Earlham Echo

March 3, 2026

We spend a lot of time covering and writing about Cardinal sports at The Echo. That’s not a business decision. For a more positive effect on the bottom line, we should probably work harder at sales and marketing and open QuickBooks more than occasionally.

But I’m just a sports fan that writes, so combining those two passions creates a happy place I never knew I had before I picked up this journalism habit. Going to games is hard work, but there is almost always a payoff.

The Cardinal girls’ basketball team, many of them seniors playing their last game, lost a close, intense game in the regional finals against a terrific team in Denison last week. As the Cards left the court afterward, the huge Earlham contingent stood and cheered with every ounce of emotional strength they had left, overwhelmed with equal parts sadness, pain, pride, and love. Despite the loss, it was a terrific moment—fans paying tribute for not just one game well played, but for delivering years of fond sports memories. Certainly, a payoff for me.

Similar moments occurred for the other teams at the end of the season. The boys’ wrestling team sent 8 wrestlers to the state tournament. Two of those wrestled in the finals but both lost and finished 2nd. The boys’ basketball team had a fine year with a new coach and did their best Goliath to Class 1A basketball’s version of David before losing a playoff game in Fort Dodge. The mostly inexperienced girls’ wrestling team battled through injuries and illness, but wrestled hard all season. In each case, the pain of the final losses was tempered by the thoughtful embrace and appreciation of parents, coaches, and fans. Because Cardinal athletes don’t just represent the school; they embody the community. The kids aren’t distant sports celebrities; they’re visible, accessible, and woven into everyday life. That visibility makes the victories sweeter—and the losses more personal. 

But that’s what we do in Earlham. The community has supported their teams with unbridled passion for years—through good times and bad; during championship campaigns or long, losing seasons.

It has always been easy to be a Cardinal fan because the kids take it seriously. They do the work, and it shows. That has been the case for a long time, too. Oldtimers like me are happy to see that the athletes still care enough to do what it takes to become the best version of themselves. Athletes are often defined by the moments everyone sees—the buzzer beater or the final takedown under the bright lights. But those moments are only part of a much larger story. Behind every medal, banner, or record is a quiet routine of early mornings, late nights, and disciplined choices. Excellence is rarely accidental. It is built in small, consistent decisions made long before game day. The kids may not know it yet, but that kind of effort and attitude will serve them well in the real world.

So, The Echo joins the community in one more long, loud round of applause for the winter sports athletes. By any scoreboard measure, it was a successful season. But when we look back years from now, the stat sheets will fade long before the memory of what really mattered: the nightly commitment to play hard, wrestle tough, and leave nothing in reserve.