MISSOULA — Loyola Sacred Heart made history a few weeks ago at Dahlberg Arena when the Rams defeated Lodge Grass for their third straight Class B state title, the official coronation of a dynastic run for the program.
"We were all just super happy for one another," junior Jamo Kendrick said. "That's a big part of our motto as a team is just being there for one another and doing it for one another. I thought it was pretty special to play Lodge Grass in the state championship.
"They're the one that's held the three-peat and we actually tied them. It's just been super special and I haven't stopped thinking about it since."
Lodge Grass' three-peat came from 1988-1990.
Since then, no team had replicated that feat until Loyola began planting the seeds of it three years ago when it defeated Malta in 2023 and Fairview in 2024, and reaped the reward by capping it off in its hometown arena.
"It's just special. We didn't really feel no pressure," senior Braden McGuirl said. "It was just the whole group of 13, 12 guys, all friends that hang out every single night, all the time, do homework together, FaceTime each other, play video games together, everything we're doing together. So that team bonding, the community has just been the same the entire year."
It's a vision coach Scott Anderson had when he returned four years ago to lead the program again.
Anderson's coaching philosophy with this group was simple.
"They went to work even harder. I never had to coach. All I had to do was not screw it up," Anderson said. "Tell them I love him and make sure I was making sure every kid was happy and basically give them a good game plan and let them play."
For some, the latest championship and overall run still hasn't quite sunk in, but undoubtedly the memories will last a lifetime.
"Probably the friendships and then getting to know the fans because a lot of them are alumni that came up to us after our game and they just say hey, it's awesome to watch you guys play," senior Jack Clevenger said. "You guys are something special and it's really important to me at least that I get to meet them and then even learn what they did in the past.
"It's a really special program that we're part of."
