Mountain Iron-Buhl's Father-Son Duo Reach State Tournament

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Reaching the state tournament is a goal that teams chase all season long.

Mountain Iron-Buhl had been chasing it a lot longer.

"It's been a commitment by the community and the parents and the kids," coach Luke Winans said.

No parent and kid more than the ones leading them there. Luke Winans is the head coach, his son Archie, a senior, the team's leading scorer. A father and son from the Iron Range with a bond forged over basketball.

"I think as a father and son, we've really grown, and learned to trust and also respect the other person a lot more through this," Luke Winans said. "So it's been a marvelous thing."

The Rangers hadn't been to state since 2005 -- not since Archie was a first grader. One year after his dad started coaching him. That's right; Luke has been Archie's coach, every year, since kindergarten.

"Yeah, since kindergarten I've had this bunch," Luke Winans said. "So a lot of Saturdays, and the personalities haven't changed at all. It's amazing how when they're in kindergarten they act the same as when they're seniors."

Archie jokes that he couldn't get away from his dad.

"He's always been there," Archie Winans said. "He's even my phy-ed teacher.

There are rewards and challenges that come with the kind of close relationship.

"I told him," Luke Winans said, "I'm going to be harder on you than any other kid. When we're doing running drills, you better come in first, simple as that. So the pressure was on, from a young age. But he rose to the occasion."

That is what made what the Rangers did last weekend all the more special. Not just to take the team where it hadn't been in so long, but to get there together.

It took until Archie's final season, but they did it.

"It's been a marvelous journey and a lot of fun," Luke Winans said.

Things didn't go the Rangers' way. Their first state tournament game together ended up being their last game together.

Which means now, for the first time in 12 years, they will have to get used to basketball without each other.

"It'll be a little different, it'll be a little different, there's no doubt about that," Luke Winans said, before Archie cut him off.

"Less stressful," Archie said with a laugh. "I've thought about it, you know. I've been playing varsity for so long, you know, you don't even realize that you kind of take it for granted. But yeah, I knew it would come eventually."

It is a day every dad knows is coming eventually, too.

"It's time for him to spread his wings a little bit and go out on his own," Luke said. "I'm proud of what he's done, and I'm sure he's going to be very successful in what he goes into."