It's a long journey to 1000 wins

Russia fans have witnessed 23 wins so far in 2024-25

The box score from win #500 on 2-24-1995

In the midst of all the excitement surrounding Russia boys basketball this season, most Raider fans may not realize a historic milestone that's fast approaching. After last Friday's tournament victory over Ansonia, the program notched all-time win #994. It took 58 years of pioneering to earn the first 504 W's and just the previous 30 years to add the next 490 and counting. With the possibility of six tournament games remaining this postseason, the team could hit the magic mark of 1000 on March 22nd if they win a state championship. 

According to the OHSAA record book only two other schools in our talent-loaded, four-county area of Shelby, Darke, Auglaize and Mercer have reached 1000 boys wins heading into this year. Those schools are both St. Henry and Ft. Loramie. On another note from the girl's record book, Ft. Loramie just became the only school in Ohio history to reach 1000 wins with their district championship victory last Saturday. 

The first Russia boys basketball team hit the hardwood in 1937 and finished 0-10 that inaugural season. The following school year they finished 0-13. It wasn't until their third season on December 1, 1939 the 0-2 Raiders finally recorded the program's debut win over Perry Township (Pemberton), who had been playing basketball since 1923. Below is the report as it appeared in the Sidney Daily News.

Russia tallied four victories in 1939-40 with trailblazers named 

Marion Grillot, Quintin DeBrosse, Tom Francis and Ken Borchers

The season highlights since win #1 have been plentiful. In 1948 Russia won their first Shelby County League championship with an 8-0 record and 17-6 overall record. The following season in 1949 their success continued, as the Raiders won another SCL title and finished 20-4. 

Russia piled up the wins for two seasons with shooters like Wayne Groff (#3) and Jerry Bohman (#11), who were the top two scorers in the Shelby County League in 1949

After 1949 it would take 53 years until Russia achieved their second 20+ win season. It happened in 2002 when fans recall that Raider-mania energized the entire community. The team amassed a then-record 24 wins and finished as Division IV state runner-up to Delphos St. John's. 

The program broke their 2002 record win total in 2023 with 25 wins and again in 2024 with 27. Beginning with that '02 campaign, Russia has racked up 20+ win seasons in nine of their last 24. 

Win #944 was a memorable one at the 2023 regional championship

To read more about Raider lore and memorable moments, hunt down a copy of the book "A History of Clair C. Naveau Gymnasium" distributed in 2024 by Brad Francis. It's a wonderful account of nostalgic games and a comprehensive list of achievements and statistics. 

For the past 88 years, generations of Russia families have all contributed to those 994 wins and counting. Whenever the program finally does reach 1000, fans might celebrate with simply a smile or perhaps an icy cold fish bowl at Russia Inn. If that milestone happens this March, bet on the fish bowl!

Tournament Magic 25 Years Ago

The 2025 Tournament Brackets for high school girls basketball were set on Sunday. For a few lucky teams, an unpredictable magical moment will highlight their tournament trail. For Russia fans, it was a quarter century ago when folks saw a magic show and arguably the greatest comeback in school history.

The date was February 16, 2000 and #3-seed Russia's offense disappeared in the fourth quarter versus West Liberty-Salem in the opening round of the Sidney sectional. With exactly 60 seconds remaining in regulation, the Raiders trailed the Tigers by 12 points. Foul trouble was an added problem as starters Cassie Francis had four, Andrea Puthoff four, Abby Cordonnier four, Ashley Homan four and Laura Borchers three.

Cassie Francis, a sophomore with 17 points at the time, recalled the bleak moment to Fish Report this past Saturday. 

"When we were down 12 points with a minute to play, I looked at our student section and some boys were leaving for the exit." 

Seven seconds later Francis hit a three-pointer to cut the West Liberty lead to nine. What happened over the next 53 seconds was hocus pocus that even Harry Houdini would be proud of. Listen to the radio call on Hits 105.5 from the late Jim McBee and Lloyd Shoemaker:

Senior Abby Cordonnier, who later finalized her career as Russia's all-time leading scorer with 1,221 points, still remembers the crazy final minute of regulation and red hot shooting from her teammate Francis, in her comments to Fish Report on Sunday. 

"We ran flare twice and she hit both the three-pointers. Before the last one we called a timeout and changed the name of the play to rocket to try to throw them off, which it did and she nailed it! She was hot and we got her the ball. That last minute was something else."

In overtime, senior Laura Borchers scored five points on Russia's first two possessions and the Raiders won by the final score of 71-64. Head coach Don Cordonnier, who led the program from 1989 through 2004, was quoted after the game.

"It was probably the best game I've ever been a part of coaching wise. I've never seen anything like it. Cassie was just unconscious that final minute. We just kept running that stupid flare play because it was working and she kept knocking down the threes."

A week later, Russia captured the sectional championship over Springfield Catholic Central and eventually fell in the district tournament to league foe Jackson Center. In the years to come, Francis would go on to set several school records that still stand today, including passing her former teammate Cordonnier for the all-time scoring record. Francis' career total of 1,282 points is the current high mark for both the girls and boys programs. Fish Report listened to the radio call with Francis on Sunday and asked her what she remembers most about that historic night. 

"I can still feel the feelings I felt 25 years ago when I listen to that tape. It's probably the best memory of my four years playing. It has always stuck with me that Don never stopped coaching. Down 12 with a minute. I feel like most would have thrown in the towel. I loved playing for Don."

Here's the full report as documented by sportswriter and Russia graduate, the late Matt Zircher.