Rally honors 3-time champs
<p>Dayna Drager holds the state championship trophy while standing with the rest of her teammates during an assembly for the girl's basketball team Wednesday at Coeur d'Alene High. The lady Vikings won the state championship Saturday in Nampa bringing their total eight since 1977.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - The gray, wet weather didn't dampen the Viking pride felt Wednesday morning at Coeur d'Alene High School.
Students, teachers and district administrators gathered in the gym for an early morning Celebration of Champions, to honor the girls basketball team for bringing home the state title for the third consecutive year.
The floorboards in Elmer Jordan Court rattled as the marching band played and students clapped and cheered.
"This team is a group of leaders," said Assistant Principal Mike Nelson to the crowd at the all-school assembly.
The Viking ladies became No. 1 in the state after tripping 5A Inland Empire League rival Lewiston with a 51-45 victory Saturday in Nampa.
There were some bumps in the road to the championship.
Senior Amanda Buttrey said they lost their first game of the season at North Idaho College's Christmas tournament.
"It was not good, but we kept on fighting," Buttrey said.
Dayna Drager, the other senior member of the squad, spoke of the challenge of losing several games.
Last year, the team went completely undefeated.
"But we came out on top. That's how we ended our season," Drager said.
It's the eighth time since 1977 that CHS has won the state championship.
The team presented the trophy to the entire campus community, and gathered in a circle under the school's newest title banner.
"This banner will forever fly in our gymnasium," Nelson said.
"The girls worked really, really hard for this," said Drager's mother, Connie.