It started with two minutes left in Thursday night's girls basketball game between Highland and Mesquite. A partisan Highland crowd chanting Miner Webster, Miner Webster. Then with about 20 seconds left to play while the clock ran down to zero the chant switched to 700, 700. That was only the beginning of the homage at Highland. Homage paid to Highland girls basketball coach Miner Webster.

After win No. 700 was secured, a 44-21 Lady Hawks victory over the Lady Wildcats, the celebration continued after the teams shook hands and cleared the court.

First, parent and booster club member Reed Carr spoke. Next Gilbert superintendent Dave Allison. Finally, the mayor of Gilbert in absentia chimed in. The only thing left was a phone call from the White House, but President Obama may wait another day tor so to offer his salute with his plate full of national issues.

Webster, a coach with eight state titles in 25 seasons at Gilbert and Highland high schools, has absorbed these victory parties before. Wins at 400, 500, 600. The real lofty coaching numbers in basketball. Victory 700 is stuff of the elite and this night made Webster just the fourth coach in Arizona high school basketball history to pile up 700 wins. On the girls side, Webster trails only Winslow's retired Don Petranovich (778 wins). The state's winningest coach is active Mesa Mountain View boys coach Gary Ernst (787). Ernst passed retired Sahuaro coach Dick McConnell (774) last year for the top spot among boys coaches.    

  Highland coach Miner Webster (center) receives gifts on occasion of win No. 700.                                                                                                                                                                               Photo courtesy Dara Schnuelle

Each time Webster, like Ernst, reaches a new milestone they are out of words to assess their success. Webster summed it up Thursday in a very brief speech, saying "It's great kids, great parents, faculty, staff and administration. Highland's a perfect situation for me. I'm blessed."

Holy mackerel!  Then there were gifts. Webster was given a framed Highland jersey with the No. 20 emblazoned on it and encased in glass. The 20 signifying his 20 seasons at Highland (the other five at Gilbert High). The other token, although we only got to enjoy three -and-half hours of it , was the proclamation coming from Gilbert Mayor John Lewis' office that January 17, 2013 was Miner Webster Day in Gilbert. Webster, his staff and players get face time, however, next week with the mayor and town council.

Webster's coaching foe Thursday was former Gilbert High player Candice Forsgren, now Candice Gonzales. She was on both state title teams Webster coached at Gilbert High in the early 1990s. The game was a gritty, tough defensive struggle that Highland controlled from start to finish. But Gonzales' Lady Wildcats gave a good account of themselves, might have been better had they not shot 20 percent for the game. Not talking to Webster about the game, I can imagine one he wasn't pleased with the number of turnovers his team committed, which outnumbered those by Mesquite.

Beating Webster-coached teams isn't easy and strong, all-out efforts often fall short. Gonzales has lost her share of games to her former coach as have a trio of coaches in attendance Thursday who were  there to pay comic respects.                                                                                                             

Girls basketball coaches Karen Self (Seton Catholic), Tyler Dumas (Dobson) and Kerri O'Connor (Desert Ridge)  humbled themselves before Webster late in the second half with homemade signs. Dumas sign: "I added 10 wins to the total". Self 's read: "He got 7 from me". O'Connor completed the deprecation with "Don't forget my 5."

Dumas, Self and O'Connor enjoyed the levity, but were there mostly to show appreciation and admiration. I didn't have a funny sign. But that's why I was there, too.

People like Webster are ones worth celebrating. 

Dobson coach Tyler Dumas, Seton coach Karen Self and Desert Ridge coach Kerri O'Connor

share their losses to Miner Webster. Photo courtesy Dara Schnuelle.

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