| Graduation Year | Class of 1974 |
| Date of Passing | (unknown) |
| About | On my shelf sits the 1974 most inspirational trophy from Selkirk High School. Selkirk High School is located about 90 miles north of Spokane. Kids from Metaline Falls, Metaline, and Ione attend this school nestled in the mountains of North Eastern WA. The first class that graduated at Selkirk was in 1964. In the spring of 1972 our family moved to Ione where our mother grew up. The adjustment from big city life was slow at first but we quickly became attached to the mountainous region. The ball was in motion I would soon be a Ranger fan. In 1973 Selkirk's basketball team beat Reardan & Liberty. Selkirk lost to (eventual state runner up) Lind 53-50 in the district championship game. Selkirk had made it to the state playoffs for the first time. Brewster came from behind to force OT in Selkirk's first state game. In overtime Brett Flanagan was injured & Alan Enyeart fouled out. Brewster had edged Selkirk at the final buzzer. The Rangers faced Willapa Valley in an elimination game without Flanagan who was out with an injured ankle. Selkirk was eliminated from state competition without a win. In 1974 Selkirk won their first district game, followed by 2 losses. It had been 1 year since their last state appearance. What Ranger fans did not realize then, this was just the beginning of a very long wait. In 1975 I had my first taste of organized ball. Biddy basketball was born in Metaline Falls. (Biddy ball is organized teams that are formed for kids in the 4th, 5,th & 6th grades. The baskets are lowered below 10 feet. The program still goes on today in Metaline Falls) A love for basketball was born. I remember practicing for hours with a partially deflated basketball. Shooting at a 9 1/2 foot basket with no net & a dirt floor. I'd practice in the freezing cold & the hot summer sun. Through the years I dreamed of becoming skilled like, Zimmerman, McKenzie, Batch, Dawson, Lopes, Kubota or others names forgotten. The years seemed to fly by. In 1976 I remember our first junior high basketball game our team ever won. Several games into the season I sat on the bench & watched my team avenge an earlier loss from a 9-mile Jr. High team. Although some of us did not play, our whole team was elated. Our hands were red & sore from giving each other 5's. It felt like we won the national championship. In those early years I remember being huddled around the radio, straining to hear Selkirk battle at the district tournament 100 miles to the South. The 1976 district had Selkirk on the verge of going to state. However 6 foot 7 inch Dennis Flanagan's inside play was not enough when Springdale made a controversial shot at the buzzer that sent Selkirk home and Springdale on to the tournament. 1977 brought Selkirk a Panorama championship with only 1 league loss. Each game, I’d scramble up a dollar for the Rooters bus to watch the '77 district tourn. Selkirk beat Oddesa by 1. Game 2 the Rangers lost to the defending state champions Reardan. (The Indians went on to win a 2nd straight state championship) The Rangers then lost to Davenport in the loser out game. The streak continued at 4. At the 1978 district tournament Selkirk fans watched the Rangers win the first game followed by two 3 point losses. The streak would continue. This was the year it dawned on me I was not cut out to be a basketball player. 2 years of Jr. High & 1 year as a freshman JV bench warmer netted me 1 point, not a great average for 3 years. My love as a spectator continued. 1979 was reason for great hopes of seeing our first state appearance since 1973. The talented Rangers lost only one league game all year. They captured a league championship for a fourth year in a row. District started out with a loss. Game 2 Selkirk won by 2 points at the buzzer. Game 3 a tough Reardan team ruined our chances of ending the streak at 6. In 1980 I saw many of my classmates battle through the season. The panorama league had a lot of talented teams that year. Selkirk failed to make it to district for the first time in several years. In 1981 Selkirk placed 4th in the panorama league. My senior classmates traveled south with hopes of ending the streak at 8 years. Again Selkirk faced a tough district tournament & lost the first 2 games. The rest of the years were a blur. Going to district as a spectator off & on through the years was like a Home Coming. Every game I'd see someone I had not seen in years. I'd see old classmates, their parents & their kids. One time they would be holding their kids in their arms, the next the kids would be running around in the bleachers. As time marched on the streak continued. I don't know when but district 7 started alternating sending 4 teams to state then 3 teams every other year. It may have happened more than once but I remember when Selkirk finished 4th & the streak continued!!! It wasn't long before my classmate's kids were in biddy ball. On a few occasions I'd go watch them play. The streak was somewhere around 25 at that time. 2002 saw year 29 come & go. That same year my grandfather passed away. While going through some stored items my family had in my grandpa's barn, we found some items that belonged to my older brother. I mailed these items to him. Meanwhile Selkirk geared up for the season going into the 30 year anniversary of the Ranger's last state appearance. Selkirk had a great team in 2003 & many thought this would be the year it all ended. Selkirk won the Panorama league title, the state tournament was within their grasp. We started out by beating Oddesa. The next game was lost to a good Springdale team. Valley Christian eliminated our chance to end the streak at 3 decades. The final score was 57-46. 2004 Selkirk was blazing through the season. The papers had Selkirk ranked in state! Ranked in state? That caught my attention. I knew I had to see these kids play. I traveled to Wellpinit (a higher ranked team at the time) Selkirk played awesome!! I saw the kids of the stars of my youth; Zimmerman, McKenzie, Lopes, MacAurthers, Reed & March along with others beat a very talented Wellpinit team. I knew at that time this might be the year!!! I went to as many games as I could. Selkirk finished the season in 1st in their division, losing only 2 league games. They fought Republic tough in the Panorama championship game, but entered district as a second place seed. I was working when Selkirk lost to a good Wilber-Creston team. I thought ... oh boy now they have to win 3 in a row. Only sending 3 teams this year it seemed the drought would continue. I was able to attend the St. Michael game. It was a thriller with Selkirk edging them in the end. Next Wellpinit. I knew his would be a good one. Selkirk played harder than I have ever seen them play this year. In the end the Rangers pulled away. Selkirk had one more obstacle Valley Christian the number 1 BI-county team. At half time the Rangers were down by 10. It wasn't looking good. Selkirk was playing them just as tough, but Valley Christian looked like they had the edge, they just seemed quicker. Then coach Zimmerman (one of the stars of my youth) got the Rangers on track. Selkirk turned it up yet another notch, caught Valley Christian & won by 3 points!!! Selkirk fans our 31 year wait is finally over!!!! On my shelf sits the 1974 Selkirk High School Most Inspirational trophy.... Steve Sauter, Selkirk's manager 1974. Selkirk's win on 2/27/04 was a blessing to the players, coaches, students, parents, fans and Selkirk's Most Inspirational Player of 1974 Year 1 In memory of my brother Steve Sauter 8/18/55 - 7/5/03 Dwayne Sauter |
