DIV III State Semi Finals: Ironton vs. Middleton Madison

[Blackhawk]

Great job LADY TIGERS on a phenomenal season and battle in the FINAL FOUR!!!! You seniors will be missed and have so many great memories of your last year as a fighting tiger!!! Great big APPLAUSE to #22 Brea on a hard fought battle of defense throughout the entire game, probably have alot of battle scars to prove it. Leading your team to the State Final Four is a time you and your teammates will never forget. You all have made your community and fans so proud and a big congrats to the coaches as well on this lady tigers team. As Coach Graham stated in the paper it will be a difficult task to fill the shoes of our seniors. This season will never be forgot!!!!!

[sportnut]

I applaud all the girls for their hard fought battle. You didn't let up till that clock was out of time. One girl stuck out though. Elswick #21, couldn't hold back the emotion. There was another team members parent sitting next to me that noticed as well & she explained to me that this #21 that came out of blue this yr. & shocked everyone with her play had actually been on the team last yr. and was dismissed before the bus left for district championship last yr. because of a comment on her myspace about softball. I think that this kid must have alot running through her mind knowing she wasn't good enough to be a part of the team last yr. even sitting the bench and then to come back and play with a team that was totally against her including the coach and then play her heart out and leave it on the court ea. time trying to prove her self worth. Nikki, I feel that you actually were the one that taught
your coach and team members about team work and dedication. I as many others around me felt that your being on this team was the only way that they got where they did sweet heart. So hats off to this player and the relationship she has made with her team. Everyone of these girls are great and it showed in their play, together. Good luck in softball as well to all that play. By the way this #21 not
only made all-Ohio, all-seoal, all-district in basketball her first actual yr. playing varsity, she was also 1st baseman for the all-ohio allstar fastpitch softball team and was part of the Ironvalley softball team that went one game from the world series. Glad to see an all sportsman still there and dedicated to each of her sports. Does this kid play anything else. Coach Graham what ever you did to work out the situation with #21 to get her to come back and get us to final 4, you need to be commended. Good work. We enjoyed watching this team go at it. I as an Ironton fan #21, apologize for last yr. but sure am glad you bleed orange and black baby. Can't wait to see what you bring next season.

[sportnut]

Is it true the Ironton girls traveled 2 1/2 hrs. to Columbus, practice for 2 1/2 hrs., then travel 2 hrs. to Athens to watch their boys team, and then travel another 2 hrs. back to Columbus arriving around midnight or so. These girls played like they did and were obviously road exhausted. Why didn't they stay in Columbus and rest up for their own game? The spectators that traveled in their personal cars up and back from Ironton will tell you that trip makes you tired regardless. Much less practicing and back and forth and back and forth 2 hrs. or better @ a time. This could have played a big part in the 29% shooting that the Tigers suffered that day. Was it that important the Ironton girls coach be there to support the boys team and Lafon. If you're coaching the girls and they've made it to the final four, then you take care of the girls. The boys coach would've taken care of his boys team just fine. I'm for sure everyone would have understood the absence of the girls team.

[Gray Fighting Tiger]

(Also posted here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=70926&start=48 )

Great job! No disgrace in losing to one of the best teams in the state.

For the sports history buffs among us...

Ironton HS now has 5 regional championships in basketball, 3 of which belong to the girls.

***(Unofficial - I could be off by a year or two in some cases)***

BOYS district titles: 59, 77, 79, 81, 92, 94, 95, 96, 04, 05, 06, 10
BOYS regional titles: 94, 05

GIRLS district titles: 79, 80, 81, 05, 06, 09, 10
GIRLS regional titles: 80, 05, 10

Considering the fact that the girls went from about 1981 to 2005 without even winning a district title, this is a huge tribute to the recent coaches, administration, and most of all the players themselves.