Athlete of the Week - Hayfield Boys Basketball

HAYFIELD, Minn. (KTTC) – The feeling still hasn’t set in yet.

“I mean its getting there, I guess I don’t know. I’m still waiting to watch the game,” Isaac Matti said.

Who can blame the Hayfield Vikings as they’re celebrating a second straight state title. It’s a similar feeling to their first, but going back to back was an extra weight.

“We had a target on our back all year and just the expectation, number one in the state and to get back there,” Kobe Foster said.

“All year long we dealt with just people doubting us, just doubting, doubting, doubting,” Easton Fritcher said.

“We’re not as good as last year, but we never let that affect us we just stuck our head down and we got better everyday and it feels good.”

It took players stepping up in the box score, like Isaac Matti and his 27 points and out of it with a toughness and grit that’s become a staple in Hayfield.

“Just their focus on worrying about the next game was really impressive and just knowing how hard they work,” Head Coach Chris Pack said.

“They left it out there every game and that was very apparent to anybody who watched the state tournament.”

That hard work is all apart of a culture set not only by the current group, but the ones who came before them and the community.

“This championship goes to everyone that’s played and put on that uniform before. It certainly means a lot to the program and as a coach and I know to the players. Our community, the support that they’ve shown is unreal,” Pack said.

Its because of that the party will keep going in Hayfield.

“It’s going to go in the history books and kind of knowing that is cool, but still at the same time I’m not Done I guess. Neither is Mr. Pack or his son and I mean We’re still looking for next year,” Matti said.

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