Ringgold set for shocking return to state tournament

Friday, February 21, 2014

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

GHSA State Basketball First RoundTonightClass AAAA GirlsCarrollton (22-6) at Northwest Whitfield (23-5), 6Heritage (22-7) at Fayette County (19-8), 6Class AAA GirlsNorth Hall (18-9) at Sonoraville (21-6), 6North Murray (12-16) at East Hall (14-14), 7Ringgold (8-21) at Buford (26-2), 6SaturdayClass AAAA BoysDalton (20-8) at Sandy Crek (20-8), 4Class AAA BoysWhite County (18-9) at Ringgold (18-8), 6Lakeview-F.O. (18-10) at Dawson County (21-7), 7:30North Murray (16-12) at Buford (23-5), 7:30Class AA GirlsSpencer (12-14) at Calhoun (20-6), 4:30Class AA BoysSpencer (12-14) at Calhoun (22-2), 6Dade County (18-9) at Manchester (21-4), 6

RINGGOLD, Ga. - On the surface an 8-21 record doesn't look like anything to brag about, but when a once-proud basketball program reaches the depth the Ringgold girls had fallen to, those eight wins - and an unlikely state playoff berth - tell quite the story.

Consider that the Lady Tigers not so long ago were perennial participants in the state playoffs under legendary coaches Danny Vest and Hazel Brown, so last season's 0-22 nightmare was almost unbearable for school administrators, the students and fans. It got so bad that the Lady Tigers, whose closest loss was 14 points, lost 75-4 to Northwest Whitfield and by 61 to Sonoraville.

Enter former Northwest coach and Ringgold alumna Margaret Stockburger, who jumped at the chance to revive the program after spending a year coaching at the middle school. Summer workouts began with the most basic of things atop Stockburger's list of priorities.

"The biggest thing was just how to play hard, which is one of the hardest things to teach girls," said Stockburger, whose team has no seniors and regularly plays four freshmen. "They've figured out what I want as far as defensive intensity, and once I saw how hard they were willing to work I knew good things were going to happen.

"Now, reaching the state tournament ... I didn't know that would be possible this year."

By mid-January Ringgold was just 2-15, but most of the losses were within 20 points. The team went 4-5 down the stretch and did the unthinkable at the Region 5-AAA tournament this past week by stunning No. 3 seed Adairsville to clinch a state playoff spot.

"We knew after we won that first game in the tournament we had a shot against Adairsville because we had played them close," Stockburger said. "I'm just really excited for the girls, because it's been a while since they've been in the state tournament."

As a fourth seed the Lady Tigers get the unenviable task of playing tonight at state power Buford, but the game's final result won't change the fact that the turnaround has begun.

"What Coach Stockburger and the kids have done here is really remarkable," Ringgold athletic director Robert Akins said. "She and the girls should be very proud of what they've accomplished."

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.