Faculty use second half rally to beat seniors again

MEEKER — The annual faculty versus seniors and alumni basketball games were held May 25 at the Meeker High School gymnasium.
The faculty needed a furious comeback in the second half to overtake a 16-point lead held by the seniors to win the contest 55-53.
Meanwhile, the class of 2007 used its talent and youth to claim a 55-48 victory over the mixed alumni from 1978-2006.
The faculty found themselves in a hole early as the senior class, behind Joseph Galvan’s 16 first-half points, opened up a 13-point halftime lead 36-23.
In the second half, the seniors quickly hit three more points to widen their lead to 16 points.
The faculty then found a defensive scheme that shut down the seniors and held them to just 14 more points for the rest of the half. Meanwhile, behind a nine-point effort of elementary principal Jason Hightower and seven points from high school teacher Andy Goettel, the faculty clawed back into the game offensively.
The faculty tied the game at 46 with a little more than three minutes to play.
High school basketball coach Klark Kindler hit a three-point shot to put the faculty up 49-46 and the teachers were able to hold on and close out the contest 55-53. The seniors were led by Galvan’s 23 points, while the faculty was paced by Hightower’s 11.
Without enough even numbered years players to play an odd year versus even year game, all of the alumni graduates from 2006 and earlier tried the numbers game to withstand the youth and skill of last year’s 2007 state consolation champions plus two.
However, that still wasn’t enough to stem the ’07 team.
Paced in the first period by Chantry Ross’ eight points and seven each from Juan Villalpando and Kurtis Dunbar, the ’07 team jumped to a nine point halftime lead.
The “old guys” were paced by ’03 graduates Matt Pearce and Kyle Frary who scored four and three points respectfully. The second half the “old guys” started to catch up the score on 10 points from ’04 graduate Lee Overton and eight points from ’03 alumni Kevin Dunbar. Ross hit back to back three pointers in the final few minutes to ice the game for the ‘07 team and a 55-48 victory.
Ross led the “youngsters” with 21 points while Villalpando and Kurtis Dunbar contributed ten apiece. For the “old guys,” Overton counted for a dozen and Kevin Dunbar chipped in 10 more.
Organizers of the annual games had good reports as they had to move the game from the traditional Easter weekend to the Memorial weekend. Next year’s games will be held during the Memorial Day weekend again. All proceeds of the games help the MHS boys’ basketball program.
For participation information, contact Klark Kindler, head basketball coach for Meeker High School.