Published on January 21, 2026 10:28 am
Last Updated on January 22, 2026 6:58 am
BY DUSTIN WHITE
Here’s a quick homework assignment: make me a list of all the things people loved and revered in 1935 that have, at some point over the subsequent nine decades, faded into oblivion.
What’s that you’re telling me? That’s not a quick assignment at all? It’ll take you the next 91 years to list everything that changed during the previous 91? Hmm. I guess that’s a good point. Let’s change it up, then. Let’s talk about the things that *haven’t* disappeared into the ether … the things that just stay strong year after year after year.
In fact, let’s just pick one and really focus on it. Let’s talk about the National Trail Conference boys basketball tournament.
We should, after all, because on Monday the 90th Annual NTC Tournament will commence at Altamont High School and over the next six days, 15 games will be contested in front of several generations’ worth of basketball fans who, at some point since Altamont won the first NTC meet in 1935, have grown addicted to the atmosphere and the storied history of what many agree is the premier conference tournament in the entire state.
“It’s a wonderful tournament that is always run so well,” said eighth-year Neoga coach Andrew Snow, a 2011 South Central graduate from just before the Cougars left the Midland Trail Conference for the NTC. “I hope Altamont hosts the tournament for the next 100 years. It’s a tremendous venue for high school basketball and they do such a great job making the players and teams feel special during that week.
“It just seems to me like the rest of the sporting world shuts down for the week and all of the attention goes to the teams in the National Trail,” Snow added. “The people at 979 XFM and other media outlets do an outstanding job of covering every game played in the tournament, which makes every player and fan of every team feel special.”
Before landing in Neoga, Snow spent some time on Cody Rincker’s staff at St. Anthony. The Bulldogs coach says the proximity of the schools and the nature of small-school athletics – lots of multisport athletes competing against each other year-round – makes it all the more special.
“I think it’s a very big honor for the boys to compete in this tournament on full display to show and share the gifts they’ve been given with the community,” said Rincker, a 2006 Stewardson-Strasburg graduate who played for the Comets and has now coached the Bulldogs to six of the school’s 27 tournament titles. “All the teams work so hard, we challenge each other to improve both in season and out of season.
“This competition is what inspires the young men to learn the qualities of hard work, perseverance, commitment, discipline, dedication, teamwork, leadership, etc. So there’s not only a sense of pride if you have success in the tournament, but it’s all the other intangibles that are developed that make the tournament and the desire to win the tournament so special.”
Altamont coach John Niebrugge played at Teutopolis and was part of a 1998 championship team, one of a record 33 the Wooden Shoes secured as founding members of the NTC before going independent after the 2011-12 school year.
“I could go on for a while here,” said Niebrugge when asked to share some favorite NTC tournament memories. “I remember playing in these and it was T-town vs St. Anthony for the championship and you had to have reserved seats. It was not general admission. The (standing room) rows were 2 to 3 rows deep.”
As a coach at Altamont for the past 14 seasons, Niebrugge has grabbed titles in 2014, 2022 and 2023 with several other Saturday night appearances with a championship on the line. All told, Altamont’s eight first-place finishes are third most behind Teutopolis and St. Anthony.
“The championship game for this tournament is like nothing else in the state, in my opinion,” said Niebrugge. “The players don’t get that type of atmosphere anywhere else.”
Rincker agrees.
“As a player I always felt like if we had a team win the tourney it was such a special feat, and one that would submit your team’s legacy to inspire future teams,” he said. “I know growing up hearing my grandfather’s stories of his NTC wins, my uncles, and my dad’s NTC in 1979 for the Stew-Stras Comets always inspired and motivated me to reach my potential as a player, help my team reach their potential to give us an opportunity to have the same memories.”
That ‘79 team Rincker references was the first of three tournament crowns for the Comets; the others came in 1981 and 1995. The Windsor Blue Devils won three times as well in 1953, 1954 and 1960. Any future titles for these towns will be under the Windsor/Stew-Stras Hatchets moniker and if it were to happen this year, it would be under first-year head coach Cody Drone … an Altamont boy returning to the NTC as a coach after previous stops in Charleston and Sullivan.
“It is one of the premier small high school tournaments in the state,” said Drone. “Winning at the NTC is something everyone celebrates. Being a high school coach and playing in that kind of
atmosphere is something really fun to be part of.
“Growing up in Altamont, NTC week was one of the best weeks of the year,” he continued. “I remember going to plenty of NTC championships, often sitting in the front row with my Uncle (Lynn Kull of Altamont) and thinking that this is one of the coolest atmospheres in high school basketball.”
St. Elmo faced Teutopolis in the 1988 championship game and ultimately couldn’t quite pull off a fourth title to add to 1971, 1945 and 1942 crowns, but current St. Elmo/Brownstown coach Greg Feezel played for those Eagles and still remembers it well.
“This tournament has always been one of the best in the state,” said Feezel, the longest-tenured coach in the league in his 20th season and now also a representative of Brownstown fans who cherish their one NTC tournament championship in 1993. “I’ve always looked forward to this week.”
Tanner Thompson, now coaching for Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City Bobcats after playing in the tournament as a Cowden-Herrick Hornet, still gets a jolt out of the NTC tournament experience.
“It means everything,” said Thompson. “The atmosphere is electric and you are always on the edge of your seat.”
Cowden’s titles came in 1940 and 1952, while Beecher City’s lone championship occurred in 1968.
Dieterich has played in the last two title games and several others since joining the NTC in 2009, winning titles in 2013, 2015 and 2016.
“(Altamont High School’s) administration is always organized,” said current Dieterich coach Brent Bohnhoff, who’d love to add the Movin’ Maroons’ fourth tournament championship and his first to the school trophy case. “It has to be one of the top tournaments in the state. Winning the NTC Tournament has to be one of the biggest goals of the season. That feat will definitely be a tough task this season. Half of the field has a legit chance at winning it.”
What ties all the tradition and generational adoration of the tournament together is the fact that the programs are solid, the fans are knowledgeable and – most importantly – the teams are good and know how to compete.
This year is no different, with newcomer Cumberland immediately announcing its presence with the No. 1 seed in a crowded top half of the field that has collectively garnered its fair share of recognition throughout Illinois for scheduling, and in many cases seriously challenging or even defeating, some of the best teams in Class 1A and beyond.
“Everyone is tough,” said Snow. “This is the best 1A conference in the state and it’s not even close. There are great coaches in this league, which creates disciplined teams that are hard to beat every single night.
“The top of this conference is loaded and seeds probably won’t hold true as the tournament unfolds. Whoever ends up with the 4 and 5 seed in this tournament would be a 1 and 2 seed in other conference tournaments throughout the state.”
A good way to tie this all together is to talk to Justin Roedl, a 1996 Altamont grad who’s coached Cumberland 18 seasons and after all those years gets to come back and coach in the NTC tournament as the top seed on his old home floor.
“I looked forward to this tournament as a kid and made a point to attend/follow it as much as possible when I was away,” said Roedl. “My first memory of the NTC tournament has to be from 1990 when Altamont beat T-Town then St. Anthony to win it all.
“I know there were games I attended prior to those years but that tournament was so exciting and memorable since it was the first one Altamont had won in my lifetime and in over 40 years.
“I would have to say Curtis Schwarm and the Brownstown team that won it in 1993 was also one that stands out. There have been so many other memorable games, tournaments and players that I can’t really name them or I would be here all night writing them down.”
And now Roedl’s players, including his son, Cameron, get the opportunity to make some of those memories of their own.
“I’m excited to get to share this experience with our team and the entire Cumberland community,” said Roedl. “It’s a unique experience that will provide exciting basketball games and lifelong memories. It was always a great environment to play in and you couldn’t help but get up for each and every game … if you have never attended this tournament you are truly missing out!”