Traverse City Record-Eagle

Top 10 Sports Stories of 2009

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December 22, 2009

Top 10: McBain makes magical runs

Both basketball teams reached the Class C state finals

BY DENNIS CHASE

Editor's Note: As we count down the top 10 sports stories of 2009, read them as they're published at record-eagle.com/top10sports.

McBAIN -- Elizabeth Hamlet lived out her dream last March.

The All-State basketball guard led McBain to the Class C state finals before the Ramblers lost to Flint Hamady.

"You know it's funny," the senior said after the Ramblers dispatched Houghton in the quarterfinals. "Every kid my age or younger dreams about getting this far. But when you're actually there it's so much more exciting.

"I want to cry. I want to laugh. I want to hug people. I don't know how to put it in words."

A week later, the boys' team experienced similar emotions after a "miracle" last-minute comeback over Manistique advanced the Ramblers to the Final Four.

Although the run ended there, it was still quite an achievement for the small community. Two teams, two Final Four berths. That feat -- no other school achieved it last winter -- makes it our No. 9 local story of 2009.

The success of the two programs captivated the community for the entire month.

"There were a lot of miles put on cars," said girls basketball coach Todd Hamlet, reflecting back. "We had some people say they put on over 1,500 miles following the boys and girls.

"It was a fun run for our community. All the stores had all the kids' numbers in the windows. That's what is special about living in a small town such as McBain. When you start a run like that it becomes a community event rather than just a high school event."

The girls' team beat Napoleon in the semifinals to reach the championship game at Eastern Michigan University. Then came Flint Hamady.

"I think the most special time was when we walked through that gym door coming out of the locker room (for the state championship game)," Todd Hamlet said. "It was almost like you were watching Hoosiers. I made sure I got out first just so I could sit back and watch the kids come out. I won't forget that."

Both the boys and girls had to rally to beat Upper Peninsula squads in the quarterfinals. The girls trailed by eight in the second quarter. The boys were down five with just over a minute to play.

"That was a real Cinderella story," Hamlet said of the boys' run.

Cinderella because McBain had been ignored in the polls after a bad loss to St. Francis last December. But the Ramblers grew from that setback and were almost unbeatable the rest of the way -- until they ran into eventual champion Melvindale Academy of Business and Technology in the semifinals at Michigan State.

For all, it was a month to remember.

And, by the way, do you think there are some young players in the system dreaming about their future possibilities, much like Elizabeth Hamlet?

Basketball does start early in McBain.

"We run a kids' program here in the winter," boys coach Bruce Koopman said last March. "We go third-fourth (grades) and fifth-sixth (grades), girls and boys. This is my 20th year at McBain. The superintendent got it going the first year I was here. I think this year for the four grades we had 187 kids involved. We call it McBain co-ed. We let our third and fourth grade boys and girls play on the same team. We have 10 teams at the third-fourth level and 10 teams at the fifth-sixth level. We divvy up the boys and girls and we play seven Saturdays in a row starting in January. We get them started pretty early."

The community gets involved, too. Parents help coach. The coaching staffs and varsity and JV boys and girls help officiate and run the clock.

"It's pretty intense," Koopman said. "I think that's been one of the keys to our success."

So if 187 kids are participating, how many students are in those four grades?

"That's just it," Koopman said. "I think almost every kid plays."

And dreams.

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