Semi-state stunner

Editor’s note: Over the last few months, we have run brief looks back at the 2005-06 season that the Jay County High School boys basketball team capped with a run to the Class 3A state championship game. Last week we offered an abbreviated version of the March 13, 2006, regional championship story. This week, we’re doing the same with the March 20, 2006, story about the semi-state championship.
LAFAYETTE — No guts, no glory.
With 32 seconds left, the Patriots had two options. Trailing by one, they could go for the quick score, thus leaving them a chance to rebound or foul after a miss. Or, they could hold the ball, take one shot, one chance at victory.
Guess which option they chose?
Corey Comer rolled in a shot from the lane with 1.6 seconds left in overtime, sending himself hopping happily down the floor and Jay County soaring to the state championship game for the first time in school history with a 53-52 win over the Plymouth Pilgrims
“It was awesome,” said Comer. “I don’t know, I’m in shock. I don’t know what to say.”
Say this: The Patriots are going to Conseco.
“I was just jumping up and down, yelling and screaming, because I pretty much knew right there that we had it and we were going to Indianapolis next weekend,” said senior John Retter, the rebounding leader (five) in a game in which both teams shot better than 50 percent from the field. “We’re going to state. What else do I say? I don’t know what to say. I’m still not over that we won semi-state and we’re competing for a state championship.”
Plymouth star Randy Davis, who finished with a game-high 21 points, gave his team the lead with 44 seconds remaining in overtime. Then the Patriots pushed the ball across mid-court, ran some clock and called timeout with 32 seconds remaining.
“I asked them if they wanted to go for the win, they said, ‘Yeah,’” said JCHS coach Craig Teagle. “It was a pretty easy decision with our group. ... We wanted the ball in our senior’s hands.”
So Jay County ran down the clock, getting the ball to junior point guard Scott “Scooter” Bruggeman inside of 15 seconds. Bruggeman worked to the right side, then passed back to the top of the key to senior Tyler Rigby.
The team’s leading scorer was well-defended, so, in typical Patriot fashion, he passed off to Comer in the lane. The junior forward flipped the ball toward the hoop, and his shot rolled in with 1.6 seconds to go.

“Coach asked us if we wanted to go for the win ... I don’t know which one said yes,” said Rigby. “I was up at the top. I figured they’d be all over me ... but Corey was wide open, knocked it down, made a big play.”
“We were supposed to hold it so we could get the last shot,” said Comer. “We wanted to go for the win ... We got the shot. We made it. That’s the game.”
Plymouth had a final chance after a time-out but couldn’t get a shot off in time. Senior Zac Green tipped a pass away, preserving the victory and Jay County’s first trip to the state championship game.
“This is amazing,” said Bruggeman, who notched a game-best five assists. “It’s a dream come true. We’re going to Conseco to play for state.”
Jay County (20-6) took the win in its typical fashion — team.
While Davis led Plymouth with 21 points, Rigby was the high scorer for the Patriots with just 10. But the scoring came from everywhere, with Randy Evans and Bruggeman each adding nine points, Comer eight, Retter seven, Green five, Clint Muhlenkamp three and Goetz two.
“It’s been like that all year,” said Teagle. “We’ve had six leading scorers on the year during games. You just never know who is going to step up. That’s why this is a true team.”