Warsaw holds a continuing tradition of hosting the annual Warsaw Tournament. According to media center paraprofessional and WHS basketball alumni Dennis Larson, this tournament has continued since 1927 for the boys, and 1938 for the girls.
There are still some Warsaw Tournament Alumni that are involved in the tournament today to help out with running the tournament. For those who are involved in organizing and running the tournament every year, it is an exhausting week. Athletic director Ryan Boyer is in his seventh year running the tournament, and played in high school.
“I only get about five to six hours of sleep every night for six days straight while the Warsaw tournament is going on,” Boyer said.
The tournament honors Warsaw’s longest-running school sport. According to The History of Benton County, Vol. 3 by Kathleen Kelly-White and Kathleen White-Miles, basketball came to Warsaw soon after 1910. In 1916, Warsaw scheduled its first regular season and in 1924 Warsaw won its first basketball trophy. When basketball first came to Warsaw the courts were outside. After that, the school switched the courts to being in the Warsaw Community Building.
“The Warsaw Tournament is one of the oldest (longest running) tournaments in the state of Missouri. It also is a nice early season event to see many of the local teams,” retired Warsaw basketball coach and athletic director Loren Burke said.
It has been 11 years since the Warsaw boys have won first and 18 years since the Warsaw girls won runner up in the Warsaw Tournament.
The 2023 tournament was the week of Nov. 27 – Dec. 2. Warsaw, Skyline, Clinton, Weaubleau, Butler, Cole Camp, Knob Noster, and Lincoln participated in the tournament. In previous years, schools such as El Dorado, Stover, Sherwood, Marshall, Lamonte, Cross Timbers, Macks Creek, Lakeland, Green Ridge, Sacred Heart, Osceola, Hustonia, Hughesville, Urbana, Montrose, and Versailles came to the Warsaw tournament.
The first place winners in the tournament for the girls this year were the Skyline Tigers. The Warsaw girls basketball team won in the consolation round this year. The girls lost to Knob Noster with a score of 39-55, putting them in the lower side of the bracket. They then beat Lincoln 37-24, to make it into the consolation round. In the consolation round, the girls then won against Butler 54-47. This was a very enjoyable win since they haven’t won consolation in three years.
“I’m proud of how we did in this tournament compared to other years. We won the consolation game, with it not being done for three years. I also think we competed more as a team. In general, this team is just different and more fun this year,” sophomore point guard Tanna Howe said.
The first place for the boys this year were the Weaubleau Tigers. The Warsaw boys basketball team lost in the consolation round this year. They played Weaubleau in the first round and ended up losing 47-71, which put them in the lower side of the bracket. They played Lincoln next, beating them 60-59, allowing them to move on to the consolation round. They then played Skyline in the consolation round and lost to them 45-71.
“We got to play on Saturday, which we haven’t done in a couple of years which is good, and winning one game was still good, but our goal was to win the tournament,” head Warsaw boys basketball coach Matthew Brownsberger said.
