I will have to admit that this did not originally start out as an idea for a column. Rather it began with me updating the career 1,000 point scorers at New Ulm High School, Minnesota Valley Lutheran and New Ulm Cathedral after four players — Connor Foley and Joey Batt of NUHS, Jake Kettner of MVL and Nate Hauser of Cathedral — all scored their 1,000th career point this season.

At around that same time, I was going through a small cabinet at home and — I am going to date myself now –found some old District 10 basketball tournament books from the mid 60s that I had put away and forgotten about.

Then later at an MVL game, I asked Kory Kettner, an assistant coach with the Chargers, if he remembered how many career points he had scored at Nicollet High School as his son Jake had earlier scored his 1,000 career point.

One thing led to another when Craig Morgan, the head boys’ basketball coach at MVL, gave me a name I could contact who may have the info I wanted regarding Kory’s career stats.

(NOTE: I did not put a list together for all three New Ulm schools as that will be updated after this season.)

When I finally finished with the help of Matt Pederson of the Minnesota Basketball News, I now know that Kory has 1,489 career points for the Raiders, which is third behind Ben Kettner (1,594) and Tony Hulke (1,583).

But then I did some more digging out of curiosity about area schools.

Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop’s top boys’ scorer is Seth Schuette with 1,882 points. Kendall Peterson is Madelia’s top scorer with 1,407, although in 1953, Madelia had two players — LeRoy German and Paul Olson — both go over the 1,000 career point mark.

Ryan Meyer is Sleepy Eye High School’s career scorer with 1,574 points with Sean Mathiowetz leading Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s with 1,838 points. Isaac Fink continues to set records for Springfield and now has more than 2,000 career points.

Zach Brandts is St. James’ all-time scorer with 1,888 points.

And there are also some career scoring marks that will never be broken. Remember when I said I was going through some old District 10 books?

These upcoming records will never be broken because their high schools no longer exist, being taken up in mergers.

Jon Hagen of Belview finished with 2,198 points. Dean Pederson of Echo scored 1,129 points and Dick Olson of Franklin scored 1,088 points. Dan Larson of Hanska High School finished with 1,075 followed by Warren Blomquist with 1,031. Tom Masterson of Walnut Grove, who was named the mythical Mr. Basketball in 1967, totaled 1,688.

Roger Rogotzke of Fairfax High School with 1,139 points and Jim Hopp of Gibbon High School finished with 1,210 points. And John Majeski is Winthrop’s top career scorer with 1,137 points.

Jim Gallery scored 1,327 for Morton.

And for all of these scorers for schools that no longer exist, remember that they totaled these points without the aid of a 3-point shot and played four, 8-minute quarters and not two, 18-minute halfs.

One wonders how many points Hagen, who finished with 2,198 points, could have scored if there was a 3-point line and longer games in his era.

As for girls, Kim Hopp led Gibbon with 1,066 points. Halley Busse tops GFW with 3,174. Cali Hines scored 1,164 points for Madelia.

Emily Skrien scored 1,655 points for Nicollet. Claire Krumbach tops Sleepy Eye with 1,511 and Molly Mathiowetz leads Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s with 1,709. Vishe’ Rabb tops Springfield with 1,729.

All told, there are 159 players — boys and girls — who have broken the 1,000 career mark in the area since 1951.

And I still enjoy going through those old District 10 basketball programs over 50 years later just for the memories.