Bethany Christian's state run even more special for coach with support of adopted nephews

Isaiah Parson found Bethany Christian coach Krysten Parson amidst the celebration last Saturday following her team's Class A semistate win over Tri and wrapped her in a "huge hug." I told you you were gonna do it! 

Isaiah and his younger brother Zane, who were adopted by their aunt in 2022 and 2021, respectively, are Krysten's biggest fans, and have been with her every step of the way as she guided the Bruins to their first state championship game appearance.

"They've been there at everything during this tournament. (The love and support) has been incredible," Krysten said Monday morning at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Bethany Christian (24-3), a school of 140 located in Goshen, will face Lanesville in the Class A final at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

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A 1998 Lawrence Central grad, Krysten has been part of Isaiah and Zane's lives since they were babies — even before they moved from Indianapolis to just around the corner from her in Goshen. They're her brother's boys, Krysten explains, and in 2018, she and Ryan decided she should take guardianship of them. It was best for everyone involved.

"I already had a great relationship with them, so it was just the living situation was different," said Krysten, who was in the process of adopting them when COVID hit. "They adjusted. It was hard at first with those changes of living in a new household, but it's like that with anybody. It just takes time."

Ryan died of a drug overdose in Jan. 2021, but there are reminders of him in Isaiah and Zane. Though they have different personalities, Krysten said, those differences draw them together as brothers.

Isaiah, 17, loves to work with his hands and is more introverted than his younger brother, but has the gift of winning people over because he's so charismatic. Zane, a freshman at Bethany Christian, shares Ryan's light-hearted side, Krysten said. He laughs and giggles a lot — and gets her jokes.

"There are great parts about their dad that lives in each of them and it's fun to see them in those moments when they're doing those things," Krysten said. "It's a reminder of who their father, my brother, is."

This season has been magical on its own. The first team to play for a state championship in school history, Bethany Christian (24-3) won 19 games during the regular season (most since at least the turn of the century), then advanced to the sectional championship game on a buzzer-beating and-1 by Zoe Willems. But having Isaiah and Zane along for the ride has made it even more special for Krysten.

Both have been to every game, she said, adding Zane barely had a voice Sunday morning after leading the Bruins student section alongside the upperclassmen through both semistate games. A two-sport athlete (soccer and basketball), he's also had a more direct role with the girls team, occasionally practicing against them with his junior varsity teammates. "It's been really cool to have them along for this ride," Krysten said. "Zane knows what my girls are doing, and he loves to be a part of it. He's like, 'I want to guard Mariah (Stoltzfus). I want to guard the best player.' And he takes super pride in that."

Asked what it's meant to have Isaiah and Zane in her life and with her on this journey, Krysten paused to collect herself, then said: "They know the season's long and grueling for me (and) they're huge supporters of what I do. … They're my boys and I love them to death."

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.