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TRI-CENTRAL
ROLLS TO SECOND STRAIGHT SMALL SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP
Tri-Central had to go down
to the wire a year ago to win this game and that experience paid off this time
as the Trojans successfully defended their Class A state championship at Conseco Fieldhouse in
Indianapolis.
The Trojans (21-6) gained the
upper-hand mid-way through the first period on an Andrea DeWitt fast-break
bucket that put her team up 9-7 and they never trailed again going on to a
46-36 victory over Washington Catholic.
Last year, Tri-Central
rallied from a six-point deficit in the final two minutes to defeat defending
champ North Vermillion, 57-55. Kathie Layden, in her
fifth year, was the coach during both championship seasons.
Three Trojans players scored
in double figures for the winners with Meranda
Burnett leading the way with 15 points and seven assists. Kristen Miller and Janel Cox added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Miller also
pulled down seven boards. Burnett and Miller were the only returning starters
from last year’s title squad.
Washington Catholic (22-4),
making its first appearance in the girls basketball state finals, was led in
scoring by Andrea Hauser’s 12 points and six rebounds. Anne Wichman
tallied 11 points. As a team, the Cardinals connected on 37.5 percent of their
field goals (15-40), but couldn’t drop a three pointer, missing all eight
attempts.
Tri-Central led by a 22-16
count at halftime but extended that lead to 38-26 at the end of the third
period. The Trojans led by as many as 16 points on two occasions in the fourth
period at 42-26 and 44-28.
Washington Catholic, the
smallest school ever to compete in the girls state
finals with 93 students enrolled in four grades, was coached by first year
leader Jim Mackey.
Kristen Miller of
Tri-Central Named Winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award
Kristen
Miller of
At the conclusion of the girls basketball state finals, the IHSAA Executive Committee
presents the award to the outstanding senior in the state finals
competition. The recipient of this award, who was nominated by her principal and coach,
must excel in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in
girls basketball.
Academically,
Kristen ranks No. 14 in her class of 79 and is a member of the National Honor
Society. She also is a member of the
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, French Club, Varsity
Choir and is President of the Students Against Destructive Decisions. She has captured the Positive Trojan Award
and was a Girls State Representative in 2003.
Her college choice is still undecided.
Kristen
is also a four-year member of the Trojans volleyball and track & field
squads.
She
is the daughter of Roger and Panda Miller of Windfall, Indiana.
Farm
Bureau Insurance, IHSAA corporate partner, presented a $1,000.00 scholarship to
New IHSAA Book, Play
On, Recaps 100 Years Of High School Sports in
Looking for
holiday gift ideas? The exciting new book, Play On, celebrating 100 years of
high school sports in
Team Posters And Individual Action Photographs Available
Visit 20-20 Photographic, the IHSAA’s photographer and the
For t-shirts and other
merchandise commemorating this year’s tournament or for any of our events,
visit our friends at Morris,
Inc.
State Finals Programs
Available
Couldn’t be there for the state
finals? You can still purchase a copy of the official program while supplies
last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in person at the IHSAA Office (
Class A
Game Quotes
Tri-Central Coach Kathie Layden
“We spent all week preparing
for them and trying to shut down (Anne) Wichman. I thought that our defense really won us the
game. We did some great things
offensively, but it was our defense all season long and it paid off throughout
the tournament and today. Those of you
who know me know I really don’t like to zone.
You wouldn’t really know it from watching most of that game. I think if you play a really good man-to-man
defense it is like playing a matchup zone. I knew they (Washington Catholic) were not a
great outside shooting team and that was not one of their strengths. They liked to put the ball on the floor,
penetrate and drive to the basket. But
the 2-3 zone made it a bit more difficult for them to
penetrate.”
(On the second half
(On Kristin Miller winning
the Mental Attitude Award) “Kristin Miller is very deserving of the award. She is a great kid, good student, and is a
role model that you would want your kids to be like.”
(On winning back-to-back
titles) “Our motivation came from last year’s success. We returned only two starters in Meranda Burnett and Kristen Miller, but I think with Janel Cox and the other girls just being a part of that
team really helped to motivate them to get back here. They worked extra hard with that motivation
and it really made a difference.
Hopefully that will carry over again to next year.”
Tri-Central’s Meranda
Burnett
“I think the important keys
to the game were defense and rebounding.
They always are the most important keys.
They (Washington Catholic) started three 5-10 girls…we knew it was
important to block out and rebound. We
knew their ball handlers were decent but we wanted to pressure them to handle
the ball against our press.”
“Tri-Central did a real job
in keeping the ball in (Meranda) Burnett’s hands a
lot. We needed to keep her from controlling the game as much as she did. Give
credit to Tri-Central. They deserve all the credit in the world. They
out-played us most of the game.”
“Defensively we did a nice
job. But we never got in a position to take control of the game. Tri-Central
was just a little bit better than us today and we didn’t do enough offensively
to put us in a position to come back.”
“We didn’t shoot or rebound
the ball well enough and some of our girls lost their composure. We had a great
year. Our seniors are an outstanding group. Most of them have been three-year
starters. We’re disappointed today, but later if we look back it was a great season.”
“In the third quarter, we
needed to come out and establish some momentum. We didn’t do that and
Tri-Central was able to control the rest of the game.”