West Marin boys secured for the first time the Catholic Youth Organization’s countywide basketball championship on Sunday at Terra Linda High School. In the nail-biting game leading up to the final score of 32-29, both Sacred Heart and their opponent, St. Anthony, exhibited a great deal of stamina and athleticism. Coming back from a 11-20 deficit in the third quarter, Sacred Heart pulled ahead and kept the lead until the end of the game. Coach Stephen Horvat and his assistant, Mike Durkee, led the seventh-grade players through a regular season with a record of six wins and two losses, and finished with a triumphant championship game. “I told them before the big game that no matter what, I was proud of them, but that the little trophies are not as good,” Mr. Horvat said. Huckleberry Shenk carried the team through the game and racked up 20 points, with strong support from Dylan Jenkins, who scored 10. Fast breaks from Huckleberry raised the score until the buzzer sounded and the fans ran onto the court in celebration. Most of the team had played together for years under Mr. Horvat, but this year’s team was the largest yet. Huckleberry said the size allowed the players to move around the court and take rests. But, he said, it was their energy and love for the game that mattered most. “As some of the other coaches who played us said, we have the biggest spirits and really picked our teammates up when some of us were down,” Huckleberry said. Before Sunday, the West Marin boys had never won a CYO championship. A Sacred Heart girls team won in 1988. “There’s a lot of character and heart on this team, and they all pulled together and won,” Mr. Horvat said. “I’m still in shock and I’m so proud of those young men.”