Girls basketball: 30 years ago, Avon Lake won a state title and brought an entire community along for the ride

The success stories of local sports are often success stories of community, and for the 1994 state champion Avon Lake girls basketball team, there is no success without community. During the 1993-94 season, the Shoregals went 27-0, capping the season with a thrilling buzzer-beater win in the Division II state final to earn the program's only girls basketball title — the only girls basketball title in Lorain County history, in fact. But when the team reunites Saturday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its historic championship, it will be a celebration well beyond what was achieved on the basketball court. "Our basketball team was really special in the fact that the whole community kind of jumped on board and supported us," said Stacey Fifer, who hit the game-winning shot in the state championship game. "Girls basketball wasn't always that popular. We didn't really have crowds early on, but with the momentum … it garnered a lot of support from the community and before we knew it, the stands were filled for a girls game, which was unheard of." The momentum first started building during the 1992-93 season when Avon Lake made it to the state semifinals before losing 58-43 to eventual champion Urbana and finishing 23-3. From that moment on, the only thing on the minds of those in the program was getting back to the state tournament — and winning it all. "I definitely came in very motivated and I think the rest of the team did, too, to get back and prove that we could not only compete and be there, but that we could succeed at that level, so I think we were pretty locked in early on," said Megan Chawansky, a three-time All-Ohioan and Division II Player of the Year. "Getting a little taste of what it was like was a huge confidence builder for us," Fifer added. "We weren't very big, so coming in and playing in a state tournament in an environment like that against sometimes bigger and stronger athletes, it was really a confidence booster knowing we could play at that level. I think that really poured into the next season." As the team built its momentum on the court, the Avon Lake community couldn't help but throw all its support behind the Shoregals as they racked up win after win with all eyes on the prize. Elementary students would write cards and letters to the players and families would stop them outside of school to thank them for the way they rallied the city. "The town went nuts," said Amy Manco, who coached the Shoregals from 1992 to 2008. "It was crazy. I couldn't believe it. I haven't seen a gym filled like that for a girls basketball game since (then). We drew more (of a crowd) than the boys did and that was exciting for the girls." It was the perfect combination of skill, luck and sheer will to win, and with the entire town turning up to support the Shoregals game after game, the team became almost unstoppable. "They were in the weight room, they joined as many pickup basketball games with the guys that they could — wherever they could," Manco said. "They really dedicated a lot of time and energy to reaching that ultimate goal, which doesn't always happen because you could have injuries or illness, all that kind of stuff. Everything went our way in terms of not having to overcome too many injuries that kept people out for periods of time. It just kind of jelled." By the time the postseason came around, Manco and assistant coach Zenovy "Zen" Chawansky had created a well-oiled machine with every role accounted for, and that dynamic is something Megan Chawanksy, Zen's daughter, teaches in her sports psychology classes at Otterbein University. "I talk a lot about role clarity and role acceptance, and we had people that knew their roles on the team and they weren't always the glory roles," she said. "We had people who were really willing to accept their role, which you don't always get on teams. You need that. You need people who are going to score and lead the team, but you also need people who can do the quiet things and keep the team spirit and focus at the forefront. I think we had that, which is really important for success." "It wasn't a difficult thing to get us together to practice and to play in summer league," Fifer added. "We were all motivated. We were all excited. We wanted to be better and we enjoyed being around each other. It was a lot of fun. It was effortless because we all wanted to be there. It was just a really special group." Even with stars on the team like Chawansky, who continued her basketball career at Northwestern University where she was a four-year starter, or Fifer, who went on to play at Wright State before transferring to Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky, the ultimate goal always outweighed any egos. "I've coached teams where I can't get kids to work together," Manco said. "Like, there'll be an individual that thinks that they're better than everybody else, but nobody was ever that way. … There were defensive efforts from kids that didn't show up on the scoreboard, but they were willing to play their role and I think every kid on the team did that." When it was time to finish the job, everyone was more than willing to play their roles with one final opponent standing in the way. It took every possible second, but Fifer hurled a shot at the buzzer to give Avon Lake the state championship over Cincinnati Roger Bacon, and if they thought the community had celebrated them before, they hadn't seen anything yet. On the ride home from Columbus a day later, the bus crossed the railroad tracks on Route 83 in Avon Lake on the way back to the high school, and as far as the eye could see were fans lining the street welcoming home their newest champions. "It was amazing," Manco said. "There wasn't a space available. There were so many people out there. I was shocked because it had been a couple days since we'd won (the championship) because we didn't come back right away. I was like, 'OK, people are going to go on with their lives.' But, no, they were there for us." "I don't remember much of the game, but that moment I think stands out for all of us because it was pretty unexpected," Chawansky added. "We were happy to celebrate amongst ourselves and our families, but then to have this whole lineup of people on the side of the road. … That whole buildup felt like you had the whole town ready to support you and ready to celebrate with you (and) that definitely sticks out as one of the best memories in my sporting career." The 1994 Shoregals will be recognized Saturday during the varsity game against Olmsted Falls, reuniting players, coaches and families. It's the first time the group will be together since 1999 when it was inducted into the Avon Lake Sports Hall of Fame. In the 30 years since that state championship, that sense of community has never waned. Some members of the '94 are not around to celebrate, like coach Chawansky, who died in 2020, but nevertheless, it was important for this team to come together and celebrate their success and their community — their family. "If it wasn't for the support of our parents and families, we would have never made it as far as we did," Fifer said. "They were our foundation. We have lost some along the way and I know they will be there in spirit this weekend cheering us on as they always did." Contact Marissa McNees at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.