Dauna Armstrong to Alex Miller to the rest of the Wilmington High School boys basketball team.
Not Dauna Armstrong to Michael Noszka to the team.
Not Dauna to Dylan.
Has to be Dauna to Alex.
The brownies have spoken.
Armstrong has been making brownies for the boys basketball team for a couple years, she said. The key with the brownies as the tournament neared this season is Armstrong has given them directly to Miller each time. The team hasn’t lost since.
They hope that trend continues when Wilmington faces Lima Senior 5:15 p.m. Friday at Value City Arena in the Div. I Boys State Basketball Championship tournament.
“Brownies, fudge brownies or cake brownies, just different snacks for them to eat,” she said.
“I couldn’t make it to all the games,” Armstrong said. Before the team departed for away games, Armstrong delivered the tasty treats.
“Actually the last several times, usually Alex Miller was getting out of his car at the same time so I gave them to him,” Armstrong said. “The next time, the same thing. Alex was there.”
The third time, though, the players already were in the gymnasium. Miller was on the floor as Armstrong entered the gym. Noszka, who was in his room at the time, saw Armstrong with the snacks and immediately went to the balcony and found Miller.
“Alex, you need to get up here,” Armstrong recalls Noszka saying.
The problem with the delivery system is Armstrong can’t go to any of the away games.
“I’m superstitious,” she said. “I haven’t been to an away game and I don’t want to go now.”
Well, she does “want” to go but is not going to do anything to jeopardize the streak.
“We’re cheering and yelling for them from here,” she said. “I hate not to go to Columbus to watch them play but that’s just the way it has to be. It’s a superstition.”
Armstrong said she’ll send two days worth of brownies with the team on this trip, covering Friday’s semifinal and Saturday’s championship game.
“You know what, they (the brownies) may not make it (to Columbus), but I’m going to keep doing the same thing; they can do what they want to do with them,” she said.
… TICKET TIME: Wilmington High School athletic director Troy Diels said ticket says will continue Thursday 8 to 11 a.m., not until 3 p.m. as he originally had planned. He figures the school’s allotment of 2,800 tickets will be almost gone by the Thursday comes and there will be little need to sell in the afternoon.
… TELEVISION: Sports Time Ohio, the official television outlet of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, will air all four high school championship games on Saturday.
But not the semifinals. You will be able to follow News Journal reporters in Columbus at the game via Twitter @wnjsports, @twinzdad01, @mattsports and @BeeLakeH.
… LIKE MOM, LIKE SON: Cameron Stewart is one of four seniors on the WHS boys basketball team who will play for a state title Friday and Saturday.
That is one thing he shares with his mom, Amy Hooper, who qualified for the state track and field meet three times during her career at East Clinton High School.
“I can tell you that I am completely overjoyed to experience this as a parent,” she said. “This team has been such an exciting team to watch.”
And, as expected, mom is confident in son and his teammates.
“It’s pretty neat that Cam and I will both have had the opportunity to experience a trip to Columbus for a state appearance,” she said. “There will be a difference, however, as I see this Hurricane team coming home with a championship.”
… CIRCLE OF CHAMPIONS: The OHSAA will honor three former Ohio high school greats during the finals Saturday. Recognized during the Division III championship game that begins at 10:45 a.m. will be Dave Wottle, while Tom Cousineau and Herb Williams will be honored during the 5:15 Division IV championship game. This is the 10th consecutive year the OHSAA has selected individuals who had prominent roles in the history of Ohio interscholastic athletics to be included in its Circle of Champions program.
