Friends of Basketball

Harold “Bud” Lachel

Year Inducted: 2002

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations:
Cary Grove High School
(Streator) Woodland High School
Streator High School

Biography:

Harold “Bud” Lachel of West Dundee sharpened a lot of pencils and went through a lot of fountain pens since he started as the official scorekeeper for Cary Grove High School in 1967. He always did the varsity boys’ games and did the varsity girls’ games for several years.

In his years on the scorer’s bench, Lachel scored every home game except when he was on a girls’ state tourney assignment. In 1988, Lachel was assistant scorer at the boys’ Class AA state tournament and in 1989 he was the chief scorer. He really made his mark in the girls’ state tournament annals as he scored the final two Elite Eights held in Champaign.

Lachel also considers himself fortunate to have served as official scorer for all Class AA girls’ state tournament games in Bloomington and as assistant scorer for all Class A tourneys. He prides himself on the fact he missed only one rules interpretation meeting in his scoring career.

In 2016, Lachel was an IHSA Distinguished Service Award winner. He was inducted into the Illinois High School Scholastic Bowl Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007. He announced Cary Grove football for 30 years and started coaching boys’ and girls’ tennis at the school in 1969 and 1974 respectively.