Parade time: Battle Mountain savors a hockey title
That was fun
cdillmann@vaildaily.com)
Yes, the Battle Mountain hockey team did have to wear masks at Wednesday’s parade, but the good news is that they said, “State champions.”
The Huskies, rulers of all they survey in Class 4A, took their victory lap, er, parade down Broadway and Capitol in Eagle on a lovely spring evening.
Wearing their black sweaters, the team loaded up on a flatbed truck with hay bales and rode in leisurely fashion through the county seat with all the trimmings from the Eagle Police Department, the Eagle County Sheriff and the Greater Eagle Fire District, not to mention the Battle Mountain cheerleading team.
And it being the first parade for a state champion, the guys had to improvise, just as they did throughout the season. The lesson learned on Wednesday? You gotta wave from both sides of the flatbed, fellas. The crowd’s on both sides.
We’re happy to report that by the end of the route, where crowds gathered at Brush Creek Park, 7 Hermits Brewing Company and The Dusty Boot, the team had the both-sides concept down.
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“They need to practice, for sure,” coach Derek Byron said. “Both sides of the float. I think we spread out pretty well on the float, but the waving needs some work.”
No one said being a champion was easy. We’re sure that if the Huskies want to repeat in 2022, coach Byron will be happy to teach the finer points of parading.
In all seriousness, how cool is it to have a parade for a state-title team? Looking at this year’s Frozen Four, this wouldn’t happen to Kent Denver or Cheyenne Mountain. Maybe Crested Butte, but if we haven’t mentioned it recently, Hunter Davis wrecked that parade. Well done, Hunter.
Jensen Rawlings did his captainly duty by holding that trophy up like a proud poppa. Teammates gathered around him as the parade progressed, eventually dispersing to wave and point at friends and family.
And the parents and fans seemed as excited as the players. In a refreshing change of pace, everyone saw everyone outside of a hockey rink. Seriously, that’s a nice experience for hockey parents to gather and not have to watch a hockey game.
Pure speculation here, but Wednesday may have started a precedent. Will there be future parades for state champions? There were a few squads — conspicuous by their uniforms, having come from practice to view the parade — who were probably watching and dreaming that they’re going to be next.
