South Gray girls back on top in Class 1A
By RANDY GONZALES
Pressure.
Andy Gillen felt it as the first-year coach for the Montezuma-South Gray prep girls' basketball team.
His players have been under the gun, too. After winning the Class 1A state tournament in 2008, the Rebels lost to St. John in last year's title game.
"I think there obviously was pressure there; people have expectations on us," Gillen said.
This year, South Gray was undefeated and the No. 1 seed at state. The Rebels were pushed to the limit in Friday night's championship game, outlasting previously undefeated Argonia, 57-51 in overtime at Gross Memorial Coliseum.
"I'm just so proud of these girls," Gillen said. "For them to go through a coaching change, for us to have a mark on our back all year long, they just hung in there no matter what.
"I just think it shows what kind of character they have, and we found a way to win. That's all we've done all year long," he added.
It didn't look good for South Gray in the fourth quarter. The Rebels were trailing 42-38 to start the period, but offset an Argonia basket with a pair of 3-pointers -- from sophomore Hannah Thomas and senior Brigit Hesser -- to tie the game at 44-44.
The two teams got a pair of free throws before Argonia junior guard Allison Brewster got the rebound of her own missed shot and scored inside with 1:05 left to give the Raiders a 48-46 lead.
The teams exchanged turnovers before Thomas was fouled going up for a shot with 3.5 seconds left. She made both at the line to tie it at 48-48.
"I never had any doubt," Thomas would make the free throws, Gillen said. "Hannah's only a sophomore, but she's about as clutch a player you'll meet, and I wouldn't have chosen anybody to be on the line but her."
Hesser stole the inbounds pass after Thomas' free throws and passed the ball to senior Kayla Thomas, whose 15-footer with one second left rimmed out, sending the game into overtime.
Argonia was hurt by the absence of its leading scorer, junior Ashton Stansbury, in the overtime. Stansbury, who missed the front end of a pair of one-and-ones in the fourth quarter, finished with 14 points before fouling out late in regulation.
In the extra session, Argonia scored first, on a basket by junior Morgan Tracy. The Raiders added a free throw by freshman Jaci Peetoom to go up by three, but Skidmore converted a three-point play with 1:37 left to make it 51-51.
Kayla Thomas was fouled with 55 seconds left and made both free throws to give South Gray the lead. Brewster missed a driving shot on the other end, and Peetoom missed the put-back. Hesser rebounded Peetoom's miss and was fouled.
Hesser swished both of her free throws with 21 seconds remaining to give South Gray (28-0) a four-point lead. Argonia then turned the ball over and Skidmore scored on a layup with eight seconds left.
"She does so many things for our team," Gillen said of Skidmore, who finished with a game-high 18 points. "She's so athletic, she's difficult to guard, she makes plays all the time."
The teams were tied at 18 after the first quarter before Argonia (27-1) took a 30-28 halftime lead.
South Gray was leading 38-37 in the third quarter before Argonia got a 3-pointer from junior Brooke Boatright and two free throws by Peetoom to lead by four points entering the fourth period.
After Skidmore's 16, Hesser added 12 points and Kayla Thomas finished with 10 for South Gray. Behind Stansbury's 14, Brewster scored 13 for Argonia.
"It's the state championship," Gillen said. "We knew it was going to be tough, and we knew it was going to go down to the end, and we were going to have to fight all the way.
"There were times when it felt like things were coming unraveled," Gillen added. "We just kept finding ways to hang in there, and this team is now 82-2 the last three years. These girls don't know how to lose. All they know is to win, and it showed tonight, and it showed all year long, because nobody could ever beat us."
Third place girls
St. John 43, St. Paul 35
St. John, last year's state champ, took third with its win over St. Paul.
Sophomore Teresa Wade scored 13 points for St. John (26-2) and freshman Jamie Waters added 11 points, including 7-of-8 free throws in the final 58 seconds.
Junior Morgan Westhoff led St. Paul (25-2) 14 points, including a buzzer-beating 40-footer to end the first half. Senior Allison O'Brien added 13 points.
Boys' championship
Hanover 58, South Gray 49
The final score did not reflect the dominance of Hanover as it repeated as state champions.
The Wildcats ran over the Rebels in the first half, leading 32-13 at the break. Hanover outrebounded South Gray 27-14 in the first 16 minutes.
South Gray (26-2) closed the gap with full-court pressure and fouling in the second half, getting as close as nine in the third quarter before trailing 40-28 entering the fourth.
Hanover (27-1) converted 12-of-26 free throws in the fourth quarter, allowing South Gray to close the final margin to single digits.
Hanover placed four players in double figures, led by junior Connor Hynek's 15 points.
Senior guard Chase Clancy scored on a variety of drives to the basket to lead South Gray with 28 points. Clancy finished 11-of-28 shooting, including 0-of-10 from 3-point range.