Norristown girls look back fondly on 1977 state title run
WEST NORRITON >> Memories.
They’re like the ultimate clay doll.
You can shape them however you like, make them good or bad, cling to them or let them go.
Memories from 40 years ago are iffy at best, full of joy or dread.
Memories were on the docket at Norristown Area High School Saturday afternoon when the school chose to honor the 40th anniversary of the girls basketball state championship of 1977.
All nine Eagles on the team, plus head coach Carol Tompkins, were on hand to remember a happy moment in time, when the Eagles overcame arch-rival Abington for the Suburban One League title, then again for the District One crown before downing Elizabeth Forward, 58-50, at the Hersheypark Arena on the evening of March 26.
The times were different 40 years ago, the celebrating Eagles agreed,
Athletes played three sports, families supported their son and daughters and communities followed the ups and downs of their local high schools.
“We practiced six days a week, regardless of the weather or the circumstances,” said Tompkins, now 70, who made the trip from Florida to take part in the ceremony. “And everyone came to practice.
“It was the most fun team to work with. They came to practice and they worked hard.”
The team’s biggest rival was Abington, and the Eagles played the Ghosts five times that season – twice in the regular season, once in the league championship, once in the district semifinals and once in the state playoffs.
Only once did Abington win, in the league championship game, but the Ghosts were considered the better team.
The Eagles, however, agree they had an intangible.
“We had no business winning a state title, we were always the underdog,” said Dee Fichter-Cross, then known as Dorothy Fichter. “Every game was a battle.
“But we just loved each other, and we had that intangible.”
The intangible was a profound affection for each other, an intangible that found the Eagles palling around together, doing homework as a group and, in general, enjoying each other’s company.
Individually, the Eagles were good, if not great, with one true star, sophomore guard Jennie Hall, who would ultimately play at Rutgers.
Along the way, Tompkins and the Eagles made things up as they went along.
“I noticed, that when we played Abington, that most of the action centered around just one of their players,” Tompkins said. “I was good friends with the Norristown boys coaches, the late Bill Werkiser, a wonderful man, and John Cresswell.
“We devised a diamond-and-one defense, and put Janice Corley on their best player. It worked, because we shut her down and we beat Abington.
“We also got a lot of mileage out of our 1-2-1-1 zone press, and teams would have trouble getting the ball up court on us.”
Ultimately, the maneuvers paid off, and Norristown found itself ousting Abington in the state playoffs before a relatively easy win over Elizabeth Forward.
While the final score shows only an eight-point victory, Tompkins said the Eagles led by 20 points late in the game, but the coach wanted to reward her seniors.
“I emptied the bench, and let them play the remainder of the game,” Tompkins said. “I figured they were responsible for getting us where we were, and I wasn’t going to take them out.
“That’s probably my strongest memory of that year.”
And there was another memory, this one from Cross, who recalled the bus ride home from Hershey and the reception that awaited the newly crowned champs.
“It seemed the whole town turned out,” Cross said with a wide smile. “It was a huge crowd, it seemed like the whole town was there. That’s really what I remember best.”
Memories …
NOTES: As for the game, Norristown lost to Penn Wood, 41-40, on a last-second layup at the buzzer, bringing the team’s season to an end.
“It’s been a tough year,” said head coach Richard Fisher. “Outside of Beyonce (guard Beyonce Collins), none of our girls have played much varsity ball.
“But this is a young team, and I look forward to working with them next year.”
“I think we can win next year,” Collins said. “I think we learned a lot this year, and we’re all looking forward to next season.”
Penn Wood 41, Norristown 40
Penn Wood 9 13 10 9 – 41
Norristown 11 4 16 9 – 40
Penn Wood: Awa Dicko 1 6-6 8; Larie Andrews 6 0-0 15; Khaliah Gordon 2 0-0 4; Jarilynn Watson 0 0-3 0; Brana Moore 4 6-6 14; Saleia Mathews 0 0-0 0; Truly Patterson 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 12 -15 41..
Norristown: Beyonce Collins 5 5-6 16; Lauren Greene 3 0-0 6; Ashley Schools 4 0-0 9; Tori Wright 1 0-1 2; Morgan Culbreth 1 0-0 3; Brooke Heim 2 0-4 4; Tamara Wright 0 0-0 0; Naja McClure 0 0-0 0; Anyon Thompson 0 0-0 0;.. Totals 16 5-11 40.
3-pointers: Andrews 3; Collins; A.Schools; Culbreath.
Top Photo: The 1977 Norristown Girls State Championship basketball team is recognized on their 40th anniversary during halftime of a game against Penn Wood on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)
