Zergers senior season

The nerves, that’s what senior Brock Zerger remembers about his first varsity football game as a freshman.

“I didn’t know what I was doing but I kind of got thrown in there, and that’s just something I’ll never forget,” Zerger said.

A broken fibula during the Class 6A quarterfinals ended his senior football season – and his basketball season. He is focused on returning to track, which starts on Feb. 27, and qualifying for state track meet in May. 

Zerger had been looking forward to his senior season since the second grade.

“I can remember going to all the Derby games when I was in Derby Junior Football, just seeing all those guys.” Zerger said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment awhile, and I’m glad I was able to take advantage of it.” 

His goals weren’t fancy.

“Just being able to win the starting job, earn the role of being the starting quarterback and just being able to lead my team to victories, basically what I wanted to do was be a good teammate  and be a good leader,” Zerger said. “… I think as a team we grew together, we made bonds together and you know unfortunately it didn’t really end that way we wanted it to. We hit some adversity at the end and I thought we just kept fighting till the end and I’m just super proud of the whole team.”

Football ends, recovery begins

While being tackled on a run near the Panthers’ sideline on Nov. 12, Zerger broke his left fibula and tore a number of ligaments ending his 2022 football season. 

“It was just super frustrating because I was thinking ‘why me?’” Zerger said. “It was my senior year and I have been looking forward to this, and we had goals to win a state championship.

“… I was playing one of my best games before I got hurt and I was playing the best football I had played all year. I think if we wouldn’t have had injuries to myself and other people, outcomes would have changed.”

Three days later, Zerger had surgery when a plate and eight screws were inserted to fix his left ankle. 

The recovery has been smooth.

“I can tell that with each day I am getting better, getting stronger, and slowly getting back to where I used to be,” Zerger said. “I am hoping to be almost back at full strength by the time track season comes around.

“… I realize now that everything happens for a reason and I’m just trying to make the best of it and just keep moving on,” he said.

Still on the court

Although he can’t play basketball, Zerger’s role on the boys basketball team hasn’t been lost. 

“Brock is one of the most mature members of our team,” boys basketball coach Brett Flory said. “He understands what goes into winning and having a good team culture as well as anyone, and we will count on him to help support the team in those ways.”

Flory, who is Zerger’s neighbor, has watched him grow into the well-liked and respected teammate he is now.

“I know the type of person he is and the kind of family he comes from; you won’t find a better kid anywhere,” Flory said.

The Panthers also missed his three-point shooting and the physicality he provided defensively.

Zerger accepted his role at the end of the bench where he keeps stats and provides words of encouragement or even just someone who will listen to a teammate.

“We have a lot of new guys and younger guys that are going to have to step up and play some big roles for us, and unfortunately I can’t be out there this year. But I’m just going to do the best I can to coach them up,” Zerger said. 

Flory isn’t looking at the state championshipship yet, “I’m just looking at today’s practice, how we can get better.”

Up Next

Zerger has plenty of motivation for track. There’s the time he missed on the basketball court coupled with the controversy that kept the 400 relay team from even running at regionals in May, 

“It’s unknown who all will be on it, but no matter what, we just want to show the state what they missed out on last year,” said Zerger, who will also throw the javelin.

After track, it’s back to football. On Feb. 1, Zerger signed to play at Friends“The thing that influenced my decision the most was the simple fact that on both of my visits that I took there, it just felt like home,” he said. “I never got that feeling on any of the other visits I took to other schools.”