There was something different about Thursday, February 12. The sun came up the same. The doves cooed their morning hum like they always do. Cars sped down the interstate, people buzzed about their jobs and eventually the sun went down the same. Yet, something was different. Not bad, just different. That's when I saw it. I quickly refreshed my Twitter feed in disbelief. “The Streak” refers to the Fairfield Lady Eagles incredible run of 120 consecutive basketball victories, the longest such win streak in the nation. Here it was, over in four short quarters. Tears flowed from the Lady Eagles as they huddled in an emotional embrace. Parents were quick to dab the moisture from their own eyes, needing to stay strong for their daughters. Coach Dustin Gordon was congratulating the Choteau coaching staff. Social media exploded. Cell phones buzzed with the news. “The Streak is over!” Updates poured in from local media outlets to the likes of ESPN. Fairfield’s rival, the Choteau Bulldogs, had solved the equation that so many teams before them had failed to do. It was the first time in 14 tries the Bulldogs would wind up victorious against mighty Fairfield. “The Streak” had nearly ended on numerous occasions. Days earlier, Fairfield outlasted Class C powerhouse Belt only to stave off Class A’s Havre High hours later. But there was something different about Thursday, February 12. As the news reached the eyes and ears of former players, memories of the 120 were refreshed in their minds. They reminisced about their favorite moments in Fairfield white and blue. While the current Lady Eagles exited the locker room with their heads held high, ex-teammates were sharing those incredible moments of the past. There was the time Jill Barta connected on a deep three pointer to force a second overtime against Malta in the 2014 state championship. Barta would score 41 points to cap an undefeated prep career. There was the time the Lady Eagles and Townsend played toward midnight in the 2013 title game as the previous boys championship lasted three thrilling overtimes. There was Destiny Palmer’s three pointers in the 2012 championship win over Malta. There was Molly Klinker standing at midcourt with a first place trophy and Most Valuable Player award. There was Jordyn Johnson dishing out assists. There was Skylar Steinbach’s tenacious defense, while cousin Sydne was igniting the fast break. There were the Coverdell twins and Linnea Zier showcasing their athleticism on each end of the floor. At the center of it all was Gordon. The longtime coach was admittedly relieved that “The Streak” would no longer be mentioned in postgame interviews. Still, it’s a feat he will look back on years from now and smile as a proud coach. But “The Streak” won’t define Gordon or his Lady Eagles. “The Streak” holds much more value than just wins or championships. The memories, good or bad, will stay with the program forever. Its coach will remember the girls’ happy faces as they shared their bond on the court. “The Streak” is also about more than basketball. I have known Gordon since his days at Chester High School and his tutelage goes beyond X’s and O’s. I have been at the practices, inside the huddles and witnessed the postgame speech from many of the 120. Basketball is an afterthought in those messages he expressed. The Fairfield Lady Eagles of past, present and future learn more than zone defenses or pick and rolls. Gordon stresses the importance of hard work and dedication, a message that extends to the classroom. The Fairfield athletes learn how to be a good teammate and how every individual needs to perform her own role. Most importantly, and perhaps most difficult, the Fairfield Lady Eagles learned to remain humble. As the wins piled up and “The Streak” was extended, Gordon’s student-athletes entered each game with a modest attitude, always hungry for more. I was there when Fairfield broke “The Original Streak” set by Great Falls High’s Mighty Bison of coach Dick Kloppel in the early 1980s. As I approached Gordon and his team, eager to hear their thoughts on breaking a near 30-year-old record, they shied away from the camera and microphone. “You guys (in the media) are the only ones making a big deal about this,” Gordon told me when the cameras were done recording. “We just want to win, no matter how many consecutive games it is. It became 120 Gordo, a number we will always remember as “The Streak.” Basketball fans will always remember the names of the players, the shots that they hit and the records that they broke. Even though there was something different about Thursday, February 12, we will remember less about the night “The Streak” ended and more about the path to reach it.
2 Comments
Kyle Cunningham
2/16/2015 08:04:55 am
Dick Kloppel, the Bison coach of the previous streak is a Fairfield Eagle alumus!
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Dustin Gordon
2/16/2015 11:00:54 am
Richie, you are and always have been a class act. Thank you for this article and for recognizing many of the great players that made it happen. It's been an unbelievable journey and we all appreciate the hard work everyone puts in, including the media.
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AuthorRichie is a small-town boy chasing big-city dreams. When he's not involved with sports, he's spending time with his wife, Fallon; their yorkie, Tinker; and their Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rosie. Archives
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