East Sends Off Scarlets to State Basketball Tourney
Members of the East High basketball team get introduced at a pep rally in advance of their State Tournament appearance.
On a wall right outside the gym at East High School is a copy of the lyrics to the school song, written by Velda Wilbern, Class of 1920. This afternoon, inside the gym, the blaring music was different but the spirit was the same as always while the stands filled for a good ol’ state tournament pep rally. The pregame warm-ups for the Lady Scarlets’ state tourney matchup with Waterloo West tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 at Wells Fargo Arena are now officially underway!
The rally was scheduled for 2:00. At 1:30 East’s School Improvement Leader/emcee/deejay/event planner, Kris Byam, was tweaking the program, going over the player intros and doing a sound check while chairs were set up for the guests of honor and boxes were ripped open that contained the fancy two-toned state tourney basketballs each of the Lady Scarlets receive to commemorate the experience. Touches like that are why state tournament runs are always special, no matter how commonplace they might become at certain schools. Take East, for instance. Banners hang on the gym wall that remind of tournament appearances in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2013. That ’11 team went undefeated and was crowned state champs. And that’s not to mention all the softball décor. So maybe this is getting ho-hum at East. Uh, no. Make that NO WAY!
Today’s rally made clear that while the girls are on the floor trying to win another championship team trophy, their roaring and adoring fans will be taking the stands by storm in hopes of also bagging the tournament’s School Spirit Award.
One side of the floor was flanked to the rafters by upperclassmen who, in a rousing spirit of torch-passing, schooled the freshmen on the far side of the court in the ways and means of the cheering game plan for tomorrow. With Byam playing the role of the rattled opponents from Waterloo and clanking errant shots off the basket supports, the rally became a practice session for the fans. And by the time it ended they were ready to head straight downtown and tip it off. Instead they were directed to the cafeteria to buy tickets and t-shirts.
This is it. After a looong winter of Tuesday and Friday nights in high school gyms across Central Iowa, it’s time for a Wednesday matinee of East vs. West; Scarlets vs. Wahawks at “The Well.” A scout from Waterloo might have reported back that the trip to Des Moines is hopeless. Except the scout from Waterloo couldn’t make it because it was probably all hands on deck at West today, too, for a similar send-off.
Some of those we’re-not-in-middle-school anymore frosh might not sleep much tonight but that’s alright. They’ve got a short day of classes in the morning and adrenalin should get them through the game, no problem. By the time they graduate they should have this routine down pat.
The East Scarlets take on Waterloo West on Wednesday at 1:30 at Wells Fargo Arena. Visit the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union for more information about the State Tournament.
