Memories Fuel The Mustangs

By Lauren Squires, Web Reporter

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By Lauren Squires

Story Created: Aug 30, 2007 at 6:56 PM CST

Story Updated: Sep 10, 2007 at 5:16 PM CST

DUBUQUE - It’s name is Willie. “He’s just another part of the football team, another piece of puzzle,” said Senoir Jesup Fritsch. Senoir teammate Nate Fee added, with a laugh, “it’s the Willie Tree.”

The Willie tree sits on top of the hill overlooking the Dubuque Hempstead varsity practice field. It watches practice, after practice, after practice; all from a distance. "One of our supporters died in 2001, they donated a tree,” said coach Mark Ehlers. “Ever since then we've gone and touched the tree.”

But Willie’s not the only memory or reminder of the past. There’s one memory in particular that’s fueling the fire this year for the Mustangs.

It was last seasons Week 8 loss to Cedar Rapids Praire, 25-24, in overtime that was the heartbreaker. “We got beat by a good Prairie team” said Ehlers. “It was a tough loss, devistating” added Senoir Nate Fee. That game against Prairie shatter all hopes of making a playoffs appearance in the 2006 season. The Mustangs finished 6-3 for the season, one game shy of going to the playoffs. But the Mustangs refuse to let that loss, last year, hold them back from their ultimate goal this year.

“The past is the past, it’s a new season. We’re still the same team we were last year” said Fee.

Every football team has a reason to play in the Mississippi Valley Conference, and all over the state. But this year the Mustang’s have two. Memories of the past, and a tree named Willie. "Its just one of those things like people touching rocks, we touch a tree" said Ehlers. And Willie will continue to wait, wait for a trip to the playoffs.

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