DE PERE (NBC 26) — The West De Pere High School Phantoms returned home Friday night as state champions after defeating Notre Dame Academy's (NDA) Tritons 28-14 in Madison.
Sounds of pride thundered from the school as the team stepped off the bus, bringing home the program's third state championship title in the program’s history.
"From the bus ride to the final snap, it was just electric, all of it,” said Carter Seaborn, a senior on the team. “I loved all of it.”
His teammates said the victory was the culmination of a long season of work, from early morning training sessions to late-night games.
Orion Sanders, defensive tackle, said he was nervous ahead of the NDA matchup at Camp Randall Stadium, but the team gave it their all.
"We knew coming into this game was going to be a tough game,” Sanders said. “I feel like we definitely showed up, defensive especially.”
For seniors like Sanders and Seaborn, the championship game was a dream years in the making.
"It was just great. I'll remember that forever," Sanders said.
The victory also resonated with parents and community members who supported the team throughout the season.
"It was one game at a time the entire season. One practice at a time. One yard at a time,” said Nicolle Stegall, a parent. “And this was our final step. It's a really great community to be a part of," she stated.
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The championship run reminded players of the broader community support behind their efforts.
"I got some coloring pictures from the kindergartners,” mentioned Sanders. “It was great. It reminded us who we're playing for. We're playing for our community. We've got this whole town behind us on our back, and we played for everybody this game.”
As the team celebrates this victory, they're already looking ahead to building another successful season next year.
