Sheer pandemoniumWith their friend in critical condition, the Yellowjackets decided to carry on and play with a purpose. Scoring duties were divvied up. Motivation – even against lesser opponents – was never an issue.
Team huddles were broken with "one clap for Zach," and much like the Marine call of "leave no wounded behind," Perham started a "Put Zach on our back," credo.
"The thing is, we knew every day that Zach was fighting for his life so the least we could do was fight on and fight through adversity on the court for an hour or two a day," Jordan said.
The Yellowjackets received a giant boost before the quarterfinals of the playoffs, when Gabbard surprised them in the locker room with a visit. It was the first time any had seen him out of the hospital.
"We told them Zach was going to talk to them via a video feed," coach Cresap said. "Instead while they were looking at the screen, we rolled him in from the other way."
And when the team saw him.
"Sheer pandemonium," coach Cresap said. "There were lots of tears and high fives."
Zach Gabbard surprised his Perham teammates before quarterfinal game.
Photo by John George/LakesAreaSports.com
As Perham was introduced than night, Gabbard rose from his wheelchair for the first time and high-fived every player. The Yellowjackets breezed to a 57-40 victory.
"We were sky high that night," Jordan said.
The team and Perham community was rocked back to earth that same week with news of a murder of a fellow student Tabitha Belmonte, 16, who was shot numerous times by her boyfriend Dylan Cox, who fatally shot himself.
Many of the players knew Tabitha.
"We got on the team bus (to go to state championship game at the Target Center in Minneapolis) and discussed it," coach Cresap said. "They kids got to talk to each other about her, about what happened. We'd been through so much all season. We eventually re-focused on Zach and the game and as always, they responded."
It wasn't the prettiest of victories, a 45-37 victory, but then nothing about the season was tied with a red bow.
Gabbard, tired from his excursion earlier in the week, watched the game from a TV set at Minnesota Medical Center.
Nick Tobkin led the team in scoring with 15 points and the Yellowjackets made 15 of 17 free throws and six 3-pointers. Two of those were by
Jordan Cresap who had 12 points and just one turnover in 33 turnovers while running the point.
When the final horn sounded, the players erupted. All of them held up three fingers while taking the championship team picture, in honor of Zach's No. 3 jersey.
"It was all for him," Jordan said. "Nothing was going to deny us, nothing could split us apart. The bonds are just too strong."
Perham lets loose after championship win and 31-1 season.
Photo by John George/LakesAreaSports.com
