2002 Tigers Earned Win for the Ages
Warriors were ranked No. 1
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SHADYSIDE -- During its historic run to the 2002 Ohio Division IV state championship game Coach Jim Miller and his Shadyside girls' basketball team adopted the motto "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".
And while the Lady Tigers eventually fell one victory short of their ultimate goal that motto was put to a major test on a cold, windy and bizarre March Saturday night when 12th ranked Shadyside traveled to Pickerington to battle top-ranked, No. 1 and powerful Worthington Christian in a regional championship contest.
The Warriors entered the contest as the odds-on favorites to win the Division IV state championship, sitting at 23-0 on the season and boasting of multiple Division I signees. But Miller, and his top assistant Dick Sketel, had a plan, and some valuable inside information that eventually paid off.
"After we beat Hiland in the district semifinals their coach (Dave Schlabach), who was an absolute extraordinary scout, met us outside our locker room and gave us some tapes that were essentially game films of Worthington Christian. There were snippets from all of their games that season, and he told us that he didn't need it and hoped that it would help us.
"I'm not kidding you when I tell you that Dick and myself were locked in a room for a few days and watched those films over and over. Dick came up with some junk defenses and the girls were like sponges soaking up all the information we gave them. They really had a great grasp on things going into that game."
The story of the game begins upon the Lady Tigers' arrival in Pickerington when high winds caused a power-outage that had both teams in a holding pattern, not knowing exactly what was going to take place that night.
"When we got there the power was out," Miller added. "And the state officials were already meeting about what they were going to do. There was talk of moving the game to another school, and at one point it was even suggested to pack up and head to Worthington Christian High School to play. And while that was all being sorted out the power just came back on and while the game was delayed it was played as scheduled."
Miller recalls the game being a back-and-forth affair, with the Warriors taking a little bit of lead in the fourth quarter only to watch his never-say-die Shadyside squad battle back to knot the count at 57-57 in the final seconds. Worthington Christian actually had a potential game-winning breakaway to the basket stopped when their head coach called a fatal timeout.
"The thing that sticks in my mind most about the actual game was us thinking they had us on that breakaway only to realize their coach called timeout and the play was stopped," Miller said. "Dick and I looked at each other and just smiled, oh my goodness, we knew we still had a shot. Life was good, Dick called the defensive play based on what we had watched on those films and we just sat back and watched it play out.
"We had not played anyone like that team, with the exception of maybe Mt. DeChantal, and our kids were exhausted. I remember after that time out Jillian (Johnson) was barely able to get off the bench and back on the court. But we got back on the court, and I believe it was (freshman) Shayla (Holenka) who stole the inbounds pass and headed for our basket.
"She didn't make the shot, but Whitney Brown was on the back-side, grabbed the rebound and put up what turned out to be the game-winning shot. Actually, Whitney was the fastest kid on the team and one of our best shooters, but it was the only time all season long she ended up on the back side of a missed shot.
"I remember after she made the shot the girls and our fans stormed the court only to have them put a little time back on the clock. That time ran out, we won 59-57 and everyone stormed the court again. Before all was said and done, we were then informed that there was an electrical fire in their cafeteria, and it was filling up with smoke.
"So, with everything else that had happened that night we had to go outside in the heavy winds and cold to do post-game interviews and to celebrate.
"My biggest memory of everything was the fact that there was a once in a lifetime group of kids and I had most of them for two years and we were a pretty darn good basketball team. Those kids sure made our job as coaches easier and all we had to do was not screw things up. They played so well together and there was so much chemistry between all the girls.
"It was just an exceptional group of girls with an unbelievable competitive nature. If I was going to take any group of kids to war on the basketball court that was the group and they accomplished an awful lot, including beating the No. 1 team in the state that most people thought was unbeatable."
Miller's group went on to defeat South Charleston Southeastern five nights later at Ohio State University before falling to Delphos St. John that Saturday in the Division IV state championship game. Jenna Johnson, who scored 26 points in the victory over Worthington Christian was named second-team All-Ohio that season.
"We had no business even being on the floor with South Charleston Southeastern the next game," Miller commented. "That team was huge, big girls everywhere, and very good. But we got past them and had a shot at winning a state championship."
Jenna (Johnson) Coyne and her sister, the only senior on the squad Jillian (Johnson) Ongley, were both major parts of both that regional championship contest and helped to turn the Lady Tigers into the powerhouse they were for many years. Both have memories of the game, and memories of their head coach.
"I remember there was a missed shot after a steal and tipped the ball and it went to Whitney and she scored the winning basket," Ongley said. "Another thing I remember is that I had to guard the best player that I ever played against that night in Markee Armentrout. It was a crazy game, and our student section was absolutely crazy and stormed the court when they thought it was over. It wasn't and they had to clear the court, but they got to storm it again a few seconds later.
"That was the No. 1 team in the state and we were just little ole Shadyside. It was so exciting to be a part of that. It was back and forth the whole night. That team was so close and I was very close to Jenna's class because they started practicing with the varsity when they were just in eighth grade. And Coach Miller always brought in older boys who had graduated to practice against us and make us better.
"Coach Miler was great at scouting teams and having us prepared to play. It was just a special time and getting to share it with my sister made it even better. I compare it to the state championship team I coached in softball a few years ago, you just sit back and wonder if it is really real."
While the situations that unfolded that night were definitely bizarre, Coyne believes that everything that happened helped play a part in the win.
"The power was out and Coach Miller was so upset about the situation, but we were so loose and acting silly and I honestly believe it helped take any nervousness away and calmed us down," Coyne said. "I truly think that is why we won. I can remember Coach Miller taping mine and Tristin's (Miracle) ankles in the dark.
"Worthington Christian was such a good team, and it came down to the end of the game. Shayla (Holenka) missed that shot, Jillian tipped the ball, Whitney made the basket and the fans stormed the court early. I can remember their best player (Armentrout) coming over to us after the game and telling us that she hoped we won it all. That is something I will never forget and I can only hope that my kids have that kind of sportsmanship and act like that in the same situation.
"Coach Miller really knew other teams and was such a great scout, we always felt like we were totally prepared for whoever we were playing. One of the things I liked most about him was the fact that he didn't care if we liked him at all, but he definitely wanted to make sure that we liked each other, and I believe that only made our team closer.
"Playing with Jillian was very special, and the other thing was that everyone was so close because all of our parents were Shadyside graduates and a lot of them went to school together. One of my best memories of that game was that everyone went back to our house after the game for one of our LT (Lady Tigers) parties and we all stayed up all night, including our parents, waiting for the newspaper to come so we could read about the game."
Shadyside advanced back to the state tournament the following season only to be defeated by Holgate on a buzzer-beating, half-court, three-point shot in the state semifinals. Jenna Johnson, in her senior season, was not only elevated to first-team All-Ohio that season but was also named as Division IV co-Player-of-the-Year while Miracle was a second-team selection.