Dora’s state championship was one of the last games played in Missouri before the Coronavirus shut things down.
“We had planned on having a big barbecue and bringing the trophy out,” said Falcons head coach Rick Luna. “The kids have really not got to celebrate with the community.“
Tyler Luna was the lone senior on the roster.
“He was not really a basketball player, and we talked him into playing basketball just to be with us and stay in shape all season long,“ Rick said.
But for Tyler, he would’ve given up his senior basketball season if it meant he could play baseball this spring.
“You know at the end of the year he’s one of the top RBI guys, batting average guys, he’s just an all-around good player,“ said Rick.
Dora basketball won state after finishing second last year, and they had a reason to believe they’d have a better finish this baseball season too.
“I really think, you know we made it to the quarterfinals last year, and I really think that we had another shot at making a run,” Rick said. “We had a great fall season, Cooter the team that beat us last year in the quarterfinals we beat them down there at Three Rivers.“
“Beating them at Three Rivers on a walk off homerun was pretty exciting, so I think we may have had a chance to beat them again and maybe make it to the final four,“ said Tyler.
We will never know if Dora would’ve walked away with two state titles this year, but head coach Rick Luna is glad Tyler got to be part of at least one.
“He’s never played high school basketball, and the guys talk to men to doing it, and he did really good and he was very positive and the kids loved him,“ Rick said.
Remaining positive, even now.
“Basketball isn’t my sport, but I had fun especially making it all the way to the final four and ending up winning the state championship,” said Tyler. “I’d say I ended my senior year on a pretty good note.“
