Above, Makur Puou joins his teammates onstage as the Mooseheart Class 1A state champion basketball team is honored in a ceremony for state-qualifying athletes in fall and winter sports Friday at the school.
Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com
Hundreds of Mooseheart students and supporters gathered Friday at the school in Batavia to celebrate the state champion boys basketball team, the first state title winners in school history.
Mooseheart defeated Heyworth 63-47 in the title game March 15 in Peoria.
The players received a standing ovation as they were introduced and as they left, a gesture that wasn't lost on junior guard Hameed Odunewu.
"This is great," he said. "Having all the people here, it's crazy to see how many people support us."
"That's what we did it for," Odunewu added. "We didn't do it for ourselves, we did it for Moose fraternities and the Moose families."
Also honored were Joe Feemorlu, the school's first state qualifying wrestler, and Wal Khat, who finished fourth at the Class 1A state cross country meet.
The Mooseheart Class 1A state champion basketball team gets a ride to lunch on a fire truck after being honored at a ceremony Friday at the school.
Photos by Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com
The Class 1A state champion basketball team gets a standing ovation during a ceremony for state qualifying athletes in fall and winter sports Friday at Mooseheart.
Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com
Basketball player Akim Nyang gets a hug from athletic secretary Mary Beth Hake following a ceremony honoring the basketball team Friday at Mooseheart. The ceremony also honored other athletes, including the school's first state qualifying wrestler and a cross-country runner who finished fourth at state.
Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com