On the back of my Ellsworth Panther T-shirt it reads, "We won’t be ignored."

Rest assured, the team was anything but ignored during the 2009 State Class A Basketball tournament in Minneapolis these past three days! They were the team everyone knew about – the team everyone wanted to beat.

Ellsworth … it’s a small town in the far southwest part of the state that, as one fan sign read today, produces "Corn, soybeans and basketball players."

Yes, they are our Ellsworth Panthers and they did us proud. Their runner-up trophy will be added to the case at the entrance to the school, and the team members will add another medal to their collection.

The team of 11 boys represented a town with a high school enrollment of 60 – less than half the student body of nearly every other school represented in this year’s Class A basketball tourney.

As I was heading home today, I thought long about the blog I would write on this last day of another stellar Panther basketball season.

I could write about today’s game that ended in overtime, but I think that story is best told by the sports gurus at the Daily Globe.

I could write about how nice it was to see so many basketball players from Ellsworth’s recent winning basketball seasons on hand to cheer on the team (especially Aaron VanderStoep, Ryan Kix and Travis Chapa who went all out in maroon and gold body paint this afternoon).

I could write about the rousing Welcome Home celebration at the Ellsworth High School gym tonight. Thanks to all of the Ellsworth firefighters and rescue personnel for leading our boys home in style!

Instead, I’d like to take this time to thank the players. Each and every one of them.

This year’s Panther basketball team made it as far as it did not because of one player, not because of two … but because of 11. While some may not have spent much time on the court during the games, they were a very important part of the team. They were the guys at practice pushing the starters to work harder, to play better, to shoot for the stars (er, I mean the hoop). They didn’t get their picture in the paper, they weren’t asked for quotes, but they were there, standing with their team through it all. They are just as deserving as the "starters" in bringing home the runner-up title.

So here’s one last thank-you guys for making us Panther fans so proud. We enjoyed following you this year, and look forward to the next.

Best wishes to the seniors, Tom Nolte, BJ Kruse, Derek Drenth, Adam VanderStoep and Kenneth DeBoer.

And the rest of you – Dusty Walters, Casey Schilling, Dalton Huisman, Trevor Gruis, Tyler Chapa and (my nephew) Matt Buntjer – the Panther fans will be loud and proud again next season!

Uff da, I’m starting to think that being an Ellsworth Panther basketball fan is about as stressful as being a newspaper reporter! My heart is still pounding, despite the relaxing tram ride back to our temporary home.

I was worried about the big match-up today against Ada-Borup, especially after seeing them breeze past Cass Lake-Bena yesterday, but the Panther boys showed they have what it takes to go to the big dance. We’ll follow right along with them! Way to go boys!!

Despite his best attempts, Gruis didn’t get the slam dunk today, but we Ellsworth fans were on our feet anyway. Stoep was knocking in the 3′s – thank goodness – and nephew Matt (aka Bungee) must have taken my suggestion to heart – he scored the first bucket in the game, and the first bucket in the second half. (I heard someone behind me say that his bucket to lead off the second half was a good omen … and it sure was!)

Getting to the game today was quite interesting. I had my first tram ride experience, and as we made our stop at the airport terminal a large group of college students boarded with bright orange and black jackets, black pants and band instruments.

The group of Princeton University marching band members had just landed in Minnesota this morning. They are in town to perform tonight during the NCAA hockey tournament against Minnesota Duluth. I might have to see if I can find them on TV. About half of the band members are engineering students, I was told.

I’ll be heading over to the Mall of America for a little relaxation first.

That auctioneer brother of mine I’m sure is anything but relaxed. Here his oldest son is going to play Grenada-Huntley-East Chain for the Class A STATE Championship at noon on Saturday, and he scheduled an auction for 10 a.m. I have a feeling he will never live this one down!

In a thrilling 59-46 win over Sebeka late this afternoon, the Ellsworth Panthers will advance to the semi-final round Friday in the Minnesota State Class A Basketball tournament. Friday’s game will be broadcast on one of the Twin Cities TV stations, starting at 2 p.m.

Two of the teams the Panthers have faced in past championship rounds were knocked out of the tourney today – Minnesota Transitions Charter School and Cass Lake-Bena. Still, the guys know they have a big target on their back.

Speaking of targets, Friday’s game will be at the Target Center – just a short walk and a long train ride from where much of the Ellsworth fan base is staying during the tournaments.

I’m looking forward to the Tram experience, and a trip to the Mall of America after the game!

It’s been a pretty fun experience so far – especially the drive up this morning with so many Ellsworth fans on the road. My sister-in-law decorated the family van in Panther glory, with "Back-to-back-to-back-to-back" printed all along the side window, and "We love No. 43" across the other side window.

On the way up we honked several times for the "Honk if you’re a Panther fan" van driven by the Drenth family, and waved as team members’ parents and grandparents passed us en-route to our destination.

While I’m just a proud aunt and a Panther fan who follows along with the crowd, I think it’s wonderful how supportive the small southwest Minnesota town of Ellsworth is of its basketball team and its boys.

As for the Buntjer clan, we will be cheering them in the Target Center, watching them on TV back home in Worthington … and, well, my brother Randy – the auctioneer – will have to settle for the radio as he works on the auction lot! Silly guy – next time he’ll learn not to schedule a sale during the state basketball tournaments, especially when his son is on the team!!

Family, friends and fans filled the Ellsworth gym Tuesday night for a celebratory send-off as the boys basketball team embarks on a return trip to the State Class A basketball tourney this morning.

I’ve posted a photo gallery of the send-off on the Daily Globe Web site, so be sure to check it out.

The mothers of the players rocked out in a rousing drum corp performance to get the boys psyched for their first game against Sebeka on Thursday afternoon, although I think a few of the boys would have liked to crawl under their chairs!

I took plenty of photos – including a really good one of my sister-in-law that may just have to be blown up to 8×10 size or larger. I think it should get prominent placement on the photo mantel on the farm!

Ellsworth’s Riley Meester, whom you may have read about in our Monday print edition and online, belted out the National Anthem as part of the celebration. I happened to be at the game in February when he performed the Anthem, and this time around was equally as touching!

I wish the team the best of luck at State … for Stoep, Nolte and Dalton to swish the 3′s, for Gruis to do the dunk shot and get us on our feet, for Schilling to add to the scoreboard, and for Bungee (aka my nephew Matt) to be a blockbuster blocker and … hey … score some points while you’re at it!