OTAHKIAN PERFORMANCE GIVES CAUSE TO CELEBRATE

The Southeast Missouri State University Otahkians drove their dream to the final game in the Division II basketball championship Saturday.

The fact they fell one win short of their ultimate goal is no cause for disappointment. Instead, we celebrate this team's gritty determination, which catapulted the university and Cape Girardeau into the national spotlight.

Their extraordinary play enabled Cape Girardeau to revel in the frenzy of a Final Four tournament. It was exhilarating. A sea of red in the Show Me Center Saturday night was created by 7,064 fans - an attendance record for a NCAA Division II women's game. It also marked the largest gathering to ever watch a women's basketball game in Missouri.

The crowd mirrored the team's decorum of good sportsmanship as thousands waited around after the final buzzer for presentation of the trophies.

The Otahkians may be runners-up for the national title, but they are no less champions in our minds. Their high-powered performance introduced many thousands of fans to the excitement of women's sports. They generated national attention for Cape Girardeau; the championship game will be aired on ESPN today at 12:30 p.m. (noon).

Coach Ed Arnzen deserves particular praise for beating the odds. Arnzen led his nationally 10th ranked team to the final game, despite a season of injuries and setbacks. The team finished its best season ever with a 31-4 record. The Otahkians and their coaches have generated a new level of prestige for women's basketball in Missouri. We should pay tribute to these fine players and their coaches at a rally today at the Show Me Center, beginning at noon.

Saturday's game also marks the last Division II basketball game for Southeast Missouri State. This fall, Southeast will make that often difficult transition to Division I.

The Otahkians' national finish ended our final Division II basketball season on a high note. Their superior performance should provide a good springboard to Division I.