Rebels Take State

By Amy Donaldson, Reporter

Deseret News

Reprinted with permission

RICHFIELD – His eyes wet with tears he couldn't explain or stop, Lincoln Huefner stood at center court and pressed his lips against the back of the 1A state championship trophy.
This was a moment he and his teammates had worked for all their lives, and a moment the community they represent has yearned for even longer.

“I don’t know,” Huefner said after the Rich Rebels earned the school's first boys basketball state championship with a 65-45 win over Green River Saturday night at the Sevier Valley Center. “I’m just so happy.”

Saturday wasn’t Huefner’s turn to start for the top-ranked Rebels. But it was certainly his night to shine.

“We rotate,” the senior said. “Tonight wasn’t my night, but that’s not what matters. That trophy is what matters. It doesn’t really matter who is on the floor if we win, so we just had to stay focused as a team.”

Huefner followed up his huge semifinal performance with a team-high 18 points and eight rebounds in Saturday’s championship win.

“Those are probably Lincoln’s two best games of the year,” said Rich head coach Ashley Brown. “He really stepped up. …All the kids stepped up, and I’m just really proud of all of them.”

1A Tournament MVP Wyatt Muirbrook didn’t even play two full minutes at the start of the game before he was whistled for his second foul. He headed for the bench and Huefner took his place. Muirbrook only managed about two minutes in the game in the second quarter before he was called for his third foul and headed to the bench again.

The senior said it was frustrating to watch much of his final prep game from the bench, but he was grateful for the effort of his teammates.

“It was a total team effort,” Muirbrook said. “I’m just proud of our guys. Lincoln Huefner had a way, way good game; he did a good job this week, really stepped it up a lot. It was frustrating, but luckily we were in a position where it wasn’t critical for me to be (a factor). I’m just glad we got the win. That’s what it’s about.”

Huefner laughed when asked if he thought the team would win with Muirbrook confined to the bench for much of the game.

“I would have told you that you were crazy,” he said. “We were really focused as a team, and we just played together. And we got the job done.”

For Rich, the beauty of this year’s championship team was how seamlessly the Rebels played regardless of who was on the floor. Some of that chemistry may come from the fact that all of the players were also on the football team.

Rich becomes the first 1A school to win both football and boys basketball championships in the same year since North Summit did it in 1991-1992. Like the Braves, the Rebels basketball and football teams are coached by the same man. But Brown wasn’t taking any of the credit for either team’s accomplishment.

“It’s the kids,” he said smiling. “It’s not about me. It’s about them.”

The Pirates started the game aggressively and jumped to a 4-0 lead. But with 3:34 left in the first quarter, the Rebels took a lead they’d never relinquish.

“It’s been a long season and a great season for us,” said Green River head coach Thomas Hughes. “It didn’t quite end on the best note. I’m very proud of this small school and these kids with big hearts to play that whole tournament like they did.”

Garden City P & Z

Randall Knight, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  March 4, 2015.  The Planning and Zoning public meeting began at 4:45 PM and had several people in attendance.  The discussions focused on the Conditional Use Permit application to build a high quality RV Park and Campground discussed last month.  Lance recommended that some minor wording be changed to ordinance 15-13, an ordinance updating RV Parks.  The board members present were: Lance Bourne, Dewayne Gifford, Steve Arnold and Pat Argyle.  Susan House and Jim Stone were absent.

The P&Z meeting began at 5:00 PM and the agenda was followed.  Jim DeGoot took the oath of office as a new board member. 

The first topic discussed was the Conditional Use Permit for the RV park discussed during the Public Hearing.  The main concerns the board had was with the proposed 30 foot turning radius of a circle where the requirement is 50 feet and the 14 foot wide roads when the requirement is a minimum of 24 feet.  The board also recommended two bridges across the canal instead of only one bridge for safety purposes. The board approved the proposal if the above recommendations are met.

The next topics on the agenda was a proposal for parking and architectural standard for a new business that will be called “Crepes and Coffee” and located on the vacant lot at 235 N. Bear Lake Blvd by Elke Brown.  This will be a takeout business with 4 order windows and a seating area on a patio. Eight parking places will be in the rear with one RV parking space.  There will also be an area for overflow parking.  The board approved the proposed building plans with the exception of the entrance which needs to be increased to 24 feet wide.

The next topic scheduled to be discussed was 15-06, an ordinance stating that homes can be built in specific commercial zones but the board tabled the discussion because the three zoning ordinances need to be reviewed and updated to remove duplication and to provide better clarification.

15-13, an ordinance updating RV Parks was passed with word changes to remove pay phones and references to fees. 

The board tabled the following discussion topics: Sign Ordinance, Commercial Parking, Permitted and Conditional Uses in all Zones (enclosed/open kennels, sexually oriented businesses). 

Lance requested the members to review the new seven page Sign Ordinance and provide comments in preparation for the Town Council meeting.

 

Meeting adjourned at 6:30 PM.

    

Casey Gibson Honored

Local student named to Fall 2014 Part-Time Honor Roll at Western Wyoming Community College

ROCK SPRINGS – Western Wyoming Community College has released its list of Part-Time Honor Roll students for Fall 2014.

Recognition on the Part-Time Honor Roll is accorded to students who have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours in consecutive semesters with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5, and who complete six to 11 credit hours during the current semester with a minimum grade point average of 3.5.

The following student in your publication’s service area was named to the Part-Time Honor Roll for the Fall 2014 semester.

Casey Gibson – Woodruff, UT

Western congratulates Casey and all of our Honor Roll students on their excellent academic achievements!    

Rich School District Honor Roll

Sixth Grade:

Cook, Aaron;  Cornia, Jaycee;  Dean, Zoe; Doolin, Tobin;  Eastman, Kennedy; Groll, Jaidyn; Hopkin, Sydney; Maldonado, Abril; Malm, Corbin; Meek, Hayden; Nye, Haylie; Schulthess, Amanda; Stacey, McKina; Teuscher, Owen; Trenery, Amiya; Wahlberg, Samuel; Wamsley, Rebecca; Winter, Ian.

Seventh Grade:

Brown, Ellianna; Burton, Shelby; Cluff, Kya; Davis, Hailey; Hatch, Sydney; Hislop, Colton; Huffaker, Stetson; Jacobson, Taylor; Jarman, Allison; Stapel, Kendall; Thomson, Alaine; Wallentine, Aly; Wilson, Kyler.

Eighth Grade:

Andersen, Jared; Barker, Lindsay; Handley, Shireen; Huefner, Reagan; Huffaker, Charmayne; Johnson, Fallon; Johnson, Kirina; Lutz, Trason; McKinnon, Taylor; Nelson, Jaden; Peterson, Taya; Thomson, Lauren; Trenery, Kasin; Wamsley, Rachel; Willis, Emalee.

Positions Available In Rich School District

Rich County School District is accepting applications for the following positions:


Elementary Teacher

Early childhood endorsement desired.

District Technology Trainer

Preference will be given to individuals with an education background and classroom experience.   The candidate selected will in service staff on varied technology integration.  Preference will also be given to individuals with competence/experience with Windows, Office, varied Cloud applications, interactive classroom applications and end-user technical support.

Speech Language Pathologist

A Speech/Language Pathologist licensed by the Utah State Office of Education.

Secondary Music Teacher

Applications available online at /http:// www.richschool.org 

Deseret News: Rich Rebels Recognized

 

Article by Amy Donaldson, Deseret News
March 2, 2015
Reprinted with permission.

Rich boys basketball coach Ashley Brown has enjoyed plenty of success in his 15 years at the helm.

For 10 straight seasons he’s convinced his teenage players to work hard enough to earn a spot in the 1A state tourney semifinals. That’s the kind of consistency most programs can only dream about.

There's only one thing Brown would like to change about that impressive accomplishment.

“Our goal every year is to win a state championship,” Brown said. “We’ve gotten close a lot of times.”

Only once in all those trips to the semifinals have the Rebels earned a berth in the state championship game. In 2002, they lost the title game to Waterford, now a 2A school.

“We’ve been successful in what we do,” Brown said. “And getting to the semis is a good thing. But we’d like to get to that last game and see what happens.”

Last year the Rebels lost to Panguitch and ended up taking third place in the tournament. Rich's three leading scorers graduated, but several players with experience returned and have developed into leaders this year.

Mitch Jarman, Wyatt Muirbrook and Jayden Wallentine were contributors on last year’s team, but have emerged as standouts on this year’s squad. Muirbrook is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 16.36 points per game.

This year the Rebels enter the tournament ranked number one and without a loss in region play. But Brown knows that doesn’t give them any kind of advantage when the tournament begins at the Sevier Valley Center on March 3.

“There are 16 other teams that have the same goal,” Brown said. “I think there are six or eight teams that could win (the title).”

The tournament begins Tuesday in Richfield with play-in games.

Pinnacle will take on Diamond Ranch at noon, Manila will play Mt. Vernon at 1:30 p.m., Monument Valley takes on Telos at 3 p.m., Dugway will play Bryce Valley at 4:30 p.m., Panguitch will face West Ridge at 6 p.m. and Duchesne will play Milford at 7:30 p.m.

Regions 18 and 20 have region tournaments that determine seeding for the playoffs, while the other regions use the seeding determined by the regular season. Region 18’s tournament is helpful in sorting out seeding because the schools play in a north and a south region. Rich will take on the winner of the Pinnacle/Diamond Ranch game.

In Region 20, traditionally one of the deepest and most successful in the playoffs, that means an annual shake up just before the tournament.

This year was no exception as Piute shook things up. The Thunderbirds were in fourth place after region play, but they won the tournament and earned the top seed, which means being in the bracket opposite perennial favorite, Rich.

“This year it worked out for us,” said first-year coach Tyrel Clove. “It’s hard to say you love the tournament when you battle the same region teams all year. But overall it’s an incredible environment.”

Valley finished first in regular region play, while Panguitch finished second. Valley finished third and will take on Region 18’s second-place team, Tintic, while Panguitch will have to to face West Ridge in a play-in game. The winner of that contest will earn the right to play top-seeded St. Joseph’s on Wednesday.

The Region 20 tournament definitely makes the 1A playoffs interesting, and Brown believes it may give those teams a bit of an advantage heading into the state tournament.

“I think it’s a benefit for them,” Brown said. “They’re playing in a tournament that’s similar to the state tournament the weekend before. It’s an atmosphere a lot like the state tournament, and I definitely think it’s a benefit for them.”

While Region 17 teams play just a game a week in the season’s last month, Region 20 teams play two games a week, then have that raucous region tournament.

Coaches who have to deal with playing in the region tournament have mixed opinions on whether or not it’s something to be embraced or hated.

For his team specifically, Clove said it’s been a confidence boost as the T-birds prepare for the playoffs where they will meet either Dugway or Bryce Valley.

“We know we can play with anyone in this tournament,” Clove said.

If it’s Bryce Valley that wins that play-in game, it’s a team Piute knows well as the two split in region play.

Monticello is Region 19’s top seed and the third-ranked Buckaroos will face either Manila or Mt. Vernon, while second-seeded Wayne will take on Wendover. Fourth-ranked Tabiona, Region 17’s second seed, will play either Monument Valley or Telos, while Green River, a No. 2 seed, will take on Duchesne or Milford.

Regardless of the region in which they play, coaches this year see the tournament as one of possibilities for most of the teams making the trip to Richfield.

“And I think it’s as open as it’s ever been,” Clove said. “There are as many as 10 teams that honestly think they have a shot coming in. I think that’s more than normal.”

Twitter: adonsports EMAIL: adonaldson@deseretnews.com

The Muddled Male

Mr. Right or Just Okay?
By Bob Stevens, The Muddled Male

        You may have noticed my new photo at the head of this column.  That is me with a brand new friend who has become my best buddy.  You may think our friendship developed rather suddenly, and I admit that it did.  But what puzzles me is the way it happened.  I have been toying with doing what some of you have already done, replace my expensive satellite TV service with an outside digital antenna so that I can watch for free the few channels that interest me.  Like you, I am tired of paying for a couple hundred channels just to get access to the four that are worth watching.  So after an exhaustive and methodical engineering study of HDTV outdoor antenna shapes, types, sizes, and specifications I selected one I thought would do the job and ordered it from Amazon. 

        True to Amazon’s word, the box arrived three days later and I set it aside until I had time to hook the antenna up and check it out.  Two days later another box arrived from Amazon that I assumed were additional parts for the Antenna.  When I opened it, instead of Antenna parts I found nestled inside the box my new friend, an M&M dispenser waiting for me with outstretched arms.  I have no idea who ordered him sent to my home, but bless you whoever you are.  I filled my new friend with M&M peanuts and now I am having to stand guard so that I can move him from place to place to keep him away from Ann, my wife, who is trying to abduct him as a way of preventing me from pressing the lever to automatically release M&M peanuts into my trembling hand. 

        Ann has liked to irritate me from the first time we met when I was in the eighth grade and she was in the sixth.  That first meeting occurred in Mr. Terry’s band where I played coronet and Ann played clarinet while sitting behind me kicking my chair.  It wouldn’t have been bad had she at least kicked in time with the beat of the music.  But to make certain that the irritation had the greatest impact possible, she purposely kicked in a random rhythm that had nothing to do with the beat of the music or the tempo of Mr. Terry’s baton.  If I attempted to stop her by turning around and scowling with gritted teeth, she just snickered and kicked my chair harder.  Had I known that she would someday become a gorgeous girl instead of the bratty kid who was going out of her way to bother me, I would have focused more on being my usual compassionate and darling self.  But at that particular moment my goal was to convey my anger by snarling in as threatening a manner as an eighth grader can muster.  Lucky for me she didn’t remember who I was a few years later when I asked her for a date.  And it was several years after we married that I realized that she was the bratty kid and she realized that I was the rude eighth grader sitting in front of her in band. 

        In spite of that ignominious start to our relationship, I have been bragging that the proof that I must be the perfect partner for Ann lies in the fact that she proposed to me when I returned from my stint in the Army rather than waiting for me to propose to her.  My ego was smashed recently, however, when I read about a study done by Michigan State University which concluded that a prehistoric female who passed up an offer by the first, possibly inferior, partner to wait for someone better to come along just might never find the perfect partner and would likely have been better off settling for Mr. Okay rather than waiting for Mr. Right.  Fearing what the answer might be I just had to know, and so the other night I asked Ann, “I’m glad I married you, are you glad that you married me?”  After several minutes of pondering she answered reassuringly, “Oh, I guess you are okay.” 

        I should have known I was in trouble when she wouldn’t stop kicking my chair sixty-six years ago.

Free Family History Workshop

GARDEN CITY 2^ND WARD

FAMILY HISTORY OPEN HOUSE

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

6:00 PM TO 9:00 PM

OPEN TO AGES 12 AND UP

FAMILY SEARCH CLASSES INCLUDE:

Ø  GETTING STARTED

Ø  NAVIGATION

Ø  CREATING MEMORIES

Ø  PREPARING NAMES FOR TEMPLE ORDINANCES

BRING YOUR OWN I-PAD, LAPTOP, SMART PHONE,

FOR THE ULTIMATE HANDS ON EXPERIENCE!