you what that would be like,” Krebs says with a laugh. “I’m sure the first person I’m going to find is my wife. She’s been at this for 22 years with me. The emotions I’m going to feel, I’m sure that’s all going to come out. People already think I’m a big teddy bear with the emotions I’ve shown in this run. I think you are going to see those emotions completely released at that point. I’m looking forward to it.”

While the Tigers are 26-1, their opponent Lawrence North is 18-8. The Wildcats lost four straight games in mid January and were just 10-8 at that point in the season. They haven’t lost since, winning eight straight games. Warsaw is familiar with Lawrence North having lost to them over the summer. The Tiger players know winning Saturday won’t be easy but if it happens, that feeling will be special.

“It would be a blessing,” says Winchester. “Just to be able to leave that legacy for Warsaw and for the underclassmen, something to remember for years upcoming and years in the past. To be able to come back to Warsaw in 15-20 years and see the banner in the gym would just be awesome.”

Warsaw and Lawrence North will cap off the day long State Finals in the 4A Championship Game at approximately 8:15pm Saturday night. To watch the game, it will cost $15 via pay-per-view at ihsaatv.org. You can also listen to it for free at newsnowwarsaw.com with the voice of Warsaw sports Roger Grossman.