Delphos St. John’s celebrates state championship team with rally
· Yahoo Sports
DELPHOS — It was a hero’s welcome Sunday in the Robert A. Arnzen gymnasium at Delphos St. John’s as the boys basketball team returned home after capping off a perfect season with a state championship win Saturday at UD Arena over Kalida.
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The stands were filled with the Blue Jays’ blue and gold as community members showed their appreciation for the team’s efforts that culminated in the 56-47 state final victory and a perfect 29-0 season. As head coach Aaron Elwer shared his thoughts about the championship season, he praised his team as one of the best teams that his alma mater has produced or will ever produce.
“I clearly am going to remember what occurred yesterday for the rest of my life, but I will ultimately remember the unselfishness, the ability of our guys to make the right play [and for] our guys to be together,” he said. “They have been rock stars, role models to so many young kids, obviously to our Blue Jay young kids, but also to the communities other than Delphos. I would sit back and watch them interact with those kids, and at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about.”
This year’s team featured eight seniors. One of them is Cameron Elwer, who, under his father’s coaching, is leaving St. John’s as its all-time leading scorer. In his speech at the rally, he credited the Delphos community for showing up and giving him and his teammates that extra energy and motivation to accomplish their ultimate goal of winning a state title.
“To our fans, wow, I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “When we would pull up to an away game, we would see a sea of blue and gold. It calmed our nerves, gave us a sense of comfort and confidence and meant the world to us each and every game.”
In congratulating the team on their championship, St. John’s athletic director Todd Schulte pointed to the championship banners lining the far wall of the gymnasium, including the last boys basketball state title in 2002, and assured them of their place in their school’s legacy.
“No one will ever be able to move that banner off that way that you guys have earned this year, not just yesterday, but this year,” he said. “And from the athletic director standpoint and our community members, thank you for taking us on this awesome journey and letting us enjoy it and watch you guys grown and become a great basketball team for many years now. Thank you on behalf of our great community and all your supporters.”