GREEN BAY - All season long, the Brodhead volleyball team has been meeting its goals.
And while the Cardinals' season won't end with a Division 2 state title, they're mission is accomplished.
"Our first goal was to win conference, and we did that," said senior middle hitter Kristen Ruchti, who will play basketball next year at UW-Parkside. "Then we just kept upping our goals. Then we got here, and this is what we wanted. We said before the game that whatever happens, happens. All of our seniors are really proud of our entire team."
Friday's 3-0 loss to Waukesha Catholic Memorial in a state semifinal match at the Resch Center did nothing to diminish that pride. The Cardinals battled the second-ranked team in state tough in all three games.
Brodhead lost just one dual match all year, 3-1 to Rock Valley North champion Edgerton. In five tournaments, the Cardinals (37-6, 10-0 conference) finished second twice, and then took fourth, sixth and won the Portage Invitational.
As the team's confidence and strength grew, the community and school around them picked up the vibes and started showing up to matches in droves.
"I'm so proud of our high school and our community just for the support. The economy may be down, but our community rallied behind us," head coach Eric Ebensperger said.
At the state tournament, the team was joined in the arena by hundreds of Cardinals fans in black shirts and paint, filling up the entire section the WIAA had designated for the fans. Fans chanted "Rufio" and the tomahawk chop before engaging in the biggest rollercoaster ride Green Bay has ever seen.
"We call it the Black Out. It's just been incredible," Ebensperger said of the outfits sported by the student section.
The Cardinals played fierce throughout the tournament, beating state-ranked teams left and right, despite never being ranked themselves.
"We're not even ranked. We beat teams that are honorable mention. We beat the 10th-ranked team and the fifth-ranked team to get here," Ebensperger said. "So you know, it goes to show that you can do a lot with heart. You can do a lot with heart and a lot with good leadership."
Among that leadership was Brodhead's seniors. Setter Cassie Wymer, Ruchti and Courtney Mielke - all captains - kept the team motoring all season. Mielke is known as the sparkplug. Ruchti has the hammer. And Wymer was the steady hand, setting up every play.
"There wasn't a senior that ever gave up. Even being down in that third game, no one gave up," Ebensperger said.
After the match, the seniors took the loss in stride, realizing that very few teams and athletes ever make it to a state tournament.
"It was amazing. There were so many teams here and we were just really happy to be one of them," Ruchti said. "It was amazing. I couldn't ask for anything else. It was great. My team did great. Everyone was amazing. I'm just really proud of my girls."
Mielke had similar thoughts.
"It was really good until the end. We were all excited about coming here. To be here, it was just awesome. But it was amazing - exciting. It was just the best feeling in the world to know that we made it here," she said.
Even for Ebensperger, the trip was filled with excitement.
"It was awesome. I came to state in '98 as an assistant coach for Westosha Central. One of my big goals was to come here myself as a head coach of my own team. It's pretty exciting to be here," he said.
And while the Cardinals' season won't end with a Division 2 state title, they're mission is accomplished.
"Our first goal was to win conference, and we did that," said senior middle hitter Kristen Ruchti, who will play basketball next year at UW-Parkside. "Then we just kept upping our goals. Then we got here, and this is what we wanted. We said before the game that whatever happens, happens. All of our seniors are really proud of our entire team."
Friday's 3-0 loss to Waukesha Catholic Memorial in a state semifinal match at the Resch Center did nothing to diminish that pride. The Cardinals battled the second-ranked team in state tough in all three games.
Brodhead lost just one dual match all year, 3-1 to Rock Valley North champion Edgerton. In five tournaments, the Cardinals (37-6, 10-0 conference) finished second twice, and then took fourth, sixth and won the Portage Invitational.
As the team's confidence and strength grew, the community and school around them picked up the vibes and started showing up to matches in droves.
"I'm so proud of our high school and our community just for the support. The economy may be down, but our community rallied behind us," head coach Eric Ebensperger said.
At the state tournament, the team was joined in the arena by hundreds of Cardinals fans in black shirts and paint, filling up the entire section the WIAA had designated for the fans. Fans chanted "Rufio" and the tomahawk chop before engaging in the biggest rollercoaster ride Green Bay has ever seen.
"We call it the Black Out. It's just been incredible," Ebensperger said of the outfits sported by the student section.
The Cardinals played fierce throughout the tournament, beating state-ranked teams left and right, despite never being ranked themselves.
"We're not even ranked. We beat teams that are honorable mention. We beat the 10th-ranked team and the fifth-ranked team to get here," Ebensperger said. "So you know, it goes to show that you can do a lot with heart. You can do a lot with heart and a lot with good leadership."
Among that leadership was Brodhead's seniors. Setter Cassie Wymer, Ruchti and Courtney Mielke - all captains - kept the team motoring all season. Mielke is known as the sparkplug. Ruchti has the hammer. And Wymer was the steady hand, setting up every play.
"There wasn't a senior that ever gave up. Even being down in that third game, no one gave up," Ebensperger said.
After the match, the seniors took the loss in stride, realizing that very few teams and athletes ever make it to a state tournament.
"It was amazing. There were so many teams here and we were just really happy to be one of them," Ruchti said. "It was amazing. I couldn't ask for anything else. It was great. My team did great. Everyone was amazing. I'm just really proud of my girls."
Mielke had similar thoughts.
"It was really good until the end. We were all excited about coming here. To be here, it was just awesome. But it was amazing - exciting. It was just the best feeling in the world to know that we made it here," she said.
Even for Ebensperger, the trip was filled with excitement.
"It was awesome. I came to state in '98 as an assistant coach for Westosha Central. One of my big goals was to come here myself as a head coach of my own team. It's pretty exciting to be here," he said.
