Coupeville Sports

Aaron Trumbull — in a hospital bed, but much happier and healthier than initially feared after he took a horrifying fall Friday night. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

There are nights when the final score of a basketball game means nothing, and tonight is one of those nights.

All that really matters tonight is that, when last seen, Aaron Trumbull was sitting up in a hospital bed at Whidbey General and smiling for mom Shelli Trumbull’s camera. Because, an hour before, the Coupeville High School sophomore took a horrifying fall that left him motionless on the floor at the CHS gymnasium as paramedics, family and coaches tended to him.

Racing back to defend his hoop with under a minute left to play in the first half Friday, Trumbull, moving at full-speed, went up for a block, only to have the Archbishop Thomas Murphy shooter duck under him at the last second.

Unable to control his momentum, he jackknifed and came down, at full force, with his head and neck hitting the painted “V” in the word COUPEVILLE that runs along the base-line.

Play stopped instantly, as momentary confusion gave way to a gym that went sickeningly quiet. Referees, school principal Sheldon Rosenkrance, Wolf coaches Anthony Smith and Dustin Van Velkinburgh and Trumbull’s dad, Brad, got to him first while Trumbull’s senior teammates Caleb Valko and Drew Chan stood watch slightly off to the side.

Shelli Trumbull, who had been shooting the game from under the other basket, quickly joined them, kneeling next to Aaron, talking quietly and gently rubbing his cheek and then, at one point, jokingly snapping his picture to keep things light.

In the stands, mothers of fellow players rocked anxiously, but when they saw Trumbull click her camera and giggle, more than one sharply let out their breath and visibly relaxed a bit.

“If Shelli’s shooting, he’s going to be OK,” one said.

Evidence that he was moving his hands provided a brief respite, and Trumbull was eventually strapped to a gurney after being checked-out by paramedics. His exit was accompanied by a standing ovation, but a pall hung over the remainder of the game.

Trailing 38-19 before Trumbull’s fall, but having staged a strong rally earlier in the quarter to cut into ATM’s lead, the Wolves failed to hit another field goal until early in the fourth quarter.

Trumbull’s best friend, fellow sophomore Carson Risner, picked the pocket of an ATM player and lunged hard to the hoop for a basket, sending an electric thrill through the Coupeville faithful. When he exited the game shortly after, Smith reached out as Risner walked by and patted him on the head.

By the time the game sputtered to its end — with the visiting Wildcats claiming a limp 68-28 win — word had begun to buzz through the gym that Trumbull was doing better. Then came confirmation, first from Smith, then from Shelli Trumbull that Aaron had suffered a concussion, had full movement of his extremities and is expected to miss two weeks — essentially the rest of the season.

The last part doesn’t matter, because Aaron Trumbull was smiling the last time we saw him and his town will sleep better tonight because of it.