History… The Lady Vikes
Katie Hawles was the first Lady Viking Head Coach when Lamar opened. While the Lady Vikings didn’t compete that year, Coach Hawles had a Freshman team ready to go the following season and saw the program through two more seasons including their first District games in ’73-’74.
Cheri Patterson took over for two years with the ’74-’75 season seeing the Lady Vikings post their first winning record (16-9). Teri Staley coached the ’76-’77 season and then Cheryl Brown took over for the next 5 seasons. Coach Brown ended her run with the Lady Vikings by posting back to back winning seasons, both (18-8). Rudy Peach coached the Lady Vikings from the fall of ’82 until the Spring of ’85. Coach Peach was followed by Tracy Friday for the ’85-’86 season. Belinda Whitson came in for the ’86-87 season and coached the Lady Vikings for another 6 seasons.
The Lady Vikings’ longest running coach, Don Louis, took the helm in ’93-’94. Coach Louis accepted the challenge of rebuilding the girl’s program at Lamar High School and led the ’94-’95 team to the school’s first ever state playoff in girl’s basketball. The Lady Vikings had a 4 year playoff run from ’94 to ’98. Coach Louis guided the Lady Vikes back into the playoffs in 2002, 2003 and 2004. The ’96 and ’04 teams reached the Regional Quarterfinals in the state playoffs and the ’97 team set the school record with 24 wins. Coach Louis retired from coaching after the ’06-’07 season.
This is Errin Level’s 10th year as the Lady Viking Head Coach, but she is not new to Lamar. Her LHS career began with the ’05-’06 season as the JV Head Coach and Assistant Varsity Coach. The Vikings have gone to the playoffs in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 2016 and 2017. The 2011 team advanced to the regional quarter finals and matched the school record of 24 wins. The 2013 team set a new school record by advancing to the regional tournament for the first time in school history. The 2016-17 team progressed to the Regional 6A Semi-Finalist with a record of 25-9.
