SF Christian Honors Crash Victims At Game
by Laura Monteverdi, Reporter
March 02, 2013 7:47 PM
It was an emotional day for Sioux Falls Christian. After losing two of their parents and two classmates in a fatal car accident on Interstate 90 last weekend, they got what they needed Saturday afternoon. They got a win.
On Saturday afternoon, the Tea Area High School gym was packed, not only for the Sioux Falls Christian versus Madison girls basketball game, but to remember those who couldn't be there.
Sioux Falls Christian Girl's Basketball Head Coach Andrea Begeman said, "I think we came today (Saturday) to play and wanting to win, that’s been our goal this season, but we cant get past what happened."
Last Saturday, the girls lost their teammate, 16-year-old Alysa Vollmer. Also killed in the car crash was their classmate, 13-year-old Caleb Vollmer, as well as their parents, 52-year-old Jim and 48-year-old Julie Vollmer. Before the game was a moment of silence in their honor.
Alysa’s teammate Brooke Van Gorp said, "We just gathered together as teammates and focused on how this was our goal all year with us, and that God gave us the strength to do this.”
To show their support, Sioux Falls Christian players wore black armbands. Along with cheerleaders and members of the crowd, they wore bright green t-shirts. On them, it said, "forever in our hearts", with Alysa's number, 22, on the back. Some even had t-shirts remembering Caleb with his football number on the front, a prayer on the back.
Begeman said, "We had to grieve a little and honor her in the things we did."
Honor her, they did, by giving her what she wanted most; a win against Madison and a 3A Region Title.
Alysa's teammate Hayley McCarron said, "It's kind of bitter sweet. I think knowing that one of our big goals as a team was to make it to the tournament and one hers too. It means a lot to do it and to do it for her."
It was bitter sweet because Sioux Falls Christian will be moving on to the state tournament, the first time they've done so since 1986, but they'll have to do it without their classmate, teammate and friend.
Four members of the Vollmer family were laid to rest Friday. The funerals took place at Sioux Falls Christian. Hundreds were in attendance.
