LENNOX, S.D. (KELO) — The city of Lennox is celebrating its high school football team’s historic season after winning its first state championship in over four decades. Lennox’s mayor made sure the town would never forget the team’s accomplishment.

Before the 2024 season, the Lennox football team had not won a state championship since 1982.

“42 years without it, so it’s been a drought. We knew we had the team to just end that and start it over in 2024,” senior cornerback Braeden Harmelink said.

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The Orioles ended the regular season at 7-2, but the team avenged its two losses in the playoffs, beating Dell Rapids in the semifinals and knocking off Sioux Falls Christian 14-6 in the class 11A state championship game.

“As soon as we won, I was yelling at all of us seniors saying, ‘It’s been 42 years,’ and everyone in the community showed out,” senior wide receiver Chase Faulds said.

To honor the Orioles’ accomplishment, the city of Lennox recently announced that Mayor Danny Fergen proclaimed November 25 as Lennox Oriole Football Day.

“It was just neat to see the community wrap around the football team and thought it was a great opportunity to bring some great news into our community and give them a mayoral proclamation,” Fergen said.

“The proclamation shows how much support we have from the community and how many people from the community, from the area, are really rooting for the team,” Lennox head football coach Shawn Flanagan said.

It came as a bit of a shock to the team.

“All of us seniors dressed up because, you know, city council meeting. Then, they started like talking about bills and stuff, I don’t know. Then, we all just thought we were about to sit through a meeting, and then he started reading off a proclamation, and he said, ‘Lennox Football Day.’ We were all kind of in shock,” Faulds said.

But it meant everything to know that this year’s team will always be remembered.

“Every November 25th, everyone’s going to be able to celebrate the day that we brought back a state title for the first time in 42 years,” Faulds said.

The Orioles had seven players selected to the all-state team, who were honored at the team’s banquet Sunday night.