PANA, Ill. (WAND) - In late March of 2023, tragedy struck Pana, when 7th grader Samuel Hackler collapsed at track practice and died shortly after being transported to the hospital.
"It's been rough. These boys have been together since preschool - most of them - and seeing them go through that kind of tragedy was devastating," Sarah Burris, who has coached the basketball team since the boys were in 4th grade, said.
It didn't take long for the team to decide how they wanted to honor their friend, dedicating the season to Sam before it started, making it all the way to the state championship game.
"I think it was a team decision, but everyone in their hearts knew that they wanted to win for Sam," Carder Burris, an 8th grade Forward, said. "That's just how we are. We have to win."
"From the beginning, the very first practice, we said 'What's our goal for this year?' and everybody had the same answer," Coach Burris said. "Our goal was to make it to the state championship and to win it for Sam."
Sam's friends and teammates remember him as someone that would do anything to win.
"It does bring back a lot of emotions when you're on the court and not having him there because he was a big player for us and he really brought out the best in us," said Easton Malisi, an 8th grade Point Guard.
Ace Henschen, an 8th grade Forward, said, "After the game - the state championship last year - he was crying in the 4th quarter because he wanted it as bad as - probably more than we did."
St. Pats came up just short of reaching their ultimate goal, losing in the state championship game, but they were playing for more than a title.
They were honoring their friend.
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