West's Evan Sloan.

As Christian Nelson held the Warhawk Invitational championship trophy in his hands, celebrating West’s 44-43 win over Overland Park Aquinas in the championship game last Thursday night at West Junior High, his smile told the story of a team that played this season with a lot of talent, and a lot of character.

Following an early season loss to Central, West didn’t dwell on its defeat. Instead the Warhawks used the loss as an opportunity to get better and not lose sight of their goal of winning the Warhawk Invitational.

“We just tried to stay focused,” Nelson said.

Nelson did not start every game this season for the Warhawks, but his tough defense created steals and easy layups, which allowed West to set up its full-court press.

In the relatively low scoring championship game, however, West didn’t use the full-court pressure nearly as much as it did in other games. But the Warhawks’ offensive success came from familiar faces: Nelson, guard Nick Jaimez and post players Evan Sloan and Michael Swank.

Like Nelson, Swank did not start every game this season. But he came off the bench and led the Warhawks with 10 points in the championship game. All season long West showed its depth, talent and toughness were three characteristics few teams could equal.

“The hardest thing for me as a coach with this group is to get them to play hard all the time because they are so talented,” West ninth-grade boys coach Stan Frantz said.

Frantz thought that on average, West won by 20 points a game on the season. But West had to use all of its toughness and talent to defeat a stingy Aquinas team that Frantz described as their toughest foe of the season.

“They could have given up and had an 18-2 season,” Frantz said. “But now we’re 19-1, Warhawk champions, and city champs, so we had a great, great season.”

Whether it was their defensive pressure, strong inside play or hitting jumpers from the perimeter, the Warhawks’ success was a total team effort that led them to 17 consecutive wins to end the season.

“We’re one of a kind,” Jaimez said.

Now that their junior high careers are over, their high school careers will begin next year at Free State High School. And Jaimez has already set some goals he hopes to achieve.

“Just keep doing what I was doing here,” he said.

Swank had similar goals in mind.

“Just go win games,” he said.

Helping win games for the Firebirds is something Frantz sees his now former players doing a lot of in the next three years. And Frantz said he would be watching them play as often as possible.

“I love to watch them progress as they get older and see how they develop as players. With the combination of what they already have up there, adding a few players from our team, I think they’ll have a good core group that’s going to do well for them.”

As Frantz reflected on his team’s season, knowing his players will trade in their Bulldog blue jerseys for Firebird green, he described his championship team in one word.

“Awesome. They did a great job,” he said. “They’re a great bunch of kids. They work hard, and I can’t say enough about them.”