Hello, My Name Is: Jaden Koeller and Allison Wokatsch

MARATHON CITY, Wis. (WSAW) - The feeling of the ball passing through the twine is comforting to Jaden Koeller.

“Getting in there is the hard part, but once you just get the ball in the net, the rest of it is really easy,” Koeller said.

Often, you can find the Marathon senior basketball player taking the shots after the gym has closed. While shooting in the gym at that time would normally be a risk for one person, there’s often one other person across the court from him—Allison Wokatsch.

“Well, we aren’t exactly supposed to be in the gym but we usually find each other shooting around,” senior Marathon girl’s basketball player Wokatsch said.

Koeller backed up Wokatsch’s statement, saying he’s crossed paths with her in the gym.

“Kind of frightening when I open the door because I don’t want to get in trouble, then I look up and I go ‘oh, it’s just Allison. Just getting some shots up.’” Koeller said.

They find their paths crossing not only because they’re classmates, but because of their shared drive to get better.

“I just always know there’s another level. And I know that there’s always going to be someone that’s better than me. And I just like working hard to get there,” Wokatsch said.

“It’s just kind of a similar understanding between the two of us. That’s something special,” Koeller said.

Koeller’s hard work paid off on Dec. 9. He swished home his 1,000th point at home.

“I heard whistles, timeouts. My teammates jumped over and jumped on me,” Koeller said.

Just four days later in the same gym, Wokatsch poured in number 1,000.

“It was kind of one of those moments that just can’t believe it happened,” Wokatsch said.

It’s no coincidence that two players, in the same class, achieved the milestone so close to one another.

“We kind of understand that feeling of what it takes to get there. The hard work you have to put in,” Koeller said.

That effort started in a closed gym, and continues beyond celebration.

“We both ended up getting it in the same time period and that’s pretty special for one class,” Wokatsch said.

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