OMAHA, Neb. - As a journalist, there is no tougher job than to walk into a losing team's locker room.

Especially a team that had invested 10 months of hard work and perseverance, only to fall short.

But that is the job I faced Saturday at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs with the Waterloo Black Hawks.

Marked for dead as late as February, the Black Hawks made a magical run over the final two months of the season and fell one game - actually one goal - short of a national championship.

I've been at this sports writing gig for the better part of 22 years now and have covered many championship squads, but I can't recall anything more captivating.

Standing at the door of that locker room Saturday after the Omaha Lancers' 4-3 overtime victory in Game Five of the Clark Cup finals, the only thing I could think of was 23 kids, ages 16-20, who were trying to cope with the reality that it was all over … that a four-hour bus ride home was the last thing many of them will ever do together again.

That is tough.

But showing the character that made this team so strong, guys like Brett Olson and Blake Kessel stepped forward and spoke reverently about the championship game, the season and what they referred to as lifelong friends.

"This was the most memorable experience I've had in my hockey career, I loved coming to the arena with these guys everyday," Kessel said.

"I can't imagine there is a better group of guys I will ever play with," Olson said.

It was a fantastic Clark Cup series - "One of the best in league history," USHL president Gino Gasparini claimed at center ice Saturday.

Omaha was considered by many as one of the best teams ever assembled in the USHL. Black Hawks head coach P.K. O'Handley said that on several occasions.

The Lancers had 19 players on their roster with college scholarships in hand.

But one post and one spectacular play by Omaha's Barry Almeida saw the Black Hawks fall in the Clark Cup championship game for the second consecutive season.

"I'm absolutely proud of these kids," O'Handley said after the game. "I'm not disappointed in our effort, not disappointed in our execution at all. There are 20 guys in that room that poured it out and laid it out and unfortunately came up short."

As disappointing as Saturday was for the Black Hawks and their faithful fan base, there is reason for optimism.

First and foremost is O'Handley and his staff of Shane Fukushima, Derrick Johnson and Jason Dobes will be back next year.

And, as long as O'Handley remains as the man in charge of the Black Hawks, Clark Cup finals will be a norm more than a rarity.

A wealth of talent is eligible to return next season.

Give or take some late decisions and/or organizational manuevers, the Black Hawks could return up to 14 players next fall - forwards Siim Liivik, Brock Montpetit, Nick Larson, Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Craig Smith, Scott Pavelski, Keegan Meuer, Eddie Olczyk, Mike Fink and Brett Beebe, defensemen Mike Marcou, Mike Montrose and Patrick Wey and goalie Joe Howe.

Back in September 2007 there were only 11 returning veterans on the roster, and by the start of the season just 10 remained.

Waterloo and Cedar Rapids were widely considered two of the youngest teams in the league this year.

But with that said, the chemistry and determination of this group will be hard to match.

"This was a pretty good hockey season with a pretty good hockey team. It will be tough to replicate this group," O'Handley said.

The building of next year's squad begins Wednesday with the USHL's annual May Entry Draft.

Like a year ago, Waterloo hopes to strike gold. Its first two picks in the 2007 Entry Draft - Drew MacKenzie and Chad Billins -were key contributors to the championship run.

Guys like Howe, Montrose, Wey and Samuels-Thomas (14th round) will help make a strong foundation for 2008-09.

The question is who will be the next Billy Maday, Kessel or Billins?

USHL NOTES: The Columbus Blue Jackets franchise has ceased operations after two seasons.

Players protected by the Blue Jackets for next season have been transferred to the ownership of Fargo Force, which will join the USHL's West Division.

The Des Moines Buccaneers will move back from the West Division to the East.

It has also been rumored a franchise will open play for the 2009-10 season in Wausau, Wis.

Jim Nelson is a Courier Sports Writer. He can be contacted at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com