Sad news from Marion this morning. My fearless purple & gold lost the state championship last night after a dramatic buzzer shot by a senior from Brownsburg.
Brownsburg kids can play basketball? Who knew.
The Chronicle-Tribune reports senior forward Bulldog Gordon Hayward pushed up a last-second shot inside the paint, netting the team’s first state championship.
Marion was so close to tying for the most state championships in Indiana (eight). The record is currently held by Muncie. Gag.
When I read the Chronicle-Trib story I did a double take. One of the star seniors is named Jay Edwards. The troubled Jay Edwards was one of the superstars when I was at Marion, cheering the team on every game from the Booster Block and M-Club stands. [Yes, even discus throwers and swimmers are huge B-Ball fans in Indiana].
It was fantastic being at Marion during the Purple Reign years.
Sure enough, the Jays are related, father and son. Hopefully the Jr. Jay Edwards will keep it together better than his dad did, control his off-court behavior and develop his skills in college.
Note on the pic of the mug the years Marion had won state back in my day. The first year was when my grandpa was at Marion. He wasn’t on the team, but clearly was influenced by the Giants hype. He went on to be sports editor at the Purdue Exponent.
Marion went on to win one more state championship, led by Zach Randolph in 2000. Randolph is now a power forward for the New York Knicks.
Virtual Farmgirl 
When I was in high school, my school’s boys varsity basketabll team broke the state record — for consecutive losses! [I think it was about 45.]
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Zach Randolph won state against Jared Jeffries who’s now a teammate of his on the Knicks!
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When I was in high school, my school’s boys varsity basketabll team broke the state record — for consecutive losses! [I think it was about 45.]
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Zach Randolph won state against Jared Jeffries who’s now a teammate of his on the Knicks!
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