Most everyone knows about the tremendous football tradition that has been established by Ringling over the past 45 years.
There have been several state titles won by the Blue Devil gridders, but the success has not carried over to the hardwood at the eastern most school in Jefferson County.
The Ringling basketball squads have never made an appearance in a state tournament. And, the Ringling boys have never played in an area tourney since that layer of playoffs began in 1970.
The Ringling boys and girls basketball teams have only played for a regional title a total of four times. Three of those regional championship games involved the Lady Blue Devils. Ringling lost all four of those games.
The Blue Devils have played in two regional loser’s bracket championship games, but dropped contests to Wynnewood and Healdton.
The Lady Blue Devils have appeared in the regional loser’s bracket title game four times and hold a 2-2 mark in those contests. The Ringling girls advanced to the area tourney after wins over Elmore City in 1989 and Healdton in 1986.
The Ringling girls have made four appearances in the area tourney, but hold just a 1-5 record. The only win came in a 1991 Class 2A area at Chickasha as Ringling defeated Apache, 69-47.
The last district title for the Blue Devils came in 2004 at the Class 2A tourney at Walters. Ringling handed Walters a 42-39 setback in the title game.
Ringling won its first district championship in 1946 at the Class B tournament hosted by Dundee. The Blue Devils edged Healdton, 17-16, in the semifinals and then downed Fox, 30-12, in the championship game.
While it is possible not all the district tourney results have been located, it is believed that the Blue Devils played in their first district tournament at Waurika in 1931. Ringling fell to Ryan, 21-19, in the first round.
The latest district tournament title for the Lady Blue Devils came in 2007 when Ringling rolled to a 48-31 victory over Healdton in the Class 2A tourney at Healdton.
Out of the 15 district titles claimed by the Lady Blue Devils, five of them were won because Ringling was the only entry in the Class A tournament played at Healdton from 1950 to 1954.
The first time the Lady Blue Devils won a championship game came in 1956 when Ringling defeated Fox, 38-29, in a contest played at Healdton.
The first result of a district tournament game played by the Ringling girls came in 1948 in the first round of the Class B fray at Healdton. The Lady Blue Devils fell to Dundee, 19-17.
It is possible Ringling’s girls competed in a district tournament before that, but the 1948 encounter is the first result that was located.
Both Ringling teams have played for a number of district titles, but that is because in recent years the Class 2A districts have featured only two teams.
Ringling most often played the district tournament at Healdton. The Ringling boys have played in the district tourney at Healdton a total of 30 times. The Lady Blue Devils have been in 25 district tourneys at Healdton.
Ringling first hosted a district tournament in 1951. The Lady Blue Devils were the only entry and the Blue Devils picked up a 25-21 win over Healdton and then fell to Wilson, 68-27, in the championship game.
The district tourney for Ringling has been played at Ringling a total of 10 times through the years with 2006 being the last time Ringling served as the host.
The last four seasons Ringling has competed in Class A, but prior to that Ringling was in Class 2A for 31 of the previous 37 years.
This past season the Blue Devils fell to Verden, 58-53, in the semifinals and it was the 75th loss for Ringling’s boys in district tournament play. The Lady Blue Devils won a first-round game over Verden, but fell to Canute, 92-53, in the title game.
Here is a summary of the playoff history for the Ringling basketball squads:
Boys
District Titles: 7
All-Time District Record: 34-75
District Final Appearances: 33
Most Frequent Opponent in District Finals: Wilson (9-12)
Longest Winning Streak: 4, 1962-1963
Longest Losing Streak: 16, 1965-1980
Most Points Scored: 80, vs. Elmore City-Pernell
Least Points Scored: 9, vs. Ardmore 1935
Girls
District Titles: 15
All-Time District Record: 36-56
District Final Appearances: 46
Most Frequent Opponent in District Finals: Lone Grove (0-8)
Longest Winning Streak: 4, 1989-1991
Longest Losing Streak: 6, 2011-2017
Most Points Scored: 72, vs. Wilson 1972 & Velma-Alma 1989
Least Points Scored: 13, vs. Walters 2011
Other Playoff Facts
Ringling Boys: Regional Appearances: 25; Regional Record: 10-28; Area Appearances: 0; Area Record: 0-0; State Appearances: 0; State Record: 0-0.
Ringling Girls: Regional Appearances: 38; Regional Record: 18-41; Area Appearances: 5; Area Record: 1-5; State Appearances: 0; State Record: 0-0.
NEXT WEEK: Terral playoff basketball history
