Riggs: His last game
By ERIC CLARK
Sports editor
On Sunday, Jan. 4, 2004, Marion High School student Calvin Riggs was pronounced dead after being injured in a severe car accident. In addition to being loved by those around him, and a young man who regularly brought smiles to the faces of others, the 6'1" senior also was an intricate part of the MHS basketball team. A team leader and a growing talent, Riggs embodied the essence of hard work and determination during his senior campaign. Hours before his accident, Riggs joined his teammates in the championship game of Inman Pre-Season Basketball Tournament for more than just a game — it would be his last. At a time when sports appears to be insignificant, the value of Saturday's game may now have greater worth. Coaches often use the phrase, "play every game as if it were your last." On Saturday, Calvin did, and it ultimately was his last. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of a great young man.
He boarded the bus with the same intentions as his teammates — to win. The crisp January wind whipped across his face as he stepped up into the yellow-orange bus, surrounding himself with his teammates, and more importantly, his friends.
For Calvin Riggs, a senior forward on the 2003-04 Marion Warrior basketball team, it was a fairly typical day at the office. After a soiree of snowstorms ripped across central Kansas in mid-December and blanketed the area with six to seven inches of snow, the team was on their way to Inman High School to make-up a previously scheduled game that had been postponed because of foul weather. Their opponent, St. John, was undefeated and the Warriors had their eyes on putting a blemish on their adversary's record and claiming the Inman Pre-Season Tournament crown.
Riggs and Co. started their warm-up for the game around 3:15 Saturday afternoon. There was a flat feeling in the air, the rust from the holiday break still apparent as both teams clanged shots off the rim prior to the game. With five minutes before the game, the Warriors headed down to the locker room, a band of eight seniors leading the way. Down in the cold, musty locker room beneath the bleachers, head coach Rex Ostmeyer extended his hopes and expectations for the game in his pre-game pep talk. As the time preceding the game narrowed, Ostmeyer huddled the team together. Ceremoniously, the team members extended their hands into the middle of the huddle, and after Ostmeyer roared, "How are we going to do it?" The team unanimously yelled "Together!" For the boys, it was a chance to win their first varsity tournament championship. For Riggs, it was the last game of his short life.
Riggs stood in the center circle, as he had for many of the games this season, prepared for the tip-off. The Warriors' athletic team leader skied past the outreached arm of the St. John player and tapped the ball back to Marion. Initially, things looked promising for Marion, but the wear of the holiday break soon became evident.
The Warriors trailed for the first two quarters of the game, but after intermission, the team came out rejuvenated and poised for a win. After the third quarter, Marion led 37-34 over the highly touted Tigers. But in the final period the Warriors failed to convert on the offensive end, getting outscored 22-6, and falling 56-43.
As the horn sounded, the game and the loss marked a variety of perspectives, most immediate. One point of view that wouldn't be seen until several hours later. Initially, the game was simply seen as a loss for Marion, a disappointment for coaches, players, and fans, and a second-place finish in a tournament that slipped through the Warriors' fingers. But for one Marion player the game was simply, his last.
