Mining lemonade

Adversity is part of sports, but it is tough when mothernature is your opponent. At Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) High School, winter weather canceled another senior appreciation night and the game that was to go along with it.

On February 4, the wrestling team got the same dose of medicine from old man winter that he put out on Friday to the basketball teams. Roads were closed early morning and Guernsey-Sunrise let HEM know at 9 a.m. they were not coming down to play.

"About a sixth of our games have been canceled this season," HEM Miner's Head Coach Cliff Jones said. 

Lady Miners Head Coach Jackie Jones knew the seniors were disappointed. She said there was thoughts of a pep rally next week, but with regionals looming, there was a good chance it could not be pulled off. Plus many family members of the seniors had taken off for this day and there was no guarantee many could make it if the day was changed.

Jackie knew they could still do senior appreciation but the ceremony would only last about 15 minutes and it would anticlimactic to recognize these students and then send everyone home.

"This was Jackie's idea," Cliff said. "She got on the phone with some parents and talked about the situation."

Then Jackie said she got on the phone to athletic director Russ Wiggam, Cliff and HEM principal Steve Priest and proposed a competition between the girls and the boys basketball teams once the senior recognition ceremony was completed.

Priest and Wiggam thought it was a fine idea and the senior recognition for basketball just got special.

Once the event got under way, Jackie, Cliff, the kids and the parents couldn't have not been more pleased with the results.

"When we found out the game was canceled this morning, we had some pretty upset kids and seniors understandably," Jackie said. "We messed around with the idea of doing a pep assembly next, but then you run into regionals and things like that."

Once the decision was made to have the event, Jackie had to figure out what to actually do.

"Spur of the moment, we came up with some games," Jackie said.

These games which were part drills and completion were set up to be boys against girls.

The first three contests were shooting the ball from different angles and distances. Three shots were allowed. The girls didn't need three shots as they sank all their baskets in the first try. The audible gasp came from the crowd in the stands when Amy Campbell nailed her three-pointer going against reliable three-point shooter Devon Grosstick and he missed his. To be fair, they were shooting an unnatural shot since it was a left-handed three-pointer. 

"The boys are pretty confident going into regionals, and we wanted to make sure the girls' confidence level stayed up there," Cliff joked.

One of the contests had family members join their seniors in a game that had each team trying to hit 11 points first. The boys team had one tyke who was actually hitting shots when other family member players much taller were not.

The girls were ahead by about five points when the team dance contest was put forth. This included all the players, not just seniors.

The girls were good and their moves impressive, but the boys went for it and pulled it off. With their spectacular showmanship, the boys managed to tie the competition. It was 9-9.

"The team camaraderie that came through was amazing," Jackie said. "For Jesse Deegan to get out in this group of boys and to belong like he does and for the girls to egg him on to put out those moves, it was classic feel good time for everyone."

Deegan, a sophomore, had his name called out by the girls team to show them something. The youth went center stage and did exactly that. The cheering was as loud in the audience as if they had beaten a number one team.

"I think it goes to show what we have here with these kids," Jackie said. "And I think it is a good thing."

Cliff agreed.

"The boys have struggled this year, no doubt about it," Cliff said. "But I think we have had fun. These kids have a good attitude even if the year has been challenging. Today brought it together."

Bringing the parents into the mix, both Jackie and Cliff said had its roots back to a track season a few years back. 

"Before COVID, we always finished our track season with a family barbeque," Cliff said. "This one time some years back, we had the parents do the long jump, shot put and a little racing. The parents got a little of an eye opener on what their kids were doing."

The parents who played with their kids this evening had big smiles on their faces as did their children.

"As corny as it sounds, it is things like this that show even with all the adversity; COVID, weather, injuries; you name it; to come together and have a little happy event like this, was huge," Jackie said. "People left with smiles here today, and you can't ask for more."

"Like I have told people, I have been beat by 60 points on senior night, and this evening, everyone went home happy," Cliff smiled as he finished his words.