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All-Star Basketball Tournament Held in Monroe

The All-Star basketball tournament was held on March 12 at Monroe High School. At the tournament, players were selected for boys teams and girls teams in 1A, 2A, and 3A classes.

It is an amazing thing to experience and watch. Players from all over the state are chosen by the state champion coaches to play in this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Each year a couple days after the State tournament, which was held in Richfield on March 5, players will get a call asking if they would like to play in the All-Star game. This is a huge opportunity that I believe most of the players wouldn’t pass up. They then have that week to get prepared again.

In the first game of the All-Star basketball tournament, the 1A team played against the 2A team. Then the winner of those games would play the 3A All-Star teams. Our 1A girls team was in their colored uniforms, which actually looked quite cool (as you can see in the pictures), while the 2A team wore their white jerseys. The 1A boys team also played against the 2A boys team and wore their white jerseys as the designated home team.

Boys basketball players at the all-star tournament.
Piute Coach Eric Jessen gives high-fives to Jaden W. (Piute), followed by Miles R. (Bryce), mid-game against the All-State 2A team in Monroe.

After years of playing against each other, it’s astounding to see them all come together one last time to show off their skills. Talking to one of the players on the 1A girls team, she said, “It was weird, because we all knew each other, we´ve been playing against each other for years. So to have these girls saying good job, and nice shot, was so unusual.” She then went on to explain how fun of an experience it was, to just go and have fun playing a sport she loves one last time, before turning in the jersey.

Both of our 1A teams lost to the 2A teams–though the girls came close to taking the W. Both the boys and girls teams were able to have fun one last time, which was what really mattered. Before each team went out, both the coaches told them that most importantly, they had fun, and that’s exactly what they did.

by McKynlee Cottam (17) Escalante

Feature image caption: The 1A Girls All-State Basketball Team, from left to right, Back: Melissa J. (Water Canyon), Abbie R. (Tabiona), Mikki P. (Escalante), Jaleana T. (Milford), Tayla M. (Rich), Hannah W. (Piute), Kassidy W. (Piute), and Piute Coach Tim Westwood. Front: Leslie L. (Wendover), Kamren G. (Piute), Kyan O. (Panguitch) and Allee V. (Wayne).


Read more about the good that playing sports with and against each other can do for our community in Unity on the Field, Court and Track.

McKynlee Cottam

McKynlee Cottam – Escalante

McKynlee Cottam is a junior writer, and sometimes editor, at The Byway. She is a senior at Escalante High School. This year she’s had the opportunity to be the school’s Student Body President and Miss Garfield’s Outstanding Teen. McKynlee loves to write about things that are going on in our county and world, as well as some fun out-of-hat pieces. She enjoys playing the violin, participating in basketball, and of course hanging out with her friends. The Byway has been a fun part of her life, and she hopes to keep contributing to it for some time!