50 years after the girls basketball state championship, South Johnston commemorates the victory.
Last week, South Johnston High School honored their 1974 girls basketball team for winning the state championship.
This year commemorates the 50th year since the Lady Trojans’ victorious championship. On January 19th, the team was honored for their accomplishment, half a century after claiming the N.C. High School Athletic Association state title. The festivities took place during halftime of South Johnston’s 41-38 triumph against East Wake.
In the season of 1972-1973, South Johnston achieved a district championship, but unfortunately, the Trojans faced defeat in the later stages of the playoffs. This outcome had an impact on the upcoming season.
In the 1973-1974 season, the Lady Trojans had a record of 28 wins and 1 loss. Their only defeat was against Smithfield-Selma High School. They went on to win the state championship game against Williamston with a score of 52-49 at High Point Central High School.
During the state championship, girls’ basketball did not yet have four divisions. All classifications were eligible to participate in the state playoffs. It wasn’t until 1977 that girls’ basketball was divided into four classifications.
The Lady Trojans’ 1974 state championship remains the sole girls basketball state title achieved in school history. The team was led by head coach Thomas Jackson and assisted by Mike Long.
The 1974 South Johnston High Lady Trojans girls basketball team had a record of 28-1 and achieved the school’s first and only state championship, which remains to this day. This is depicted in a photo contributed by Wanda Watkins.
Wanda Watkins was the top scorer for South Johnston with 20 points during the state championship game. She was present at the anniversary celebration on Friday.
“We share a unique bond. We believed we were going to succeed, and then to come back the following year and achieve it… that is a rare occurrence,” Watkins expressed. “It has been an incredible journey and an enjoyable experience, and I would not trade my time at South Johnston for anything.”
The team from South Johnston High School featured Genia Beasley, a 6-foot-2 center for the Lady Trojans. Beasley later played for NC State and was the top scorer and rebounder for the Wolfpack for four consecutive seasons. She remains the only female basketball player from NC State to achieve this in four consecutive years.
In 1980, Benson officially designated May 17 as “Genia Beasley Day.” Additionally, she was honored as part of the first group inducted into the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame.
Source: highschoolot.com