Student with genetic disorder scores for FMMS

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON -It's not uncommon, but it certainly isn't ordinary, either.

Social media videos go viral when the final score of a game takes back seat to getting someone on the field or the court who ordinarily wouldn't physically be able to participate.

In 2018, Fort Madison High School's varsity football team got Caleb Gehle in to carry a touchdown run in a loss to Washington. Gehle wore leg braces and wasn't able to play for the Hounds but was on the team.

Jon Lynk (20) gets congratulated by his 7th grade FMMS boys basketball teammates after scoring the teams final basket in a win over Fairfield Monday night at the Fort Madison Middle School. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

On Thursday night, the game again was set aside in the final seconds as Jon Lynk, a 7th grade team manager for the Fort Madison Middle School Little Hounds got his number (20) called with 15 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

With Hounds inbounding and holding a comfortable lead, Lynk was able to get free in the lane, with the crowd and players from both squads cheering him on.

He took the inbound pass and dribbled to his right, coming back into the lane and threw up a jump shot from about 12 feet that hit the back of the rim and bounced out. The Hounds got the rebound and fed Lynk again at the same spot and he banked it in as time expired.

Head Coach Ron Walker said he met up with Lynk in the school's smaller gym prior to basketball season.

"He just came up and gave me a big hug and I asked him what he was doing," Walker said after the game. "I asked him what he was doing during basketball season and if he might be interested in helping us out."

Lynk suffers from what's called 9p Minus or Deletion Syndrome where part of the 9th chromosome is missing. The abnormality is very rare and occurs in only 1 in approximately 50,000 people.

After the bucket, the crowd came to its feet and Lynk's teammates mobbed on the side of the court. Lynk went back to work helping get the team gear off the floor.

The Hounds won 46-34.

9pMinus, basketball, Deletion Syndrome, fmms, Jon Lynk, Pen City Current, sports

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