PEORIA — One goal and a season of memories were quickly condensed into four simple words by the Salt Fork faithful on Saturday at Carver Arena.

As the Storm’s starters made their way to the sideline to receive congratulations from their teammates, they were able to comfortably enjoy the final 1minute, 8 seconds of the Class 1A state championship game from the bench.

And a season-long goal was finally realized when the dominant chants from the fans in black turned from the typical in-game banter to a much simpler ‘”We Are — State Champs.”

The Storm concluded their 2009-2010 run with a 55-42 win over the Sesser-Valier Red Devils to become Vermilion County’s first basketball team to win a state title.

“We started this run in November with the goal in mind that we wanted to get to this game,” Storm junior Joel Learnard said. “It’s just a dream come true to get here and to play how we did. We didn’t win this for just the 15 players. We won it for our whole community. It’s just great.”

After losing only one game during the regular season, the Storm soon found themselves ranked No. 1 among Class 1A programs. The ultimate task they were left with was to live up to the hype and the pressure of being the state’s top-ranked team.

Rather than worry about rankings, the Storm remained focused on a goal they had since the season’s first practice, and justified the hype by finishing the season on a 27-game winning streak and a state title.

The only team to come within 10 points of the Storm during their postseason run was Chrisman which fell by three points in the regional title game.

“We just tried to come out and bring it every night,” junior Ryan Anderson said. “We just come out and bring it every night and just do what we can to win. If we just play our game, we know we should win the games every time. We just come out expecting to win and just do what we do.”

Salt Fork never trailed in Saturday’s championship game after David Keenan scored four of his eight points on back-to-back possessions in the opening moments of the second quarter.

Both baskets came following turnovers, and the Storm (33-1) quickly expanded their lead to 11 points midway through the third to mark their largest advantage of the game.

More importantly, Keenan and Learnard, who finished with game-highs in points (20) and rebounds (15), combined their efforts to limit first-team all-state selection Justin Matyi to only four points and three rebounds in the game.

The Red Devils (26-10) began fouling with just under six minutes remaining in the contest in an attempt to slow the Storm’s momentum. But Learnard and Nathan Fathauer (10 points, four assists) combined to make 14 of 17 free throw attempts to assure the win.

And with each free throw that passed through the net, the cheers became louder and louder in anticipation of being named state champs.

It was the second state title for coach Aaron Hird and his crew of juniors who found similar success as eighth graders.

“So many people talk about how junior high success does not equal high school success,” Hird said. “And I agree with them. But I think these kids continued to improve, continued to work on their skills, and became better players.”

Many athletes who are fortunate to end their high school careers winning state titles often say that finishing with a win and a title makes it seem as though the season never ends.

While the group of juniors will have one more year to try to match this season’s success, the seniors have been assured of finishing their high school careers in style.

“It still hasn’t hit me,” said senior guard Joe Pratt, who scored eight points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out three assists in his final high school game. “It’s an unbelievable goal that we’ve achieved. It’s my senior year. I can’t even put it into words right now.

“Every kid wants to go out his senior year and win it all. I was just lucky enough to do it with the team that we had.”

The last state championship of any kind in Vermilion County was Schlarman's state championship football team of 1981 and that was the second title in a row for the Hilltoppers.

Salt Fork will try to repeat next year with four of its top seven players returning.