Our kids fought hard,

These kids went 18-0 as eighth-graders at Merritt Middle School when I came back to Indianola. That told me we would have some talent down the road. They work together as a unit. That's the key to this team — and I think they can go a long way.

(Harper?s run) would have been a great thing if it was fully legal. It wasn?t, but the kids kept their heads up and they kept fighting. It?s just a matter of being consistent and pushing and believing in themselves.

We told the kids not to (panic) because if you do, they're going to get further in the lead.

The closer you get to the show, the more often you weigh them. (The kids) are doing their math, figuring their weight gain per day.

My wife said this was supposed to be a steppingstone, and we've been here 22 years. The kids play only because they love it. If they leave early, it is only to chase other goals in academics. You don't have to worry about who is on scholarship and who is not on scholarship. It changes the atmosphere both in the meeting rooms and on the field. You give up the lights and a little money just to coach this.