A season to remember

Article by: Brent Bartchak

BRUNSWICK, OH- - This past boys basketball season is one that fans won’t forget for a long time. The season got off to an exciting start even before the preseason began as the talents of Pat Forsythe brought division one coaches pouring into the east gym. Coaches such as Thad Matta from Ohio State and Bob Huggins form West Virginia all had Forsythe at the top of their wish list. Forsythe committed to West Virginia and the news of Brunswick having a division one athlete on its basketball team spread like wildfire through the city. Fans became anxious for the basketball season to begin, but they would have to wait until the third game of the season to watch them play because the Blue Devils traveled to New York to start the season and played in the Wilson Tip-Off Tournament.

The New York trip is one that the team will never forget as 17 players, cheerleaders, coach’s sons, the team manager and videographer all got stuck in the hotel elevator for a half hour after the first victory of the season. It was a frightening but it was a great bonding experience that brought the team closer together.

The season got off to a slow start but that was expected because of all young talent which included freshman point guard Ryan Badowski. Critics were questioning Coach Mackey’s decision to start a freshman, but Badowski shut the critics up with his outstanding poise throughout the season and his lights-out three-point shooting. The one game of the season that left a sour taste in the mouths of the team was the twenty-three point loss to Medina early in the season. After that horrific loss the team started to pick up momentum and improved their game as the season progressed. One of the highlights of the season was a 46-44 nail biter victory at home against Medina.

Through the ups and downs of the season the Blue Devils made it to the postseason and were ready to take on any opponent. They won their first two games but in the second game Forsythe suffered an ankle injury that ended his season. Without Pat for the Berea game, most fans thought that the Blue Devils were going to get blown out, but the total opposite happened. Brunswick forced overtime against the Braves but the ending result was not in their favor. For as much heart as the team played with that night at Midview, the season ended with a heartbreak 47-44 loss. This was the final chapter in an exciting season that will never be forgotten. The Blue Devils finished with a 13-7 record which is way better than most people projected.

The team had a fantastic group of seniors that will be missed greatly. Those seniors are Anthony Ocacio, Matt Dunning, Zach Gresch, Ray J Brown, and Pat Forsythe. Forsythe set nine school records this year and was named District Player of the Year, All-Conference and All-State. Dunning also had a great season averaging close to 10 points a game and was named All-Conference. Although the Blue Devils will be graduating a lot of talent this year, there is still a large group of players with a lot of skill that will continue to have success next season.