The team had an 8-1 record for the season. Photo: Bradley Mansour.

Clarkston, Michigan, February 23, 2011 -- Everest Collegiate High School will not have its first graduating class until the spring of 2012.  But that has not stopped the members of the school’s first varsity girls’ basketball team from making a name for itself.

The team -- including two juniors, three sophomores and six freshman -- are sectional co-champions for 2011, and their coach, Erin Hearn, was named “Coach of the Year” in the Intersectional Division.  The team had 8 wins and 1 loss in Catholic League play.
 
“We started out this year with the goal of building our first varsity girls’ team,” said Coach Hearn.  “We wanted to set the foundation for the future.”

The Everest Mountaineers tied as co-champions with Sacred Heart Academy from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.  The teams split their victories in the two meetings.  But the Mountaineers won the tie-breaker to compete in the Catholic League

	Everest coach Erin Hearn, who was named Coach of the Year. Photo taken just after the team received its trophy in Calihan Hall.

playoffs because they had a "larger margin of victory” in the two games.

The team received their trophy, and five of the Everest team members and their coach were honored, on Sunday, February 19, 2011, during the Catholic League Tournament Championship finals at the University of Detroit Mercy’s Calihan Hall in Detroit, Michigan.  Everest Collegiate Junior forward Mary Smith was named to the League’s All Academic team.  Freshman guard Angelina Mastromatteo and freshman forward Mary Jo Allen were named to the All Catholic team.  Junior forward Julianna Mastromatteo and freshman guard Megan Luttinen were named to the All League team.
 
The winners shared some thoughts about why they had such a successful first year.

“We offered every game and every practice for a special prayer intention that we would agree upon as a team,” said Mary Smith, co-captain for the team.

Hearn said the prayer intentions were intended to build

	The Everest Collegiate Lady Mountaineers. Photo by Bradley Mansour.

team unity and help the girl’s appreciate on the court the talent God has given them.

“I really like this quote from [NCAA player and coach] John Wooden,” said Julianna Mastromatteo, co-captain with Smith. “I think it pretty much sums it all up. ‘The main ingredient of success is the rest of the team.’”

The Mountaineers will begin competing in the MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) Girls´ State Tournament play-offs on March 2, 2011.

"I am overwhelmingly pleased with our accomplishments this season,” said Coach Hearn. “We have established ourselves as a reputable basketball program in the Detroit Catholic League. Most importantly, the girls have come together to learn a great deal about competition, faith, and teamwork.  The future looks bright for EC Girls´ Basketball."