Westfield football has experienced an unprecedented run of excellence over the last decade. With each passing year, the goal of raising the bar for the program has gotten harder and harder. After back-to-back state runs, this year’s team had the tall task to take the standard even higher. Capturing the 6A state title is still an obvious goal for the program, and one that will continue to remain on the docket after this year’s Rocks fell short in the regional contest against a very talented and undefeated HSE team. Yet, the chaos that is the state tournament is only one method of measurement. This year’s varsity squad was younger than many of the previous teams that had taken the field on Friday nights. And while that was an expected challenge this season, the leadership of the senior class shined as they maintained the standard set by previous classes. This team of Rocks continued the established dominance of rivalry games, turning the lock on the cabinet housing the Midland Rail and Shining Star trophies. They reiterated that any sectional championship in our area will need to go through Westfield when they defeated Carmel for the first time ever in the playoffs. They made sure that area teams remembered not to sleep on the Rocks, earning a winning record against the very best competition in the state. Westfield’s only losses this year came to teams with a current combined record of 34-3. Even so, we have never chosen to measure the success of Westfield football in terms of wins and losses. Instead, we focus on the experience of being a Rock. This year’s team evidenced a fearless mindset alongside a steadfast poise when confronted by adversity during the season. They rose to the challenge set to them by the teams that had come before and established that even in a “rebuilding” year, the Rocks are a team to be feared. The culture of Westfield football has never been stronger, thanks to the contributions of this team, led by the steadfast belief and effort of our seniors. Thanks to all of the fans who help to make the Friday night experience what it is. Riverview Health Stadium continues to be a great place to be a Shamrock, and the outpouring of support from the community no matter the outcome means a lot to us. We never want to take that support for granted. Thanks to the parents who loaned us their precious young adults. We hope you have seen them grow as we have, and can reflect with pride on where their countless hours of hard work have taken them. We cannot reiterate enough that in an era of entitlement, opportunity is not handed out, it is earned. These Rocks have earned their place in the record books and the success they take with them. Most of all, thanks to our seniors. We hope the journey has been well worth the cost, and that you will always reflect upon your time as a Rock as among the best experiences of your life. Thank you for your shining example of fearless love for one another, this game, and this community.