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Show Page 1C Lakeside Review Wednesday, March 20, 1985 Anyone who didnt include the Clearfield Falcons as a pick to figure highly in the battle for the state 4A girls basketball crown didnt talk to coach Margo Jones or any of her players. They have had the 1985 state basketball crown in their plans since summer. g dream beSaturday the Falcons came reality as they defeated Highland for the 4A State championship. Despite dropping four league contests and finishing tied for second in Region 1 with Weber, the Falcons entered the 4A tournament at the peak of their season. They put together four superb outings including a comeback from 12 points down with five minutes left against Brighton on Friday and a detirmined overtime win over Highland for the state title. Jones effused praise for her team. Its like the quote I told the girls. This is one time in your lives when you are the best You are the best girls basketball team in the state this year and no one can ever take that away from you, an elated Jones said. This team did almost everything that was asked of them, and their intensity level was as much as I could hope for they really played with their hearts. They had a lot of ability too. They are a very solid team, she added. You bet. Theyre solid from Dana Huffers best Mark Eaton impersonation blocking shots to Sue Burtons lithe ballhandling and clutch free throws to Ruth Blankenships defense and hustle and the consistent shooting of Jan-n- a Mower, Shelley Heaps and Lauri Wilcox. As elusive as the state championship game may be, Jones had an inkling her team would be there from the time the girls started games together last summer. playing pick-u- p I expected to be playing in the state championship game all year. There are some years that you just figure you have the players that can take you there. This year we had good size, all of them no matter who we had are good shooters on the floor, all five could score. We had good balance, and they were very unselfish. Ive never had a team that could pass the ball like this one can. 1 guess every once in a while during a career you get a group that does everything the coach asks of it, Jones said. Most coaches would probably settle for one such team in a career. These girls wanted to be in the championship game. They wanted it more than anyone else and I think thats why they got it I cant praise them enough. They had a dream and they went out and worked hard and accomplished it, Jones said. Although this is Jones second state title, this one is sweeter because it was harder-fougamong tougher competition. This was a special group of girls. It was year-lon- 53-5- 0. ht J t ,'J 1 I. - : ;v-- t !. , '. v. f f . ? V, y s-- Jsy : 7 . : " 'f i ' , J!,V T" 'yi - , i . , i;, i iM r ' f 4 c ir,ur - r - , ? "hid V'y ,.u. coach share the limelight and the trophy at a pep rally held in their honor Tuesday morning. and she comes into the game off the bench didnt lead the tournament in rebounds. She e and provides us with instant scoring punch. defense. played excellent She did a great job of that. Ruth Blankenship Ruthies maturity and She led us in scoring the Dana Huffer leadership was very important to us. She had of the tournament and of games first couple scorer and Brighton's leading Highland's doors the for some of our other that opened leading scorer most of the tirrie. CLEARFIELDS sixth player, Lauri Wilcox, demonstrates one way she comes off the bench to spark the team. Above, teammates and really something to hear them during timeouts. On Friday when they were behind they were telling each other, Were not through yet, and Saturday after each quarter it was, Were one step closer. Saturday we went nine deep and got scoring from eight. When Highland had to go to its sixth player they dropped. With their seventh they dropped more, and with their eighth they were really in trouble, Jones help-sid- said. , In addtittion to the championship game win over Highland, Jones said she was particularly pleased with the win over Brighton. Following are Jones comments on the roles of several of the players on her 1985 championship team. Jonna Mower Jana was the class center of the tournament. I havent seen the final tournament stats, but Ill be surprised if she niyj'i m centers. Laurie Wilcox '1 ' f Laurie is a streak shooter in X" iv players later on. The other teams keyed too much on Dana and she passed off to Janna for the assist. She is an excellent defensive player. She was a bright light this Angie Erwin season. She didnt play as a sophomore last year, but she really made improvements. In the Brighton game Annie Prokopis she had several key steals. She is a very intensive player. When we put her in against Brighton it was like we shifted gears. She is going to be a good Joy Trussel one. She is a great rebounder and went in and did an excellent job when Dana fouled out in the overtime against Highland. Sue Barton I think I will always remember the four pressure free throws against Brighton and the three against Highland Sue made that helped us seal up both wins. She made some sacrifices to play her role on this team. On some other teams she might have been the leading fcprpr, She was our leading scorer Shelly Heaps all year, but hit a slump in the tournament. She also had a cold and her stamina was down. I think' she felt a little disappointed, but she still hit enough of her outside shots that the other defenses couldnt camp around our ' ? r' V' X , 'gi . Vy '' Cl & 4 f'' 7-- . J y. . 'k.: Kj .. jjf : v v L -- ' 4U 4r VI, . J i 'y1 1 ; DANA HUFFER, lcox and Shelley above, high fives teammates Lauri WiHeaps after the state championship is theirs. At right, Ruth Blankenship and Angle Erwin demonstrate the hustle that wins championships as Sue Barton hustles to join the fray. V |