SHEBOYGAN CO. — Sheboygan Lutheran High School knows what it takes to be champions.
The boys basketball team is aiming for just that as Friday nears, marking game 1 of the state tournament.
Watch: Sheboygan Lutheran boys hoops hopes to win state for first time since 2019:
“We’ve been together for a long time and we’ve had these goals and dreams since June when we all started,” said Head Coach Nick Verhagen. “And here we are.”
I stopped by one of the Crusader practices Monday night at Lakeland University. The team needs to get used to a college-size court.
Coach Verhagen said they’ve been sticking to the formula they’ve used all year — the one that led them to their 24-4 record.
“Just talking about keeping things as normal as we possibly can because playing at the Kohl Center isn’t normal, practicing at Lakeland isn’t normal.”
Sheboygan Lutheran faces Abundant Life Christian High School on Friday. With a win, they advance to the finals.
“I think the team really wants to win. I mean, we’re hungry,” noted Senior Captain Jake Thomas. “Abundant Life…they’re on a little revenge tour I guess you could say, so I guess we’re playing the villain role, which I’m okay with.”
Players like Thomas and his co-captain Andrew Krueger have been eager to bring home the gold for their school. They won the title in 2012, and again in 2019.
“Being a senior especially, it’s cool to be here in my last shot at it,” Kruger said.
“2019 I was in grade school watching and I never really thought about that it’s going to be me, but I’ve worked hard over the last couple of years and our whole team has been working really hard.”
The captains and coach note that they would not have gotten this far without their community.
Kruger: “We’ve seen an amazing amount of fans at our games.”
Thomas: “One of the most supportive groups in the Sheboygan community and I really mean that.”
Verhagen: “It’s difficult when you’re filling a huge arena with a small community…a school of 180…The loyalty—I hope it shows. I hope the sea of gold is truly that.”
They also say they couldn’t do it without their undying faith.
“We’re a family under God and we pray and we dedicate everything to God,” said Thomas.
The Crusaders will drill hard the next few days, building up muscle memory, so it feels like second nature this weekend.
The gold ball is their light and the end of the tunnel.
The Lutheran-Abundant Life game kicks off at Kohl Center in Madison just after 10 a.m.
