Published: April 10, 2008 09:56 am         

Retired pastor wins NCAA basketball contest

The finale of the NCAA men’s basketball season Monday night was prolonged five extra minutes due to a thrilling comeback by Kansas in the final two minutes of regulation.

Thanks to Kansas’s thrilling 75-68 overtime victory, Myron Schrag of 1447 Canterbury Court in Goshen won the ninth annual News NCAA prediction contest with a score of 163, the second highest total ever.

Schrag, 71, a retired pastor at Eighth Street Mennonite Church, grew up an avid basketball fan in Kansas and recalls listening to Jayhawk basketball games on the radio.

“I really thought North Carolina was going to beat them, but I went with my heart more than my head,” Schrag said.

Had Memphis held onto a nine-point lead with two minutes remaining, a three-way tie would have taken place with tiebreakers to determine the winner.

Schrag said that he had participated in the contest before, “but never really got far.”

A record 487 brackets were submitted, eclipsing the mark set last year of 451.

Sixty-nine entrants correctly predicted the Kansas Jayhawks to win the title with 27 of those picking them to defeat Memphis. Seventy-five thought Memphis would cut down the nets.

After the first weekend, Schrag’s bracket looked like a middle-of-the-pack finisher. He got only nine of the Sweet 16 teams right, but as the points increased, so did his accuracy as he got six of the Elite 8 right.

He then correctly predicted the outcome of every Final Four game, racking up major points in the process.

“I’m just blown away right now,” Schrag said after hearing he had won.

Second place went to Titus Ramer, New Paris, with a total of 160 points. Third place went to Maurice Lehman, Goshen, with a total of 157.

Schrag is the fourth Goshen resident to win the contest, joining Anthony Brinson (2000), Doug Caskey (2003) and Peter Vander Sluis (2006).

Here are the final top 25 point totals in order —

Myron Schrag, Goshen, 163; Titus Ramer, New Paris, 160; Maurice Lehman, Goshen, 157; Dan Vogelzang, Goshen, 155; Brent Kuiper, Goshen, 155; Ron Schrock, Goshen, 154; Carrie Jones, Goshen, 152; Arlyn Reinhard, Goshen, 152; Terry Knepp, Millersburg, 151; Lucas Bontreger, Goshen, 151; Paul Lauver, Wolcottville, 149; Lucy Kesler, Nappanee, 147; Jay Yoder, Goshen, 146; Sherry Miller, Middlebury, 146; Ivan Makximenko, Elkhart, 146; Marc Bontrager, Shipshewana, 144; Jan Miller, New Paris, 144; Junior Schlabach, Goshen, 143; Dennis Miller, LaGrange, 141; Glenda Miller, Middlebury, 140; Rita Earley, Goshen, 140; Kermit Hoover, Goshen, 139; Tyler Bitting, Elkhart, 139; Justin Yoder, Shipshewana, 138; and Andy Streit, Goshen.