On Feb. 10, the community came together to support Mount Vernon High School seniors boys basketball team. This night was important to every senior player because it was a night to celebrate all of the accomplishments from the past and give well-wishes to the future.
Senior night marks a special milestone “for seniors and their parents.“To me, senior night represents an accomplishment,” varsity basketball player Kellen Haverback said. “All the hard work and time put in through the years is celebrated. For me, it’s so important because it also celebrates everything my parents have done for me throughout the years and the sacrifices that they made.”
Varsity basketball player Brogan Meyer said that senior night was a way to wrap up his career. “I have played basketball for my whole life, both of my parents played in high school, and my mom played in college, so it has always been a big part of my life,” Meyer said. “I still remember driving to youth tournaments with my dad, thinking back to that, I am just so thankful for what I have been able to do. Seeing my brothers and their friends watching the games or playing in the hallways during the games reminds me of when I was that age and just makes it extra special to me that I am able to make an impact on their lives just by playing the sport. Senior night really puts everything into perspective that it’s not going to last forever, but it shouldn’t last forever, but that’s what makes it special.”
Senior night marks the end of an era for Mason Cossolotto. “It means I’m getting closer and closer to never seeing 99% of the people in this school ever again, and that hurts to think about,” he said.
Varsity Basketball player Landon Wilson said, “Senior night was really cool because it was a moment I could reflect on all of the work I have put in over the years and how it has paid off.”
Their coach, Derek Roberts, is very proud of all of these boys. He said, “They are really fun and interesting, they are a great group of guys, they are very unique.” He took over as head coach when they were freshmen so all the coaches are very close with all of them.
Roberts has positive things to say about each senior player. “Haverback stood out as a freshman because of the raw talent he had then when he was a freshman,” Roberts said. “Wilson is an incredible human being and he makes a ton of winning plays for us not stuff that goes into the score book just amazing plays and I and the team value that. Brogan has been a great player for us, and a really great player he has been with us since his sophomore year. He is a great guy to have around. Scieszinski is just awesome, he shows up every day and works his tail off. If someone has made the most progress since day one its Scieszinski, and all the guys love to have him around. Stanerson is another really well-liked teammate to have. He smiles more than everyone on the team, and that makes everyone else happy. Everyone loves him, his nickname is the Flash because he wins every sprint we do. Cossolotto’s attitude and effort have improved over the years more than any of these guys. It was fun watching him mature as a human and grow.”
Roberts said he is thankful for the team’s three senior managers, Rose Daoud, Emmy Osborn, and Sadie Oberbreckling. “They all have hearts of gold and are extremely selfless, always willing to help out,” Roberts said. “They truly are a really important part of the team, and we wouldn’t be as good as we are without them.”
Senior night is very memorable to all these players because of what they all went through together, creating memories. Haverback’s favorite memory is playing cards in the lobby on their trips to Des Moines.
Meyer’s favorite memory is all of the trips that they took as a team, going to Des Moines every year and spending the night in a hotel. “I also really enjoyed the Chicago trip,” Meyer said, “where we played our game and then spent the rest of the weekend in Chicago. Spending time with the team is how I made my best memories while being part of the basketball team. “
Cossolotto’s favorite memories are when Landon Wilson scored the game-winner sophomore year. Cossolotto said, “The bench went absolutely crazy.” In his junior year, Cyrus Johnson (MVHS ’25) scored on his own basket in practice.
Wilson’s favorite memory was going to Chicago as a team.
All these boys clearly love the game of basketball, and all the great memories will carry with them through the rest of their lives. Thank you, Brogan Meyer, Kellen Haverback, Mason Cossolotto, Landon Wilson, Logan Stanerson, and Jayden Scieszinski.
