Spellcasters. The Force. Hunter Andre.

You might think this is the plotline for a crossover film of Harry Potter and Star Wars starring the senior forward, but it was the tale of Thursday’s game between the boys teams of Cotter and Plainview-Elgin-Millville.

Cotter (3-5, 4-8), who won 55-52 in overtime, led at halftime 29-16 and had played astounding defense in the first half. Andre contributed with 14 points. Senior Jonah Spiten, who provided the assist on the buzzer beater, led both teams with 20 points. Carson Root was the leading scorer for P-E-M with 12 points.

“I think it was the spellcasters. They were giving great energy the whole game and that last spell they casted was clutch,” Andre said. “That Subway before the game gave me a big boost, too. Thank you to Jonah [Spiten] for that pass.”

Who are the mysterious spellcasters? It’s a bench coalition that was led by Jacob Modjeski (’15) last year. Regardless of playing time, all members of the bench mix “spells” in a “pot” and “cast” them for good luck.

“One game we were struggling, and nothing we were doing was getting the job done,” Modjeski said in an online interview. “We needed something a little magical to help us out. So naturally we started to cast spells on the game. The possibilities were endless. Some say we were the best spellcasters in the whole Three Rivers Conference.”

What spells were cast? Well that’s a secret.

“We unveil spells to no man, no matter. President Obama could come in and we wouldn’t give him our recipes,” senior Kevin Rivers said.

“It’s a small thing, but it’s the little things that count,” junior Henry Reilly added. “We were 4/6 with spellcasting, or so our Wizard statistician Michael Speltz told us. That included the buzzer beater, so that really is a good day.”

However, eighth grader Tyler Nachtigal, brother of junior Noah, who had 12 points, believed he also added something special to the shot. We were lucky enough to catch an interview with the psychic, heard below.

“We needed a miracle to happen with four seconds left. I tried my hardest to focus my spirit and soul onto Hunter Andre to give him the ability to shoot that awesome three,” Nachtigal said enthusiastically. “I could feel the ball as we went up.”

“What happened was Tyler did a shooting motion right as [Hunter] Andre went up to shoot. There really was a connection. We called it ‘The Force.’ Everyone felt it in the atmosphere,” seventh grader Joe Costello added.

Unfortunately, by the time this article went to press, Andre was unavailable to comment on whether or not he felt Nachtigal in a Christopher Lloyd-Angels in the Outfield fashion.

Unlike that movie, however, the Ramblers were surefire winners. Victorious in four of their last five games, Cotter travels to Rochester Lourdes on Saturday for the annual doubleheader. The Cotter girls also play in Rochester against the Eagles.

You can watch a clip on the HBC TV 25 Sports Facebook page.