They may not be the "Fantastic Four" - a popular group of good-guy cartoon characters that for many years was fearless in combating evil - but a less-dramatic, more realistic and equally close fivesome that graduated in 1989 from Ogden High School also has had a great impact for good.

Calling them the "Fantastic Five" might be an exaggeration, but as Ogden High's starting basketball five during the 1988-89 season, Jeff Knowles, Daniel Burdett, Scott Davis, Jeff White and Brian Moore left a positive imprint both athletically and spiritually.And the five are continuing their positive influence as they depart for full-time missionary service.

During their three-year high school tenure, the five young men starred in a variety of sports besides basketball and were active in student government and seminary. They garnered a lengthy list of individual athletic honors - all-state, all-region, track and field state championships. All five earned their Eagle awards in Scouting. And all have plans for missions or have already departed for missionary service.

Jeff Knowles left March 14 for the Washington D.C. North Mission; Daniel leaves next week for Germany Hamburg; Scott also leaves next week for the California Fresno Mission; and Jeff White and Brian have mission plans for later in the year.

As seniors starting together on the basketball team, the fivesome led Ogden to a 17-7 overall record, good for second place in region play and fifth in the state 3-A tournament.

Ogden basketball coach Mitch Wilcox is a member of the Mount Ogden Ward, Ogden Utah East Stake. He still gets together with his former players, recently meeting with four of the five for breakfast and to reminisce.

"They were a great group of guys to coach because they had so much heart and integrity, great qualities you like in anybody. They were such great friends and were very unselfish on the basketball floor because of their friendship. They would always hang around together and were almost inseparable on and off the court."

Wilcox said if one of the bunch was in a shooting slump, the others would "pull for him, try and look for him with a pass a little more often."

He added that they "set a precedent for Ogden High with their tight-knit team and unselfish play." Building on that foundation, the Tigers took second place this year at the state tournament.

"All five of them were sitting together at this year's championship game. They came down after the game and congratulated the players. There was no jealousy. They were just as happy that we took second this year as they were for themselves last year. All of our players look up to those guys.

"In all aspects of their personal lives, they are outstanding young men who abstain from harmful substances and live the gospel."

Though the five are looked up to by peers and leaders, they are fun-loving young men with no tint of piety or self-righteousness.

"I don't think we were any great example," laughed Daniel. "I'd say we were good examples to each other, though. When you had hard times, the others would help you get back on course."

Speaking of his reaction to his mission call, Daniel thought for a minute: "As long as I don't have to eat sauerkraut, it will be fine."

The soon-to-be missionary read the Book of Mormon four times while in seminary, according to his seminary instructor Lew Williams, who taught all the young men except Jeff Knowles and knew Jeff well. And Daniel attended the temple several times a week during the past few months prior to entering the Missionary Training Center, said his former teacher. Williams said Daniel's activity was not atypical of what the others have done.

"I really enjoyed all of them," said Williams. "I had them in class the first year I was here, and as a new teacher, they really broke me in. I really grew to love them. They all read the scriptures and prayed, trying hard to do what was right. They were all great athletes and really had a lot of influence on the younger kids. A lot of the students I have now still look up to their example."

Williams said Scott, Daniel and Brian all spoke at seminary graduation. "They added a lot to our graduation ceremony. There was a wonderful spirit there. All three bore powerful testimonies."

Williams told of Brian and Daniel one day giving a lesson in seminary on friendship. "Brian got up and told about the qualities he admired in Daniel, and those two were sobbing their eyes out during class. A lot of kids try to be cool, to wear `masks' to hide their feelings. This group really tried to take off the masks, to live the way they should and do what was right. They really had a lot of influence because of it."

Williams said a non-member young man, a "great athlete," was in his office several weeks back. "He's going to come over to seminary and start reading the Book of Mormon. He has really been influenced by these five."

When Brian had baseball games during the spring of his senior year, instead of going to pre-game batting practice, he would often go to his fifth-period seminary class. "At the end of the season, the baseball coach told the team they all ought to go over to seminary before the games because Brian hit so well," related Williams.

Scott said the five were drawn together as young boys by their mutual interest in sports. "We spent a lot of time together and became great friends. It was easier to be a good person when you had friends to support you. There was never any question about how we should act.

"Besides having great teachers and coaches, our parents also had a tremendous impact. We would go to each others' homes, and it was almost like we had five sets of parents. They would all sit together in the bleachers at our basketball games."

Added Jeff White and Brian: "We had as much fun as anybody else, but we stayed within the appropriate boundaries. It's a lot easier having four other guys who want to do the same things. They have all been a great influence."