GAINESVILLE — Five is the magic number.
Forget the song that tries to explain that three is the magic number - it’s a lie.
Ask the Muenster girls basketball team if you don’t believe me.
The Lady Hornets just wrapped up yet another district title -- their fifth in a row -- with a win over Valley View on Tuesday.
It just so happened to be their 55th consecutive league victory as well.
Yes, five is the magic number.
The feat is nothing short of extraordinary considering the competition in the district.
Rival Lindsay has always had a tough squad (see the state championship trophy at the high school) and then you have teams such as Era, Valley View and Collinsville who have never been slouches by any means.
So to win 55 district games in a row is nothing to roll your eyes at.
Give a team enough time and it will go through good and bad seasons. Even the worst teams in state have experienced winning seasons at one point.
It takes a program to build a team into a perennial power house and that’s just what Muenster coach Jason Atcheson has done.
His records speak for themselves but what is understated about Atcheson is the amount of hard work he and his team has put in to get to this point.
Sure every team practices, every team hustles in the close games and every team has goals of a better tomorrow. But what separates the good teams from the great is the dedication to getting better even when times get rough.
The No. 7 state-ranked Lady Hornets last loss came in the championship game of the NCTC Holiday Classic to a very good Class 3A Gainesville squad.
It was the second loss for the Class 1A Lady Hornets to the Lady Leopards and fourth loss of the season (all coming against 3A squads) but Muenster didn’t hang its head for long.
Instead, the Lady Hornets went on a remarkable three game stretch in which they outscored teams a combined 189-76 in beating Bridgeport, Collinsville and Lindsay.
That’s a sign of a great team. One that can bounce back from adversity without hesitation.
Muenster will be a force to be reckoned with once the postseason hits in a couple of weeks. But in the mean time the Lady Hornets should enjoy the district title.
The current team might not realize it now, but it’s an accomplishment years in the making.
Current members Cedy Burnett, Hannah Bayer, Kassie Dangelmayr, Kendi Bayer, Kristen Reiter, Amber Walterscheid, Lauren Rohmer, Michelle Sicking, Sydney Huchton and Brooke Walterscheid are a part of a growing prowess at Muenster.
While the Lady Hornets have eight seniors on the current roster, the district win streak could face a challenge a year from now but that’s just another test for a strong program.
First, Muenster needs to concentrate on the now. And that starts with Era tonight.
Then the postseason will come and the Lady Hornets will be five wins away from a state title.
Yes, five.
Keith MacPherson is Sports Editor at the Gainesville Daily Register. He can be reached at sportsgdr@ntin.net
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