The sign outside the Pocahontas County town of Palmer highlights the phenomenal success of the high school boys basketball team in the 1980s. A string of three consecutive championships began in 1986, with the 1988 team setting an Iowa all-time team scoring record, averaging 103.9 points per game during the season and tournament. The Palmer High School Panthers strung together a remarkable 103 wins before losing in the semifinals of the state tournament in 1989.

Like numerous small school districts in Iowa, Palmer merged with nearby Pomeroy in 1990. The combined Pomeroy-Palmer district brought home state championships in boys basketball in 1994, 2001, and 2002. The communities have since seen further consolidation; this year is their first as part of the Pocahontas Area school district based in the nearby county seat.