Truly a family affair for Keystone's girls basketball team

One of the best parts of going to the state tournament is sharing the experience with your family. Keystone seniors Helayna Houston and Jessica Forthofer haven't had to look up in the stands to find their loved ones cheering them on this season because they each have their biggest supporter right on the Wildcats' bench. Houston's father, Rocky, is Keystone's coach and Forthofer's brother, Luke, is a Wildcats' assistant. Having a familiar loving face on the sideline and teammates you have played with since you were old enough to dribble a ball has turned this Keystone season into one long family, fun day. "It's awesome to have this memory forever. This is something I am never going to forget and I know it's not something he's going to forget either," Helayna Houston said. "It's extremely special. This is my senior year, this is his last year coaching me, so it's going to be our last memory of basketball together." The Wildcats have already won the first regional championship in school history and set the Lorain County record for wins in a season with 28. Now, they will look to make even more memories tonight when they face Columbia Africentric in the Division III state semifinals. "It's just a surreal feeling," Rocky Houston said. "It's unbelievable. You love coaching your kids and being around your kids. I've coached my son and we made it down to state in (Hot Stove) baseball but this is something totally different. "Honestly, I don't know if Helayna ever grew up thinking about going to state. The big plan was, 'could we win a conference championship, then could we win a playoff game,' which we did last year. This was way beyond our imaginations." Luke Forthofer, a 2022 Keystone grad, broke into coaching this year, just in time for his sister's senior year. "Having my brother here has made this season more fun and enjoyable. He's my No. 1 supporter," Jessica Forthofer said. "Even when he wasn't coaching, he was always in the stands cheering me on. Now, that's on the bench. He's someone I can look to and lean on in tough situations." Luke Forthofer had experience coaching volleyball and Rocky Houston gave him a chance when he wanted to move over into basketball as well. "I can't even put into words how awesome this has been," Luke Forthofer said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For Jess to get this in her senior year and for me to be a part of this is just beyond description." You don't have to have the name Houston or Forthofer to feel the love. Everyone on the roster has become family. "I grew up playing with every single one of these girls on the floor right now for years," Helayna Houston said. "Coach Rock refers to every single girl on this court as his daughters and cares about all of them just as much as he cares about me." In fact, Rocky Houston said the entire LaGrange community has stepped up like an extended family in recent days to provide meals, send well-wishes and support the team on its historic run. Since junior Vivian Cassell was young, the Houstons have been like her second family. "I've been friends with Helayna since the beginning," Cassell said. "I remember her birthday parties when we were younger. It's almost like I'm part of the family, too. It carries over to all of us because our team is a family. We all work together well on the court and love and support each other." As the only two seniors on the roster, it's not surprising that Forthofer and Houston have a bond that dates back to well before high school. "Me and Helayna have played basketball since sixth grade and I have at least three years with most of these other girls. That builds a bond and makes us a really tight-knit team," Jessica Forthofer said. "I know for Helayna it's been special having her dad coach her and it's the same with me and my brother. It's something we'll never forget. "Having my brother here makes this experience 100 times more special and unforgettable. I know he never got to experience this in high school, so having him right here by my side and experiencing it with me makes this better for me and my family." The family ties even extend down to the Wildcats' junior varsity roster, where Taylor Stefan was an assistant coach and her sister Mia, who also saw limited action on the varsity level, was a starter. "I think Coach Rock having a daughter on the team and Luke having a sister has made us all closer," Junior Brooklyn Barber said. "I feel like it has allowed the coaches to be closer to the players and build better relationships. We're really just a big family." Contact Todd Shapiro (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.