Miller Decides It’S Time To Relax
The familiar and soothing sound of John R. Miller’s trademark sign-off is checking out for good Saturday. And Miller is getting sentimental.
“I’ve always said to the crowd, `Thank you very much for coming ladies and gentleman. Please drive carefully on your way home, and good night,”’ said Miller during one of his tournament breaks Thursday night.
He’s been the public address announcer here for 24 years. For 40 years, Miller performed the same job at his hometown sporting events in Ritzville, retiring four years ago.
Now, the 67-year-old retired wheat farmer said it’s time to let others take over. Velma, his wife of 48 years, who also works the tournament as a sportsmanship award selector, also is calling State B 2000 her last. They’ll leave with plenty of memories.
“One of my fondest memories was the Ritzville-Brewster (1985) championship game,” Miller said. But wait, Ritzville lost 55-54. “I happened to be calling that game,” Miller added.
Although the couple’s working days will be over, Miller said there’s no way they’ll separate themselves from the tournament.
“We’ll come as spectators, certainly.”
ER update
After Sunnyside Christian lost its second game Thursday, the team went to Sacred Heart to visit teammate David Dekker.
Dekker, a 6-foot-3 senior center, broke the fibula and tibia in his right leg in Wednesday’s game against Curlew. Emergency surgery was performed at about 11 p.m. Wednesday and Dekker is expected to be in Spokane for the next few days.
Parting shots
No one likes to take the two-and-out route back home, but despite losses on Wednesday and Thursday, the state experience always will fill scrapbooks with fond memories. Here are some thoughts from some of the players:
* “We could have hoped for better. We have a lot of youth and hopefully we can learn from this. It was awesome.”
- Neah Bay senior Jerry Cross, first-time player.
* “It was good for our seniors to be here. It was pretty fun. I think we have a good chance coming back. We’ll be more prepared.”
- Quilcene junior Nick French, first-time player.
* “It was awesome. It was great playing in front of such a big crowd. I really like the atmosphere here.”
- Sunnyside Christian freshman Lance Den Boer, first-time player.
* “It’s fun to play out there but it’s pretty tough. The competition is much, much harder and every game is pressure.”
- Naselle junior Tony Salme, second-time player.
Point made
Seth Caine and Tyrone Shephard, Seattle Lutheran’s leading scorers did not start Thursday because of disciplinary action for curfew violation. The Saints won their game against Naselle as the two came of the bench.
According to Seattle Lutheran executive principal Donna Coursey, the school won more than a basketball game:
“We also won the victory for sportsmanship in leading young people. And one of the biggest roles in high school athletics is the instruction in sportsmanship.”
When asked if the Caine (24.1 points-per-game average) and Shephard (12.6 ppg) will start today against Pateros, Saints coach Bob Dowding said, “Oh yeah. It’s over. It’s behind us.”