Mundelein players enjoy life on the road

Editor's note: The Mundelein boys basketball team spent the week in sunny Arizona, and Nick Delaquila and Drew Herchenbach have written a daily diary to keep fans up to date on the Mustangs' trip.

Day 1

There aren't many things we dislike more than waking up at 3:30 in the morning, but knowing that we would be in sunny Arizona in less than 7 hours made it all better. As the plane approached the landing strip at the Las Vegas Airport, excitement arose from the team as we realized all that separated us from the Arizona sun was a 45-minute plane ride. Walking out of the airport, the team was ecstatic when the warm, winter Arizona air hit us as we waited for the coaches to pick us up. Once we arrived at our humble abode, Hospitality Suites Resort, our team was in a hurry to settle in and get some rest because we were invited to go to Coach Knigge's grandparents' house. Well, to us it wasn't a house, more of a mansion, and the people who inhabited this palace were some of the most giving people I have met. The food that we ate was delectable and the brownies after were to die for. We all had a splendid time enjoying the scenery and all of the house's many treasures. After that, there was no doubt what the team was going to do once we reached our hotel: hit the hay because tomorrow is a big day. Tomorrow we show Arizona how Chicago plays basketball. Goodnight.

Day 2

It was a slightly later wake-up call today as we were awoken from our deep slumber at 8:30 a.m. It was game day now and it was time to get focused. It started off with a fabulous complimentary breakfast courtesy of our hotel. After breakfast we went over to the local YMCA to get our legs warm with a little shootaround to get ready for what we really came here to do, win basketball games. Our first game was against Sahuaro High School and we unleashed a 20-point victory as we started the tournament off with a bang. Everybody got a chance to be a part of the victory and play in the Arizona air. The day wasn't quite over yet as we still had another game later that night in a highly anticipated affair against Buckeye. This game attracted a large population of Mundelein fans, and the atmosphere made it feel as if we were back in Mundelein. A huge thanks goes out to the fans that supported us all the way in Arizona. The final score ended up being 110-106 in favor of Buckeye but one note to point out was the fact that Ben Brust collected his second 50-point game of the season. It was a tough loss but we had no time to feel sorry for ourselves as we had another game the next day at 10 a.m. sharp. Adios from Arizona.

Day 3

Having to wake up with the loss on our mind only did one thing, make us focus on completing one thing that day: take out all frustration on Canyon Del Oro. After another complimentary breakfast, we collected our things and went straight to the gym to get ready for an important game. When 10 a.m. rolled around, there was one thing that was in the team's mind - to destroy our opponents. We walked away with another solid victory, but our work was far from over, as we had another game at 3 p.m. against Thunderbird and were in need of food. For lunch we went to Bad Donkey and devoured their filling subs. We arrived back to the school in time to get pumped for another must-win game against an unknown opponent. It didn't matter who we played, though, because as long as we play our game with our unique style, we will win. Win we did, beating them in the consolation semifinal round by double digits. After a successful 2-0 day we were treated to ice cream by one of our many generous parents. After the ice cream, we decided to go support our Lady Mustangs to a 25 point victory. The team was fatigued, so we retreated back to our resort, ate pizza and went to bed. Tomorrow is the consolation championship game and even though it isn't the championship we came here to win, we hold our heads high and carry on with Mustang pride.

Day 4

When the coaches came into our rooms for wake-up call, only one thing was on our minds. It was time to finish what we had started and win the consolation championship. Our game was set to take place at 3:30 that day and it was important for us to get mentally prepared. Our preparation consisted of a solid breakfast, hanging out at the hotel and spectacular turkey sandwiches courtesy of our lovely moms. When game time rolled around we were ready. It was one of the first games where we did all of the little things right and pulled out a good team victory. We won the consolation championship, with Ryan Sawvell leading the way with 29 points and an amazing 17 rebounds. We then went to support our Lady Mustangs in their third-place finish. After we cheered them to victory, we went down under to Outback Steakhouse to enjoy a delightful meal, again courtesy of one of our generous Mustangs parents. It was great spending time as a team eating a hearty meal and after that we went back to the hotel to get some rest. We ended the tournament with a 4-1 record and improved overall to 13-6. It was a good experience to get a chance to play in the Arizona air and now it's time to learn more about its history, and have a little fun for the next few days.

Day 5

Hello world. Today was the first day we were able to sit back and relax, and boy did we ever. The day started off with a bang as we carried our Lady Mustangs to a triumphant 15-point third-place victory. What a stellar way to start off a promising day. After the game, we adjourned to the vans and were shipped off to Arizona State University where we explored the basketball arena and walked down the street where the New Year's Eve block party will be held at night. While walking, we noticed the congregations of both Iowa State and Minnesota fans who deeply disliked the Iowa attire Ben Brust was "rocking." After avoiding the fans, Nick won a white Tee in a simple, yet challenging, street vendor game. Despite Drew's valiant effort, he couldn't win such a prestigious award. We decided to hit the stores and buy some fresh gear. Once the boys were looking fly, it was time to head back to the hotel and get ready to visit Coach Knigge's Auntie's house. It was all decked out in crazy African stuff from his Uncle's previous hunting trips, and we got to witness one of the coolest cars there is. It was a 2005 Ford GT, worth more than all of our lives put together. After we were finished thanking Coach Knigge's family for dinner, it was time to head over to the girls' hotel - where they would help us bring in the New Year. Everyone was having a good time and hugs were going all around as the clock struck midnight and we celebrated what a year it had been. It was a great way to end a year and begin a journey that will take us to our ultimate goal. Tune in tomorrow for what's in store as we head to Tombstone.

Day 6

Waking up today was an experience in itself with Coach Knar and Coach Nadler's special wake-up calls. These morning breakfasts are something that everyone is starting to look forward to. We started this glorious day off by taking a beautiful three-hour drive thru the stupendous mountains. While on our way to Tombstone, we stopped at the Boothill Graveyard and explored the graves of the ones who died during the 1800's. We continued to the OK Corral, where we enjoyed a reenactment of the famous gun fight. We all got a kick out of the show. It was an educational experience where we learned about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. It was only a 30-second gun fight, but it made history nonetheless. We then loaded up in the vans and headed to Tucson's Olive Garden for a delicious meal courtesy of the one and only Mr. Ackley. After we stuffed our faces with Italian delights, it was time to head back to the hotel and go to bed as we have a another long and entertaining day in store for us. Tomorrow we head to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon.