They've made us all proud (03/25/06)

The sun rose this morning on a day many reading this thought would never come: In a basketball-crazy state, Jay County High School is playing for a state championship.

In the grand scheme of things, whether the Patriots bring home that state title isn’t all that important.

Would it be great?

Sure.

But what the members of this team have already accomplished — the first regional and semi-state titles in school history and stirring this community’s spirits like nothing in recent memory — already makes them winners.

Don’t think so?

What else can you think of that would cause nearly 4,000 local residents to purchase tickets for today’s 3A/4A state championship games, with many lining up inside the high school before sunrise Thursday to ensure themselves a seat in Conseco Fieldhouse today?

The members of this team are also winners for the way they’ve come together during the latter stages of the regular season and the post-season.

As with any team, there have been highs and lows throughout the course of the year. And it’s our sense that the lows were in danger of prevailing as the regular season wound down.

But somehow, the coaches and players found a way to stay together instead of coming apart. And late this afternoon, they’ll find themselves in the eye of a frenzied storm at Conseco.

JCHS coach Craig Teagle surely doesn’t claim the most athletically gifted team among the eight state finals qualifiers. But we suspect he just might have one of the hardest working teams.

Here’s hoping Jay County — and, for that matter, New Castle — will give everything it has tonight in a game that is played with intensity and sportsmanship.

And no matter what the scoreboard says, you can be sure we’ll be proud. — M.S.[[In-content Ad]]