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Moment: Wilburn Winner Caps Comeback

April 20, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The 1999 Class B championship game clash of Detroit Country Day and Flint Powers Catholic finished with one of the most memorable game-winning shots in Michigan high school girls basketball history – and started a string of three straight MHSAA Finals matchups between the titans.

Kim Wilburn’s driving buzzer beater capped a fourth-quarter comeback for the Yellowjackets, who came back from seven points down in the final period to win 49-47.

Wilburn finished with game highs of 21 points, nine rebounds and eight steals. Just a sophomore at the time, she later starred at Ohio State. Powers was paced with 18 points and eight rebounds by then-junior Kelly Koerber, who later starred at Western Michigan.

Below is the full-length broadcast including the awards ceremony from FOX Sports Detroit.

Title IX at 50

Title IX at 50: We Will Celebrate Many Who Paved the Way

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

August 31, 2021

Before the passage of Title IX in 1972, fewer than 300,000 females participated in athletics nationwide, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.

During the 2019-20 school year – the most recent not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic – nearly 76,000 girls competed in athletics in Michigan alone, filling more than 120,000 spots on teams for 750 high schools statewide.

By protecting people of all genders from discrimination in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance, Title IX began a now half-century long journey toward equalizing those opportunities.  

In advance of next June’s 50th year since the passage of Title IX, every Tuesday this school year we’ll celebrate a person, team or moment that has contributed to Michigan’s rich history of females participating in athletics at MHSAA member schools.

We begin with Michigan's contributions to the yearlong NFHS celebration, which last week highlighted a trailblazer, moment of magnitude and pioneering program across its social media channels.

Second Half's weekly Title IX Celebration posts are sponsored by Michigan Army National Guard.