By MIKE KESSINGER

South Gray Boys

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mkessinger@gctelegram.com

HAYS -- The sound of the crowd's voice carried to the floor of Gross Memorial Coliseum as the clock showed no time left in the boys Class 1A state championship game on Saturday.

"Repeat!...Repeat!" the South Gray fans yelled as the scoreboard reflected, the outcome of the Rebels 49-42 win over Hanover. It was the final result of what the crowd was more than happy to make clear: the Rebels are back-to-back state champions. It was the final touches to a South Gray sweep Saturday, as the girls team had claimed its first ever state title.

"I tell you what, Hanover, they just played lights out," South Gray head coach Mark Applegate said. 'They're a special team."

On Saturday though, it was South Gray that left with the most special feeling

From the opening tip the two teams went back and forth. Until the final 45 seconds, when South Gray's Weston Koehn hit 1-of-2 free throws to make it 45-40, the lead was never more than five. The largest lead Hanover (25-3) had was 7-2. In the first minute of the fourth quarter Hanover led by two, then an Edgar Andazola trey put South Gray up by one. The Wildcats responded with two Alex Bruna free throws. When Clyde Redger laid in a bank shot from under the basket with less than four minutes to go though, the Rebels took a 39-38 lead and never trailed again. South Gray (25-3) even g

ot a little help from Hanover, when the Wildcats could have scored points with no time taken off the clock. In the final 46 seconds, Hanover was 0 of 4 at the free throw line.

The Rebels, who were less than spectacular at the charity stripe, pulled away in the final 1:53 by making at least one free throw on six trips to the line in that span.

"Hanover came to play, they're a good team," the Rebels' Eli Applegate said. "Fortunately, we came out and we got the victory."

After the first two rounds, when the Rebels needed two Andy Skinner late jumpers to propel them, the Rebels methodically finished off Hanover.

The Wildcats nipped at South Gray throughout, but had the lead on just four occasions.

"This is how you want to go out as a senior," Andy Skinner said.

It was the final game for seven South Gray seniors and for their final act, they carried much of the load for the Rebels.

Skinner led all Rebels and tied Bruna for game-high scoring honors with 12 points. Skinner's senior teammate, Applegate, finished with a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 11 rebounds before fouling out with 46 seconds left.

As Mark Applegate put the state championship medal around each player's neck as they were introduced, the coach shared a hug with his son Eli.

During Eli's high school career, the Rebels have been to three straight state tournaments. In 2006, Applegate and Redger were both starters on the Rebels team that came in undefeated before being upset in the first round to B&B-Baileyville. Saturday night was the end for a senior class that has been a part of South Gray's most successful stretch.

"It's been great," Eli Applegate said of playing for his father. "He's a great coach and role model for all of us."

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Hanover 11 11 12 8 -- 42

South Gray 12 11 11 15 -- 49

HANOVER (25-3): Tegtmeier 2-5 0-0 4, Diederich 2-6 2-4 8, Schotte 2-11 2-2 6, A. Bruna 3-12 4-4 12, J. Bruna 0-2 0-3 0, Hynek 0-2 4-6 4, Diederich 2-4 0-2 4, Loges 1-4 2-3 4, Zabokrtsky 0-0 0-0 0. Totals -- 12-46 14-24 42.

SOUTH GRAY (25-3): A. Skinner 3-7 4-6 12, B. Koehn 0-4 3-6 3, C. Skinner 2-5 0-0 6, Redger 2-5 2-3 6, Applegate 3-7 5-6 11, Clancy 1-4 1-2 4, Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Andazola 2-2 0-0 6, W. Koehn 0-1 1-2 1. Totals -- 13-36 16-25 49.

3-Point goals -- Hanover 4-22 (A. Bruna 2-7, Diederich 2-6, Schotte 0-7, Hynek 0-2); South Gray 7-18 (A. Skinner 2-5, C. Skinner 2-5, Andazola 2-2, Clancy 1-3, Redger 0-1, Smith 0-1).