Coloma's Goodline brothers embracing final games together
COLOMA, Mich. - This time of year, every game could be a senior's last.
For Coloma, one of those seniors is Zach Goodline, perhaps the most decorated player right now in Southwest Michigan.
But there's still something he hasn't accomplished.
“I haven’t won a district here in my four years," he said the night before a district semifinal matchup with Lakeshore. "So to win it my senior year would just be amazing. I’d love every single thing about it.”
Goodline recently passed 2,000 points for his career. He also passed a hoops legend in the Mitten State, Magic Johnson, who himself has even heard of the Comet senior's exploits on the court.
Thanks @MagicJohnson for the huge shout out!! Words can’t even express how much it means to me coming from one of the best ever to play the game! I’m blessed! pic.twitter.com/8u2nF5LAha
— Zach Goodline (@ZGoody0) February 12, 2019
But extending his career means more to Zach Goodline than simply racking up more points. Instead, more games would offer more time to enjoy playing with his younger brother.
"I knew it would be fun," said Drew Goodline, two years younger and a sophomore. "But my brother likes to challenge me. That can be hard sometimes but it’s fun to play with him.”
Drew is thriving already, named a starter in his first season with the Comets' varsity squad. And though his older brother has certainly laid a nice blueprint for success, Drew's journey is still his own.
"Drew earned [his spot]," said head coach Paul Marfia. "He had 30 in one of our conference games, and he can really shoot the ball. It wasn’t just because he was a brother. He’s done it.”
The two Goodlines have brought their shared bond onto the hardwood, and even sometimes the playful ribbing which brothers enjoy from time to time.
“He looks up to me even though he might not say he does," said Zach. "I’m just trying to be the best role model I can be.”
“He tries to say something to me and I’m like – I just get really mad," Drew added. "I just back away because what he’s saying can get me mad sometimes. But it just makes me better because he’s a good player and I know what he’s saying is right.”
But to their coach, it's all in good fun. And it's helped on the court.
“Sometimes the brothers don’t get along and it can be competitive but almost a bad kind of competitive," Marfia said. "But that’s not really the case here.”
Through it all, what matters most is continuing their short time playing with each other and the rest of the Comets.
The only way to keep it going at this point is to keep winning.
“We’re playing great basketball coming into the tournament and that’s what you want to see. So I’m just looking forward to the tournament and just believing in our team.”
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The Comets season ended on Wednesday in a district semifinal loss to Lakeshore. View the highlights of that game below.