March 3rd, 2012 marked a significant achievement in the history of the HEA Firebirds basketball program. Not only did the Junior Varsity girls reach the Michigan State finals, but they convincingly defeated a strong and accomplished Quad Cities Mustangs team, fresh off a narrow 32 to 30 win in the Semi-Finals over their rival, the Grand Rapids Grizzlies. Quad Cities enjoyed an impressive season, up until a week before the State Tournament their record was only a single basket away from a perfect season - averaging 49 points a game while limiting their opponents to only 25.
Three Firebirds - McKenzie Kitts, Theresa Knauss, and Megan Kaster were not able to play in the final match. Coach Dan Brandel expressed concern before the game; he wanted to keep the energy high, but tired girls under pressure collect fouls more often than they re-adjust their non-metallic hair accessories, which were verified by the vigilant referees before the game was allowed to start. The increased tensile strength and ductility of metallic hair bands of course reduce the number of hair band re-adjustment events in the game, but would unacceptably increase the incidence of hair band related injuries. Girls playing boys\' sports require a lot from their coach. Coach Brandel\'s eclectic, sometimes eccentric, concoction of patience under game pressure, PowerPoint presentations in the hallway, and a mature understanding of the game of basketball mixed with an honest concern for the girls on the team help to make him not just a good basketball coach, but a good girls basketball coach.
In the Semi-Finals, the Firebirds defeated the Hudsonville Hornets by 15 points; but the Mustangs defeated them twice during the regular season by more than 20 points. Statistics and emotions predicted a tough game for Carey Ann Spencer, who has been reliably scoring baskets on the court and reliably supporting the organization off the court for 4 years. The game started late, giving Carey Ann an extra hour to ponder her beloved #31 jersey. Before the fans had time to stop screaming and clapping, Esther Brandel jumped high to win the tipoff decisively to Carey Ann, who, reliable to the end, fed the fans\' nervous energy by scoring the first basket of the Michigan State Championship game. The most exciting basket for the team came when AZ Mason, with her junior high school energy and innocent smile, managed to get the ball with some space and setup for a shot as the Mustang defender tried unsuccessfully to amend her underestimation of AZ\'s determination. Having the youngest player on the team score so early in the game, forced the Mustangs to take every Firebird seriously and shook their confidence. AZ flourished under the pressure of the State championship game, running hard, playing smart, she tried hard to add a few more baskets for the Firebirds and racked up two solid rebounds. The coaching staff voiced high expectations for her in the years to come. Annie Kaster, the other junior high player managed several nice steals from the Mustangs\' dominant player #25, played tight defense but got her first foul of the game by resting her hand gingerly on the back of the Mustang. Coach Dan Brandel\'s calm voice repeatedly tweeted the order \"Don\'t let 25 touch the ball!\" After the game he commented \"25 could run while dribbling faster than most girls can run without the ball.\" Annie ran and kept dreaded 25 at bay. The Firebirds started strong with 6 of the first 7 baskets and closed out the first period 16 - 6.
The Firebirds continued to dominate in the second quarter, extending their lead by another 7 points, ending with a comfortable 34 - 17 lead, lead by a passionate performance from Esther Brandel. After half-time, the Mustangs showed that they belonged in the State championship game, their strategic accomplishment was coaxing Firebirds\' warm-blooded Esther into committing a few more fouls than the flock leader could swallow, having her nest on the bench for a spell. With Esther caged, the Firebirds had to play carefully and the Mustangs cut into the Firebird\'s lead in the second half. Ethan Mason and Jackie Vidosh had their hands full, rotating the tiring girls, squeezing the energy out of the girls on the court, and keeping track of trespassers. Like eggs on a toddler\'s Easter hunt, fouls came easy for the Firebirds, ruffling Coach Dan\'s feathers twenty times with Liz Mortenson collecting 4 fouls, and MacKenzie Mason 3. Rebekah Brandel and Hannah Keith were the only two Firebirds to avoid having their wings clipped by the referees in the match.
Coach Dan Brandel commented \"Hannah Keith is so confident; she thinks she can make any shot.\" Today, she convinced all the fans with a team high 60% field goal average, and embarrassed the fellow Firebird fellows Austin, Casey, Peter, and Sven - who appreciate basketball both with and without hair bands, by sinking all of her free throws and adding 2 three point shots to bring her tally to 14 points for the day. Carey Ann Spencer made a graceful exit from the Firebirds program with 8 points and a hand in setting up a host of baskets, exciting steals, leading the Firebirds in a painfully slow quarter for the western Michigan team as the Firebirds ground out the clock allowing only 9 points for the Mustangs, leaving the final score 51 to 36.
One Firebird key to the game was the balanced scoring. The Mustangs relied heavily on one player to score the majority of their points. The Firebirds however spread the scoring, with every player that can remember the first day of this millennia showing up in the points column. Esther Brandel\'s browser log showed frantic inquiries at Greyhound.com after her fifth foul freed up her schedule, but a State Championship trophy in the trunk, 7 points, and 5 rebounds earned her a seat in the family van. Her favorite twin sister Rebekah added 8 points, 9 rebounds, no fouls, and rode home at her side. She used her long stride to make an amazing save behind the net, where she ran behind the Mustang defender, kept one foot in bounds and leaned, what seemed from the stands to be about 3 feet over the line, to grab the ball and pass it to Ally Greff, for a standard \"Greff effortless\" basket. Ally, who normally sports two pony tails instead of the Firebird standard one, stuck out with her high jumps, smart play and three baskets. Liz Mortenson contributed 3 points and 5 rebounds and harnessed the hopes of the Mustangs as she corralled their high shooting players. MacKenzie Mason chipped in a basket and a few rebounds in an exhausting show of strength and determination. Maley Brown won the award for the most facial intensity, as she cleaned up under the basket better than her desk at home - denying the Mustangs 9 rebounds.
A second key was a fiery intensity that the Firebirds had been cultivating all season. Girls\' basketball can sometimes be slow, dominated by the prudence necessary for the preservation of the human race. Ethan and Jackie devoted hours in practice after practice after practice warming up the team with fundamental drills and building state championship game winning 4th quarter conditioning. Athletic Director Mark Brandel claimed that he saw fear in the eyes of the Mustangs as they lined up against the Firebirds. Coach Brandel credits Megan Kaster for modeling 100% defensive effort, as the floor was always polished after Megan played, inspiring the whole team to up their game with a contagious passion worthy of the name Firebirds.
Congratulations to the 2012 Firebirds on a great season and thanks to all the Firebirds coaches who put in countless hours mentoring and being role models for the kids this season. Best wishes to all the Firebirds as they migrate to their summer activities and good luck next season as the girls face the daunting tasks of extending their 7 game winning streak, topping a 16 and 7 season, and cleaning out space for more trophies.