“Our conference is very tough. We played 10 conference matches. We could win every one, or we could lose every one. There is so much balance in our league,” Richards said.
“We made a goal all summer and all fall and then throughout the season to stay focused on winning the sectional, it was a great accomplishment,” said Matt Luce, the Wapahani head coach. “Then to win Saturday night against Carroll (Flora) was great and kind of a history-making thing for our school.”
“Whoever wins, it’s cool, as long as it’s not Kentucky,” said Jacob Walker, a student at Ball State. “If Kentucky wins, I’ll literally just throw up. We’re in Indiana, you just can’t root for them.”
“I went to Indiana for a golf tournament and there was a panel of coaches. The coaches from here [Ball State] spoke on their behalf and ever since, I reached out to them”, says freshman golfer, Madelin Boyd on her recruitment process.
“Nothing really feels more home than Scheumann to me,” Jones said. “Even on the cold, Tuesday night MACtion games when there’s probably 1,000 people there, to me that’s still the greatest feeling ever knowing that’s where home is.”
“We’ve been working really hard this season, and the previous semester as well to get to this point,” Kelly said. “The credit all goes to the players. They’re all really passionate and they put in their work.”
“It doesn’t matter if they’re the best team in the country, or the worst team in the country, we’re gonna put up the best that we can put up,” Smith said.
“When we make a big play and you just hear the crowd behind you, how can you not just keep playing hard, keep trying to make plays for your teammates, and play good basketball for them?” Sellers said.
A tough shooting night and a plethora of turnovers left the Tigers down 18 points at halftime. During the break, Head Coach Matt Moulton told his guys to keep their heads up.
“When Rick Mueller called me, who’s the GM here with the Renegades, and told me they were going to pick me up as one of their quarterbacks, I was super excited. Just happy to be playing again,” Plitt said.
“I felt pretty good about it. I know I have more in the tank, I know I have more to give and I am going to keep working,” Ruthberg said.
“We’re definitely quicker as a team, so I think that’s going to help us in March. If we just keep playing together, we’ll do great things and hopefully win a sectional title,” senior guard, Blake Jones said.
“He’s the hardest worker in the room and it’s been that way all summer,” Bradley said. “I’m not surprised at all that he qualified for state.”
"I got my start here at ball state in the fall of 1983 and wasn't sure where my game was going to go,” Orlando said. “I was fortunate enough to play for Coach Richards who is a great developmental coach."
“When the kids go off the mat and they have that feeling of wow, we did a really good job and they’re so excited, that’s the best part and that’s what we kept talking about,” Richards said.
“We have a lot of talent this year which is really exciting. It is going to be about putting people in the places they need to be and having them play at the level they should,” Koch said.
“It means a lot to get this recognition, for the hard work that I put in,” Klein said. “I’m looking forward to using this season to prove them right.”
“As Director of Athletics, I vow to be a great teammate as we advance Cardinal Athletics to greater success and I look forward to unlocking our full potential together,” Mitchell said.
“It’s really fun. It’s super exhilarating to have the support there. After the game, we were able to get up into the stands and the kids would yell, ‘I love you. I want to be you. Can I have your autograph?’ It’s really cool to see,” Clephane said.
“We had them where we wanted them in the third and weren’t able to finish,” Bloom said. “Of course, it’s a huge let down, but also really proud that we were here.”
