45 seasons later, Cascade's Marshall still going strong

CASCADE - Al Marshall's very first basketball team, at the old Aquin High School in Cascade, featured a senior you're probably familiar with.This was 45 years ago, and the rookie coach was fresh out of college. Aquin went 17-6 with Marshall's guidance and the help of a guard named Gary Dolphin.You know him these days as the radio voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes."A great leader," Marshall said. "Leader is the word that comes to mind with him."Winner is the word that comes to mind when you talk about Marshall. That, and longevity.The 67-year-old Calamus native is seven wins shy of 700 for his career, the third most successful active coach in the state. This is the sixth Cascade team Marshall has taken to the state tournament.The Cougars (21-3) play South Hamilton (21-3) in a Class 2A quarterfinal Monday night at 8:15 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines."You know, my wife has always said if we weren't so successful that first season, maybe I would have switched and done something meaningful with my life," laughed Marshall. "I don't think I would have stayed in coaching if (winning) was my goal. It's about developing kids as players and people."Marshall has worked on one-year contracts in recent seasons but doesn't hint at retirement. He quips that he'll keep coaching as long as Cascade lets him.With the success he has had season in and season out, thanks in large part to his trademark 2-3 zone defense, you doubt that will come anytime soon."We know what he's talking about," said leading scorer Haris Takes. "We just know what we have to do."Marshall has never won a state championship, his best finish coming in 2001 (third place). Perhaps this team will win it all, and he can ride off into the coaching sunset.It'd be a great way to go out."When I first started coaching, the kids were 18 years old," Marshall said. "They're still 18 years old, but I'm a little older. It's still fun, though. It really is. I enjoy the kids."