2008 Woodie Awards
'Jacks surging at just the right time
Matt Drange
Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: Sports
If the players seemed jittery during the opening minutes of last Thursday's big game, they were merely a reflection of the raucous crowd that filled the East Gym.
The 'Jacks managed to keep their cool when it mattered most, however, as they held off Cal State San Bernardino 65-61 to hurdle over their last major obstacle of the regular season. Humboldt State sealed the California Collegiate Athletic Association championship the following night with a 79-71 victory over Cal Poly Pomona, finishing the year 20-7 overall and an impressive 15-5 in the CCAA.
The seniors proved to be an essential part of the weekend success, and none loomed larger than shooting guard Will Sheufelt, who made perhaps the biggest shot of the season when he sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 21 seconds left to put the Lumberjacks ahead for good against rival San Bernardino. "I was open, and I just took the shot. Anytime you get open against a team like that you take it," Sheufelt said after the game. "And yeah, after last year's game [in which San Bernardino ended the Lumberjacks season] it definitely felt good to be able to put those guys away," he said with a smile.
The 'Jacks were a bit shaky throughout the game, but thanks to the seniors that stepped up and led the way, they were able to earn their second straight regular season conference championship and make it into the post-season tournament with a No. 1 seeding.
Nothing came easy against the Coyotes, who pulled ahead with a long three to silence the crowd with 1:31 remaining on the clock. But then came the defining moment of the 2008 season, as Sheufelt scored the Lumberjacks final five points when he punctuated the win with two free throws after San Bernardino failed to get off a shot on their final possession.
The players who made the most noise for the better part of the last four months fittingly came up big, with seniors Devin Peal (29 points through both games), Grayson Moyer (24 points), Cy Vandermeer (24 points to go with 26 rebounds), and of course Sheufelt (32 points) making key contributions down the stretch.
The 'Jacks managed to keep their cool when it mattered most, however, as they held off Cal State San Bernardino 65-61 to hurdle over their last major obstacle of the regular season. Humboldt State sealed the California Collegiate Athletic Association championship the following night with a 79-71 victory over Cal Poly Pomona, finishing the year 20-7 overall and an impressive 15-5 in the CCAA.
The seniors proved to be an essential part of the weekend success, and none loomed larger than shooting guard Will Sheufelt, who made perhaps the biggest shot of the season when he sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 21 seconds left to put the Lumberjacks ahead for good against rival San Bernardino. "I was open, and I just took the shot. Anytime you get open against a team like that you take it," Sheufelt said after the game. "And yeah, after last year's game [in which San Bernardino ended the Lumberjacks season] it definitely felt good to be able to put those guys away," he said with a smile.
The 'Jacks were a bit shaky throughout the game, but thanks to the seniors that stepped up and led the way, they were able to earn their second straight regular season conference championship and make it into the post-season tournament with a No. 1 seeding.
Nothing came easy against the Coyotes, who pulled ahead with a long three to silence the crowd with 1:31 remaining on the clock. But then came the defining moment of the 2008 season, as Sheufelt scored the Lumberjacks final five points when he punctuated the win with two free throws after San Bernardino failed to get off a shot on their final possession.
The players who made the most noise for the better part of the last four months fittingly came up big, with seniors Devin Peal (29 points through both games), Grayson Moyer (24 points), Cy Vandermeer (24 points to go with 26 rebounds), and of course Sheufelt (32 points) making key contributions down the stretch.
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