Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
LOOKING FOR A PASS, Johnny Thomas protects the ball against defender Eddie Fultz during the Old Timer's basketball tournament Friday at Thompson Falls High School.
FEELING THE BURN, Thompson Falls Lady Hawk basketball coach Chadd Laws (class of 1990) gets ready to throw in the ball during Friday's tournament.
THE BEST OF THE OLDIES during the Friday tournament was Team Mickelson. Thompson Falls Athletic Director Jake Mickelson holds the team's trophy.
The Blue Hawk chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) hosted an event Friday that helped some Sanders County graduates relive their glory days on the basketball court.
NHS hosted the 2019 Old Timer's Basketball Tournament at the high school gym. Four teams vied for bragging rights and a trophy during the event, which raised funds for an NHS trip to Washington, D.C. later this year. Between entry fees, concession sales and admission, NHS adviser Jodi Morgan said the group did well with their fundraising. Morgan ended up playing on two teams during the event. She was a member of Team Frields, led by TFHS class of 1995 graduate Ryan Frields (the team also featured Morgan's daughter Haley (class of 2018). Then, Morgan stepped in for Team Brown (whose captain was TFHS class of 1993 alum Ray Brown) when one of their teammates was injured.
The tournament was co-ed, and each team had to have at least one woman on the court throughout their matchups.
The oldest of the old were Thompson Falls alumni Chadd Laws, Mike Baxter and Scott Pardee, all class of 1990 graduates. The trio played on separate teams. .
Lady Hawk basketball players Belle Cooper and Megan Baxter helped officiate the event, and their head Coach (Chadd Laws) didn't get any special treatment. Both Cooper and Baxter called fouls on Laws.
Team Mickelson, led bycaptain Jake Mickelson (the TFHS athletic director and Blue Hawk boys basketball coach), came out the big winners in the basketball competition, beating Team Laws in their first matchup and Team Frields in the second. Mickelson's wife Lisa (TFHS class of 2008) sank a shot from way back as the buzzer sounded to end their first matchup.
Even though teams fought for bragging rights and a trophy, there was plenty of heckling from the crowd and announcer Scott McKenzie (TFHS class of 1989) throughout the fun event. McKenzie took time to recognize one audience member who he called "the original old timer." Ron Sharp (TFHS class of 1955) and his wife Bonnie were in the crowd. McKenzie noted that Sharp played for the Blue Hawks 20 years before the current gym was built.
The NHS members thanked the community for their support.
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