FLOYD COUNTY — A man with piercing blue eyes set against a farm-weathered face absorbed the movements on the Henryville hardwood Saturday night. With a red and black Massey Ferguson cap atop his gray hair and his arms crossed against his chest, 80-year-old Ed Kirchgessner watched as two of us his grandsons, senior Brandon Beam and junior Billy Kirchgessner, raced up and down the opponent’s wooden floor in a quest to preserve Borden High School’s undefeated boys’ basketball record.

In his time, Ed’s seen magical wins and devastating defeats. That night, he witnessed the latter as Borden lost its first game of the season.

Loss comes hard for most of us. But in Borden, a town of about 800 souls, this loss in particular felt brutal. Ranked third in the state for 1A basketball, onlookers’ hopes were high for remaining undefeated until the end, especially after this Braves team snapped the school record for best start of a season only the night before. Hundreds and hundreds of students, town members and family alike flooded the bleachers to support the boys.

Small towns usually rally behind their teams, but with Borden, it’s something even more special. Basketball summons the community here. The air in the gym is electric when the ball whistles through the air. And so are the stands with fans as euphoric as at any church revival. People sway with the music during timeouts and testify about each individual player’s basketball prowess.

I think even a few speak in tongues when the officials make a bad call.

Like in a church service, some supporters are looking for redemption. During the 2007-08 season, the boys’ basketball team won sectional for the first time ever. In that same year, residents of the town were awakened by the sound of a fire truck-led processional that boldly announced the team’s first regional victory. Curfews were extended and an impromptu midnight pep rally promptly followed.

Ed had two other grandsons on that team as well. Their disappointing loss occurred the following week at semistate.

To dwell on the size of the school diminishes the ability of its players. Borden is good. Their one loss, born out of missed free throws, slow rotations and exemplary shooting from the opposing team, exposed some weaknesses in their game. But they will learn and improve.

Likewise, their coach Doc Nash isn’t too shabby either. A New Washington native with a winning coaching record, Nash recently moved to Borden. His sons will be Braves and play on the very floor he coaches now. A new generation begins.

Other family ties make the Borden community and the players’ lives even more interconnected. Graduating in 1950, Ed played basketball his senior year when rivals still knew the school as the Borden Berries.

Why someone would think naming a mascot after a food that’s sweet to the taste and easily smashed, I will never know. In 1966, the student body elected to change their name. Nine out of Ed’s 10 children played ball for the Borden Braves. At least 11 of his grandchildren have continued the tradition.

I myself married into Borden. My husband Tim and his brother and sister played basketball for the school. Likewise, my nephews and niece also hooped it up there. Ed’s grandson, Brandon, is my nephew as well. He scored 31 points against Henryville in only three quarters of play.

A few weeks ago, he was one of only a couple players at Borden to ever dunk. The crowd went wild. Not bad for a 6-foot 1-inch boy who picks cantaloupes on his grandpa’s farm every harvest. Ed insists those long summer days out in the field are responsible for the grandkid’s athletic ability. If you can palm a melon, a 29-inch leather sphere should be no problem at all.

Oh, and that school record Brandon and his team just broke was the one my husband and his other uncle Dave set back in 1992. Yes, you should be confused. Diagrams of familial relationships of the team would resemble a map of the Paris subway system. Yet, on this ride, you would find a gaggle of crazed basketball fanatics rather than the lone demented passenger talking to himself in the corner.

Crazed fans equal crazed notions. After the loss, I’m frightened the boys may feel like they let down their community. You didn’t. Mistakes were made. But the town and their families understand and will support you no matter what.

Community is important, but in the end, those five boys out there on the floor owe better play to themselves and their team first and foremost. They may have been outplayed on Saturday, but they deserve respect for their previous 11 victories.

One day, my nephew, with his Grandpa Ed’s brilliant blue eyes, will watch his own children dunk on a Borden goal. My hope is that he will not need to seek redemption through their play. When you win the 1A Indiana State Championship, no regrets can linger. Let’s start a new record Braves.

— Amanda Beam is a Floyd County resident and Jeffersonville native. Contact her by email at hoosiermandyblog@gmail.com or visit her blog at HoosierMandy.com