for years. The Eagles had lost to Hartville in the postseason in each of the last two years, but this time, they prevailed, advancing to the state Final Four. without acknowledging the overwhelming support from the Eugene community. From the players’ families to the fans in the stands, the town rallied behind the Ea- gles, creating an atmosphere that made ev- ery game feel like a home game. Coach Wilde described the community support as “second to none,” with fans lining up for hours before home games to secure a spot. “Our fans were waiting outside for more than three hours before they could even get in,” he said. The excitement, especially in the championship game, where the crowd’s enthusiasm helped propel them to victory.
Justice Allen echoed these sentiments, say- ing, “The support we had from our community was amazing. It was like you were at home games with the amount of support we had.”
The road to the state title wasn’t an easy one. From tough losses to injuries that tested their resolve, the Eagles faced obstacles that would have caused lesser teams to falter. Senior Justice Allen de- scribed a personal challenge when he hit a shooting slump, but his focus never wavered. “I just had to stay in the right mindset,” he was tough, but I knew that my teammates were counting on me, and I had to keep pushing forward.”
teams, including Blair Oaks and Helias, two games that taught them invaluable lessons about focus and intensity. Coach Brian Wilde not- ed that the losses to these teams were pivotal in their development, saying, “Each loss was a challenge along the way that pushed us in the right direction. Those games showed the team how important it is to be focused mentally and to play at full intensity for an entire game.” And when they needed to dig deep, they did—no one more so than in the game against Hartville, a team that had been a thorn in their side
It wasn’t just about the fans showing up; it was about the pride they felt in supporting their hometown team. As Drew Hart put it, “It genuinely felt like the entire town was there. Every game, some people would come and tell me ‘good game’ that I didn’t know or hadn’t seen before.” For the Eugene Eagles, winning the state title wasn’t just about the trophy or the accolades—it was about making history and in- spiring future generations of players to chase their dreams. The Eagles’ journey was a testament to the power of teamwork, per- severance, and community. And while the players celebrated their hard-earned victory, they knew that they had created something bigger than themselves.
As Coach Wilde said, “It was truly special watching all of these guys make history for our community and celebrating with their best friends.” Coach Wilde also states none of this would be possible without his assistant coaches. “My assistants, Craig Engelbrecht and Matthew Heidger, are the best in Missouri. I am so thankful to get to work with them on a daily basis and to call them friends.”
Christina Busch 14 /// May 2025
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