Time doesn’t forget; legends will never die

Former Hornet Hannah Preissler was pole vaulting in front of familiar faces Saturday while just a few hours later, former Husky Jake Kittle was throwing fastballs at Mitchell Field. 
Wait, what?
If those trends continue, Saturday of A’ROR’N Days weekend may be one of the most anticipated days of the entire calendar year, at least for this sports guy. 
Preissler, among several other former area athletes were competing in the annual street vault in the courthouse parking lot Saturday morning. 
That’s not anything new to A’ROR’N Days. 
The Aurora Pinnacle Bank Post 42 Seniors taking on a team of former players looking to wring out one more baseball game in their careers. 
That’s something new. 
Let’s go back to the vault pit first. 
Friday night may have been enough of a throwback for some, seeing Chad and Cale Carlson on the runway again taking a few runs. 
Keri Hastings was there, too, showing she hasn’t lost the touch that earned her Aurora’s school record, which is still intact. 
Saturday featured just as much of a flashback for pole vault fans, including Preissler, who was wearing her current Husker colors on the runway. 
One of Preissler’s former Giltner teammates Rees Lyon was also there, along with several of his Concordia University teammates to get some extra work in over the summer. 
Former Husky Carter Pursley was also on the runway and had several runs clean enough to make anyone believe he never took one day off. 
Former Storm and Hastings College vaulter Abby Collingham, fresh off All-American honors with a third place finish at NAIA Nationals was there, too. She even shared the runway with her young son, Brix. Just teaching him the ropes. 
As they cleared the runway from the courthouse parking lot, a group of 11 former Aurora Legion players were warming up to play one more baseball game. 
My anticipation for this game was through the roof. 
I’ve been here long enough to see guys like Cy Bullerman, Jarrett Havens, Cam Jones, Ryan Marlatt, Matt Oswald and Nate Parker play in their “prime.”
Others, like Kittle, Bryan Arndt, Kaleb Shively, Tyler Dubas and Tanner Griffith were in their “prime” long before I showed up. 
Am I getting old, too?
The game seemed to be more fun than serious, despite several of the alumni players pushing hard to show they’ve still got it.
One of the highlight moments from the game came early with Nate Parker, mustache and all, relentlessly looking for the zone. 
Even the umpires got into the spirit of fun as blue behind the plate rung up Cauy Walters on a Parker pitch at his eyeballs. 
After an emphatic strike three call, and a few concerned hushes from the crowd, the umpire added, “just kidding.”
It took a few more minutes before the color returned to Aurora Legion coach Jeremy Burgener’s face after that strike three call. 
Without the “just kidding,” part, coach B surely would have been tossed from the game. 
Everyone laughed. 
One thing that’s certain is that if you’re from around Aurora, no matter how old you get, full effort is a must. 
Doesn’t matter if it’s a high school game or an alumni contest. It’s 100 percent real. 
Several of the alumni players were stealing bases. Kittle and Arndt were all-out diving for grounders hit up the middle. 
Havens threw a frozen rope from left field to Shively at third base to gun down a Pinnacle Bank Seniors base runner. 
Even coaches Burgener and Bodie Moeller took a couple hacks off Jayson Havens midway through the game. 
One of the other highlights from the game included the brother vs brother in-game competitions. 
Tyler and Dylan Dubas each pitched against one another while Jarrett and Jayson Havens did the same. 
Most of these were highly anticipated, but most were uneventful. Except one. 
Younger brother Dylan was put on the mound to throw against his older brother, Tyler. 
After the first two pitches were balls, Dylan, by my account, just wanted to back his older brother off the plate a bit. 
Surely, right?
Well, the pitch found the middle of Tyler’s back, earning an easy trip to first base. No worries, though, Tyler didn’t charge the mound and the benches didn’t clear. 
After the game, there were plenty of talks about ice baths, sore joints and extended recovery time. Heck, Kittle joked after his mound appearance he already scheduled himself for Tommy John surgery. 
Those reports are unconfirmed. 
Nevertheless, what an awesome experience for the current players to share the field with those who wore those same shoes in year’s past. 
Let’s make it a yearly occasion. 
RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.