Harpers Ferry Fireflies are Granny Basketball State Champions once again ...

The Harpers Ferry Fireflies have won the Granny Basketball State Championship for the fourth time in the last seven years, adding this year’s title to those won by the team in 2016, 2017 and 2019. The Fireflies shined their way through four games at this year’s State Tournament held June 11-12 at the Valley High School Fieldhouse in Des Moines, first defeating a team from Indianola, 60-46, before doing likewise with a Prairie Storm team from Kansas, 53-32. After defeating the Ankeny Honeybees, 60-46, the Fireflies clinched their State Tournament Championship with a 47-46 triumph over the Model T’s of Center Point in the championship game.

Pictured above with their State Championship trophy are this year’s team members. Left to right - Front row: Donna Matti, Tina Hendricks, Holli Welsh, Betty Steege, Jackie Friederich, Georgia Jones, Roseanne Wicks; Back row: Coach Bill Nation, Margaret Hermeier, Sherry Adney, Karen Wagner, Judy Kelly, Linda Mahr, Sally Light, Selma White, Coach Ron Steege.

The Fireflies will next compete in the National Tournament scheduled for July 29-31 at Hy-Vee Arena in Kansas City, MO, where they will look to claim their fifth National Championship. To help defray costs associated with that trip to the national event, the Fireflies will be holding a fundraiser bake sale Saturday, July 2 at the Ethel Robinson Meehan Community Center in Harpers Ferry. Anyone who would like to make a donation to their trip funding is asked to contact Linda Mahr at 563-794-1663 or Coach Bill Nation at 563-586-2708. Submitted photo.