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Behind The Gobbler CallAn Inside Lens Into Broadway High School Sports
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Fall sports take Center Stage as BHS begins a new school year. By: Ben Elliott The 2025 football and volleyball teams look to get off to a strong fall season starts! The time has finally come once and for all, spring has sprung away, the summer is (not so) slowly fading into the ether, to be remembered fondly on a date to be named later. The Inner Harbor Orioles are long out of the pennant race, these various details can only mean one thing... Garfield was right. That's what this all means. No, I’m not referring to James Garfield’s short lived months long presidency in the recent decade of the 1880s, no, I am referring to 2022 WHSV student athlete of the week winner, Iron Gobbler recipient, football alumnus Bryant Gage Kile’s favorite Sunday funnies comic character, Garfield. Garfield is notorious for enjoying the simpler things in life at his own pace. In other words, for being lazy, and therefore, hating Mondays. The summertime is all about being lazy. Whether that be by the beach, lake, or my personal favorite, inside under the watchful eye of the glorious 1902 Willis Haviland Carrier invention, the air conditioning unit. I love nothing more than sitting on my couch and reading a good book, physical, audio or comic variety. Or watching my favorite baseball team raise season ticket prices despite being 15 games out of first place and long buried in the depths of under .500 baseball. This is paradise. Something I wish could last forever and ever. Nothing I love more than being lazy, free of no responsibilities, albeit to the chagrin of Gobbler Sports Networks very own, Jeff Elliott. But you know how it is. Paradise always comes to an end. The time for being lazy is over. Back to my life full of responsibilities once again, to my own chagrin. Other than my own personal gripes and shortcomings, the start of the school year means the start of the 2025 fall sports season here at BHS! Now that I’m out of breath and in turn done with my filibuster, it’s time to get into your 2025 volleyball and football season preview!! Starting with our 2025 volleyball Lady Gobblers! The Volleyball Team is coming off of yet another playoff run, which included a home playoff win over Staunton, which was awesome to be working courtside for, truly electric. Their season ended in Lynchburg however, it doesn’t take away from how impressive yet another playoff run is. Like we’ve discussed on this broadcast before, winning in any sort of competition isn’t easy, if that was the case, as the saying goes, everyone would do it. This season, the torch is being picked up by first year head coach Sydney Coffman, who is taking over for friend of the blog, Colton Frey, as he takes over the helm for the very first ever Bridgewater College men's volleyball team! Although the BC Eagles (Not the ones that play on Chestnut Hill) are big rivals of my beloved EMU Royals, I will put on my best fake cheering voice when the Eagles come to Yoder Arena this spring, to support our dear friend! We here at Gobbler Sports Network wish coach Frey the best of luck! My incessant ramblings aside for now, coach Coffman had a wonderful track record of success as the JV head coach of the program here at BHS the past handful of seasons. That continuity is oh so important when taking over a varsity program. Although the role and its responsibility are brand new, the person behind it isn’t. The trust and rapport is already established with the team, which puts you on or even ahead of schedule than you would normally be with a fresh face. I know when coach Grogg took over the varsity football program in 2019, that was the case. There was no need for a huge introduction that summer, we as David Lee Roth likes to say, hit the ground running. It made the transition seamless, I expect much of the same for the volleyball program this year. The roster brings back a great mix of upperclassmen and experienced underclassmen who saw playing time very early on in their careers. That is, of course, a coach's dream. To have freshmen who you can plug in right away, so by the time their junior year rolls around, they’re playing a year ahead of schedule, especially mentally. Which is the most important part. After watching my father announce volleyball games at EMU for most of my life, I’ve learned it carries different intricacies than other sports do. Lots of chants, jeerings and hollars. Makes for a much more difficult environment, more so, when the crowd is into it. A spectacle is created that makes seemingly easy plays seem harder than they normally are, and serves come with a lot more pressure attached to them. But when you have these athletes who’ve been through it before, you get to a place of clarity mentally, which makes you a better clutch time performer. The roster is full of many such cases. Our district opponents remain the same as in year's past, minus Rockbridge. Despite the overwhelming hospitality we’re met with every time we play in Lexington, I can’t honestly say I’ll miss the long bus rides. (I get motion sickness). Fort Defiance and Stuarts Draft will meet us for a home and home, along with tournament play at Fluvanna and Central! Despite new faces all around the program, I expect much of the same from the volleyball program. The layout is already in place for success, I cannot wait to bear witness to the excitement this year! We’re beyond grateful to be a part of it! Now for our football Gobblers! Hard to believe Coach Danny Grogg has been at the helm for the football program since 2019. Feels like a lifetime ago, I’m sure he’d agree with that sentiment. You’ve heard the story before, the first season in ‘19 was rough, but since then, the team has pretty consistently been in the playoff hunt, near the top of the valley district standings. That’s a testament to Coach Grogg and his wonderful staff, building continuity, that of a winning tradition. This year schedule wise, will look a little different. Normally due to the number of games, having a much shorter season than other sports, you play every team on your schedule once in the regular season. But due to a once in a lifetime reshuffling from other districts, we’re going to play Spotswood twice this year. Once at home, once on the road. Meaning we only have 4 home games. And if you know anything about this program, you know every home game is special. We always play home games in honor of a cause. Whether it be childhood cancer awareness, breast cancer awareness, teacher appreciation, youth night or the finale at the end of every regular season, Soldier Tribute. Every single one of those games is very important to the program. Everyone knows someone in any one of those groups in this town or beyond, making it easier to feel the weight of the cause. It’s a wonderful motivating tool for the players. I know I always took pride as a student/coach in playing for the community. Echoing the old adage about playing for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back. The out of district schedule looks like a bout with the Wing-T courtesy of Buffalo Gap, something that I admittedly don’t miss game planning for as a D-line guy. Then comes the pair of Strasburg and Central. Two stalwart programs of their times. With nose bleed inducing running games, like OC Charlie Garber would say, the football Gods would want the game to be played that way. I’d have to agree. District teams are the normal opponents with the addition of Rocktown, and subtraction of Rockbridge. Plus the extra Spotswood contest of course. This year's team holds a lot to be excited about headed into this year. A healthy QB, with a talented group of skill players. With the definition of consistency heading the defense, Mr. Brandon Mays. Surrounded by vets, or shall I say all time greats, Muy Ung and Willie Tinnel, two of the greatest minds I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Not to mention my dear friend, Trip, leading the JV squad, focusing on development of his players and overall love of the game. That’s where winning starts. Overall, I am over the moon excited for every game this season. High expectations for the group, but, what year haven’t there been high expectations? It’s something every team becomes accustomed to facing at the beginning of every fall. What I am most looking forward to, is the pre-game commencements that’ll take place this year. Childhood cancer awareness night on August 29th against Gap, youth night against Spotswood on October 3rd, pinkout in addition to homecoming against Monroe on October 17th and soldier tribute on November 7th against Harrisonburg to close out the regular season. Side note, the team will road warriors for a little under a month this year. A challenge that isn’t insignificant. Playing on the road isn’t easy one time, let alone doing it for a month straight. As I say every year, if you can come experience a home game this year, please do so. It’s an unbelievable atmosphere, speared by the causes we play for. As my sports hero Roberto Clemente said “Any time you have a chance to make a difference in this world and you don’t, you are wasting your time on Earth,”. To me, that’s what those games mean to me. Making a difference in your community, one day at a time.  There is nothing like a Football Friday at Broadway High School! Photo by: Micah Morris Spring 2025 Provided a Wild Ride for BHS Fans, all the way to the VHSL Class 3 Softball State Championship By: Ben Elliott Dedication: The entire Broadway community.
Everyone who knows me personally knows I love a good dedication. It brings an opportunity for me to thank important people in my life who support not only me but athletics as a whole here at BHS. This spring, there were about 100 different people I considered for this dedication. But at the end of the day, too many people I want to honor with my words here today that one single dedication wouldn’t do the trick. So, I came to the big brained conclusion that I’d dedicate this article to the people I love the most. You. The reader. Your love and support for our programs is why we’re able to be consistently successful. Broadway is my home. My parents moved here in the year 2000, from Worcester/Fall River Massachusetts. My sister and I were born in 02’ and 05’ respectively. This is all we’ve known. This blog has been a wonderful way to communicate with all of you, over our shared love for BHS athletics and most importantly, the success of our student athletes. It wouldn’t be possible without you, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. With that being said, the spring 2025 season is one I’ll never forget. So much has happened since we last spoke back in February (I think). We had just come off a winter season in which my beloved Lady basketball Gobblers made a region playoff run, securing a bye and winning a home playoff game, beyond my wildest dreams, truthfully. Since then, the spring season has brought emotions out of me that I haven't had in the better part of a decade, since I was a child if you will. Introspection, passion, grief and unimaginable joy would best sum up the 2025 spring season through my eyes. Without further ado, buckle in, it’s time for our 2025 spring season recap! Over the three years he’s been employed/coached at BHS, Coach Laase has become invaluable to my family. He’s quickly become a lifelong friend of mine. I’d do anything for him, anytime, anywhere. So when he approached me about giving weekly speeches to his baseball team, I jumped at the opportunity. I’m all about philosophy when it comes to sports, (and everything else, I’m a nerd). Sports are mostly mental. Once your body performs a task over and over again, it becomes second nature, something you can do virtually with your eyes closed. But your brain, on the other hand, is something you have to try to control when it comes to performing. There’s a lot of pressure we can put on ourselves in every aspect of the game. My speeches focused on altruism, putting the team first if you will. Being willing to sacrifice personal gain for team glory. The ultimate goal. Over the course of the season, I got the pleasure to know every player on the 2025 varsity baseball team. Tremendous personalities on every spot of the roster. Watching them go from being too timid to speak up as leaders at the beginning of the season, to beating TA in extras, speared by loud vocal leadership from every class on the roster. Leadership is like water and air, can fit anyway it needs to. Leading by example, by being an orator, or keeping a general positive attitude for your teammates. These speeches affected my perception of this season for the baseball Gobblers. I saw a different side to the team than I ever have before. I saw growth in ways that the naked eye wouldn’t have been able to see. They started the year looking for leadership to replace the senior class that had just graduated, as teams do every year, part of the game. It took them a few games to find their voice, and their own style of leadership. They found it on April 15th, winning an extra inning tilt against TA on the road. In that game, players emerged as vocal leaders, and it showed the rest of the season. That night was a genesis of what was to come, even in an unexpected way. Despite the high, the next two game stretch saw the team get beat pretty bad by Spotswood and East Rock, both at home. It hurt to see them go through that because you want to see the kids succeed and at the time, those were tough losses to endure. However, I’ve been alive long enough now to know that in order to be great, you have to undergo adversity, it teaches you who you are, and how far you can be pushed. It’s the allegory of the experience pyramid, which I love to reference. At the bottom of the pyramid when you start out, the blocks are huge. The experiences hurt more, the wins are celebrated perhaps too much, not allowing the bigger picture to be seen. Yet, as you get further and further up the pyramid, the blocks get smaller and smaller. You learn from the failures and successes of the past, in order to operate better in the future. A couple weeks later, the team rattled off two wins, at home, and in the rain soaked Eagle Field at JMU, against TA and Spotswood respectively. It was truly a full circle moment. A moment where the team learned from their mistakes, and made better on their end of the bargain for success. They ended the regular season with a 16-5 record, and a chance to host a playoff game. Rain stopped us from doing so, but our friends at JMU allowed us to play our matchup with Alleghany on their glorious turf field. A full team effort, and some clutch hits from the pitcher, led the team to a 5-4 victory, advancing them to Fluvanna to play the Flucos. In 2019, we lost to Fluvanna, it was my sophomore year of high school. The loss hurt. The Flucos were really good that year, we were 6 outs away from moving on, yet fate had other plans, the cards fell a different way. So when the team got to go back, I had a lot of mixed emotions about it. One of the toughest losses in my career happened on that field, and some 6 seasons later, we were back. The pyramid came in handy for this game. We played a dazzling 8 inning bout that ended with a walk off bunt, 1-0 final. Baseball is a game of inches, literally. The hitter from Fluvanna executed a perfect bunt, nothing you can do but tip your cap, as disappointed as we were in the moment. The loss hit everyone hard, as postseason exits tend to do. Yet, I tried to take it as a learning moment. Although I witnessed the game as a fan, my proximity to Coach Laase and the team made me take it differently. I learned the hard lesson of luck and execution. Answering the call when it rings, not backing down from anything. It was a wonderful season, that I was grateful to be a proxy to. I learned more about myself funny enough, through those speaking engagements then I would have otherwise. It was a fulfilling experience and I’m counting down the days till we get the opportunity to all be together on the diamond. Before we move on to our triple crown winner, here’s the list of honors the boys took home this year. ALL VALLEY TEAM FIRST TEAM: Sy Crider, C Jackson Plogger, OF Zechariah Stuhlmiller, DH SECOND TEAM: Ty Sharpe, P ALL REGION 3C TEAM FIRST TEAM: Sy Crider, C Jackson Plogger, OF SECOND TEAM: Colby Fesler, P Zechariah Stuhlmiller, DH ALL STATE TEAM FIRST TEAM: Sy Crider, C Jackson Plogger, OF The 2025 season for the softball Lady Gobblers started off with a hitch. It was the home opener, packed as far as the eye can see, with high expectations filling the air once again for Becky Cantrell and co. Then, the rather unexpected happened. The team lost their opener to Fort Defiance. Now, let me be clear, no disrespect to Fort by any means. You always want to, and expect to win your home opener in front of a packed crowd, especially with how successful the program has been over the last couple years. The loss completely took the air out of the sails at BHS on that day. Coach Cantrell was asked after the game, what could have possibly gone wrong?? She gave an answer that now looking back, foreshadowed what was to come. She simply answered something to the effect of, “I want to see what we’re made of,”. Over the course of the season, we’d more than find that out. The 2025 team was dominant to the tune of a 23-4 record, however, the year didn’t come without its roadblocks. If you’ve been reading this blog long enough, you know I’m interested in learning from mistakes. Making mistakes is a wonderful way to get better, to grow and move on. In those four losses, three of them came at home, which has the effect I spoke of earlier. Taking the air out of the place, hearing a pin drop as fans shuffle to the parking lot. Those losses taught lessons to the team. The lesson that despite the star power all over the roster, it’s a team game at the end of the day. It takes every single person in that locker room regardless of role, to be bought completely into what the coaching staff is trying to accomplish. Safe to say they did it. During the regular season, 1 of the four losses came against TA, and you might’ve guessed it, at home. But this time around, the atmosphere was different. I talked to many of the players after the game and they all uttered the exact same message. On to the next one. They wouldn’t dare to let that loss derail their season, and overall goal of reaching a state title game. The Gobblers rolled through the rest of the regular season, winning the regular season district championship for the first time since 2018. A third of the triple crown checked off. The playoffs finally began after an opening round bye, followed by a rain delayed tilt with Fluvanna at the aforementioned JMU softball complex. 10-3 victory, onto the next. The next was a not so close location in Alleghany, through the windy mountains, which I’m happy I didn’t have to fight my motion sickness to attend. 10-0, onto district title. Now, remember the team I mentioned earlier? The moment in which I felt an unshakable attitude coming from the team, despite the home loss. Turner Ashby. In Bridgewater for the region title. The winner would host a state playoff game. Now, it wasn’t win or go home, but, the stakes were still as large as ever. It was as tension packed of a moment as I can remember. Playing a Valley District rival for a chance at playing host for a state playoff game. The bell rang, and was emphatically answered by the Gobblers. 3-0, onto states, two-thirds of the way through the triple crown with the highest prize still in play with nothing left but the VHSL state 3C playoffs. The first opponent of which was Staunton River. In front of a packed crowd, in temperatures that felt like the face of the sun (not being dramatic), the team gave us a show. 8-1, locked in focus, onto the next, two away from the ultimate glory. We had a wonderful basketball camp filled schedule week of the state semi-finals. I couldn’t attend the state semi final game against New Kent, and I was heartbroken. Yet thanks to my fellow Orioles diehard Bobby Wolfe, the GameChanger broadcast was a life changer. As we were competing on the beautiful courts at my future alma mater EMU, against teams from and not from the valley, Janna Grandle and I nervously followed the stream of the game, from the bench nonetheless. Each pitch is more nerve wracking than the last. Getting closer to the finish line, the game was knotted at 5 runs apiece. As we were set to take the floor for our last game, we got a collective cheer. Maddie Wolfe walked the game off in the bottom of the 7th, leaving the team within reaching distance of the ultimate goal, one a lifetime in the making for Coach Cantrell and the team. The win over New Kent happened on Friday, that next Saturday morning on the campus of Fluvanna high school, again- hotter than the surface of the sun, the girls were ready for a matchup with none other than valley foe, Turner Ashby. Something you dream about as a child, finally in front of you, once and for all. For all the marbles, under the scorching sun, (which gave me devastating sun burns because despite being a 22 year-old man, I forgot sunscreen), the first pitch was thrown, and we were off, in front of a standing room only crowd. A pitchers duel ensued, leaving us with a low scoring game late. After a few bloops and close calls, the Gobblers were down 3-2 late. My favorite bench spark plug, Maddie Wolfe, comes up to the plate with runners on, and laces a ball to the outfield, giving the lead to the Gobblers, 4-3. Lilah Deavers, pitched a customary complete game, finished off by a dribbler to the mound, flipped to first for all the glory. The triple crown was completed once and for all. After decades in the coaching circuit, Becky Cantrell lifted a title, cementing an already unreal resume. The scene was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. People hugging and crying, so many faces from all over the Broadway sports community from every sport, different era’s, etc. It was wonderful. I’ve gotten the pleasure of coaching a good portion of the softball roster through basketball. Great kids, who deserve the championship. It was more than well earned. Before we finish things off, besides the title, here are the individual honors for the softball ladies this spring. DISTRICT COACH OF THE YEAR: Becky Cantrell DISTRICT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Lilah Deaver ALL VALLEY DISTRICT FIRST TEAM: Lilah Deavers, P Brooklyn Spitzer, SS SECOND TEAM: Kaleigh Harper, OF Savannah Janzen, 1B Emma Morris, P Maddie Wolfe, C REGION 3C COACH OF THE YEAR: Becky Cantrell ALL REGION 3C TEAM: FIRST TEAM: Lilah Deavers, P April Gingerich, OF Maddie Wolfe, C SECOND TEAM: Brooklyn Spitzer, SS VHSL CLASS 3 COACH OF THE YEAR: Becky Cantrell VHSL CLASS 3 ALL STATE TEAM FIRST TEAM: Lilah Deavers, P Maddie Wolfe, C A huge congratulations to the softball team on their State Championship victory. It’s been an honor of a lifetime to cover this team over the past couple of years. Always consistent, always in the mix, and it’s finally paid off. I couldn’t be any prouder of you guys! To Coach Cantrell, we love you very much over here at the blog. Thank you for always being as kind as can be to my family and I, I was over the moon for you and your team! Here’s to many more! The state title victory also marked the end of an era for BHS AD Ryan Ritter. He announced at the end of the school year that he was stepping down, in order to spend more time with his family. While we’re sad to see him go, we’re grateful for everything he’s done for us. He hired me at 14 years old, fresh out of middle school. I’ve worked for him ever since and enjoyed every minute of it. He’s been unbelievable to my family and we’ll miss him dearly. With that being said, we’d also like to extend a huge welcome to resident Dallas Cowboys fan, and our brand new AD, Dale Shifflett! We are so fired up to have him on board! Just through talking with him a couple times, he’s incredibly kind, and will be wonderful for our programs! My father, Micah, Brae and I are excited to get to work with you! Lastly, the hardest thing I’ll ever have to write on this blog. As many of you know, former BHS baseball coach Tim Turner, announced back in March that he was diagnosed with ALS. This announcement rocked the sports family here at BHS. As you all know, I have a deep love for Tim, he gave me my first shot to be a part of a high school sports team, and treated me with utmost kindness, love and respect. Which to this day, means a lot to me. I learned more from him than I could ever express. I modeled my coaching ethos after him, because everyone who knows me knows, I have the passion and intensity of Kevin Garnett and DMX, which isn’t inherently a bad thing, but when you’re a coach, you can’t always be that. I learned to be even-keel from him. Helped me so much in my coaching journey. Watching him get a surprise induction into the athletic hall of fame during our senior night baseball game, was a moment I’ll never forget. The road ahead will be challenging, but, if there’s anything I know about Tim, it’s this. He’s a smooth operator, cool in the face of pressure. So cool, that it’d make Joe Montana flinch. He always tells me how much he loves me, and how much he loves this blog. Those words have helped me in the toughest of times. So I ask you, the dear reader today, please give anything you can, anything helps. And if you can't give monetarily, tell someone close to you you love them. To me, that is what coach Turner is all about. Very good at telling his loved ones how much they mean to him. That’s the number 1 lesson I’ll take from him. If you get one thing out of reading this, I would hope it’d be a reminder, to tell someone you love them today. The BHS Softball Team was a team bonded together by one common goal... A Championship By: Micah Morris On a muggy, June afternoon in Central Virginia, a group of girls from Broadway rewrote the history of Broadway High School Softball. Anchored by a group of four seniors and led by a junior record setter, the journey was complete and capped off with a storybook ending as the group hoisted the VHSL Class 3 State Championship Trophy to the sky in celebration. Savannah Janzen, Emma Morris, Brooklyn Spitzer and Ashlyn Spitzer all burst onto the BHS Softball scene as freshman. A group that has played together through the Little League and travel ball circuits, it was time to take the big step under the bright lights on the Broadway High School Varsity Team. This would be the start of the journey, that would add additional pieces over the years, and pushed by longtime BHS Coach Becky Cantrell, the foundation of a state championship run began. The Gobblers followed up a surprising run to the 2023 State Tournament with a repeat trip in 2024, losing at Christiansburg in the State Quarterfinals. But the back-to-back quarterfinal losses only made the Gobblers more motivated to advance further in June. Heading into the 2025 season Becky Cantrell had a series of goals in place. Return to the State Tournament; Host a State Playoff Game and Win a State Championship. During the Preseason, Coach Cantrell did not mince words about her expectations, “This is the year.” Cantrell said when talking just weeks before the start of the season. But, the 2025 season did not start as the team had envisioned as the Gobblers lost at home to Page County. However, the early loss did not deter the team, it only refocused the group and added fuel to an already raging fire. The Gobblers would win their next nine games, allowing a total of three runs in the process. As the season continued, the wins continued to pile up for the Gobblers. Fueled by Valley District Player of the Year, Lilah Deavers in the circle, the Gobblers, known for their gritty defense, timely hitting and aggressive baserunning finished the season regular season 18-4 and earned a first round bye in the Region 3C Tournament. “Just Give Me Five” became the rallying cry for Coach Cantrell, who simply asked the offense to give her five runs and let her Division 1 pitcher and gutsy defense do the rest. The Gobblers opened up the Region 3C Tournament as the three seed and hosted Fluvanna County in the Quarterfinals. Playing the game at James Madison University, due to rain in Broadway, the Gobblers struck early and often beating the Flucos 10-3. The Gobblers followed that up with a trip to Covington, VA in the Region 3C Semifinals against the second seeded Cougars of Alleghany High School. Once again, the Gobblers offense combined with the dominance of Lilah Deavers proved to be too much, as Broadway overpowered Alleghany, winning 10-0 and achieving the first goal of returning to the State Tournament. The win would also set up a Region 3C Championship Game Showdown against Valley District rival Turner Ashby. Once again the Gobblers jumped out to an early lead. Capitalizing on early opportunities the Gobblers grabbed and early 1-0 lead. The big blow for the Gobblers was a mammoth two-run home run by sophomore catcher Maddie Wolfe to put the Gobblers up 3-0 en route to a 4-0 win, ensuring that the second goal of hosting a State Quarterfinal game was achieved. Hosting a State Playoff Game for the first time since 2012, the Gobblers welcomed Staunton River to Broadway, and in front of a raucous crowd, the Gobblers jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, and advanced to the State Semifinals with an 8-1 victory. Three days later the Gobblers faced New Kent in the State Semifinals at Fluvanna County High School in Palmyra. The back and forth game came down to the wire and it was one of those four seniors who came up the most timely at bat of the season. With the scored tied 5-5 in the bottom of the seven inning, Junior Kaleigh Harper started the inning off with a single. After Harper advanced to third, New Kent Head Coach Maria Bates opted to intentionally walk Maddie Wolfe and Lilah Deavers, bringing Senior Emma Morris to the plate with bases loaded and one out. Calmly, Emma lifted a fly ball to centerfield allowing Harper to score on the Sacrifice Fly, pushing the Gobblers to victory and sending them to the Championship Game, where awaiting them was, who else, Turner Ashby. With an overflow crowd on hand, the Gobblers and Knights put on an epic battle in the State Championship. Broadway would score early on a Sac Fly in the bottom of the first inning. The Knights would answer with a pair of home runs, bringing the game to a pivotal moment in the fifth inning As the Gobblers faithful were looking for reason to explode, Maddie Wolfe stepped to the plate and the sophomore once again delivered with a two-run single to right field to give the Gobblers a 4-3 lead that they would not relinquish. As the game moved to the Top of the 7th inning, Lilah Deavers again went to work, striking out the leadoff batter for TA for her 7th strikeout of the game, moving her to the top of the Career Strikeout list at BHS. But the work wasn’t done. With two outs in the inning and the tying run on base, Deavers took a one-hopper right back up the middle, the junior snagged it and calmly tossed it over to Savannah Janzen and with that a thunderous roar went up for the third base dugout and bleachers as the Gobblers had captured their first State Softball Title in School history. “Winning the state championship is something I dreamed of as a little girl. Growing up watching Broadway Softball, I always looked up to the players. If younger me could see me now, she would be absolutely blown away by this accomplishment.” Junior Lilah Deavers said. When asked what the State Championship means to Senior Brooklyn Spitzer, “This team has continuously been under looked, this amazing group of girls and coaches finally received what was deserved.” A True Team Championship The four seniors will leave a lasting legacy at Broadway High School. But the last four years did not come without tests and tears. There were injuries and tough losses, but not only did the four seniors grow together, they embraced additional players into their sisterhood. “It was such a privilege to play with such deserving and incredible people. Our bonds grew beyond the field, each and every teammate has such a pure soul and we all connected. Winning with these people showed how much we love each other and how deserving each individual was. We created a lifelong family.” Senior Ashlyn Spitzer said. Savannah Janzen echoed those thoughts, “This group is genuinely so special and feels like family. I couldn't have asked for a better way to leave my time at Broadway High School and make history.” “To win it with the girls I grew up with and played ball with since I was little is very special to me and I wouldn’t have wanted any other outcome with anyone else. They’re like family to me and always will be.” Emma Morris said. “We believed in one another. I’m happy to call them family, and grateful to end my season with so many faithful girls.” Brooklyn Spitzer recounted. Adding Pieces to Complete the Puzzle While the four seniors set the foundation, they added additional pieces to the core. Including a Division I Pitcher in Lilah Deavers, speedy junior outfielders Kaleigh Harper and April Gingerich and a rising star in sophomore Maddie Wolfe. “It means even more to win it with my teammates and coaches because we are all so close since we have been playing ball together since we were little. It feels so great to accomplish something with my teammates that I’ve grown up playing ball with and it’s definitely something I’ll cherish and never forget!” Gingerich said. Fellow junior Kaleigh Harper looked back on the championship season, “It means everything to me because we having been working so hard to get to this point and how we have been playing together since we were younger. Everyone always has each other’s backs at all times, the girls are like sisters to me.” Maddie Wolfe who came up with big hit after big hit throughout the entire season said “Softball has such a big place in my heart so being able to play the sport I love and accomplish something so amazing is such a blessing. The group of girls on the team this year all share the passion for the sport and we all have such good friendships so being able to share this with them is so amazing.” Valley District Player of the Year Lilah Deavers will cherish all of the memories made throughout the season, “I wouldn’t have wanted to win the state championship with any other team. These girls have so much passion and dedication for the game, and I’m grateful to have played alongside them. I’ve said it many times this year our team is like sisters. We lift each other up so easily, and I know any of those girls would go to battle for me, just as I would for them. One of my favorite memories from the entire state tournament was the bus ride home with my girls. Being able to savor our victory and reminisce about our moments together as a team is something I will cherish for a lifetime. Tears were definitely shed for our seniors, who became very special to me, and I’m glad we could send them off with a bang.” Cantrell Gets a Ring Becky Cantrell says she doesn’t have trophies or plaques hanging at her house, but the veteran dugout voice will add a few more pieces or hardware to her hidden collection. Cantrell followed up her Valley District Coach of the Year Selection with a Region 3C Coach of the Year Award and more importantly, after nine state playoff appearances in her illustrious career, she finally gets a State Championship Ring. But for Cantrell it’s about the connection she has with her players that makes the championship so special. “I never wanted it for a group more.” Cantrell said just minutes after the final out. “I’m just so happy to see them go out on top… I couldn’t want anything better.” The players also have great appreciation for Cantrell and her staff. “Playing for coaches who fully trust my abilities is something I will never take for granted. Becky always encourages us to play like we’re ten years old, reminding us to enjoy the game. Who wouldn’t want to play for a coach like that and win a state championship together?” Deavers said. “I’m extremely grateful for mine. Becky always says she coaches for the girls and to ensure we have fun. She never takes credit for our hard work but instead encourages us to be the best versions of ourselves. I am truly honored to stand beside Becky and say she is my coach. Even more so, I am honored to win a state championship with her and all of our coaches.” She continued. “Our coaching staff is so supportive and keep amazing energy so having them help support us plays a huge part in our success. I’m very blessed to be able to share the field with such an amazing group of girls and staff!” Maddie Wolfe said. The 2025 Broadway Softball Team will go down in history, but it was the journey to get to the top that will forever be remembered. In the words of Ashlyn Spitzer, “It’s not just about the trophy or the recognition, but about the journey we took as a team, the bonds we forged, and the memories we created along the way. It was a moment of pure joy and drive knowing that we accomplished something truly special together.”  The BHS Softball Team celebrates winning the 2025 VHSL Class 3 State Championship Rising from the great blizzard of 2025, we recap the 2024-2025 Baseball Seasons and look forward to the 2025 Softball and Baseball Seasons. By: Ben Elliott Hello my friends, last time we spoke, we told a harrowingly bold tale of when we all survived the 2025 blizzard, that sidelined (no pun intended) our basketball teams for a week straight right in the smack dab middle of the season. Gonna be honest, that threw a wrench into the momentum of EVERY basketball team in the Shenandoah Valley, even beyond the Valley District. You fall into a rhythm by mid-season, and to have your legs knocked out from under you, definitely did a number on everyone involved.
With that being said, now that the snow has melted, and the temperature is still way too cold and windy, it’s time to reflect on the 2024-2025 BHS Basketball season! And look forward to the upcoming Softball and Baseball season! Starting with our beloved Lady Basketball Gobblers… We finished this season with a record of 19-6, securing a bye and getting and winning a home playoff game. If my math is correct, it was the first home playoff game a BHS basketball team has hosted since 2018, when the boys hosted Brookville. I was in my sophomore year of high school, some 6 years ago, but who’s counting! We played a really well coached Wilson Memorial team, who gave us everything they had. The game was decided by an Ella Yoder layup with 8 seconds left on the clock. Our crowd was rocking, the student section was the greatest I've seen in my time at BHS. We got a 90s Bulls style dimmed lights lineup intro, which was a moment that the team and I will never forget. Huge shout out to the athletic department for making that night special for all of us. In that game, as we mentioned in our last blog, senior Wren Wheeler broke the all-time scoring record for the women’s basketball program. A record that was set in 1987 by Melody Derrow Hinkle. A huge shout out to her as well, for coming out to present Wren with the game ball, it was an unreal moment. Our season ended in Penn Laird, against an always tough and well coached Spotswood team. We kept it close late, but a slow start early hurt us in the end. But overall, now that the dust has settled, I am so incredibly excited for next season! We’ll have a good mix of well seasoned veterans and some great up and coming talent. As sad as I am to not have played into March, despite being oh so close, I am grateful for the experience this year. Thank you to everyone from the bottom of my heart who supported us this year! We also had some all district/region hardware that I’d like to highlight! All Valley District First Team: Wren Wheeler All Valley District Second Team: Mady Ennis April Gingerich Wren Wheeler was named Valley District Player of the Year! A wonderful accomplishment! It was an honor to coach Wren for four years, and I’m overjoyed to get to coach April and Mady for the next season(s) to come! All Region 3C First Team: Wren Wheeler All Region 3C Second Team: April Gingerich Now for the boys! I know Coaches Walton and Jameson would say that this wasn’t the year that they wanted. They kept many games close and played some very good teams very competitively. Closing games out late was the issue. But, on the other side of that coin, three fifths of the starting lineup, on a healthy night, was comprised of freshman! That’s an unbelievable statistic. I always look upon my experience with the 2019 BHS football team in Coach Grogg’s first year. We went 1-9, winning our very last game against Waynesboro. That team was full of underclassmen. The same team that would go onto a great playoff run just two seasons later, the first full season after the pandemic. What I see here is the same dynamic. You have a team headlined by its youth, youth that will learn quickly. And by the time they’re seniors, or upperclassmen even, they’ll have a wealth of knowledge and experience that will take them very very far. I’ve gone on record to say a million times over, Coaches Walton and Jameson are as good as it gets. They set the baseline for me for a deep love of the game! I believe in them with all my heart to see success sooner than later, the ultimate professionals, that’s who they are! A couple boys’ seniors made Valley District teams! All Valley District First Team: Braden Burkhalter All Valley District Second Team: Sam Post Congratulations gentleman on your wonderful accomplishments! Everyone and their mom knows I love both basketball programs here at BHS with every bone in my body, I cannot wait to hit the hardwood with you all again next season! Now, without further ado, unto our 2025 BHS Softball and Baseball preview! Starting with our softball Lady Gobblers! It was another successful run for Head Coach Becky Cantrell and company last year. They made a state playoff run, winning a home game against Alleghany and an extra inning thriller on the road against Rustburg. Their season ended to a very good Christiansburg team, but now that the calendar has flipped to March once again, it’s time to look forward. The schedule holds the same Valley District teams, with the addition of the Rocktown High School Raptors! I’m pretty psyched to have another team in the district that isn’t too far of a drive, as selfish as that may be. I really liked the basketball gym the first time we played there. Other than that, the schedule remains pretty standard in terms of opponents. The biggest challenge for a team in this position is being able to repeat the same success the year after such a season as last year. It goes much deeper in my opinion than just losing seniors. It does hurt, however, there is always new talent ready to step up and take the mantle when their name is called. The biggest hurdle to me is the target on your back so to speak. Psychology is funny in sports. When you begin to see long standing success, the teams you play take notice, circling the date of the matchup on the calendar. It’s part of winning that you have to learn to handle. That’s why it helps to have a coach with a plethora of experience. That target doesn’t feel so heavy when you’ve been there many times before. For the players, you take things game by game, handling each situation as it happens. That brings me to the perfect segway, what to watch this year for the softball team. The lineup will be reloaded from last year, with power from top to bottom. Pitching, much of the same, many now upperclassmen, who bring a ton of experience to the game. The deep playoff run last year obviously helps. I expect the district to be as talented as ever, with great parity across the board. The Valley always has great competition in softball. I feel that the experience of the team as a whole will take the team far, hopefully back to states. I cannot wait for this softball season, it’s going to be a fun one! Now for the baseball boys! Last year resulted in another playoff run for Coach Laase and company. A first round win on the road at Western Albemarle, then the eventual meet-up with LCA, same as the year before. Despite the tough loss, making the playoffs 5 years in a row is no small feat, that brings long lasting character to the program. The mentality that no matter what the make-up of the team is, we have the ability to succeed. That’s a testament to both the coaching staff’s and the players of the past and present. Consistency at it’s finest. This year’s schedule features the same Valley District opponents with the aforementioned Rocktown Raptors as its new edition. For out of district play, we’ve got two good matchups I am looking forward to. Two with Wilson, a one off with Waynesboro and a home and home with a very good East Hardy team. Which will all prove to be a good test for the boys this year. Playing out of conference teams is always an interesting experience. I feel it’s almost like an AAU or travel ball style mindset. Outside of kids that you might play travel ball with, you really don’t know what to expect. It’s not the same as playing against a Valley District team that you play twice a year, every year. It provides a chance to face a new test, like a preview of a playoff game of sorts. Some of my favorite memories as a student were competing against out of conference teams. Like East Rock in boys basketball in ‘19, two instant classic games! I have high expectations for the baseball boys this year. The team lost key seniors at some big spots but, just like I mentioned earlier with the softball team, there is a huge group of players ready to carry the torch, onwards to victory. That’s why I never get discouraged coming into a season, I know there are kids hungry to compete and learn from the players/coaches around them. The rotation will be new, the infield will see significant turnover, however, I see it as an opportunity for others to shine and make a name for themselves, in the same way that the others before them did, which is what the game truly is all about. I have high expectations for both teams, per usual. That’s a testament to the staff’s and roster’s of each program. Both show long traditions of success, and I expect that to continue this season. I thank both Coach Cantrell and Coach Laase for allowing us to cover your programs for another season, it is truly an honor, we have a love of love for you both. I wish for nothing but the best for the both of you and your programs in the 2025 season. To our readers, we have a ton of love for you all as well. It was great to talk to you again, thank you for sticking with us through thick and thin, talk soon, GO GOBBLERS!!!!!!  BHS Senior Wren Wheeler rewrites the record books, becoming the All-Time Leading Scorer in BHS Girls Basketball History By: Micah Morris Wren Wheeler elevated above the other nine players on the court, and with a flick of the wrist, the Broadway High School senior etched her name into the BHS Record Book. In front of a raucous crowd on hand for the Region 3C Quarterfinals, Wheeler became the record holder for all-time career points in the history of Broadway Girls Basketball. As the crowd rose to its collective feet to congratulate the senior, Public Address Announcer, Jeff Elliott welcomed the former record holder, Melody Derrow Hinkle, a 1987 BHS graduate, to the floor to present Wheeler with the game ball in a symbolic “passing of the torch” moment nearly four decades in the making. Wren Wheeler made an impression on the Broadway coaches even before she ever played a minute at the varsity level. BHS Assistant Coach Ben Elliott remembers seeing Wheeler as a freshman express the desire to play at the varsity level. “Wren made an impression on all of us.” Elliott reflected when remembering back to Wheeler’s early days on the court. As a freshman, Wren made an immediate impact for the Gobblers, scoring 267 points during her first year on the Varsity squad. “Wren is the hardest working, most dedicated to her craft kid that I’ve ever coached.” Former BHS Girls Basketball Coach Jeremy Fulk said. Coach Fulk was the Head Coach during the first two years of Wheeler’s career and has continued to follow her career from a distance. “She’s one of the top two kids that I’ve ever coached in any sport.” Fulk replied, when asked what it was like to coach Wheeler. As a junior, Wheeler reached the 1,000 point plateau in the final game of the season, a gut wrenching playoff loss at Western Albemarle that ended the Gobblers year. But Wheeler returned for her senior season, driven to succeed and lead the team once again. Wheeler did just that, leading the Gobblers to a First Round bye in the Region 3C Tournament and a chance to host a Region playoff game for the first time since BHS won the State Championship in 2017. After reaching the 1,000 point mark, the career points record came into focus for Wren, whose current coach at BHS also had a unique perspective throughout the last two seasons. Zach Yoder, who is the All-Time Career Points Leader in Boys Basketball at BHS, provided little insight to Wheeler in her chase throughout the last two years. “I haven’t said a word about it… but, I’ll say plenty to her after tonight,” Yoder said prior to the record setting game. Wren’s intensity and drive to succeed has always been striking for Yoder, including the time when the then BHS junior wanted to sit down with her new coach to talk about the goals she had for herself prior to her junior year. “She was the only kid to do that,” Yoder recalled. That drive was never focused her own success but was centered on the success of the entire team. “She is such a selfless player… a team player,” Yoder said of Wheeler. “She cares about those things [personal stats], but she cares so much more about us winning and that what makes her such a special player.” Wren’s dedication goes beyond the hardwood, to her school and her community. “Wren is a positive influence and a leader to everyone.” BHS Senior and Basketball Co-Captain Addison Shanholz said of her fellow captain. Not only does Wheeler thrive on the Basketball and Volleyball courts for BHS, she also serves as a mentor to those around her. She is active in the Unified Basketball Program at BHS as well as in other programs in the school. “The most important thing is to be an ambassador for your community and Wren consistently checks that box.” Ben Elliott said. After a 26-point outburst in the victory over Wilson Memorial, Wheeler has continued to add to her career total (1,359 points and counting as of this writing). Having already set multiple records at BHS, Wheeler will leave as perhaps the most decorated Gobblers player of all-time. But the humbleness will always be what sets her apart. “I couldn’t have done this without any of my teammates,” Wheeler said just hours after breaking the record. Wheeler’s basketball career will continue after her playing days end in Broadway. With plans to play at Shenandoah University, Wren’s goals are bigger than basketball, as she will undoubtedly continue to change the world, just as she rewrote the record books at Broadway High School.  Artwork by Braelyn Grandle BHS winter sports grapple with an in-season pause. By: Ben Elliott I have something to admit. It’s all my fault. Growing up and even more so today, I love the cold weather. I despise the warmer side of the weather scale, (to my editor’s dismay). My family tree traces directly back to Massachusetts. Very famously known for their lack of warm weather. My parents used to always tell us that they never got snow days off, which mystified my sister and I. We followed the thought process of, who would ever want to go to school when there’s a healthy amount of snow on the ground? Now today, fully removed from my K-12 education, I must say, I hate snow days. I hate them. On our last day for 2024-2025 winter break, a Sunday, we hear ‘round the county, threats of a large snow storm. A snow storm that’d put us out of commission for quite some time. I looked upon the man in the sky to ask him, please don’t give us a week’s worth of snow. Not only am I lazy and don’t want to put the work in to shovel my driveway/sidewalk off, but more importantly, my beloved BHS girls basketball team at the time was 8-1. We sprinted out the gate and I was riding the greatest highs of all highs- team success. However, my wishes were for not. That Monday morning, we got a mammoth amount of snow. So much so, that the whole northwestern region of the wonderful original commonwealth of Virginia, (better than the other fake commonwealths, Kentucky and Pennsylvania), was put on injured reserve for the week. For the week, we sat on our couches, dreaming of protecting the rim and grabbing rebounds. A dream that was frozen in time, seemingly unattainable. The only solace for us was, every other high school basketball program within our jurisdiction was in the same boat. Frozen within the universe, unable to grab rebounds and protect the paint. Psychologically, having to sit in limbo after a hot start is a bizarre place to be mentally. On one hand, you wait all year round to be back on the hardwood that you sprint out of the gate with the pent up excitement you’ve been slowly building over the course of the offseason. You’re excited to see how the new roster comes together, how your new offensive sets work and most importantly, you’re excited to compete against your opponents throughout the Valley District and beyond. Then out of nowhere, snowmiser casts a spell on your hometown. Blanketing the streets with snow, rendering the ability for our town’s brightest mind’s to obtain an education, obsolete. You try to keep in touch with the team, relaying the ever-changing situation to the twenty plus members of your program in hopes that you’ll soon be able to take the court once again. Then the impossible happens. You get word from the higher-up’s at central office that you’re finally back after a long hibernation. And although it takes a second to get back to playing speed once again, you finally regain your earlier-season form. In summary, I do wholeheartedly believe that my lifelong love for cold weather cursed the Shenandoah Valley. I have long gloated about my love for cold weather and hatred for warm weather to anyone who’ll listen. I think it's safe to say that I learned my lesson. And I’ll think twice before I brag about my love for cold weather!  Photo by: Micah Morris  By: Ben Elliott Hello my friends, the Fall 2024 season was an unbelievable season for the Gobblers overall here at BHS. From winning a home cheer tournament, winning 16 on the volleyball court for the first time in a long while and most importantly, a state title for the Cross Country team! Throughout this long-ish blog, we’ll explore the triumphs of the 2024 Football and Volleyball seasons, and look forward to the 2024 winter season for both Basketball teams. 2024 Volleyball Recap The Volleyball team has experienced a significant turn-around over my (roughly) ten years working in sports at BHS. They went through every part of the cycle that programs undergo along the way. When I got to BHS in 2017, the program was fighting for a playoff spot as a dark horse. Now fast forward all these years and the team has won double digit games in back to back years. An outstanding accomplishment. They had wins over rivals, East Rockingham, Turner Ashby and Spotswood, all victories that meant a lot to the community. They even won a home playoff game against a good Staunton team. In five sets nonetheless, it was one of the more exciting games that I can remember regardless of sport in my time at BHS. The team's four seniors this season were Wren Wheeler, Ashlyn Spitzer, Brooklyn Spitzer and Skylar Phillips. We thank them for their contributions to the BHS volleyball program. They’ve turned it on the right track, pushing the needle in the right direction towards success. The team returns a great amount of talent for the 2025 fall season, we look forward to covering the volleyball Lady Gobblers next season! 2024 Football Recap The Football team went through a rollercoaster of emotions this season. They finished the regular season with a 7-3 mark, which was the most wins in the six years under Head Coach Danny Grogg. This may have you asking, why the rollercoaster of emotions? Their blazing 7-3 barely snuck them into the eighth seed in the playoffs. This highlights just how far the region has moved in talent over the years. During those 10 regular season games, the Gobblers suffered through injuries at key positions, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Yet, they found a way to win when it mattered most. Key two-way contributions from Mason Dellinger, Casey McDonaldson, Zechariah Stuhlmiller and Uriah Rutan, among others show just how versatile the 2024 football squad was this year. Showing a new defensive look proved for entertainment on the most important side of the ball (in my humble opinion). Plenty of bend don’t break moments which allowed them to secure a highly coveted playoff spot. The highlight of the year for me was the road win against Spotswood. That’s one of those games where you know you have to rely on your own positive atmosphere, one of those that you know your back will be against the wall, and boy did the team deliver. Throw the records out for a moment, Spotswood is always a big rivalry game and vice versa for them. Holding them to ten points was a perfect representation of the team at their best this year. The team will see a large senior class depart,, too many to list here and I thank each and every one of those seniors for their aiding in success for the football program over the years. Coach Grogg and company will have the boys of fall back in a reloaded direction come fall of 2025! Can’t wait! 2024 Cross Country Win State Title The Gobblers Cross Country Team won its first State Title in program history, running to an upset in Blacksburg in November. See more about the State Title in our previous blog post below. Now with our fall 2024 accomplishments out of the way, let's turn the page to my personal bias favorite sport, BASKETBALL! Starting with our beloved Lady Gobblers. We had a heck of a year last year under first year coach Zach Yoder. If I'm not mistaken, our 16-9 record was our best in school history for a non-championship season. Another wild milestone. Looking forward to this year, we have the departure of four seniors who were key to our success last season. We’re looking at a younger roster for this year yet, it’s full of experience. Almost every player on the current roster has played under Coach Yoder at one point or another throughout their career. This made for a smooth first week of practice, not having to re-run offensive sets after mistakes. This sharpened tool of ours will come in handy this year. We’ll have a young team full of experience, which is the most valuable thing one can bring to a team. Tried and true experience, nothing like it. Our schedule is the same as last year, minus a trip to Page County, in order to account for the addition of Rocktown to our 2024-2025 Valley District schedule. We’ll also play in our annual Christmas tournament in Strasburg, which I always enjoy. Now, if you’ve been to one of those tournaments before, you’re probably saying, “You only enjoy the tournament for the food,”. And my response is, you’re 50 percent correct. Besides the great hospitality, the competition is always top shelf. From the home of the Strasburg Rams, to Sherando and Buffalo Gap to name just a few, the tournament is always full of great talent for us to learn from. The tournament also signifies when you’ve made it to the fast ramp of the season, right at the end of December when district play starts to heat up shortly after. I get chills now thinking about it. Overall, our identity this season will consist of relentless defense, outright hustle and patient yet accurate offense. There’s nothing like it, I look forward to being back on the bench for a fourth season! If there’s one thing that sticks out the most for the boys basketball program so far in the pre-season, it's numbers, or in fancier terms, turnout. The gym was borderline standing room only for tryouts this year, which signals to me that we’re in for a fun year as fans. The boys roster, just like us, will see some turnover, which is a natural part of the process. This turnover poses an excellent opportunity for the next guard to rise up and be the force, the force for success. Historically, the boys team represents the textbook definition of consistency, making deep playoff runs year in and year out. Like I say every year, I have no doubt that the boys will be in the playoff mix come February. That’s a testament to the coaching staff. Coach Walton and Coach Jameson are known for the great work they do, such passionate yet smart minds that are able to adapt to any situation they find themselves in. I take it that the district will be challenging this season, but in this sport, when isn’t it? The Valley District is full of good teams that all represent a good challenge, and a chance to compete. Like the Girls team, the BHS Boys will also be playing Rocktown this season on the varsity level, for the first time. I always love going to new schools, I can’t wait for our first matchup. No matter the new faces on the court for each team this season, I have the utmost love and trust in each rotation and staff. The love and trust that when it all comes down to it, the green and white will be victorious! It was great to catch up with you all once again here at the Behind the Gobbler Call Blog. It was a pleasure to talk with you once again, and I look forward to seeing all of you at a game this winter. Go Gobblers!  by: Micah Morris 2024 was a magical year for the Gobblers Cross Country Team, and for the Gobblers it ended it true dramatic fashion. The Gobblers team, pulled a stunning upset, led by Senior Tristian Yoder, to claim the VHSL Class 3 State Title on a beautiful fall Saturday in Blacksburg.
"All of them [the team] really stepped up at the same time at States. Even though we were seeded third... the team didn't let that deter them." Coach Darrell Zook said. "At our team meeting the night before, I showed a video of Cole Hocker's experience winning the Olympic 1500 championship this past summer. It really inspired the boys to not be deterred by the 59 points [they were trailing at the time] and hope for more than we could expect." Zook continued. All season the Gobblers were led by Tristan Yoder. Yoder, who captured the individual State Championship headlined the exciting group of runners for the Gobblers. "Tristan very quickly became a leader on the team his Sophomore year as his dedication, discipline and hard work was a role model for all the others. They all rallied around him and wanted to work as hard as he was working." Coach Zook said. "When the other runners saw Tristian's hard work and dedication to base miles during the summer, the other joined in and it made all the difference." Zook continued. "No one expected us to win except us. I tried to convince them that they can run with confidence in their training. It is rare to have everyone run their best on one day, but that is what happened. I like to call it the "miracle on grass". When asked what his favorite memory from the season was, Coach Zook said the victory at the State Meet will "be an outstanding memory for the year and my life". Coach Zook is hoping that this is the beginning of a dynasty at Broadway. With a core returning, headlined by Sophomore Peyton Allen, Coach Zook is also hopeful of rebuilding the girls team at BHS, "I haven't had a girls team for three years now, so I hope this success and excitement will help stat up another girls dynasty." "I am honored, blessed, humbled and privileged to be able to be a role model and mentor for these great guys." At the State Meet, Tristan Yoder was the State Champion with an official time of 15:34, which according to Coach Zook, was the fastest high school time in the State in all six classes. Jaiden Santos Nguyen placed 7th with Peyton Allen and Gavin Diehl finishing in the Top 21. On Saturday, November 23, Tristan Yoder finished in 3rd place at the Foot Locker Southern Regional Meet in Charlotte, NC, and is now preparing for the National Meet in San Diego. The State Title is the third in BHS History, following the 2017 Girls Basketball Championship and the 2018 Boys Track Championship The Football Team rallies around the community before the annual Soldier Tribute Game By: Ben Elliott About a month ago I gave a speech to the football team during their Thursday night pregame meal before a road tilt with Spotswood. Amongst a sea of Johnny Cash quotes, I tried my very best to highlight what is most special about, not only Broadway football, but BHS athletics as a whole. As we prepare for Friday night's annual Soldier Tribute game, the sentiments of the speech I gave relate directly to our special event coming up on Friday night. Before every home football game, the team honors a separate group of our community. Whether it be our youth football players, teachers, survivors of both childhood cancer and breast cancer and our final event of every year, Soldier Tribute. As I was reflecting on how special my time with the football team was, what I missed the most about being on the team, second to coaching our athletes of course, was the mutual love and respect from our community. Broadway is a very, very special place. We get turnout for home and road games like no other. The Happy Valley in the Valley if you will. Each game that you play here holds a certain importance. You’re playing for our future athletes that look up to the players as larger than life heroes. You give everything in honor of our teachers, whom of which I can list about a hundred of, that I still look up to till this day. Most importantly, we play to honor the memory of those we’ve lost. Whether it be from various forms of cancer, or from serving our nation. It’s different, truly different. From the heartfelt connection to the overall atmosphere of the nights in which we get to honor our beloved community, I’m telling you right now, if you can make it Friday night, you need to do so. Those are all the emotions we see from outside the locker room walls, but, I and hundreds if not thousands of others can attest that, the leadup to the Soldier Tribute game is special. A big picture of a smiling Bucky Anderson pointing up to the camera will sit in the entrance way to the locker room, the gear he wore in his final moments, displayed in a special locker. The locker, typically the 21st, also holds his football and state championship winning wrestling gear. Those momentos look over us as we go through our weekly game prep. My favorite part of this entire week, other than winning the actual game itself and the pre-game motorcade, is the pre-game speech in the locker room the moments before you run up the hill to the field. A speech combination from both coaches and comrades of Bucky, always always sent chills down my spine, and even tears to my eyes. It perfectly encapsulates why this game is so important to our entire community. It lets people, like my Vietnam veteran grandfather’s legacy, live on through the play on the field and the salute to service so to speak. The last thing I will leave you with in this shorter style article is this, Coach Grogg always tells us before the game, “The number 21 will show up on the scoreboard at some point throughout the game tonight,”. I miss you all dearly my friends, it was great to talk to you again. Both of the fall sports we cover here at the Gobblers Sports Network are absolutely killing it. The volleyball team has clinched a playoff spot, and our football team is 5-3 with a great opportunity to go 7-3 and contest for a close playoff race! I will have a more thorough detail of each team's season coming up in late November/early December! Until we speak again my friends! Go Gobblers!
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!  |
AuthorBen Elliott graduated from Broadway High School in 2021 and is currently taking classes at Blue Ridge Community College and will enroll at Eastern Mennonite University in 2025. Ben currently serves as an assistant coach with the BHS Girls Basketball Team. 
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