As the clock ticked away Saturday against #1 Northwest Missouri State, I took a few minutes in the stands at Maryville, Missouri to think about the 2016 football season Emporia State had. This was a special season and one that will be remembered for years to come.

The first game of the year saw the same two teams meet for ESU’s home opener. The Bearcats, the defending national champions and top-ranked team in the country, came out on top. Losing the first game of the year is never easy, so what the Hornets did in the remainder of the season was truly impressive.

The players and coaches didn’t let a single loss affect them. The Hornets took off on an 11-game winning streak, beating powerhouse programs like Pittsburg State on the road and Central Missouri at their place in double overtime.

The thing that stuck out to me and several other fans I know was the heart of this team. These guys truly cared for eachother. They played alongside their teammates every possession like they were family, and I have no doubt their friendships contributed to what may be considered the best season in school history.

The way the NCAA Division II Playoff bracket was structured forced the Hornets into a rematch with the undefeated Bearcats in just the second round. We’ll never know how far ESU could have gone had they been in a different region.  Playing in such a tough conference, I don’t think it’s bold to say that the Hornets were capable of making it to the National Title game. They couldn’t change the bracket, though. All they could do was accept the challenge and focus on the task at hand.

The Hornets did. No matter the score, ESU football stood tough for eachother and continued to play their game. The players showed that they had intangible traits, which will carry them for years to come.

The foundation has been set. The last couple of years have built a new football tradition here at Emporia State. Much credit is due to Coach Higgins and his staff and the countless time and work they put into this team.

At the end of the day, the players that took the field every Saturday have given more than just a great season. They have created a legacy for the future. Emporia State football has been completely transformed in recent years. We are now a team that no one overlooks and everyone respects, not necessarily just because we win, but because of how we do it.

Thank you ESU football for bringing this university together. Sports lovers or not, students at ESU were brought closer every gameday because of you. There was nothing better than spending Saturdays at Welch. The atmosphere and positive spirit around the town and campus were made possible because of your hard work.

We’ll all miss the senior.

We will miss Braxton Marstall finding Mitch Foote in the end zone for a touchdown. We will miss Eddie Vinson making a great tackle. We will miss the interceptions by J.P. Lohrentz and Kole Schankie. These players will never really be gone, though. Legacies live on and traditions can’t be broken.

As the 2016 Hornets walked off the field for the last time on Saturday, there were tears and hugs. They knew it was over, and also that this was the last time they would be able to share a locker room with many of their teammates. Through it all however, there were smiles.

After the mark they have left, how could they not?