CAMP VERDE — The 28th annual Yvonne Johnson Memorial Shootout gets underway Monday, Dec. 29, and continues to honor a former Cowboys player who tragically died in a car crash in the summer of 1998.

To keep her memory alive, Camp Verde High School and Yavapai Apache Nation partnered to begin the tournament as a tribute to her spirit. Teams from all over the state of Arizona compete yearly to honor her memory.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.

The jersey of Yvonne Johnson hangs just outside the Camp Verde High School gymnasium in her honor. She was tragically killed in a car crash during the summer of 1998 and the Yvonne Johnson Memorial Shootout was started in her honor. This Dec. 29-30 is the 28th version of the tournament. (Brian M. Bergner Jr./AzPreps365)