OCR Text |
Show MARCH 17, 1987 I Clearfield Falcons capture girls basketball crown By TOM HARALDSEN In the end, it was MURRAY no contest. As happened a year ago when Woods Cross destroyed state Cyprus to win the girls basketball title, Clearfield earned its second title in three years Satur-da- y 4-- A night by blasting young in the tournaTaylorsville 59-3- 2 ment final at Murray High. Thus ended a Falcon tournament in which they won four games by an average margin of over 25 points. Every starter produced both offensively and defensively, Clearfield avenged its only loss of the year, and coach Margo Jones had her third state title in basketball. And the news got better. With four of five starters coming back, many Falcon supporters are already looking forward to 1988, k titles. and possible Both teams are young, with only two seniors among the 10 starters who took the floor. But from the beginning, it was obvious that the Falcons had the much more consistent unit, as the second half bore out. back-to-bac- Clearfield came out fast, and spread the offense. Kim Hill scored a pair of baskets. Promise McIntosh added a score, and Amber Poll tallied to help build a 4 lead. But the Warriors hung tough, as sophomore Natalie Williams, a budding superstar like Hill, actually gave Taylorsville an 7 lead with a minute to go in the first quarter. But Clearfield regained the lead for good when McIntosh scored on a rebound with 10 seconds left. The Falcons led 0 after one. Slowly that lead increased in the second quarter, as Clearfield tried to shake the pesky Warriors, Joy Trussel, who has really taken command the past month, began scoring well inside, and only four baskets by Williams, who was the only Warrior offense all game, allowed Taylorsville to remain close. At the Senior Drew Frongner finished off the season very well, break, Clearfield led all tournament long for Clearfield. The playing steadily The Falcons have been a strong won this years championship, and have now amassed second half team most of the year, 11-- 1 an state tournament record the past three seasons. and at least Saturday night, the Warriors were anything but strong I,.., after the break. A basket by Hill and a pair of hoops by Trussel helped Clearfield to a 2 lead, but a three-poishot by Warrior Vida Powell made it 5 at the 4:00 mark. From there, it was all Falcons. Clearfield McIntosh scored inside, Trussel Olympus followed with a bank shot, and Cathy Kelsey rang the bell for two. Poll sank a free throw, and Drew Clearfield Bountiful Frogner scored with 10 seconds 5 left. It was after three Clearfield periods, and the rout was on. American After Trussel had opened the fourth period with a score, Williams answered for the Warriors. Clearfield Taylorsville But Clearfield ran off the next 13 points to put the icing on the cake. McIntosh scored at the 6:10 mark, and Poll sank two freebies with 5:46 left. McIntosh banked in a rebound with 4:50 to go, then added a pair of free throws 35 seconds later. Hill sank a basket and free throw, and Poll followed with 2:41 left. It was and the Falcon starters, the state champions, began coming out. Taylorsville clearly was taken out of a team game, as Williams had 21 points and Powell seven. That meant only two other baskets were scored by players from the Warriors. Meanwhile, the Falcons used a tight defense to limit the Warrior ball movement, and a number of long outside shots by Taylorsville in the final half went unanswered. 7 Clearfield shot from the field in the game, for 44 percent. But the Warriors were held to just 12 points in the second half, and shot only 14 of 46 (30 percent). McIntosh and Trussel were magnificent inside, scoring 15 and 14 points respectively. It was further evidence of the balance of a Clearfield team that had relied heavily on guards Hill and Poll through most of the season. We all peaked at the right time, Jones said in the middle of a e celebration at midcourt. When other teams began putting pressure on our guardline, the big kids inside really responded. This is by far the best team Ive ever coached. In what had to be considered a travesty of justice, only one Falc'pn made the team, and that was Trussel. The voting system used to determine such teams seems somewhat suspect, because several teams that placed in the tournament had no players named to the elite" squad. STAFF PHOTO BY JIM HASKETT But in the end, Clearfield had chamgained a far better prize-t- he Super sophomore Kim Hill, shown here driving around pionship trophy that Jones and her was superb all season Taylorsvilles Cheryl Keil for a lay-iplayers thought they would win all 1986-8- 7 She not only won the Davis County scoring title, but is Falcons of The long. time. the a likely were far and away the best selection as well. girls basketball team in Utah. It was no contest. 7-- 8-- 11-1- 26-2- 0. Fal-co- ns I Pi 32-2- March to the championship nt 32-2- s'"-- ' M sA STAFF PHOTO BY JIM HASKETT Junior Amber Poll of Clearfield drives around Taylorsvilles Sally Higginson en route to a basket during the Lady Falcons 2 state championship victory Saturday night. Poll was a factor all season long for the talented Falcons. 59-3- Despite glossy record, the Falcons had to prove it again By TOM HARALDSEN MURRAY They went through the league season at 10-and entered the tournament with a 19-- 1 mark. They had perhaps the best two-guacombination in the state, had literally murdered opponents outside, and were starting to take command inside. Still, entering last weeks girls state basketball tournament at Murray High, the Clearfield Fal 0, rd 4-- A cons had to prove themselves all over again. No one has respect for Region One, coach Margo Jones said afterwards. Every year they overlook the northern teams. They say we arent tested before we come to state. Well, the state championship has been won in Davis County the last three years, and look how the other schools did this year. With a fourth place finish by Weber, and a fifth place finish by Bountiful, Jones point is well taken. Still, there were a number of people who wondered if the Falcons had been tested, and if they could live up to their pre- tournament publicity. Clearfield opened with Olym- -' pus, not the strongest team from Region Three but no slouch either. The Titans kept things close in the Continued on next page 71 49 64 32 58 Fork36 59 32 41-2- 56-2- 7, 25-2- post-gam- & a STAFF PHOTO BY JIM HASKETT of a guardline that paced the Falcons to a 19-- 1 regular season record, and teamed with inside scorers Joy Trussel, Promise McIntosh and Cathy Kelsey to capture the state title. Poll was part I;, : n n, 4-- A all-sta- te : :n |