Years from now, few people will remember the final score, but they are unlikely to forget how this game made them feel.
RED BUD, Ill. – At Red Bud High School, they recently got someone something special. A chance.
Nobody knows that better than the manager of the Musketeers team, Bryce Donjon.
Bryce has an intellectual disability, but he surpasses everyone here when it comes to enthusiasm.
“Man, Bryce is awesome,” senior guard Nick Fehr said. “Every day in practice he always has a smile on his face. Everyone loves seeing Bryce.”
And it turns out that some of Bryce’s biggest fans are the fans.
It was senior night recently and the Musketeers hosted Carlyle, one of their rivals.
“It was a very big game for us,” said Musketeers head coach Dane Walter.
“A lot of us came out of the locker room with a lot of energy because it was senior night,” said senior goalkeeper Logan Cathell.
Bryce is also a senior, so in addition to fetching water and wiping sweat, he knew it was his job to be the team’s number one cheerleader.
“I help the crowd and the team,” Bryce said with a smile.
But Coach Walter had something else in mind.
He said Bryce had always worked as hard as any player and wanted to make this moment a memory.
“I gave him a uniform,” Walter said. “I said Bryce if we’re lucky enough to get you in, I’ll get you in.”
“I was like we’re going to come in here and try to give him a good lead and hopefully he can come out and get a bucket,” Cathell said.
The chants started late in the game after the Musketeers started to drift away. Fans wanted this dream to come true.
“The crowd was chanting, ‘We want Donny,'” coach Walter said. “Donny is Bryce’s nickname.”
“It brought so much joy,” Bryce said.
Then number 50 registered.
Bryce didn’t just want to be on the court, he wanted to be on the scoresheet. Unfortunately, the blows did not fall.
“He took a couple threes first, then he decided it was best to go in and get his bucket before time ran out,” coach Walter said.
And even if Carlyle lost the game, they were winners for letting it happen.
“When he made that bucket, everyone exploded,” Fehr said. “It’s the best environment I’ve ever been in.”
“It gives me goosebumps to think about it,” coach Walter said. “That’s the whole story.”
Years from now, few people will remember the final score, but they are unlikely to forget how this game made them feel.
“So how long do you think you’ll remember this moment?” we asked Bryce.
“Almost forever,” he said.
Two teams and a special night, showing us all that the secret to success may be helping others succeed.
“It was awesome,” Fehr said.
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