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| MVHS Coaches Emerge Victorious In Donkey Basketball | ||
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| By Rachel Brandes Moapa Valley Progress Submitted Mar. 5, 2008 All hail the Moapa Valley High School Coaches, the 2008 Donkey Basketball Champions! The MVHS Coaches dominated and outplayed all others during two games of Donkey Basketball on Monday, February 25. Donkey Basketball was held as a fund raiser by the MVHS Baseball team led by Coach Jim Vallet. With between 600 and 700 people in attendance the fundraiser brought in approximately $1200 for the baseball organization. Donkey Sports Inc. out of Entiat, Washington provided the animals and an official for the game. |
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The games were held at MVHS where Donkeys wore rubber soled shoes to protect the gym floor. Players wore helmets in hopes of protecting their heads in case of a fall. And fall they did! As soon as the players and donkeys came out onto the floor the laughter began. First up was the MVHS Senior Athletes vs. MVHS Coaches. It took a moment for everyone to mount their donkeys. Once they did the game was on. Jonathan Oglesby was on hand to emcee the evening with MVHS Principal Grant Hanevold by his side keeping score. | ||
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The Senior Athlete team was comprised of Steve Jensen, Joe Rebman, Jennifer Jack, Brady Leavitt, Dustin Maletich, and Jose Villezcas. The Coaches team included Dallas Larsen, Donna Swanson, Shane Hickman, Heather Hofmann, Teresa Bowen, and Geniel Ozaki. This first game ended with the coaches whooping up on the athletes with a final score of coaches 4 - athletes 2. The second game was between the Metro Police Officers and local Volunteer Firefighters. Players on the Metro team included Sergeant | |
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Bret Empey, Troy Benson, Dan Swanson, Nate Boss, Nate Bradford, Allen Johnson, and Shanan Kelly. The Rendezvous began on Friday, February 15 and ended on Sunday, February 17. The Firefighter team consisted of many including Matt Nelson, Shelley Logan, Bob Espinosa, Norita Espinosa, Mike Otero, Elwin Brown, Shaun Mayo, Jason Wickersham, Cody Fox and Mark DeCaria. This game ended with the Police burning the Firefighters with a final score of Police 6 - Firefighters 2. “They only won because we got three calls during that game and players had to keep leaving,” stated Otero. It was on to the Championship Consolation Game between the Athletes and the Firefighters. Even with a player down after a nasty kicking incident, the Firefighters smashed the Athletes with a score of Firefighters 6 - Athletes 2. The Coaches and the Police then faced off for the title of 2008 Donkey Basketball Champions. Never before has the sport of Donkey Basketball seen such dirty play. The police were accused of playing dirty throughout. Even bystanders got into the dirty play. Vallet pointed out that his own wife, Melanie was involved in an incident which benefited the coaches team. This game was close as the clock wound down to just seconds with a score of Police 6 - Coaches 4. But then, suddenly, at the last second Dallas Larsen sunk a shot to tie the game. The game went into a sudden death overtime with the first team to score taking the title. Officer Swanson gained possession of the ball and headed down court only to miss the shot that could have ended the game. Fellow teammates later commented that they believe his wife on the coaches team must have paid him off to shoot so poorly. The Police then fouled the Coaches which earned them a free shot. Hickman shot and missed. Sergeant Empey then took the ball and missed an easy lay up, Officer Swanson shot again and missed... again. The Coaches team regained possession and Bowen headed down the court. She shot and missed. Officer Swanson recovered the ball and yet again missed what some called the easiest shot of the night. Larsen took another shot and missed. After a short wrestling match Hickman shot again and missed. Larsen gained possession of the ball and headed to the basket. He shoots, misses, rebounds, shoots again and the game is over. The Coaches take the title of 2008 Donkey Basketball Champions. Baseball Coach Jim Vallet organized this event and was happy with the final results. “I hope to do this again next year but make it bigger and better”. Coach Vallet expressed his appreciation to all players. “Without the players the show wouldn’t have happened, you are all appreciated.” he said. In addition, Vallet thanks the MVHS administration for the use of the gym and the janitors for their help with the extra clean up and Cheryl Rawson for making the shirts with such short notice. | ||
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