Although Alexandria High School (Alexandria Monroe High School) participates in several sports through the IHSAA, their biggest success has been in mostly basketball. Tiger Basketball teams have won 12 sectional championships (1931, 1932, 1953, 1954, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1998, and 1999). The Tigers have won 3 Regional Titles (1995, 1998, and 1999) and one Semi State Title (1998). Alexandria Monroe High School captured their first State Championship at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Under the direction of legendary coach Garth Cone, the Tigers beat Southwestern High School 57-43.
Baseball at Alexandria has seen its own success over the years. The Tiger program has won 6 Sectional titles (1974, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1998, and 2013), 2 Regional Titles (1981 and 1998). In 1998, Alexandria made school and state history as it defeated Evansville Mater Dei, 4-3, to capture the IHSAA Class 2A state title at Victory Field in Indianapolis. The second-ranked Tigers, who finished 25-4 under coach Monte Sprague, won the school’s first state championship in baseball and also became the first school in state history to win a basketball and baseball championship in the same year.
The IHSAA Executive Committee selected J.D. Closser of Alexandria High School as the recipient of the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A Baseball. Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA corporate partner, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Alexandria High School in Closser’s name. After graduation, JD was selected in the major league baseball draft, being selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Football at Alexandria High School had its beginning in 1897. They lost their first game to Summitville on Nov. 12, 1897 by a score of 36-4. Later on Thanksgiving Day they lost to Anderson 42-0. Alexandria’s first football victory was over Anderson, 12-11, on Oct. 5, 1901. Shortly after the turn of the century football was abandoned as a major sport at A.H.S., but it returned on Sept. 20, 1940. The first Homecoming game was held on Oct. 13, 1950, with the Lions Club as sponsor. The Tigers defeated Delphi, 13-7, to make the day a success. The homecoming festivities lasted Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and included such events as a tractor pull, band concert, parade, luncheon of the Downtown Coaches Club, pep rally, carnival, amateur hour, and religious services.
The Alexandria Tigers have had success in other sports over the years: girl’s basketball (Sectional wins- 1989, 1996, 2000, and 2002- Regional win- 2000), volleyball (Sectional win in 1977), wrestling (Sectional win in 1983), boys tennis (Sectional wins- 1997, 1999, and 2002), girls tennis (Sectional win in 2012), girls track (Sectional win in 2002), softball (Sectional wins- 1985, 1986, and 2008), girls bowling, and boys bowling.
