Blue Ridge
| Blue Ridge Knights | |
| Location: Farmer City, Illinois | |
|---|---|
| Coaches | Evan Miles |
| Program Status | Unknown |
| School Size | Unknown |
| NAQT Page | link |
Blue Ridge High School is a rural public high school in Farmer City, Illinois located halfway between Bloomington-Normal and Champaign-Urbana. It is best known for being the home of IHSSBCA Hall of Fame coach, Mike Hendricks, who coached the team between 1981-2012.
Though during during his tenure Blue Ridge did not boast playoff success like other programs, Coach Hendricks was a popular & respected leader in the early Illinois scholastic bowl community. Hendricks started the team before the formation of Illinois "scholastic bowl" and wasn't without success locally & without star players. Out of 30 years of coaching, only four of those seasons were below .500.
In 2013, the same year as Hendrick's induction to the IHSSBCA Hall of Fame, Blue Ridge won its first IHSA Regional. Hendricks passed away in 2014. Since, Blue Ridge has hosted an annual tournament in his honor.
The team has been coached by Evan Miles since 2012. During Miles tenure, Blue Ridge has seen numerous Conference titles as well as playoff success in the expanded three-class Masonic State Tournament. Most notably, Miles has continued Henrick's legacy and has not posted a sub-.500 season since. A streak lasting 28 years and counting.
Notable Team Accomplishments
- Masonic State Tournament: 2024 - 4th Place (1A), 2017 - 3rd Place (1A), 2016 - 4th Place (1A)
- IHSA Regional titles: 2021 (1A), 2016 (1A), 2013 (1A)
- Masonic Sectional titles: 2024 (1A), 2022 (1A), 2017 (1A), 2015 (1A)
- Lincoln Prairie Conference Champions: 2022, 2020
- Heart of Illinois Conference Champions: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
- Okaw Valley Conference (Small School) Champions †: 2019
- Mike Hendricks Memorial Tournament: 2013
- IHSSBCA NAQT Illinois State Championship: 2008 - 8th Place
IHSSBCA Individual Awards
All-Sectional Honorees
- 2022-23: AJ Johnson, Indra Nolan (1A)
- 2021-22: Samantha Boogren (1A)
- 2019-20: Nadia Beadle, Mitchell Houser (1A)
- 2018-19: Tyler Maxwell, Luke Nichols (1A)
- 2017-18: Parker Otto, Tyler Maxwell (1A)
- 2016-17: Parker Otto, Caleb Trotter (1A)
- 2015-16: Parker Otto, Caleb Trotter (1A)
- 2014-15: Parker Otto, Caleb Trotter, Blake Maxwell (1A)
- 2013-14: Matt Smith (1A)
- 2012-13: Matt Smith, Matt White (1A)
- 2011-12: Iain Burns (1A)
- 2010-11: James Tobin (1A)
- 2002-03: Craig Holstein (1A)
- 2001-02: Scott Gercken (1A)
All-State Honorees
- 2023-24: AJ Johnson (Second Team) Class 1A
- 2021-22: Samantha Boogren (Second Team) Class 1A
- 2018-19: Tyler Maxwell (Second Team) Class 1A
- 2017-18: Parker Otto (First Team) Class 1A
- 2016-17: Caleb Trotter (First Team), Parker Otto (Second Team) Class 1A
- 2013-14: Matt Smith (First Team) Class 1A
- 2001-02: Scott Gercken (Second Team) Class 1A