An Adams housewife beat all comers Saturday morning at the "other March Madness.

Monday, March 29, 1999

An Adams housewife beat all comers Saturday morning at the "other March Madness."

The NCAA Final Four championship games received more attention, but winning a free throw shooting contest will do for Sharon Munson and her son, Brian, who coached her.

"I think she did great," said the son after his mother won the contest out-dueling Jed Frein in overtime Saturday.

Meanwhile, Dan Wilson earned bragging rights and his brothers, Dave, Ed and Bob, will have to put up with his bravado until next year.

The second annual FM 100 Mountain Dew March Madness Free throw Shooting Contest attracted 25 participants Saturday morning at OakPark Mall in Austin.

Sixty-people correctly answerer on-air questions to qualify for the contest, according to Marv Olson, general manager of the Austin-based FM-100 and its sister station, KAUS AM 1480.

Sue Heimsness-Peterson, on-air personality, Jim Ruud, farm director, and Olson coordinated the contest with help from Bob Peterson, continuity director, and Bill Lubke, account executive.

The contestants, all 16 years or older, took 10 shots each in five rounds. The Wilson brothers’ numbers soon fell. First, Bob failed to make the cut. Then, Ed, and finally Dave. That left Dan, who may have had an edge from his son, Jay, 8 1/2.

"I helped him practice in the driveway Friday," Jay said.

But, Dan’s good fortune was not to last.

When the final round came, only Munson and Jed Frein, a cameraman for KAAL Region 6, were left.

As shoppers stopped at center court, the Adams housewife and Riverland Community College student squared off in front of the basket.

Frein shot first, making 8 of 10 attempts, including many that hit nothing but net.

Then, Munson took the ball and walked to the free throw line. She knocked down 8 of 10 also and the free throw shooting contest went into overtime.

Frein’s shooting touch left him and he was only able to make 5 of 10 attempts.

Munson coolly hit six in a row and won the contest.

"I like to play a couple of times a week in the gym," said Jed, son of Marianne and Charles Frein, the second-place winner. "I just did it for the fun of it."

Munson qualified for Saturday’s competition only last Thursday.

She played for the Southland Rebels as a teenager and later for Austin Community College, when Val Moen was coach.

She and her husband, Ray, have two sons, Brian, 9, and Eric, 7. Mother and son Brian practiced on Friday for the contest, but the champion admitted she was lucky. "I had to make my last four shots in a row in the first round just to qualify to advance," she said.

A former high school coach happened by Saturday morning’s competition and spotted Munson. "He told me to keep my elbow in," she said.

For her free throw shooting expertise, Munson won an all-expenses-paid trip to Eddie’s Lake Mille Lacs Resort and tickets to the Minnesota Twins baseball games.

Frein won a portable basketball hoop and stand for finishing second.

Wilson won a Walkman stereo radio. Each received a trophy.