First Annual Cruiser Classic Alumni Tourney Is A Success

This past Saturday, the Eatonville HS basketball program held their 1st Annual Cruiser Classic Alumni basketball fundraiser tournament at Eatonville High School. They had four teams compete against each other in a mini tournament and eventually crowned a champion. Three of the teams were comprised of EHS alumni while the fourth team was comprised of current players from the Cruiser boys basketball team.

In game 1, Team Swartout efficiently handled Team Clark by a score of 58-44. Dalton Hancock would lead Team Swartout with 22 points. Reilly McIlraith would lead Team Clark with 15 points.

In game 2, Team Osborn would come away with a 66-53 victory over Team Cruisers. Reilly McIlraith (who was a fill-in player on Team Osborn) led the team with 19 points while Hunter Klumpar led Team Cruisers with 18.

That set up a championship match featuring Team Swartout against a combined team of Clark and Osborn players. It was a close contest for most of the game until Team Swartout pulled away towards the latter part of the game to secure a 69-60 victory to claim the championship. Dalton Hancock would lead Team Swartout with 18 points. Brock Tollefson would lead Team Clark/Osborn with 15 points.

The 2022 Cruiser Classic Alumni tournament champions, Team Swartout: Dalton Hancock, Melissa Bickford, Chance Hancock, Derrick LaClef, Taylor Callahan, Brad Norman, and Keaton McAtee. Photo: Karen Swartout.

A three-point contest was also held and Reilly McIlraith would defeat Dalton Hancock in the finals in a sudden death playoff by a score of 21-20.

The three point contest finalist, Dalton Hancock and Reilly McIlraith. McIlraith would defeat Hancock in a sudden death playoff. Photo: Karen Swartout.

Head Coach TJ Cotterill was very please with how the tournament went.

“It was such a great opportunity for our current players to connect with former ones. That was the best part of this. With guys like Chase DeMoor flying in. Another I heard traveled from Florida just to be there. We wanted to make sure all our alumni could have a fun and memorable experience returning to their gym, throwing one of our classic Eatonville jerseys on, and playing in front of an energetic crowd”.

Cotterill went on to say, “But, maybe selfishly, the biggest thing for us was connecting current players with the history and legacy of this program. Having a Hall of Famer like Jeb Dorn stay in front of current Cruiser Shay Brannon; seeing Chase DeMoor go at Kyle Cox and Hunter Klumpar and Eric Mead run with Walker Bruun — all with former head coach Mark Swartout commentating on the mic — were fantastic, invaluable moments and lessons for us. Hopefully, it speaks to the work players before them have poured into their craft and the work ahead of us as we prepare to make this coming season a special one”.

“Everyone we spoke to afterward was excited to see this event only get bigger and bigger, with more players and teams to come next summer. We’re excited for the opportunity to run it back”.