Story Published:
Feb 27, 2008 at 6:07 PM CST
Story Updated:
Feb 28, 2008 at 10:38 PM CST
No family enjoys basketball more than the Hatfills of Lewistown.
"The two biggest fans are probably my mother and my sister," says sophomore guard Quinton Hatfill. "You see them cheering at every game. My dad's the coach and my brother's the starting point guard. Everybody's there."
Brad Hatfill has been coaching his son's Clayton and Quinton since they were toddlers. Now the entire Hatfill family is enjoying the experience of a lifetime trying to get top-ranked Lewistown (29-1) to it's first state tournament since 1940.
"In the winter this is what we do. It's been that way their whole life. Even when they were younger they came to practices and they would come to games."
"For 18 years of my life we've worked so hard," said Clayton Hatfill, a senior guard whose played for his father almost his entire career . " It would be great to reach the highest goal you can reach and share it with everybody."
This basketball family affair began when Clayton Hatfill was a week old. His mother Kerry, who also teaches at Lewistown High School, brought him to his first game - a game Brad was coaching. 18 years later Kerry's still going to games. She watches her sons and Quinton's twin sister, Bailey, who starts for the Lewistown girls team.
All five Hatfills have put in some serious time in the gym, so they can appreciate this historic season.
"It's very gratifying," said Brad. "To have a really great season like we've had is just icing on the cake. Most coaches would agree that it's special when they're able to coach their own sons."
"We just take it one game at a time," said Clayton, expressing the patience he's learned from his coaching father. "This is one of the best teams we've had at this school and we want to get to state."
If they win a state title guess what family will probably host the victory party.