By Steve Pimper
MaxPreps.com
The annual Beehive State ritual known as “Frantic February” has completed its first two weeks of pilgrimages of schools from border to border competing for the title of 2008 state basketball champion as the final reward.
Seven schools so far have accomplished their preseason goal and carried home the gleaming gold prize to rest as the current centerpiece in their school’s trophy case as the showcase of Utah winter prep sports winds toward finality this week.
Leading the way is the Lady Rebels of Rich High School in the 1A ranks, successfully completing its year-long mission of redemption by disposing the Piute Lady Thunderbirds 57-43 in the title tilt at Sevier Valley Center.
After finishing second in the 2007 finals this Rebels' team dedicated an entire year of preparation, focus and sacrifice to complete the return trip to the championship game with only one goal in mind, finally win the last game of the year.
Tournament most valuable player Brittani Groll led the team through their four game tournament run and credited commitment and positive thinking to the success of this year’s championship squad…and of course teamwork.
Groll was joined on the All-Tournament team by Allie Eastman and Torey Smith as the Lady Rebels finished the season with a school best ever 23-1 mark and the first basketball title in the school’s history. The only loss of the year came to this year’s eventual 4A championship team, Sky View, with the Rebels then posting 19-straight victories.
Turning to the other classifications around the state, the 2A girls championship went to the Lady Rams of South Sevier as they throttled Richfield 59-36 in the finals thanks to a smothering pressure defense that created 28 turnovers.
The Lady Rams (22-2) placed three members on the All-Tourney squad, Jacee Curtis, Aubrey Lindgren and MVP, Jadi Parsons. Second place Richfield added Jaquel Christensen and McCall Nielsen to the elite team.
In the boys 2A division it was the Manti Templars making the four game run to the title and capping their surprising season with a 58-49 triumph over Parowan in the finals. Again it was a trio of All-Tournament selections leading the charge through the playoff competition with most valuable player, Tylan Jackson, sharing the star power with teammates David Hugentobler and Griffin Aste as the all-star team’s top three.
One of the most interesting stories in Utah state basketball championship history developed in the 3A classifications and had the media and Beehive State roundball historians scrambling through the archives looking to see if it had ever happened before…and apparently 2008 was the first and only time the unique scenario has ever become a reality.
That most strange and unusual circumstance was when the same two schools, Judge Memorial and Wasatch, survived the first three rounds of playoffs in both the girls and boys division, thus pairing the two schools in a one night, same venue, back-to-back contest for state championship titles.
The E-Center in West Valley City hosted the event and with both schools aiming for the historical sweep to the 3A titles the two teams shared the spotlight in the final outcome.
First the Lady Wasps of Wasatch capped a perfect 25-0 season with a 55-49 victory over the Lady Bulldogs as tourney MVP Tara Gehring netted 24 points in leading the Heber City team to it’s third state title in the past 12 years.
Responding to the pressure in the nightcap, the Judge Memorial Bulldogs boys squad grabbed their second state basketball crown in the past three seasons for legendary coach Jim Yerkovich by dumping the Wasps 77-65. The Bulldogs were paced by Noel Hollingsworth who posted a double-double (14-points and 12-rebounds) in giving the Judge team a final record of 22-3 on the year.
Moving to the girls 4A finals it was the Lady Bobcats of Sky View taking home the gold to Smithfield by denying the Lady Thunderbirds of Timpview a repeat of their 2007 performance by dumping the defending champs 54-42 in the season finale. Tournament MVP Amy Andrus of the Bobcats scored a team high 13 points in the championship game.
The 5A girls crown found its way back to Skyline high school after a one-year hiatus as the two Lady Eagles All-State stars and BYU-bound seniors Dani Peterson and Janteal Jackson proved too much for American Fork as Skyline captured the title in a close 60-56 final.
The spotlight is currently on the hardwood at Weber State University for the elite six-day 4A, 5A boys championships and all prep fans are wondering if the dominance of the two highly-favored defending champions from Utah County will be broken.
In 4A, it’s coach Craig Drury’s Provo Bulldogs looking to better their already best state championship mark of 16 state titles while in 5A it's head coach Quincy Lewis’ No. 6 ranked prep team in the entire nation, Lone Peak, looking to again cut down the nets on Saturday.
Both teams have moved into the quarterfinals without really being tested as Provo ousted Sky View 61-47 in their opening round and Lone Peak blitzed Fremont 69-47 in their 5A curtain raiser.
Provo will face Pine View on Thursday after the Panthers escaped with a 51-48 come from behind win over Highland on Tuesday. Other first round 4A winners included Timpview (71-48 over Roy), Murray (54-48 victors over Springville), Snow Canyon (76-54 over West), Mountain Crest (61-51 vs. Mountain View), Woods Cross (57-56 vs. Olympus) and Bountiful who was pushed hard before pulling away late to dump Granger 73-63.
The biggest challenge to spoil the Lone Peak repeat as 5A kingpins may come from the only still undefeated team in that classification, the Davis High Darts. Coach jay Welk’s Darts moved their record to 21-0 on the year by whipping Timpanogos 63-54 on Monday and need to get by Alta (a 50-39 victor over Riverton) on Wednesday to set up the semi-final clash versus Lone Peak in a most anticipated showdown.
Other first round playoff survivors still in the mix for the 5A crown are Bingham (over Weber 46-35), Brighton (73-53 vs. Hunter), Clearfield (upset winners over highly-touted Pleasant Grove 52-47) and two teams that both won in overtime on Monday to avoid elimination by lower seeded squads as Viewmont slipped by Spanish Fork 63-55 and West Jordan squeezed by Skyline 62-53 in their extra period affairs.
