Golden girls once again!!

Saturday, July 29, the Harpers Ferry Fireflies Granny Basketball team struck gold for the second year in a row. Coached by Bill Nation of Harpers Ferry, the Fireflies traveled to Norman, OK to compete in the Granny Basketball National Championship and won all three games they played to reign once again as National Tournament Champions. Nine teams from Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas and Iowa played a double elimination tournament to decide who would come home with the gold medals. The Fireflies first defeated the Gray Tornadoes from Kansas, 45-27, before defeating the Fire Ants from Texas, 50-14. In the championship game, the Fireflies played a familiar foe, but continued to take care of business, leading the Late Bloomers of Cedar Rapids by 18 to 20 points for most of the game before winning by a final score of 48-35. The state of Iowa actually had three teams in attendance at the tournament and each came home with medals to sweep the top three spots in the tournament. In addition to the Harpers Ferry Fireflies winning the tournament and the Late Bloomers of Cedar Rapids finishing second, the Classic Mustangs team made up of grannies from the Monroe Mustangs, The Classic Chassis from Des Moines and Car X, also from Des Moines, finished in third place. Pictured above following their championship effort are members of the Harpers Ferry Fireflies: Left to right - Front row: Shirley Elliott, Judy Kelly, Linda Mahr, Lorie Floyd, Maureen Monroe. Second row: Georgia Jones, Tina Hendrix, Jackie Friederich, Sherry Adney, Coach Bill Nation, Margaret Hermeier. Third row: Karen Wagner, Donna Matti, Nancy Walleser. Submitted photo.