Lady Railers 1998-99 fourth place team reunites on the court

[December 19, 2018] 

Members of the 1998-99 Lady Railers Basketball Team got together on Saturday afternoon for a game/reunion on the court at Roy S. Anderson Gymnasium. This is the team that finished the season with a fourth place finish at the Class AA State Tournament at Redbird Arena in Normal. Everyone from that team was present on Saturday for the reunion on the court, except for Heidi Graff.

The two seniors on the 1998-99 Lady Railers basketball team ~ Steph Reichle, who now lives in North Carolina, and Kimberly McCuan King, who resides in Lincoln.

Kimberly McCuan King, a senior on the team that year, said, "It was just really nice for us all to be together again. It's been fun remembering it all."

1999 - Fans take in the games at Roy S. Anderson Gymnasium in Lincoln (photo provided by Kimberly McCuan King)

King recalled during the team's postseason run in 1999 both sides of the bleachers were out for the games and the pep band played. Lincoln hosted the regionals and the super-sectional that year.
 

During the magical postseason run, Lincoln crushed the opponents by 20 and 30-point margins during regionals. The Lady Railers won the Sectional Championship that year in an exciting 56-47 overtime win over Springfield High School. Lincoln then knocked off Peoria Notre Dame easily 51-33 to win the Super-Sectional Championship. Advancing to State and the Elite Eight, Lincoln defeated LaGrange 48-42 during Friday night's opening round of play.

December 16, 2018 - The fourth place Lady Railers from 1999

Back Row left to right: Head Coach Ed Moore, Sarah (McLaughlin) Ramlow, Kristina (Cook) Hinton, Allison (Humbert) Wilkinson, Kelsey (Bruce) McQuality, Michelle (Young) Fuiten, Assistant Coach Michelle Hobbs, and Assistant Coach Joe Vazquez.
Front Row left to right:  Brittany (Robbins) Welk, Becky (Oller) Palmer, Kimberly (McCuan) King, Steph Reichle, Angie (Bossingham) Eskra, Jenny (Story) Mathews, Autumn (Feldman) Usalis, Emily Mahler.

Down to the final four, it was Galesburg that edged Lincoln 41-39 on Saturday, forcing the Lady Railers into the third place game.

"That Galesburg game still hurts," said King. "We should've won and been in the championship."

Lincoln lost 59-43 to Glenbard West in the third place game that year. Steph Reichle, the other senior on the team, led Lincoln with 26 points in the third place game.

Chicago Marshall went on to win the 1999 Class AA State Championship with a 68-56 win over Galesburg.

For the Lady Railers and fans, a fourth place finish in the two-class system is something to be proud of.

Team members and coaches also gathered at the Knights of Columbus this past Saturday night to reminisce about the 1998-99 season.

[Teena Lowery]