2015 Colorado Class 1A State Tournament: Family, friends, fans give Peetz sendoff

PEETZ, Colo. – The bleachers were full Wednesday night in the Peetz High School gym as students and community members turned out for a pep assembly on the eve of the boys' basketball team's trip to the state tournament.

For more than an hour, the assembled crowd participated in cheers, games and skits. A potluck dinner followed the assembly.

Peetz Plateau School District Superintendent Mark Collard said the school has a long tradition of community participation.

"You'll come to games – it can be a non-league game – and these stands will be full of community members," he said. "You'll have people in these stands who haven't had kids here in 20 years, but they still come to games. It's great community support."

The basketball team's success has energized the school, and students of all ages, he added.

"It's having a big impact on the middle school and upper grade school kids," he said. "They see that and they want to participate. They want to continue that excellence and they're going to work real hard to continue that legacy."

Head coach Jim Gardiner said he told his players to enjoy the team's success so far and to also prepare for the upcoming games.

"I told them it'd be a week they'd always remember – to enjoy it," he said. "The fans and the community here really do a great job of showing their love for us."

Entering the state tournament as the eighth seed, Gardiner said the target is entirely on the opposition.

"We're going to go in there and try to stay loose, with a purpose, but stay loose and play hard," he said. "If we can do that, I'll be proud."