Flight Senior Day

Flight basketball honored their Senior Class last Saturday. There were a total of eleven seniors, who averaged over four years in the Flight program.

Flight played Crown, a rival Christian home-school program from Woodstock. There were six games played…Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Middle School…Boys and Girls. Crown only won one game, when our friend’s daughter Lyla made the game-winning last second shot for the Crown Middle-School Girls. Connor led the Flight Middle-School Boys to a 44 – 16 blowout win, scoring about half the points. Will’s classmate Matthew led Crown with ten points. The Flight Jayvee Girls had an easy win as well.

Earlier in the season the Flight Jayvee boys beat Crown by about ten points, though it was a hard fought game. Many Living Science students had shown up to cheer for Flight, allowing the Flight/Living Science parents time to visit. This time the visiting Crown parents came to the Flight gym ready to cheer. The game got off to a slow start, especially when leading-scorer DJ was whistled for three fouls within the first two minutes of the game. He sat out the rest of the first quarter. Isaac took his place, but quickly turned his ankle. Things didn’t look good for the home team.

The two young referees were calling an inconsistent game, one minute calling touch fouls, letting guys hack away the next. This infuriated the Crown coaches, who constantly roamed beyond the coaches box complaining and badgering referees and players. There were issues with the possession arrow as well. Late in the first quarter the clock-keeper was slow to start the clock, and just before the quarter ended Jonathan was fouled shooting a three-pointer. The Crown assistant then spent the entire quarter break harassing the clock-keeper. Jonathan only made one of the three foul shots, and Flight trailed by a point.

In the second quarter Flight surged ahead, outscoring Crown 16 – 11 to lead by four at the half. Besides DJ, by halftime Jonathan, Josh, and Conner each had three fouls. For every good play Flight would make, someone would commit a thoughtless turnover, foul, or defensive lapse. Several times a Flight player had the ball upcourt and passed across to a teammate, without seeing the defenders close by…who made easy steals. Coach Hoffer kept the team in the locker room until the half was almost over.

Despite the close game, all the Flight players got to play. Max only handled the ball two times, both times on passes out on the wing. The first time he took his usual step, then shot…for two points! The next time he immediately passed to a surprised Josh, standing at the foul line. Josh turned to discover he was wide open, so he took one step toward the basket and banked in the shot.

After sitting out, DJ had a fine game, finishing with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and an assist. Once, though, his three-point attempt was short, and the chant “Air Ball!” rang out. Nothing wrong with that…except the chant was being led by the Crown Head Coach!

The third quarter ended with the score tied at 31 all, though both Jonathan and Josh had fouled out. Jonathan scored 3 points, with one rebound, assist, and steal. Josh scored 5, grabbed 6 boards, and had 2 steals. He also had a great block, swatting into the stands the three-point attempt of one of Crown’s better players.

Conner played well, with 4 points and rebounds, 2 steals and an assist.

Kevin scored a basket and grabbed 3 rebounds, with 2 steals.

Holt scored 2 points, with 3 boards and a steal.

Isaac came back to grab one rebound and steal.

Going mostly with DJ, Conner, Holt, Kevin, and Isaac, Flight barely stayed ahead, using all their time-outs. DJ was fouled with three seconds remaining, with Flight up by one. DJ only made one, but the ensuing full-court inbounds pass was easily intercepted by Holt, securing the 43 – 41 victory for Flight.

The Varsity Girls started and played their seniors in the first quarter. They played well, but every Flight shot just missed, while it seemed like every Crown shot went in. By halftime Flight had crept back to within a basket, 23 – 21, and Catherine quickly tied the score when the third quarter began. The third quarter ended with Flight leading 43 – 35, and they extended the lead in the fourth, winning 57 – 41. As the clock wound down the seniors were taken out one at a time, to the cheers of the overflow crowd.

Between games the seniors and parents were honored. Then the Varsity Boys played a close game. Flight kept extending their lead, from 24 – 22 at the half, to 41 – 31 after three, before winning 55 – 44. Willis played well, despite being guarded closely. The scoring as spread out among several players, and four or five different Flight players drained three-pointers. The Crown Varsity has never beaten Flight, and after the game a senior player cried, knowing it was his last chance.