Hey Jude: Western's Muenz's not afraid of big moments
Mar. 10—COLLINS — The moment lasted just seconds, but represented many years.
It wasn't about what those who witnessed it saw — but what they didn't see.
As Chris Sheldon put his hand on the back of his point guard's head and pulled him in for a face-to-face embrace, there was one key emotional element no longer weighing on both the Western Reserve head coach and player.
Yes, there were the usual post-game words of praise in the embrace, and smiles from both.
But there were no tears of sadness.
The season wasn't ending in heartbreaking fashion this time — at least not in that particular round of the OHSAA state tournament.
"I still remember all the tears (as a kid), because we just couldn't win here," junior Jude Muenz said. "Most of our players have been around the program our entire lives. We weren't able to get past here until now."
As the Roughriders (20-2) celebrated Saturday's 65-64 win over Willard in a Division III district championship game at Shelby High School, the emotions varied for those involved.
But for Muenz, who grew up watching two older siblings lose in the same round, it carried a little extra weight. It won't be just another game Wednesday in a regional semifinal vs. Johnstown-Monroe (21-5) at Elida High School.
"I remember crying in the second grade after we lost," Muenz said of Western's 2013 district title game loss vs. Huron by six points at Willard High School. His oldest brother, Jacob, had nine points and nine rebounds in that 41-35 loss as a senior.
Another older brother, Jesse, graduated in 2015 and also played for the 'Riders. Older sister, Joleen, graduated from Western in 2018, and younger sister, Jaimie, is in seventh grade.
"I've been around this program my whole life with my family," Jude said. "All those tears and now finally getting this championship felt really good, because we were able to win for Coach Sheldon and our older brothers."
The most meaningful aspect of Saturday's win, however, was the role Jude played in helping end a 58-year drought. Often the distant third-leading scorer behind standouts Luke Rowlinson and John Skrada, Muenz has led the team in assists all season.
But against Willard, he took a leadership role on defense down the stretch. Then he snapped a three-point skid for his team in the fourth quarter, and scored the last four points of the game for his team — including the game-winning basket with 22 seconds left.
Every time a basket or big play was needed, Muenz was seemingly there — much like he has been on the football field in the fall as the starting quarterback for the past two seasons for the 'Riders.
"Jude's internal mindset is always calm," Sheldon said. "He's been that way since he was a little kid, and it's a big reason why he was playing varsity as a freshman. No moment has ever been too big for him."
That was also why despite his team trailing for most of the game vs. Willard — including by double-digits multiple times — Sheldon felt a sense of calm come over him early in the fourth quarter with his team down five points.
"I knew with about six minutes to go we were going to win even though we were down," Sheldon said. "That was when Jude walked over to me during a free throw attempt and demanded to guard (Trey) Paxton the rest of the game — and he hadn't guarded him for three quarters.
"He has been a quiet, but steady presence all year," he added. "Jude is the kid who sacrifices his own shots to create better scoring opportunities for his teammates. But he is also a kid that when he speaks, everyone listens."
Paxton, Willard's leading scorer at 17 points per game, was scoreless in the first half. However, he scored eight points in the third quarter as the Flashes took a 53-46 lead into the fourth quarter.
With the defensive switch, Paxton was 1-of-5 shooting in the fourth quarter, scoring on a short jumper in the key with 5:13 left to give Willard a 57-52 lead after Muenz gambled and missed on a steal attempt.
"I was feeling pretty good, and we knew he's one of their better players," Muenz said of the defensive switch. "It was just a mentality I wanted to help my team at the end of the game."
After Paxton's lone basket in the fourth, on the next trip down the floor, Muenz buried a 3-pointer with 4:59 left to bring the 'Riders back within two. It was the first 3-pointer of the second half for Western, and Rowlinson then added two more deep 3s for a 61-58 Western lead with 2:18 left.
After Willard answered to take a 62-61 lead, Muenz was fouled and made both free throws with 1:16 left to give the 'Riders the lead back (63-62).
Once more, Willard took the lead, and after unsuccessful looks at a shot, Sheldon called timeout with 32.2 seconds left and his team down 64-63.
"Jude is extremely cerebral and has a tremendous understanding of the game as a kid who has been a ball boy since he was eight," Sheldon said. "Nothing is going to rattle him. Out of that timeout, we ran a series of options on that sideline out-of-bounds play, and he gets to make the reads, as if he was in the shotgun trying to beat St. Paul in a football game."
Muenz inbounded the basketball to teammate Carson Roe right in front of him, who quickly gave it back to Muenz. The junior guard then passed to Jacob Jarrett to his left, who then tossed right back to him again.
Unable to find Rowlinson or Skrada, Muenz started to slowly back his way into the lane one-on-one against Willard's Cole Weiss. He decided to turn around and go up with a shot from the right block from five feet — and it went in with 22 seconds left for the 65-64 lead.
"I drove in toward Luke's side and was looking at him because he had the hot hand," Muenz said. "But as I got closer and closer to the basket, I just went up with it figuring we had enough time still if it was short."
Sheldon said kids like Muenz are the types of kids who he wants the basketball in their hands on biggest stage.
"Jude made his reads off three options and decided to dial up his own number, and it was the right read," he said.
Willard called its final timeout with 11.2 seconds left. Myles Pinkston missed a shot, but got a rebound tie-up with Rowlinson to force a jump ball with 3.2 seconds left to keep possession for the Flashes.
Muenz swatted away the inbounds pass like he was a volleyball player for his mother, Lisa, the head coach for the Lady 'Riders in the fall, which forced another inbounds pass.
Willard then switched the inbound passer to Micah Dawson, who threw it to Paxton on the left wing. With Muenz right on him, arm extended, his fallaway contested shot was off to the right of the rim to set off the Western celebration.
In the first half, Sheldon got on Muenz's case because the coach felt he was being passive and not putting pressure on the Willard defense.
But within 20 seconds of the game ending, Sheldon found Muenz near center court for the head-to-head embrace and hug.
"I've been around Coach Sheldon for a long time," Muenz said. "I've seen a lot of him to know how he coaches and what this all means to him and our community. It's been fun. Since I was a ballboy, he's been a leader I've looked up to who has led us to a lot of success. It just meant a lot to help get this district title."
Known for his passing in both football and basketball, Muenz says the two relate. He's completed 62 percent of his pass attempts for more than 2,700 yards and 23 touchdowns in two seasons on the gridiron.
"As quarterback and point guard, you're kind of in charge — you have to let the others know what's going on," Muenz said. "It kind of correlates. There are definitely a lot of differences, but it relates in some important ways."
That has been most evident during the 'Riders three tournament games. Jude, the son of Jake and Lisa, is averaging 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game this season.
During the tournament, those numbers have changed to 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds — and 9.3 assists per game.
But years from now, Muenz may or may not be recalled fondly for his passing in both sports. Perhaps he will be remembered more for a fourth quarter that saw critical defense and seven huge points in under four minutes — the last two that were the game-winning points to end a six-decade drought that weighed heavily on the Western program.
"It's cool, but at the end of the day it was great to win, and that's what it comes down to," Muenz said. "It wasn't just the one shot I made — but all of the plays we all made outside of that to rally and win the game. I think I'll remember that and celebrating with my team the most."
