Lomira High School celebrated a state championship in 1978. The girls basketball team won the Class B title in their first-ever tournament experience. And to top it off, the team traveled to Madison and met Wisconsin Governor Martin Schreiber.
So many memories and an impressive accomplishment.
Fast forward to 2026, with the Lions preparing to play in the 50th State Girls Basketball Tournament at the Resch Center, in Green Bay. Lomira, the #4 seed, will appear in its third state tournament overall and its first since 1993.
"It's pretty awesome," said Lions Head Coach Liz Cook, during the WIAA state tournament conference call session. "My mom and two of my aunts were a part of that state championship team. It means a lot to so many people, including my family."
Lomira (22-6) plays top-seeded Neillsville (27-1) on Thursday, March 12 at 6:35 p.m. The Warriors made three consecutive state appearances from 2012-14 and back-to-back experiences in 2006 and 2007. They won the Division 4 state championship in 2012.
"They are a defensively sound team," according to coach Cook. "Our game plan is to attack their zone and get some baskets."
One of the postseason highlights for the Lions included their third meeting of the season with a familiar team, Flyway Conference foe Winnebago Lutheran. They had played each other twice this season and Lomira won both games, 70-45 and 59-50. The stakes were higher for the Friday, February 27 game, with a trip to the regional final on the line. The Lions won, 54-37.
They followed up their trifecta of Winnebago Lutheran with a convincing 60-46 win over Howards Grove in the regional final. Lomira earned their first sectional appearance in 14 years.
The Lions top three scorers are all sophomores. Josie Christian averages 25 points per game, seven rebounds per game with three assists on average. Christian exceeded 1,000 career points and is Lomira High School girls basketball all-time leading scorer. Kennedy Goebel is averging nine points per game while Lily Christian contributes eight points per game.
The Lions lack of interior size has had a positive impact on the team's performance, according to Cook.
"We have preached all year, we are not the tallest team. We are actually the smallest team in our conference. Our post players have worked hard all year, we talk about never standing still."
Lomira defeated Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic, 61-57 in the final of the Germantown sectional and punched their ticket to Green Bay. Josie Christian scored 31 points while Goebel added 13 points.
Coach Cook, a Lomira High School alumna, played basketball for the Lions and was a part of a WIAA Sectional Semifinal team. She says her team is more relaxed than she thought they would be, with all of the pressure of postseason basketball. It makes it fun for everyone.
Here's to many more celebrations for the Lions girls basketball team.
