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Behind The Gobbler CallAn Inside Lens Into Broadway High School Sports
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By: Ben Elliott DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE IS DEDICATED TO BILL WALTON AND BILL RUSSELL. TWO GREAT CELTIC CHAMPIONS. SPEAKING OF CELTIC CHAMPIONS, YOUR BOSTON CELTICS ARE 2024 NBA CHAMPIONS. On May 27th, 2024, the sports world got news that a hero had passed of cancer at 71 years young. Bill Walton, who in his own right was an unbelievable athlete. An MVP, a sixth man of the year and a multi time champion with both the Portland Trail Blazers and my beloved (hopefully soon to be world champions), Boston Celtics. Walton’s post player profile wasn’t shabby by any means. A great scorer and an uncanny ability to be a significant playmaker from the block. Something that we’ve only seen a couple of times. Bill Russell before him, Hakeem Olajuwon at the same time as Walton and Nikola Jokic today. Yet, in the immediate days since his passing, his on court accolades are sparsely mentioned. What you hear instead is who he was off the court. A rare mention for superstar athletes. Now, he most certainly isn’t the first “good guy” to pass away as a legend in a given sport. Guys like Yogi Berra and the aforementioned Bill Russell come to mind as two athletes who were larger than life off of the floor due to their natural kindness towards others. But as I'm listening to the people that knew him best, it’s clear something about Bill was different. His playing career was short, due to injuries to his back and ankle that hampered what already was a Hall of Fame career. Yet, if you saw the man Bill Walton in his post-playing days, you’d never know he had such a frustrating end to his career. In his biography Back From The Dead, he details how he underwent 30+ surgeries to repair a body that couldn’t keep up with the enthusiasm Walton played the game of basketball with. He mentioned in an interview that he spent two years lying on the floor in pure agony due to his back ailment, which sent him into a spiral of deep depression. However, if you had the chance to meet Bill Walton the person, you’d never know of the horrors he faced behind closed doors. He always lived his life with his trademark ear to ear smile, and witty jokes of plenty at the drop of a hat. My favorite of said jokes was when he’d often greet his friends by saying “Wait, what’s your name again? Hi I’m Bill”! That line alone shows a man who was light at heart, despite having every reason to be so. Perhaps the most famous hobby of Walton’s was his unwavering love and loyalty to the Grateful Dead. From the beginning, Walton followed the band around partaking in various escapades with Jerry Garcia and co. So much so, that he eventually became a de facto member of one of the greatest bands in the history of music. He stated that the day Jerry Garcia passed was one of the saddest days of his life. I think his love for the Dead perfectly captures who Walton was and why we can all learn something from his larger than life story. He led a carefree approach to life, one that led him to try his absolute best to make someone’s day, either by cracking a joke or playing the guitar. He was unapologetically himself to the fullest degree and lived everyday with love in his heart. Now, what does this have to do with the ending of the 2024 softball and baseball seasons? Walton’s passing is a firm reminder to enjoy every moment of life and to live it to the absolute fullest. And most importantly, to enjoy the journey. Oftentimes when you're on or around a sports team at any level, it can be incredibly easy to get swept up in the wins and losses record. Yet when I think of every team I’ve ever been a part of, I honestly couldn’t tell you what record we had that season. But what I can most certainly tell you is every moment made along the way with my coaches, teammates and most importantly community. As much as we want to win, (and we want to win more than you’d believe), high school sports are a vehicle for life. You get to experience the trials and tribulations of life with a group of people that become your family. Participating in various sports in various capacities over the years has taught me more than I could even begin to express. So yes, losing in the playoffs hurts a lot. It may even take some time for the hurt to subside however, Walton is a reminder that the sports we dedicate ourselves to is simply put, just a vehicle for life. Both teams put up tremendous seasons. The softball girls finished the valley district regular season with a record of 15-5 and most importantly, another state playoff run! Making the playoffs period is a difficult achievement in itself, let alone getting through regionals making it to the state portion of the playoffs. While they may have fallen short, this season in my eyes is a huge success! I have full confidence in the group playing in the same spot next season! Congratulations to Sophomore Pitcher Lilah Deavers who was named to the VHSL Class 3 All-State First Team. Lilah had a great season, including a 15-Strike Out performance against Christiansburg in the State Quarterfinals. The baseball boys also finished with a Valley District regular season record of 15-5. Winning a road playoff game in the first round. Ending the year with 16 wins is no small feat. Think about it, the pros play 162, college 40(ish) regular season games. Playing a little over 20 games leaves no room for error. Being a handful of games away from perfect is something to build on for the following season. Not to mention how long playoff experience will take the younger players of the group. Gobblers Shortstop and West Virginia commit was named to the VHSL Class 3 All-State Second Team. Bransen had another tremendous year for the Gobblers and left his mark on the BHS record books setting new records in Season Stolen Bases and Career Stolen Bases. Both teams took tough losses at different levels of the VHSL playoffs however, as the Celtics have taught me, you have to take your lumps before you can conquer the mountain top!  After successful seasons, the Gobblers Baseball & Softball Teams turn their attention to the Playoffs By: Ben Elliott DISCLAIMER: I WILL NOT BE DISCUSSING MY BELOVED BOSTON BRUINS BOWING OUT EARLY IN THE PLAYOFFS FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW. The mythic ethos of the playoffs is one that anyone involved in sports has fathomed ever since the dawn of man. It’s truthfully the greatest time of the sports season. All the corny troupes apply, where legends are made, etc. Robert Horry, Reggie Jackson and Joe Montana are great in their own right however, when you hear those names, you automatically think of their performances when the lights are brightest and the noise is loudest. It’s where names are made and in some cases, forgotten, (sorry Dan Marino & Pat Ewing). Legacies have the opportunity to be etched in stone forever, you have the opportunity to do something that outlives you and will be remembered for generations to come. In our case, putting a year on the banner is something that drives us to compete day in and day out. My sophomore year, the baseball team won a district tournament, which meant we got to put our year, 2019, on the banner forever. We did the same thing my senior year in 2021. I’ll remember those two seasons for as long as I live. Now, introduction aside, what is it like to compete in the playoffs? The speech we were always given by the all time great football head coach Danny Grogg was something along the lines of getting to play football in November, right around Thanksgiving. That painted picture of November football was something that we kept in the back of our minds especially during the blazing summer months. In 2021, we got to play football with two weeks on the calendar till turkey day. Like I wrote about last year, beating Turner Ashby at their house in ‘21 was the greatest feeling ever. Not just winning, but winning a playoff game outright. You feel the pride of your family, your town and most importantly your coaches and teammates. It’s a vindication and validation like no other. Especially from a coaches perspective. The kids that have given anything to you and the sport we love have done it, they’ve won the game we’ve been dreaming of since we were kids running around on the Pop Warner fields at J. Frank Hillyard Middle School. From a players perspective, keeping a tough mentality is very important always, but that importance magnifies when you play postseason ball. I’ve always had a huge admiration for the Tim Duncan’s of the world, or shall I say the Tim Turner’s of the world. Guys that no matter the situation, can keep a cooler head. Adversity will always strike in every situation as per the Hagelian dialectic. Life is a constant state of change driven by opposing forces. This philosophy lesson is in my eyes best played out in sports. You have two teams competing for the ultimate prize. Every pitch, every block and every boxout matters. Every little action affects the next action. And admittedly, it can be hard to keep the aforementioned cooler head when you’re in the game. My favorite quote in this regard comes from none other than the greatest team sports athlete ever, Michael Jordan. During the 1998 finals, his last with Chicago, before the famous Game Six against the Jerry Sloan coached, John Stockton and Karl Malone led Utah Jazz was asked by a reporter if he was nervous for the game that was to take place later that night. He simply responded “Why would I be nervous about a shot I haven’t taken yet?”. That rationale alone is what in my eyes made Jordan the greatest ever. Now, notice a few sentences ago, I mentioned that Jordan was asked this before Game Six, the very same game where he would (definitely not push off), and hit the final nail in the coffin shot that would win the Bulls their 6th and final title. Out of all the playoff moments in organized sports, none is greater than the shot Jordan made. He made it by being cool under pressure, and not letting the outside noise and bright lights shake him. Because of his hardened mental toughness, Jordan always delivered in the moments where the stakes were the highest, cementing him as the greatest of all time. To the Softball Lady Gobblers and the Baseball Gobblers, I wish you both nothing but the best of luck in your playoff bouts this week. Thank you for letting us bare witness all year long. Led by the honorable coach Becky Cantrell and George Laase, may you keep the mental toughness, knowledge and preparation of Ichiro and John Coltrane. Both teams will play Wednesday May 22nd, The Softball Team will be the #3 Seed and will play at home against Allegheny and the Baseball Gobblers will be the #5 seed and play in the Quarterfinals on the road against Western Albemarle. Micah and Joe will have the broadcast from Western! You can listen at www.gobblerssportsnetwork.com!
"I'm tired of being lied to by the groundhog, it's time for BHS Softball and Baseball By: Ben Elliott Punxsutawney Phil’s batting average is hovering around a blistering .390, which would put him up against the likes of Ted Williams and Tony Gwynn. The large number also gives him a no doubt spot in Cooperstown. However, right here right now, I’d like to open discourse on why he shouldn’t get his face on a plaque in Cooperstown. Despite the batting average, lately he’s been widely inconsistent. He says we’re ready to hit the golf course early yet, I’m still wearing my puffer vest at 2:30 in the afternoon before the sun even goes down. It’s a what have you done for me lately league unfortunately, Phil, in my book, is no longer a sure fire hall of famer, it’s far too cold out right now for us to be happily living at the golf course. Hall of Fame discourse aside, the time has come in the calendar year for softball and baseball to finally commence! Despite my bias towards the hardwood, I must admit, (and I'm sure every coach in every sport ever will attest to this), I’m excited to not have to be in coach mode this spring. Coaching is the greatest gift ever, especially here at BHS, however, a full season can leave you feeling drained. For everyone involved, players even more so, due to the physical toll competition forces you to give. When you give everything to a sport from November to February, by the time March rolls around, you’re more than ready to be a fan in the grandstands. Besides, you can’t eat hot dogs and drink a cold soda while we’re on the bench patrolling the sidelines yelling our lungs out to make sure everyone on defense is properly matched up. I’m quite excited to cheer on each squad to the best of my ability to say the least. Without further ado, let’s get into our 2024 softball/baseball season preview! Starting with our softball Lady Gobblers…. Last year, the softball team went 19-8 finishing 2nd in the valley district and making a deep playoff run, advancing to the VHSL Class 3 State Quarterfinals. A huge success last year for veteran coach Becky Cantrell and co. For as long as I’ve been around athletics here at BHS, the softball program has won year in and out and last year was no exception. With a retooled valley district, the team looks to carry on what they did last season. The schedule boasts a similar if not identical slate of opponents as last season. The valley district will still consist of TA, Spotswood, Harrisonburg, Rockbridge, with the additions being East Rock and William Monroe, and next year Rocktown (still TBD). Out of valley opponents being Fluvanna, Wilson Memorial and Fort Defiance. The schedule will be packed just like it was last year. I’ve said this a lot over the years, we’re lucky to play in an area with a host of talented schools. Adding William Monroe and East Rock just reinforces that belief. Like many others, I have high hopes and expectations for the softball program, it’s a roster full of youth yet experienced players from top to bottom. I’ve already gotten to take in a game so far this season, it was a great experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a great time as the weather gets better. I look forward to our mid season softball talk coming very soon! For the Baseball Gobblers, it was just like their softball counterparts, another successful season. The boys made the playoffs once again losing to LCA in the Region 3C Quarterfinals. The baseball schedule this year looks just like the softball schedule plus the inclusion of the Rappahannock County Panthers! We’re looking at a roster that isn’t as young as its softball counterpart. There's more experience here for the baseball boys, with the lineup featuring a handful of seniors from top to bottom. Based on our preseason show, the team features a huge group of personalities of all types (even some singing), and I’m looking forward to a great season from the honorable Coach Laase and company. I’m so excited to be a fan this season. I love coaching as much as the next guy however, it feels good to be a fan for even just a season. I look forward to seeing all of you at the various diamonds! Here’s to nothing but success for both squads!  Both the BHS Boys and Girls earned trips to the Region 3C Tournament By: Ben Elliott First off, this article is dedicated to Buddy Walton. Your love for Broadway basketball has inspired many in this town, we will continue to treat the game with the love and care that you approached it with. Buddy, the father of BHS Boys Head Coach Dwight Walton, passed away at the age of 83 on February 15, 2024. This year was another example of consistency under the Broadway Basketball umbrella. Over the past couple of seasons, each team has found themselves in a position to play in the Region 3C playoffs. It’s what you work all year around for and to be there year after year is truly a gift. A gift that none of us take for granted. All of the greatest memories I have of being a part of teams here at BHS come in the playoffs or the build up late season towards that goal. It’s truly a different feeling once you’re in. Every game you play from that point on is a one game season. And just like the cliche says, records truly do go out the window. It’s why you fall in love with sports to begin with. As my friends from Staten Island would say, "It's the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”. I may be (not so hidden), a little biased towards the hardwood. I love every sport that I’ve been able to have been a part of here, yet I always think back to 2009. I was in grade school, (maybe Kindergarten), and I had just fallen in love with sports for the first time. My love for sports started with Kobe Bryant. At that time, he was just coming off winning the NBA title over my beloved Celtics. After that series, I’m sure to his dismay, my father took me all over the valley to buy a gold number 24 Los Angeles Lakers jersey. We must’ve gone to six different malls but, after a long search, we were able to find one. I wore it everywhere until the name and numbers peeled off. All of those years later, my love for the game still remains and strengthens as the days go on. I want to pass on the love for the game to the next generation. And as I watched both teams play this season, it’s safe to say that the game I love so dearly is truthfully in good hands. I see the younger generation approach the game with the same passion and love that we did and it makes me feel good to know that there still is a love for the game. Without further ado, let's get into a quick recap of how each team finished their 2023-24 season! Starting with my beloved Lady Gobblers. We finished the 23-24 season with a 16-9 record, surpassing our win total from the previous season. It was, like any other season, one filled with our fair shares of highs and lows. We dropped a couple early on that we probably shouldn’t have. And we went on a tear late that was the thrill of a lifetime. My favorite games from this season were our Gold Out game against East Rockingham, and our Pink Out game against Spotswood. Definitely the biggest crowds we played in front of the entire season. Full of amped passion and hype that culminated in two huge victories in each bout for the program. Those moments stand out the most to me because it’s a perfect snapshot of why you play the game in the first place. Packed house, against two really good teams that are well coached, and to do it at home makes those moments much sweeter. Our season ended on February 16 in the Region 3C Quarterfinals at Western Albemarle, to a very good Warriors team. The loss wasn’t without its great moments though, junior Wren Wheeler hit the 1,000-point milestone after just three years of varsity basketball. I am beyond proud of Wren, her commitment to the program truthfully stands out, grateful you’ve got one more year left with us! I wanted to end the girls portion of our recap with saying thank you to our four seniors. Natalee Strawderman, Keely Spencer, Maya Bacon and Lexie Dingus. Your contributions to our program will be felt for years to come, we wish you all the best in your future endeavors! Now for the boys. The BHS Boys finished the season with a record of 16-8 which improved their 11-win total from the season before. The Gobblers team was so much fun to watch this year. Just the textbook example of selfless basketball, a systematic play built on getting the job done no matter who gets their name in the paper. It was a masterclass on how to play the game in order to maximize opportunities to win. The standout game(s) for me for the boys this season would have to also have been the Gold Out game against East Rockingham and Senior Night against Harrisonburg. The former was like I described above, an electric atmosphere against a good East Rock team that went down to the fourth quarter. It’s a prime example of why I love sharing Varsity Doubleheader games with the boys. Sharing your successes after the final whistle blows, is a feeling unlike any other. That gold out night was a perfect example. Not to mention the Unified game, which was the top headline of that incredible night. Senior night against the Blue Streaks was another contest that stands out to me for the boys. Harrisonburg brought a great team to the floor this season. They gave us fits all year and to beat them at home on senior night was another great moment for the program. Shout out to the senior boys, Conner Michael and Jet Gonzalez, your contributions to the program didn’t go unnoticed, we wish you gentleman the best of luck in whatever is next for you! This year was another great season to have been a part of. I send my sincere “thank you” to both coaching staff and every player, love you all dearly and I can’t wait to compete alongside you all next year! Wren Wheeler Hits 1,000 By: Micah Morris On Friday, February 16 as the Broadway Girls faced Western Albemarle in the Region 3C Quarterfinals, history was written as BHS Junior Wren Wheeler became the fifth player in BHS Girls Basketball history to score 1,000 career points. Wren, who is in her third year of playing at the varsity level, was one of three team captains, the only junior to earn captain honors, led the Gobblers in scoring with 15 points per game this season. The accomplishment of 1,000 points is significant in the life of any high school basketball player. However, to accomplish the feat in just three years is even more rare. The last BHS player to score 1,000 points in their junior season; Zach Yoder, who just happens to be Wren Wheeler’s head coach and knows how significant the milestone of 1,000 points truly is. Wren exemplifies leadership, she is a multi-sport athlete at BHS and works tirelessly to get better, spending countless hours in the gym, even long after the team practice is over. Ask any of her coaches, Volleyball or Basketball, and they will tell you that Wren Wheeler is exactly what you’re looking for as a High School athlete, a hard worker, good leader and focused. We’ve been lucky enough to watch Wren for three years, we are lucky to have a fourth! Enjoy it Gobblers Fans!  BHS Junior Wren Wheeler celebrates scoring her 1,000 point with BHS Girls Coaches Janna Grandle, Zach Yoder and Will Tinnell Photo by Lexie Dingus
Both the Boys and Girls teams look to remain consistent down the stretch and into the postseason. By: Ben Elliott We were earlier on in the 2023-2024 basketball season the last time I talked with you all. The early season is always such an interesting time in many different regards. After months of being away from any real action on the hardwood, you never truly know what to expect until you take the floor on opening night in late November, (usually my birthday, everybody’s favorite holiday, the 29th). Then you get into season play early on and like every other team in the country, you have many skills or schemes to smooth out. As time rolls on however, you hope to gradually improve on a nightly basis in all aspects of your game, and it may not happen quickly but, slowly but surely as you’re watching the film from earlier on in the year, you think back on just how far your team has come.
We’ve hit that stage in the season thus far. I’m sure both teams would say, there were some games early on that we’d wish we could do over again. Moments where we didn’t necessarily execute like we’d have liked and some shots we wished would’ve fell down the stretch. Yet, at this point in mid-January, each team is at a spot to humbly be proud of, not enough to be complacent and lose sight of the larger goal, but a spot to be proud of as something to build on later in the season. Let's take a quick look at where we stand going deeper into district play. Through the first 17 games of the season, my beloved Lady Gobblers stand at 12-5. Just like I mentioned above, looking back on November/Early December, there were some games I wish went the other way and some spots where we didn’t hit our shots. However, it’s all part of the larger game script. We’ve improved a ton in our offensive game since the beginning of the season. Attacking the rim and making our free throws (most of the time). But most importantly to my happiness, we’ve developed an identity as a Tom Izzo or Tony Bennett type of team. A team that plays exceptionally physical defense and takes care of the boards. Like I said in the preseason show, I’ll always prefer my teams take on a defensive identity. When you play great defense, you’re never truly out of the game. If we’re down by 10 points or less at the half, I know we’ll have a shot to come from behind in the second half due to just how well we’re playing defensively. The boys stand at an impressive record of 12-4 through 16 games. The boys have the same identity we’re building over on the other side. A selfless offensive team that doesn’t care who scores when or how. A team that plays solid defense that also just like us, has them in many games down the stretch. The thing I've loved the most out of the boys team this year is the cohesion between the lower and upperclassmen. The team has a great balance between hardened veterans and young guys that are hungry to make a spot for themselves at the highest local level of basketball. When you have a great mix like the boys (and girls) team’s have, the possibilities are endless on each end of the court, especially on the offensive end. When you have players that have experience running through an offense, it becomes much easier for the younger more inexperienced players to catch along. And the more experience you have, the better off you are. I’m overjoyed with where both teams are at at this point in the season. Broadway has an identity for playing the game the right way. Both teams embody that play style to a T. I’m grateful to bear witness to all of it. As the Calendar gets set to flip to 2024 the BHS Basketball teams hit their stride.
By: Ben Elliott Vince Guaraldi’s piano is in the air everywhere you go, the meal of toast, jelly beans, popcorn and pretzels has been eaten amongst the best of friends and the weather (for the most part), is very very chilly. That can only mean one thing…. We’ve made it through the first chunk of the basketball season and it's time for our 2023-24 Broadway Basketball preview through the first ten-ish games of the season! Starting with the girls. Through our first eight games, we stand at 4-4 after a gauntlet of a five game road streak of games that we finished up in Bridgewater, with a tough four point, 40-36, loss to the Knights. It’s been a ton of fun this season through the first couple months. We’ve steadily improved in every aspect of the game thus far after a couple months of play. We’ve played some opponents over the mountains in Page Co. and Luray, splitting with both the Panthers and Bulldogs. We’ve picked up a couple wins over Fort Defiance and a win over Rockbridge to make up our four wins to date. We played Spotswood in Penn Laird to a nail biting finish earlier this month. We made what we thought was a three to tie the game in the final seconds which would’ve taken us to overtime. At first we thought the three was good, then out of the corner of my eye, the play was reviewed and called a two pointer due to the shooter’s foot being on the line. It’s a heartbreaking way to lose however, I include this here because it’s a perfect example that basketball is a game of inches. We played a really good Spotswood team on their home floor and almost walked out with a win. I’m super proud of how far the kids have come and I cannot wait to see them compete for the rest of the season. Onto the boys. Through nine games, the boys have an impressive record of 7-2! In my season preview as customary for every other preseason story I've ever written, I predicted that the boys team would be in good shape despite graduating a lot of talent due to not only their returning talent on the court, but also their returning talent on the sideline. Coach Walton and Coach Jameson are two of the greatest coaches I’ve ever had the honor to be around throughout my career at BHS as a student and coach. The boys team plays a selfless style of play that doesn’t care who gets the headline. And I feel as if that’s the biggest reason why the boys are playing so well so far. They’re getting contributions from up and down the roster which has made for an unpredictable style of play that leans on a number of different folks at any given time. Which, as a coach, is the hardest thing to gameplan for, when you have to keep multiple names in mind when evaluating a team. The highlight of a game so far for me this year has to be the 100 scoring output against Fort Defiance. And yes, Fort does run a run and gun style of play which produces a high volume of threes for both teams, however, any time you put up a hundred points, you know it’s been a good night. Fort’s head coach Mike Gale used to be the head coach of the school’s girls’ basketball team, so I’ve experienced this style of play first hand over the years. I left each matchup against the team feeling like I had played in the game myself. Overall, it’s been a great start to the season for each program. It’s been great to have gotten to see all of the fans at the games. We thank you for your continued support, as we love what we do because of our great community. Hope to see you all at some games in the future and go Gobblers! After a long wait, BHS Basketball Returns to Action By: Ben Elliott After a long wait we’re finally back! Don’t get me wrong, I love all sports, however, I have a particular love for the hardwood! I am so excited to get into the pre-season previews for both the BHS Boys and Girls Basketball Teams, so let's waste no more time and get into it! Starting with my beloved Broadway Girls basketball team. Last year was an epic triumph for the program. We made steady progress from the previous season to rack up 14 wins and a playoff victory in Fort Defiance. The game was an action packed one. We beat the high-flying Fort squad late in the 4th on some clutch free throws to win our first playoff game in a handful of years. Unfortunately, the season came to a closer with a hard-fought loss in Lynchburg to LCA in the Region 3C Quarterfinals. So, the real question is, where do we go from here? Well, for starters, the team will be led by interim coach Zach Yoder. Yoder a Broadway legend on and off the court, brings an unmeasured basketball IQ to the sideline. I’ve heard him referred to as the smartest player one has ever seen. I’m excited to learn from him this year on the sideline. Coach Willie Tinnell, Coach Janna Grandle and Coach Ben Elliott will each return to the sideline as Assistant Coaches for the Gobblers. The JV staff will see Coaches Delawder and Bland back as well. I love these folks dearly and cannot wait to learn from all of them. With the staff shout outs out of the way, how’s the roster looking? Last year we graduated two seniors, Lindsey Wimer and Lily Gatesman who both made invaluable contributions to the program and I am eternally grateful for the two of them. They taught me a ton and I owe a lot of what I know to the two of them and I wish them all the best moving forward. We introduce a handful of fresh faces to the mix. Seniors Keely Spencer and Natalee Strawderman and freshmen Mady Ennis and Ella Yoder. Along with Junior transfer Izzy Von Arnswaldt. Addison Shanholtz comes up from JV to complete our round of new faces! Returners are Wren Wheeler, Lexie Dingus, Maya Bacon, Hannah Tinnell, April Gingerich and Kaley Runion. We’ve got a great group of kids here that I am beyond grateful to coach again. A huge list of personalities and hard workers that I know will do what our staff tells them to do in order to succeed. As for the schedule, we have our normal valley district matchups in addition to two new faces to the valley this season. William Monroe Hawks and Jordan Biller’s East Rockingham Eagles. I’ve faced these programs sparingly over the years and am more than happy to have them in the district this year. The only new opponents on the schedule this year are Luray, and Page County! We’ve also got the holiday tournament in Strasburg where we’ll take on Sherando and another to be determined opponent. I’m really looking forward to this season for my Lady Gobblers. I hope for steady improvement and growth for everyone involved on and off the court. Of course, I’d love to be right back in the playoffs and if everything goes to plan that’s where we’ll be! Next up on the docket is the boys program! The BHS Boys basketball program is faithfully led by recent 200 game winner Dwight Walton and his trusted assistant Terry Jameson. I say it every year and I'll say it again for years to come. I’m forever indebted to these two men; they’ve taught me more than I could express and they instilled in me a love for the game that I hope to pass along to the next generation! The JV program will be led once again by coach Wilkerson and Coach Reardon! Both are great guys who I’ve been lucky to get to know over the years. The roster construction for the boys is missing a handful of notable players who have graduated to the next level. The team will be tasked with replacing Jowell Santiago, Caleb Barnes and Breylon Miller, three starters from a year ago. The 2023 team will feature a group of three seniors including Conner Michael, Jet Gonzalez and Eric Santiago. The roster is made up of a large group of Juniors this season, including newcomers Grayson Jacquez, Brady Ray and Tucker Trout. The Junior class also features three returning players this season including Samuel Post and Braden Burkhalter, both of whom played impactful minutes last season. Junior Tristan Yoder returns as well after a big sophomore season. Yoder, who holds the school record for three pointers in a game, is expected to be one of the focal points of the offense this season. Sophomore Victor Diaz-Hernandez and Freshman Elijah Post make up the underclassman for the team, but could each provide valuable minutes for the Gobblers this season. The Boys schedule is virtually the same as the girls, except swap holiday tournaments. The boys will play Monticello and a to-be determined opponent in December at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke. Despite some of the new faces on the court for the boys this season yet, there’s no one else better fit to lead this team than the legendary duo of Walton and Jameson. These two are as good as it gets, and I have zero doubt in my mind that the boys will be in the playoffs hunt as the season draws to a close in February. As always, I am really looking forward to another great winter for each team! Most importantly, to the fans. You are the reason why we love what we do here. If it wasn’t for you guys this experience wouldn’t be nearly what it is. Thank you for all your continued support!! You can hear many of the BHS Basketball games live on the Gobblers Sports Network. The tentative schedule is to broadcast 25 games this coming season. Be sure to check out the 2023-2024 BHS Basketball Broadcast Schedule at http://www.gobblerssportsnetwork.com  BHS Football leads the Broadway Community in Keeping Bucky's Memory Alive By: Ben Elliott In my first year coaching, I gained a reputation for being jittery before games. There were even such accusations of me pacing back and forth which I can’t confirm or deny. However, over the years I've learned to stay more level headed which I’m usually very good about. Yet despite the change, there’s one game that I always revert back to that first year all over again. The Soldier Tribute Game. Being here at Broadway means we get to shed light on some pretty important issues throughout the football season. We do games for childhood cancer & breast cancer awareness in addition to the final home game of the season which is always Soldier Tribute Night. These nights are cherished by all those involved. As a player, wearing the jerseys into school during any one of these nights is a different feeling. You’re playing for something much bigger than yourself. And Soldier Tribute is a perfect reminder of playing for something bigger than you. I remember my first tribute experience as a member of the program back in 2019. Our Thursday night pregame meal featured various speakers that discussed their experiences and battles with PTSD since returning from combat. It gave us an eye opening moment that none of us will ever forget. You get a sense of just how real that experience is and more importantly, how universal that experience is all across the country. My great grandfather served in World War II in the Army and my grandfather served in Vietnam with the Navy. Although I wasn’t old enough to ask either one of them about their various times in the service, I’ve gotten to know stories from people that remind me of them. My family and I are from Worcester, Massachusetts, which like any other small town or city, holds a huge veteran population. And I remember having my grandmother down to visit in person at Soldier Tribute Night in 2019 and it was an unbelievable time. It showed me that this game is much bigger than us, and its reach is truly nationwide. By far the most goosebumps inducing moment of the tribute night has to be pregame. We warm up as normal in our compressions, saving the big uniform reveal for game time. We come back down to the locker room and one deserving player gets to wear Bucky Anderson’s #21. One of Bucky’s officer’s hands out the jersey to the player minutes before the game. Hearing the famous “number so and so, you’re in the wrong jersey tonight” speech never gets old and brings goosebumps to me every time I think about it. Having the number 21 back on the field with us is a testament to just how big a community can be. When asked about what Soldier Tribute Night means to her, Margaret Anderson, Bucky’s Mom said: "As a mother it means they haven't forgotten my son. The soldier tribute game means so much to my family and I. I truly believe the community loves this night, Bucky loved playing football at Broadway and on Thursday night before the game I would fix a big meal at our house for Bucky and some of his teammates. It is always an honor to me when they hand out the 21 jersey on that Friday night. Bucky's commanding officer makes the trip from Pennsylvania to give out that jersey. The soldiers that come to Broadway on Soldier Tribute Game are from all over our country. They come Arizona, Pennsylvania, Georgia. Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York,”. I must admit, winning the game and going to see the Anderson family and members of Bucky’s regiment is a feeling that is second to none. And I am sure that everyone who has ever been apart of that night will tell you, we may not remember every detail of most games we play however, we remember every little detail about every tribute night we’ve ever been a part of. We remember the motorcycles blaring pregame, we remember the heart wrenching stories and most importantly, we remember to always look for #21 on the scoreboard because it always has a way of showing up. We remember that community support goes further than one could ever imagine. When we asked Margaret Anderson what she would say to the Broadway Community, her response shows just how special this community is; "My family and I would like to thank our Broadway community for the love and support they have shown us since this nightmare happened. The community is so awesome and always welcomes the soldiers that Bucky served with and the soldiers from Ft. Drum that attend the soldier's tribute game. We live in a great community. Broadway football coaches, players and parents are the best. Coach Grogg always tells me if you need anything please let me know. Coach Grogg is one of my biggest supporters for Bucky's bingo and any fundraiser I need him for. Coach Trumbo and former Coach Herndon were Bucky's coaches when he played for Broadway. Coach Willie Tinnell has been my biggest supporter since 2010 when Bucky was KIA [Killed In Action]. So yeah the community we live in is the greatest community around." Broadway will hold Soldier Tribute Night activities on Friday, November 3 when the Gobblers host Harrisonburg.  Bucky Anderson's family is honored as Honorary Captains during the 2022 Soldier Tribute Game at BHS.
By: Micah Morris Broadway High School didn’t have to look far for it’s Interim Girls Basketball Coach, turning to a familiar face within BHS athletics to lead the program. On Tuesday, Broadway Athletic Director, Ryan Ritter announced that Zach Yoder has been named the new Girls Basketball Coach for the Gobblers. Yoder, a BHS Alumni (Class of 1997) is best known for his standout career on the BHS Boys Basketball Team. Yoder finished his distinguished BHS career with 1,641 career points, a school record that still stands. Yoder, also made 375 career Free Throws, a BHS record and set the school record for Season Points with 574 in 1996-1997, a record that remains intact. During the 1996-1997 season, Yoder also set the school record for Assists in a season, with 216. It was also during that season that he set the school record Assists in a Single Game with 17. Yoder was named to the 1996 All-District First Team and All-Region Second Team, and in 1997 was 1st Team All-District, 1st Team All-Region and 2nd Team All-State. In 1997 he was also named to the Virginia All-State Team by USA Today. Yoder, a 2015 inductee into the Broadway High School Hall of Fame, will be make his coaching debut when BHS opens the 2023-2024 season by hosting Fort Defiance on November 28.  By: Micah Morris
The Broadway High School Athletics Hall of Fame welcomed six new individuals into the fraternity with it’s Class of 2023. The BHS Hall of Fame has welcomed 68 members since the inaugural class, in 2012. The BHS Hall of Fame Class of 2023 includes: Jesse Fulk (BHS Class of 1961) Jesse Fulk was a multi-sport athlete, lettering in Basketball, Football and Track, scoring a BHS School record 112 ¾ individual points in track, including scoring in Shot Put, Discus 880 meter Relay, High Hurdles and Broad Jump. Fulk capped it off as a member of the 1961 District Champion Basketball Team. Heather Cantrell (BHS Class of 2013) Heather Cantrell was the true face of Girls athletics over her time at BHS. Cantrell, excelled in each sport she played, setting school records in each. On the diamond, Cantrell was named to the All-District 1st Team all Four Years, she was a Two-Time 1st Team All-Region Player, and was named 1st Team All State as a Junior and 2nd Team All-State as a Senior. Cantrell played in 106 career games for the Gobblers, batting .435 with 23 triples and 93 RBIs. Cantrell’s 345 at-bats still stands as the most in school history. On the Hardwood, Cantrell scored 1,130 career points and grabbed 604 rebounds. She was named to the All District 1st Team three times and twice was selected to the All-Region 1st Team. Cantrell holds the School Record with a 48.9 FG%. Heather also excelled at Volleyball, where she currently holds the BHS School Record for most Match Spikes with 53. Chris Knight (Class of 2011) Chris Knight enters the Hall of Fame as one of the most decorated BHS Basketball Players of all time. Knight ended his career with 1,258 Career Points, second in BHS histroy. Knight also holds the record for Season three points, which was set in 2010-2011 when he drilled 64 threes. Knight also holds the BHS record for Steals in a Season, and when his playing career ended, he held the record for Steals in a Career. Knight ranks 10th all-time in Season assists with 90 and 3rd all time in scoring in a single season. Knight was named to the All-District First Team three times and was the District Player of the Year in his senior season. Knight alo earned 2nd Team All Region Honors and was twice named to the 2nd Team All-State. Joe Jones Joe Jones goes down in history as the first full time Athletic Director at Broadway High School. Jones served as AD from 1970-1978, taking the role full-time in 1975. Jones also served as the Heat Coach of Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Golf and Baseball. Coach Jones won over 150 games as the Varsity Head Basketball Coach. Steve May (Class of 1962) Steve May earned eight Varsity letters in Football and Track and Field. May led the Football Team in rushing yards in 1959 and 1960. In 1961, May was named the Co-Captain of the football team, and scored 24 points in a single football game, a BHS school record. May was a District Track Champion in 1960 and finished in 6th place in the State Track 180-Yard Low Hurdles. In 1961 May was again a District Track Champion and finished 4th place in the State Track 180-Yard Low Hurdles. In 1962, May was again a District Track Champion and finished as the State Runner-Up in the 180-Yard Low Hurdles. Anna Smith (Class of 1998) Anna Smith enters the Hall of Fame after a standout Softball Career at BHS. Smith was a three time 1st Team All-District Selection and a 2-Time 2nd Team All-Region Selection. Smith also earned 1st Team All-State Honors in her Senior Year. Smith is the current BHS Record Holder for Walks in a Season with 32. These new members were honored at a ceremony in October, and now they, and their accomplishments will be forever enshrined in the Broadway High School Athletics Hall of Fame. To see more about the BHS Hall of Fame visit: https://site.rocketalumnisolutions.com/category/64659c8ab8488257c25de568/6491b4d751b3b4c2e1d71494 |
AuthorBen Elliott graduated from Broadway High School in 2021 and is currently taking classes at Blue Ridge Community College. Ben currently serves as an assistant coach with the BHS Football Team and Girls Basketball Team. 
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