For the first time in Ottawa University history, the Ottawa Braves have taken the season with a 10-0 record.
Team unity, goals and an immense amount of focus helped carry the team to a victory Saturday sealing their perfect season.
“We came together as a team and started playing for each other and not just ourselves,” senior Daniel Caldra said. “We are all striving for the same goal and that’s to make it to Nationals. Coming together as a team has really strengthened our unity.”
With 22 seniors on the field this year, the whole senior class took on a leadership role to help guide the team to such a victorious season.
“They filled the team with honesty, courage, faith and heart,” sophomore Matt Prichett said.
“They were the leaders of the team and they made it clear that they wanted perfection.”
Coming so close to a perfect season last year, the team had to make that final step towards perfection.
“The game plan was the same since last year, to make it a 10-0 season,” said student assistant coach and assistant offensive line coach, senior Richard Beck. “We have increased the skill level we were playing with, but in the end it was the unity that carried us through.”
As a team it wasn’t just the seniors and upperclassmen that took a step into leadership. The underclassmen also stepped up to do their part as well.
“Although we have such a large senior class, people like Clarence Anderson really upped their game and stood out on the field,” said senior Ethan Haller.
With playoffs in the near future the team must now focus their goals on the next win.
“Winning this season with a perfect record really does validate the last 10 months, but we are only granted one guaranteed game so we must take it as one game at a time.” Haller said. “We have to stay focused.”
With back to back good seasons the team has carried over a lot of lessons they learned from last year and applied it to this season.
“Last year we learned to win, now with that combined with the strong unity of the team we were able to complete our goal of 10-0,”said senior Jarvis Morehead-Reed. “It means a lot and feels good to accomplish something that not a lot of teams have accomplished.”
Playoffs begin Saturday when the Braves will host their next game.