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Support our Blazers at State Basketball Tournament

Posted on Mar. 9th, 2010

Posted by Avis Solie
GardnerEDGE

Sub-State Champions, now on to State! Photo courtesy of Angie Plank

The GEHS Trailblazers have won the State Basketball Championship before. The last time, however, was in 1996. This year's team would have been preschoolers.

Coach Jeff Langrehr won the State Basketball Championship with his Great Bend Panthers quite recently - in both 2005 and 2006.

As fate would have it, Coach Langrehr and the Blazers will face the Great Bend Panthers tonight - Wednesday, March 10 - in the initial round of State Basketball Tournament play.

GEHS recruited Langrehr away from Great Bend just this year, so he was Coach to most of the Great Bend players that the Blazers will be facing tonight. None of these players, however, would have been in high school at the time of their last State Championship win.

What a strange experience Coach Langrehr faces at this 4:45 pm tip-off. As for me, I'm glad that he's now coaching the Trailblazers! The season started a bit slow because the successful football season overlapped a bit. But Langrehr has quickly pulled together a tight, effective team. Most impressive.

Now it's time for us to do our part. You heard me! Topeka just isn't that far. According to Google maps, it's 61 miles/71 minutes to the Expocentre. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for K-12 students and $3 for parking. GEHS students in good standing can even take the Spirit Bus and save the gas money!

A big part of the joy of living in a smaller city, of attending a Class 5A high school, lies in memories such as these! It's more personal because you're more apt to know some of the players, or to know some of their family members. Because it's OUR community.

You don't have to be a dyed-in-the-wool basketball fan to appreciate the skills and commitment that these athletes bring to the table. You don't have to have graduated from GEHS yourself to take pride in their accomplishments. So pull out something in Blazer Blue (Price Chopper, Trails West Ace Hardware, and WalMart should all have appropriate items). Pack up your family, invite your neighbors, and head to Topeka. After all, it's State Basketball Tournament time!

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Adam Drovetta, Sports Editor wrote on 3/10/2010 1:22 pm

Hey, guys. I will be at the game and updating Avis throughout the course of the action. Also http://www.ksexpo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=151:5a-state-basketball-championship&catid=48:details&Itemid=165

That link will connect you to a portion of the Kansas Expocentre website and will be continouously updating the game throughout the day.

Avis wrote on 3/10/2010 9:09 am

I'm working up that story right now. The www.BlazerBroadcastNetwork.com will be a great source - not sure of any others yet.

Qzotts wrote on 3/10/2010 9:07 am

Anybody know if it is possible to listen on the radio? or Internet?

j wrote on 3/10/2010 8:27 am

Go Blazers! We can't make it to the game tonight but we sure will be cheering from home. Good luck! Remember - win or lose - Gardner is proud of you!

RB wrote on 3/10/2010 7:50 am

Congrats Boys! Good luck!

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