Broken foot to State Championship Winning Catch - Wick Kohmescher - Tuttle State Champion

I had just made a post on social media sharing the latest update. With 50 seconds left in the Class 4A Football State Championship game, ELGIN was up 20-16 over TUTTLE. It wasn’t impossible for Tuttle to come back, but it was very unlikely.

But then… with 42 seconds left in the game I heard shouting from the sidelines “Wheel! Wheel!” and got my camera in place just in time to capture video of Tuttle’s #40 Wick Kohmescher catching a precision thrown, 20-yard pass to put Tuttle on top, with very little time left on the clock.

Immediately, the OSSAA Executive Director David Jackson who was standing to my left, obviously impressed, commented on the skill level it took for Tuttle’s quarterback Cruz Campbell to throw that pass, leading the receiver so precisely.

Shortly after that, Dr. James Bond, who was standing on the other side of me, made a comment that begged repeating. He said, “You wouldn’t believe it with the way he ran that passing route, but #40 just had foot surgery 2 ½ weeks ago.” My response, “Wait… what did you just say?”, convinced I must have heard him wrong.

But Dr. Bond explained that he had performed surgery on Wick Kohmescher’s foot for a Jones Fracture—a notoriously difficult injury to heal because of the limited blood flow to that area. Many Oklahomans remember that injury because Kevin Durant suffered one that cost him most of the 2014–15 season—a huge blow to the OKC Thunder.

Yet there was Wick, 23 days after surgery, running full speed and catching the game-winning touchdown in the Class 4A State Championship.

After Tuttle sealed the win by deflecting Elgin’s final pass, I had to know more.

Wick told me he was injured in the first round of the playoffs, during the second quarter. Doctors initially didn’t think it was broken, but an X-ray the next morning confirmed it—and he was told he was done for the year and needed surgery with a 12–16-week recovery timeline.

Wick was understandably emotional at that news, though holding onto hope that the doctor was wrong. It didn’t sit well with Wick’s dad, Chad Kohmescher, either.

Refusing to accept that his son’s story was over for this season, Chad called Dr. Bond, believing there had to be someone, somewhere who could give his son a chance.

While Dr. Bond didn’t dispute the diagnosis or anything the other doctor had told them - he believed there were other things medicine doesn’t always account for: heart, faith, and determination. He told Wick that he could think of at least one of his patients that was back in the game 6 weeks after surgery, so he knew it could be done quicker than the average recovery time recommended.

Dr Bond told Wick “There are certain things I can’t do.” He said he couldn’t create new opportunities for things like state championships. He couldn’t make any promises on how long it would take to get Wick back on the field. But what he could guarantee is that he’d do his best on the surgery and that they would work together to see what unfolds.

Wick said, “I was back practicing in 18 days and played 23 days after my surgery.” and his dad stressed that Wick never took one pain pill or even an ibuprofen since his surgery.

"Before he released me," Wick explained “Dr Bond told me that it was up me, as far as what I could handle and that if I felt good, I could play for one game- the state championship.”

He started the game on defense, with Dr. Bond there watching from the sidelines. Later he got in on offense, but Dr. Bond admitted that he never expected to see Wick run a 20-yard passing route like he did, especially scoring the game winning touchdown. As soon as Wick caught the pass and the players and team celebrated, Dr. Bond’s notifications went off on his phone. I found out later that it was Chad Kohmescher, saying “We love you! You won’t believe it, but he just scored the game winning touchdown!” Doctor Bond went on to explain that he had witnessed it from the sidelines.

After they won I took a picture of Dr. Bond with Wick and watched a sweet embrace as he told Wick how proud he was of him. He went on to say, “Let this be a reminder to never quit and never let anyone else tell you what’s possible. Only you and God determine that.”

Dr. Bond referred to Wick’s injury, recovery and game as a storybook ending, going on to say “You can’t script it any better than that. It was a ‘God thing’.”

In similar fashion in a separate conversation, Chad told me that his son’s experience was a “Cinderella story” that couldn’t have happened without Dr. Bond. He brought more than surgical skill—he brought compassion. It was that compassion that led him to medicine 35 years ago, inspired by watching his mother battle breast cancer. Seeing the care and empathy shown by her oncologist changed the course of his life, steering him toward a career where he could make the same kind of difference for others.

Chad told me that he and Wick planned to go to Dr. Bond’s office with the gold ball because he and his staff earned that gold ball, too. Dr. Bond, while appreciating the gesture, says “We did a good surgery, but Wick did it! He had the heart, determination and perseverance. He put in the work and believed. I couldn’t be prouder of a young man than I am Wick.”

After 21 years of doing surgeries, going to ballgames every Friday night, Dr. Bond says that it’s things like this that remind him why he does what he does.

“It’s a privilege to be a part of something this special…” Dr. Bond continued, “and this one kid has given me even more passion to do what I do.”

Team sports teach us that no matter how talented one player may be, true success is never achieved alone.

For Tuttle, it required every member of the team battling until the final whistle—those on the field and those supporting from the sidelines. This achievement was made possible by a coaching staff that provided training, discipline, and maintained a clear vision of the dream. It took fans, parents, cheerleaders, the band, and a community united by school pride.

And this story book ended was made possible by a young man with the heart to never give up, a father who refused to stop fighting for his son’s chance, and a surgeon who had the compassion to match his skill and a medical team to help get that player back in the game.

Together, they all made it happen.