YADKIN RIPPLE/Tim Weatherman • Members of the Boonville boys basketball team pose with their trophy after Saturday night’s win. They are #30 Dalton Vestal, #42 Luke Wagoner, #12 Thomas Johnson, William Lambert, (holding the plaque) Dillian Reeves, Brandon Phipps, Chasten Brooks, Charlie Wagoner, #24 Trey King, Sergre Sariana, #4 Gunner Cass and Will Smith. Members of the Boonville cheer squad are, from left to right: Miranda Johnson, Megan Howell, Samantha Welborn, Madison McLellan, Emily Brown, Shannon Shore, Rachel Vestal, Lauren Carson, Haley Jarrett, Hunter Welborn, Courtney Eldridge, (leaning, single, back) Ashley Byrd, (kneeing, middle row ), Neelie Swaim, Bethany Hunter, Presley Wagoner. Not pictured, basketball coaches Michael Vanhoy and Steve Wagoner. The scorekeeper was Grant Moxley. Cheerleading coaches were Chandler Welborn, Anna Weatherman and Kelly Welborn. The athletic director is Danny Mathis.
By David Brown
Special to The Tribune
While it was not a state title that the seventh- and eighth-grade boys from Boonville Elementary School were playing for Saturday night, there were fans in the stands who could relate to the excitement in the Forbush High School gym, comparing it with the excitement of the night in 1965 when Boonville High School’s boys basketball team won the state tournament.
Boonville Elementary’s boys basketball team did win the countywide 2008-09 Middle School Basketball Tournament. This year’s tournament was a preamble to many middle school athletic events which will occur with the opening of Starmount and Forbush middle schools in the fall.
While winning the tournament is a great accomplish, it could be said that it is the “icing on the the cake” for Boonville School. The win Saturday night is an end to the Knights’ perfect season. The boys were also recognized for being the regular season champion with a record of 16 wins and no losses.
Just as the members of the 1965 state championship team still share stories about their great accomplishment, this accomplishment will be remembered with pride. While this year’s boys’ team fame is a first because of the number of wins, it is also a last.
Another similiarity of this year’s eighth grade team to the 1965 team is the 1965 state title was won with only two years left before consolidation and thereby closing the book for Boonville High School sports.
This year is scheduled to be the last year for Boonville School to be an elementary school. It is the first time that any elementary school has accomplished an undefeated season, playing 16 games. This is due to the fact stated earlier — Yadkin County will open two new middle schools in the fall.
With the athletic talent demonstrated this weekend at both Starmount and Forbush high schools, who knows? Maybe another state title is likely to be coming to Yadkin County in the near future.
David Brown is the principal of Boonville Elementary School.
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