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Z motion 10 out on 2
01-18-2005, 11:50 AM
Vernon, Graham meet in 5-3A action
By Andy Newberry/Times Record News
January 18, 2005

Vernon or Graham can't win the District 5-3A championship tonight -- it's just the second date of district -- but the winner will take a big step in that direction.

The Steers (19-2, 1-0) play at Fulton Gym in Vernon tonight against the Lions (16-5, 1-0). Tip-off will be around 8 p.m. and follow the girls varsity contest.

"Every one is big, but it's a special matchup and I know our kids will be ready for it," Vernon coach Jeff Bontrager said.

As for the district race, Bontrager said, "the teams that can put together the most consistent minutes and play down the stretch will win. We have to protect the ball and have good efficiency down the stretch."

Graham is led by senior post Lee Berend, who averages close to 27 points and 14 rebounds.

The Lions are sparked by guards Wade Havins (14.8 points, 58 3-pointers) and Eric Favors (13.8 points, 4.6 assists, 49 3-pointers).

Z motion 10 out on 2
01-18-2005, 11:53 AM
Last year Graham beat Vernon in both regular season matches needing overtime to do it. They met in the Area round where Graham with 6 seconds left took the ball full court and scored a jumpshot buzzer beater to advance to the regional tournament over Vernon by 1 point.

The Graham crowd at that playoff game was terrible. I can't recall a more hostile crowd than at that game. Vernon will pack the house tonight trying to get some revenge.

This should be a great matchup.

VWG
01-18-2005, 04:38 PM
Lions by 6.
Graham will try to run them to death... but if Vernon can hit a high percentage on their perimeter shots then the Lions will take it.
I think the Berend kid from Graham is the real deal. Nice touch, pretty quick and can hit the boards.... but no shooters on the rest of the team.

Z motion 10 out on 2
01-18-2005, 05:33 PM
I'm going to go to this one tonight, (although I don't really like basketball) but I just can't pick the Lions over Graham in anything until I actually see it happen.

Your right on about the Berend kid. Very, very good player. Vernon does have a good team with three of the guys being 3 year starters. But I'm not sure they can get over the mental thing.

I hope it is a good close one and not a blow out.

VWG
01-18-2005, 06:17 PM
Be sure and keep the downlow posted with post game scores and your thoughts.

The kid from Vernon, Havins, has a good shot.
Graham has played a tough schedule. Won both tournaments they played in, although the Bridgeport tournament was weak.
Vernon has played some good clubs as well. Vernon has beaten a good 4A club in WF High and if I am not mistaken they lost to another 4A club that is usually a playoff team in Burkburnett. Vernon also won a tournament or two so again it should be an exciting game.

Z motion 10 out on 2
01-19-2005, 01:08 PM
It was good for three periods. Graham's defense was much better than Vernon's and that was the difference. Both teams still made a lot of mistakes. And also they both made some big shots too. Hope they get the mistakes cleared up before playoff time. #3 for Graham played great defense all night. Both teams had a lot of fouls but they spread it out as no one fouled out.

Graham looked ever bit as good at they are ranked.

Spaceman_Spiff
01-19-2005, 03:02 PM
It was a good ball game, tied 48-48 going into the 4th quarter. Graham had 9 point leads 3 times in the game, but an untimely turnover or two let Vernon back in, and the Lions hit a couple of clutch shots to keep the game close.

Graham's crowd is passionate about the game, but as far as being bad, I'm sure most teams would like to have the Steer fans behind them. Both crowds were loud last night, and both crowds seemed to lift their team with their enthusiasm. I didnt get to attend the playoff game last year, but from what I heard, the fans from both sides were fairly rabid in support of their team.

Z, if I had known you were going to be at the game last night, it would have been nice to meet you. We have met one time, but I would rather not say where on here, but it was nice to meet you then.

Z motion 10 out on 2
01-19-2005, 04:20 PM
Dang too bad I didn't get a chance to chat with you at the game. I actually left with about two minutes to go as Graham had already made a good run and gotten ahead by 10. Yes indeed the Steer fans were very loud and not disrespectful at all like last years playoff game. I would hate to be a player trying to make a free throw down there on that student section. They would be chatting "Air Ball" to me after my shot. :)

It makes for great rivalries, but Vernon has got to start winning some of these games. I know for myself, I'm sick of losing to Graham every year in every sport (save tennis, which I don't watch). But with that being said, I will probably not see any other B-Ball games this year and I only went last night because it was Graham. So I guess a rivalry gets the fans out.

I'm pretty sure I remember meeting you. My son was with me at the time and the home team suffered a loss. I have had such a great time meeting folks all over the state the past several years. It's funny when my wife and I take a trip, I say hey, Chief Woodman lives down here in Decatur, or HighschoolFan lives out here by Gainesville, etc. She always laughs, but I tell her I have my peoples out all over the state!

VWG
01-19-2005, 07:13 PM
How many kids on that Vernon basketball team play football?
I know Hall, Favors, and Schur... any others?
If I am not mistaken I think Graham only has one or two kids that played football on the basketball team.

Z motion 10 out on 2
01-20-2005, 10:42 AM
Originally posted by VWG
How many kids on that Vernon basketball team play football?
I know Hall, Favors, and Schur... any others?
If I am not mistaken I think Graham only has one or two kids that played football on the basketball team.

Hall, Favors, Schur, Sparkman, Bell, & Weitner. All of these guys are starters except for Bell and Schur. But Schur did get a lot of playing time the other night. I don't recall Bell getting in.

I think our best player is Havins and he also is a baseball player. Seems like the same kids play all of the sports. Schur also plays baseball and runs track. Hall, Favors, and Sparkman run track as well. I can't remember if Weitner plays baseball or not.

I know last year when we played football so long more than half the starters didn't start playing basketball until well when football ended and that was the game before state. It took them a few weeks to get going then they made the playoffs and then the same ones that ran track and played baseball started late in those sports because of the basketball playoffs. I'm not complaining though!

I'm sure it helps when you concentrate on one or two sports.

superslyguy06
01-20-2005, 10:47 AM
sorry to say, i am one of those loud and obnoxious ghs kids. yeah, were passionate about all our sports and back all our teams 100%, but i dont' know if id go so far as to say were bad. personally, i do believe that most teams would like to have a group like us behind them. but the game was great, lots of mistakes but hey, they can play bball, i can't. but im ready for the IP game here in g-town on friday night. GO STEERS!

Z motion 10 out on 2
01-20-2005, 10:54 AM
Originally posted by superslyguy06
sorry to say, i am one of those loud and obnoxious ghs kids. yeah, were passionate about all our sports and back all our teams 100%, but i dont' know if id go so far as to say were bad. personally, i do believe that most teams would like to have a group like us behind them. but the game was great, lots of mistakes but hey, they can play bball, i can't. but im ready for the IP game here in g-town on friday night. GO STEERS!

The crowd was behind the Steers the other night but didn't chant the things that they did at the playoff game last year. It is very good to have your crowd behind you. But last year there were signs that read "small school" in refernce to Vernon's Regional Football Championship--meant to be degrading, and the crowd chanted inappropriate language. Very poor taste. I'm sure that if the Vernon fans had signs that read "1 and Done" it would upset many of the Graham players and fans.

Of course the only way to stop that type of behavior is to win and Vernon just can't seem to do that.

Z motion 10 out on 2
01-20-2005, 10:59 AM
Graham does have a very good basketball team---again this year. Of course Graham has been putting out great teams in every sport, every year.

I know last year when Vernon finally beat Graham at something (Baseball) when the teams were shaking hands at the end of the game one of the Steer players told my son, "Its about time" and my son was mad about it and I told him well he was right.

Then he laughed and said I guess so. We have had some great rivalries with Graham and Iowa Park and I'm glad that we have three really good teams in our district. I do feel sorry for Hirschi as they are getting creamed in everything now. Heck, I bet they would rather be back in 4A were they at least have a chance to beat one team (Burk).

VWG
01-20-2005, 05:14 PM
Originally posted by Z motion 10 out on 2
Graham does have a very good basketball team---again this year. Of course Graham has been putting out great teams in every sport, every year.

I know last year when Vernon finally beat Graham at something (Baseball) when the teams were shaking hands at the end of the game one of the Steer players told my son, "Its about time" and my son was mad about it and I told him well he was right.

Then he laughed and said I guess so. We have had some great rivalries with Graham and Iowa Park and I'm glad that we have three really good teams in our district. I do feel sorry for Hirschi as they are getting creamed in everything now. Heck, I bet they would rather be back in 4A were they at least have a chance to beat one team (Burk).

I cannot understand the WF Hirschi situation. The downslide must have started when they opened up City View High School and also let students within Wichita Falls go to any school they wanted to. Instead of having the boundaries drawn for WF Rider, WF High, and WF Hirschi. Hirschi used to be a strong playoff contender in football and basketball, and track teams would send kids to state on a regular basis...... but now, man how far they've fallen.

Z motion 10 out on 2
01-21-2005, 03:09 PM
Maybe the will get things together in the next couple of years. But yes, I do remember that they always had great athletes there.