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The minute the ball fell on the Cardinals’ side of the court, ending their season, the tears began to flow.
It wasn’t just emotions from the loss, a 28-26 nailbiter to Bishop Miege in the substate final Saturday, but from the end of a journey.
Six Cardinals seniors reflected on that journey, marked by a team bond unlike any other, a string of wins and a legacy for athletes to follow.
The seniors said they weren’t sure what to expect, but learned quickly the team had something special that made it click. That feeling only grew throughout the year.
“I just think that the growth and the bond of our team has been my favorite part,” senior Malia Dietz said.
They said the team culture, exemplified in hours of bonding time outside of the gym, is what helped the team find success and string together over 20 straight wins during the season.
“I’ve never had this kind of connection with the team, and I feel like I know all the players really well,” senior Adira Ewy said. “And I think that really contributed to our success and how well we were able to depend on each other.”
That bond across everyone on the team, from senior to freshman, made this final year stick out for the seniors.
“We’re just all emotionally connected to each other,” senior Adalyn Hemphill said. “Outside of the sport we are, like, best friends together.”
Much of the group has played together for years, dating back to when their ages were in the single digits. It has been three days filled with emotions now that the group’s volleyball journey together has come to a close.
“This is the most I’ve ever connected to a volleyball team in my life,” senior Indigo Pruitt said. “I’m gonna miss you guys.”
There were a couple of moments that stood out. Last season’s five-set thriller over rival Baldwin will stick with the group for a long time, as will the moment they clinched a trip to state. They said taking down Hayden this season, a team they had lost to earlier in the year, was a great way to spend senior night and cap their long careers.
But aside from the competition on the court, it is many of the smaller moments that loom largest in the seniors’ memories: goofing around before practice, bonding in hotels on team trips and spending hours together at camps.
“It feels like a part of me is missing now that it’s gone,” Dietz said. “I just feel like not being at practice right now, it’s really, really sad. I should be in the gym right now.”
But despite knowing they won’t be able to wear the Eudora volleyball jersey anymore, the seniors said they hope they leave a legacy that outlives them. They said the lessons from this year should help guide some of the younger players as they step into leadership roles.
“I hope they keep it fun and just have a good time on the court, because it’s a lot better to play a game when you’re less stressed out and you’re just having fun with your best friends,” senior Camron McCormick said.
The group has a wide array of future plans: Dietz and McCormick are heading to Kansas State together. Hemphill will join the volleyball team at Johnson County Community College and Ewy will join her as a manager.
Pruitt will play volleyball at Barton Community College. Senior Miranda Kuntz is still deciding her plans, but wants to become a pediatrician and is deciding whether to continue volleyball or track in college.
Despite the seniors dispersing throughout the area next year, there will still always be those memories that unite them: the crowd roaring, the pregame jitters and the elation of a big win.
“If you were on the court or on the bench, everybody was having fun,” Kuntz said. “The student section was cheering super loud and everybody was so into the game. It just feels like we’ve always been together.”
Reach reporter Cuyler Dunn at [email protected]
