Phone: 317-846-6601 Fax: 317-575-4244 Website: www.ihsaa.org
Blake Ress, Commissioner
_________________________________________________________________________
March 3, 2007
HERITAGE
CHRISTIAN WINS BACK-TO-BACK 2A TITLES
Heritage
Christian claimed its second 2A championship in as many years with a 62-44 win
over the Jimtown Jimmies. The Eagles were led by center Courtney Turner’s
18 point scoring effort. Heritage Christian caps off their 26-3 season with the
state title at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Eagles
jumped out to a 12-0 lead and never looked back. They held Jimtown to only five
points in the first quarter and held a 28-16 advantage at halftime. The lead
ballooned to as much as 23 points at 47-24 with 7:30 to go.
The Eagles
balanced scoring attack was too much for the Jimtown defense. Kelly Faris and
Bre Jones joined Turner in double figures with 16 and 12 points, respectively.
Faris also pulled down 10 rebounds.
Jimtown was
led in scoring by freshman guard Sarah Deshone’s 20 point effort. Deshone
shot 6-for-7 from behind the 3-point arc shattering not just the 2A record for
most three-pointers made by an individual but the overall state finals record
as well. Robin Houchins of
Heritage
Christian set a 2A state finals record with 17 team assists and the 18 point
difference also was a class record for margin of victory. Heritage Christian also
is the second 2A school to repeat as state champions. Fort Wayne Bishop Luers
won three titles in a row from 1999 to 2001.
The senior
class for Heritage Christian has played in the state finals three of the last
four years. Led by second year Head Coach Rick Risinger, the Eagles are 51-6
with two championships in his two years at the helm.
Jimtown was
making its first appearance in the state finals under 25th year
coach Gene Johnson. The Jimmies finished 24-3.
KRISTINE
HOSINSKI NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD WINNER
Following
the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Kristine Hosinski of
The award is
presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was
nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental
attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability.
Besides
basketball, Hosinski also play volleyball and tennis, is a member of the
Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the National Honor Society. She is also a
member of the school’s yearbook staff, works as a cadet teacher for
second graders and is an active member of her church youth group.
Academically,
she is on track to complete an Indiana Academic Honors Diploma with a 3.58 GPA.
Hosinski plans to attend
She is the
daughter of Mike and Karen Hosinski of Osceola.
Indiana
Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a
$1,000 scholarship to Jimtown High School in the name of Hosinski.
The award
is named in honor of the former IHSAA assistant commissioner Patricia L. Roy,
who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976
until her retirement in 1999.
VSN MEANS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY
Visit our
friends at Visual Sports Network, the
IHSAA’s official photographer for all state championship events and one
of the leading action photographers in the
CHAMPIONSHIP MERCHANDISE STILL AVAILABLE
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
souvenir program while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in
person at the IHSAA Office (
POST-GAME
QUOTES
Gene
Johnson, Jimtown Head Coach
“Heritage
Christian shot the ball extremely well and is a very physical, athletic team. We
knew it would be a tough match up for us. We didn’t shoot the ball
particularly well but I thought our kids played hard until the end. Once we got
behind, we couldn’t run our half-court possession-type offense.”
“We got
down 12-0 early and they shot the ball unbelievably early in the game. We
actually played them even the rest of the first half. We came out and shot the
ball to start the second half well. I thought if we could cut it to six or
eight that we had a chance, but it never got to that shot.”
“We
gave up more points than we normally do. But that was against one of the finest
teams in the state. We also needed to shoot the ball better and we didn’t
get to the free throw line like we usually do.”
“Outstanding
players got us here. You dream about this your whole life as a coach and a
player about coming to the state finals.”
(On Mental
Attitude Award winner Kristine Hosinski)
“She
is a coach’s kid. Kristine is a three-sport athlete and does a lot of
things for our school and our community. She is very deserving and we are proud
to have her one of us.”
Rick
Risinger, Heritage Christian Head Coach
“This
is a very special championship.
It’s nice to have some different players but finish the season
with the same outcome. I’m blessed
to have very talented basketball players and very good kids. We were disciplined throughout the season and
I thought we got stronger as the year moved along.”
“I
thought the biggest thing with this group was that the played unselfishly
throughout the season. A lot of teams
talk about the importance of playing as a team but this group not only talked
about it but performed in that manner.”
(on the
Heritage Christian seniors)
“Bre
Jones and Courtney Turner are very special individuals. It’s quite an amazing feat to reach the
state finals three times in a high school career.”
(on
sophomore Kelly Faris)
“Kelly
is a tremendous player and she will only get better over the next two
seasons. The biggest thing with this
team is that everyone knew their role.
We could have gotten Kelly more points, but we wanted to spread the all
around and get everybody involved. Kelly
got a lot of attention this season, but make no mistake about it, we had a lot
of really good players on the floor with her.”
(on playing
a difficult regular season schedule)
“We
played in the prestigious Hall of Fame Classic and faced a lot of really tough
opponents throughout the season. I think
it’s important to build a really tough regular season schedule. Teams that are able to do that typically have
more success in the state tournament.”
Heritage
Christian sophomore Kelly Faris
“I’m
not the type of person who is concerned with getting a lot of attention. I’m worried about my team, not my
stats. I’m really proud to be
associated with such a great group. We
played really hard today, moved the ball and showed everybody how unselfish we
are as a team.”