Sutliff Saves The Day Lady Trojans capture 2000 Hall of Fame Classic By Brian Waddle - RSN Contributor Highland had Indiana University-bound Jenny DeMuth. Indianapolis Cathedral had Jill Corbett (Vanderbilt) and Ellen Rehme (University of Florida, then TCU for volleyball). Center Grove had Valparaiso University commit Katie Boone. Leave it to little known sophomore Mary Sutliff to steal the show for the Trojans at the Hall of Fame Classic in December of 2000. Sutliff hit two free throws – the only points for Highland in overtime – as the Trojans stunned Center Grove 55-54 in the championship game in New Castle – home of the world’s largest high school gymnasium. Heck, Sutliff was so under the radar the PA announcer called her Jenn Cieslak and then Tara Traczyk – two of her teammates – as she was stepping to the foul line. “Mary was never front and center, she was always a role player and I think she relished that,” Highland coach Chris Huppenthal said. “She would set screens, rebound – she would do all the little things and was happy to do it.” On this day it was Sutliff, who had only two points in the 61-54 morning victory over Indy Cathedral, who was the star. Highland outscored Center Grove 2-1 in the extra session, thanks to the two free throws from Sutliff, who came in a 59-percent foul shooter. “Her dad (Bob) still smiles from ear-to-ear when they talk about that game,” said Highland’s Tom Arnold, father of starting small forward Lyndee Arnold. Against Cathedral, which came in with a 36-1 record over the last 1 ½ years, Jenny DeMuth had a
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game-high 29 points – including 17 in the first half. She also pulled down nine rebounds, grabbed seven steals and added four assists. The senior star also hit four pressure-packed free throws in the last minute of play, and partially blocked a 3-pointer by Cathedral standout Sharika Webb (24 points) that would have tied the game at 57 with 25 seconds remaining. Tara Traczyk and Lyndee Arnold both hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions in the middle of the final quarter to put Highland up 49-47, in one intense battle. In the championship game against Center Grove, Jenny DeMuth had 20 points, Julie DeMuth added nine and Corrie Kaczmarek and Jessica Hamman had six each. One thing lost in the game was the fact that Center Grove was just 17 of 33 from the free throw line; Highland was 16 of 25. “I remember it was a snowstorm, but we all traveled together,” Tom Arnold said. “We were blessed to have coaches with personalities. I look back and think, ‘We couldn’t have been at Highland High School at a better time.’” Huppenthal says it was the chemistry with the players – and the parents – that made the string of success possible. “It’s all me-me-me these days,” Huppenthal said. “It takes a special group of kids and parents to accomplish great things. What we had at Highland was special. The community support was unbelievable, too.” Maybe someday that same spirit will return.
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