State football championship trophy presented at Sunday ceremony

The starting offensive team--minus shoulder pads and helmets--runs a play

Decorah High School officially celebrated its Class 3A Football Championship on Sunday afternoon.

Not only is the football championship the fifth in the school's history, but it's the fifth sports championship in the last six months, coming on the heels of championships in boys track, boys golf and girls and boys cross country.

Decorah High School Principal Kim Sheppard joked, "If we had known building a new gym would bring so much good luck, we would have built it sooner."  But Superintendent Mike Haluska had a different take, saying, "We set the bar high...we excel...period."

Head football coach Bill Post admitted "I wanted this bad," but said he was most proud of the character of the young men on the football team.  "I am blessed to be a part of this," he said.

Post said he had tried to motivate the football squad with a quote from Abraham Lincoln that before he chopped down a tree, he spent five hours preparing the axe.  The Viking football players responded by giving Post an axe--a real one, not the cardboard one he had carried to practices.

56 students went out for the varsity football team this year--an all-time record.  They took part in a total of 68 practices and numerous weight lifting sessions.  Post noted that the players put in all the necessary work to make the football team successful.  Said Superintendent Haluska, "This is the Decorah way."

Josey Jewell, Andy Hovden and James Ostlie spoke on behalf of the team

Coach Bill Post examines his axe

The State Championship trophy sat next to the podium

Iowa Farm Bureau representatives presented Coach Post with a game ball from the championship game