The Oriole varsity football team closed its season earlier this month against Elk Mound.
Orioles varsity head football coach Brody Mahr reflected on the how things went this year.
“The Stanley-Boyd Orioles wrapped up their football season with a tough 33-8 loss to Elk Mound,” he said. “It was a hard fought game, and even though the scoreboard didn’t end up the way we wanted, I was proud of the way our guys continued to battle and compete until the very end.
“One of the highlights of the night was getting to recognize our seven seniors: Jesse Allard, Sawyer Boos, Ben Haas, Eli Nawrocki, Oliver Hatfield, Deven Parker, and Blake Sokup. It was a pretty special moment to see all seven of those guys out on the field together, putting together a scoring drive in their final game as Orioles. I couldn’t have asked for a better moment for those young men. After everything they’ve put into this program, seeing them have that opportunity together was something that meant a lot to me as a coach.
“When I look back at this season, I see a lot more than just our record. I see a group of young men who have grown tremendously from where we started. We faced plenty of challenges, and there were times when things didn’t go our way, but our guys kept showing up, kept working, and kept getting better. That’s what I’m most proud of. The growth we’ve made in our toughness, commitment to one another, and willingness to do things the right way is something we can continue to build on.
“I’ve said it before, building a football program doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, it takes work, and it takes people who are willing to lay the foundation for the ones coming after them. That’s exactly what this senior class has done. These seven young men have helped set the standard for what we want Orioles football to look like moving forward.
“The reality is that these seniors may not get to see all the success that I believe is coming for this program, but I hope they understand just how important their role has been. Years from now, when future Orioles are having success on Friday nights, I hope these guys can look back and take pride in knowing they were part of building that foundation.
“I want to thank our seniors for everything they’ve given to this team and this community. I’m proud of the young men they’ve become, and I appreciate the way they stuck together and continued to fight through the ups and downs of the season.
“Once an Oriole, always an Oriole.
“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but I’m excited about where we’re headed. The foundation has been laid, and now it’s up to the next group to keep building on what these seniors started. I’m proud of our guys, proud of the progress we’ve made, and excited for the future of Stanley-Boyd football.”