Fireflies come up just shy in overtime of fourth consecutive Granny Basketball National Championship ...

The Harpers Ferry Fireflies traveled to Lawrence, KS for the 2019 Granny Basketball National Tournament the weekend of July 20. Sixteen teams entered the tournament, including the Sizzlers and Late Bloomers from Cedar Rapids, the Classic Roadrunners and Lady Redbirds from Des Moines, Manor Care Cuties from Dubuque, the Gray Tornadoes and Grayhawkers from Lawrence, KS, the Sunflowers/Meadowlarks from Olathe, KS, the Crushers from DeRidder, LA, the Specials from Oklahoma City, OK, the Twisters from Del City, OK, the Show Me Shooters from Jefferson City, MO, the Fire Ants from Georgetown, TX, the Old Glories from Harker Heights, TX and the Tonics from Louisburg, KS.

The Fireflies entered the tournament’s initial pool play round and won all three games. They first played the Louisiana Crushers and won, 51-29, before also defeating the Kansas Sunflowers/Meadowlarks, 51-39, and the Oklahoma Specials, 45-32. Advancing to the semifinal round, the Fireflies won against the Oklahoma Twisters, 57-36, to earn advancement to the tournament finals against the Cedar Rapids Sizzlers. The two teams battled in a real nail biter, the Fireflies eventually falling in overtime by a 53-51 final result to end up as this season’s National Tournament Runner-Up.

Pictured above with their second-place medals while surrounding a bronze statue of basketball inventor James Naismith are this year’s National Tournament team members for the Harpers Ferry Fireflies. Left to right - Front row: Tina Hendrix, Bonnie Jones, Linda Mahr, Coach Bill Nation, Betty Steege, Jackie Friederich; Back row: Jean Minahan, Georgia Jones, Margaret Hermeier, Jan Sonderland, Sally Light, Karen Wagner, Judy Kelly, Sherry Adney, Donna Matti. Submitted photo.