Veritas seniors Micah Denham, Arron Evans, Scott Weinhold, Jackson Rau, Tucker Flory and Trey Huslig (L to R) are honored during halftime of Senior Night on Monday, Feb. 18, 2019 at Haskell University.

Veritas senior Jackson Rau won’t ever forget the scene of the locker room after winning the first state title.

Two years ago, the Eagles completed an improbable run through the KCAA state tournament at Haskell Indian Nations University. Veritas won all three games by an average of 22.6 points per game to capture the first state title in program history.

As a result, the postgame celebration by the entire team was a memorable one. Players didn’t want to leave the locker room.

“All of us just let out our feeling to everyone about how we loved each other,” Rau said. “We all sat there and talked just like friends. That was a cool moment.”

Because of his talented 2019 senior class, Veritas head coach Carl Huslig always knew his team had a good chance at capturing state titles in 2018 and 2019. But the 2017 team, which leaned on sensational play from then-sophomores Trey Huslig and Tucker Flory, achieved the feat a year early.

“Two years ago, that was totally unexpected. We just kept building that team throughout the season,” Carl Huslig said. “The thing about our program is we get better and we play our best basketball at the end of the season.”

photo by: Carter Gaskins

Veritas’ Trey Huslig (3) goes up for the layup over Bishop Seabury’s Miles Branch (30) on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, at Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence.

The Eagles (20-10) will look to capture a third consecutive state title this weekend. Veritas will face Manhattan CHIEF at 5:30 p.m Friday in the semifinals of the KCAA state tournament at Manhattan Christian College.

With a win, Veritas would play in the state championship game for the fourth consecutive season. The championship game is slated to take place at 2 p.m. Saturday.

More than that, though, it would be a fitting send off for a historic senior class that has accomplished so much for the Eagles.

“They are a special group and they have set the bar at Veritas pretty high, because they are definitely the best senior class we have ever had,” Carl Huslig said.

photo by: Carter Gaskins

Bishop Seabury’s Zach Bloch (11) looks to make a move past Veritas’ Jackson Rau (5) on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, at Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence.

In his final season, Flory is leading the team in scoring with 20.8 points per game to go along with 7.5 rebounds per contest. Trey Huslig is averaging 17.0 points per outing as well, shooting 39 percent from the floor.

Senior Scott Weinhold is third on the team in scoring with an average of 7.4 points per game. Jackson Rau is dishing out 2.7 assists per contest. Seniors Aaron Evans and Micah Denham have also contributed to another 20-win season for the Eagles.

The successful campaign comes as no surprise for the six seniors, especially since they have been playing together since for six years.

“All of us have been playing together since we were in seventh grade,” Trey Huslig said. “It definitely starts showing when times gets tough. We start playing our best ball when we have to focus, and it shows.”

Now the only thing left to do is make sure their final time sharing the court ends with another trophy.

“We are really brothers now,” Rau said. “It has been amazing to be a part of something so special.”