Former Po-Hi Coach Larry Rehl’s 1987 Championship basketball teams to be honored
Team Radio Marketing Group - February 15, 2017 3:46 pm
On Friday, Feb. 17, Po-Hi will honor the 1987 Po-Hi Girls Basketball Championship team and the Rehl coaching era during halftime of the girls varsity game.
It will also be Senior Night. Seniors will be honored at 6 p.m. with the girls’ game starting at 6:30 p.m. The community is invited.
Thirty years ago in 1987, the Ponca City Varsity LadyCat team won the Class 5A basketball state tournament. Coached by head coach Larry Rehl, after a loss to Union in the area tournament by 3 points, the LadyCats showed a never-give-up attitude. They used their grit and determination to fight their way through the state tournament to meet Union again in the championship game.
In front of a crowd of 2,100 at ORU, the LadyCats defeated Union 52-30 to take home the gold ball in Rehl’s first year in Ponca City.
Team members were Stacee Bynum, Katie Riddle, Kirsten Watkins, Christie Soper, Charlene Alden, Kristi Sinclair, Beth Rhodes, Robyn Monn, Janna Epperson, Pauletta Murphy, Kirstin Watkins, Alison McCracken and Mary Beth Robinson.
Rehl continued to coach through 1997 at Po-Hi. During that time, he and his players took six trips to the state tournament and earned the gold ball in 1987 and a silver ball in 1988 and 1990. Coach Rehl also produced eight All State players and sent 10 players on to play at the collegiate level.
Pictured from left are Kirstin Watkins, Stacee Bynum, Christie Soper, Katie Riddle, Keri Burgess, Janna Epperson, Pauletta Murphy, assistant coach Carrie Tucker and Coach Larry Rehl.
