Marble Hill celebrates Woodland’s first State run, sends Cardinals off to Columbia

MARBLE HILL, Mo. (KFVS) - Marble Hill’s Woodland Cardinals have made history all season. And with the team in its first State Semifinal this week, the entire community sent them off to Columbia in high spirits.

Woodland’s boy’s basketball team was greeted by hundreds of fans at their high school Monday afternoon, with a pep rally, in which the players sat down and heard a video put together by their supporters.

After the video, celebratory applause for the team rang out of the Cardinals gym, all the way through to the team leaving in a bus for Mizzou, where they were given an escort from out of Marble Hill by police, fire and EMS.

This atmosphere was not just limited to the school. Throughout Marble Hill, signs, posters and ribbons adorned every pole and window in the community.

Barb McFarland-Nelson, owner of Jay’s BBQ, along with several other business owners, put the memorabilia together to give the team a boost on their way out of town.

“It’s the first time ever,” said McFarland-Nelson about Woodland reaching State. “They’ve got us so thrilled. We just hope the best for them. They are a fantastic bunch of boys, they’re good kids and they deserve this so much.”

Even those unable to attend to pep rally showed their support. Outside a retirement community, seniors gathered alongside the road, greeting the Cardinals bus as it passed by.

“I love everything, all the sports everything that they do,” said Roger Gibson, a resident of the community. “I’m proud of them.

“I saw their last game and it was great,” Joann Rister, another resident said.

Rister also spoke on the team being able to compete inside Mizzou Arena saying, “It’s something that they will never forget.”

As the Cardinals prepare to step into Mizzou Arena--a venue that holds 10 times the population of Marble Hill--the team, backed by their community’s love and support, looks to do the impossible against No. 1 Principia.

“We have nothing to lose,” said senior Hayden Vanggenip. “We’re the underdog here and we’re going to go out there and give it everything we got.”

Woodland faces Principia in the Class 3 state semifinals, Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Mizzou Arena.