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ONCE LONG AGO IN A FAR OFF PLACE, IN A DISTANT LAND, A GENUINE EXPLOSION
OCCURRED. IT WAS A COLD FRIGID NIGHT
IN THE GREAT APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS. THE GROUP I WAS WITH
WERE SENIORS AT ALDERSON HIGH SCHOOL.
AS SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS WE DID EXCEPTIONALLY WELL GIVEN THE PLACE AND
THE TIME. NOW AS SENIORS OUR BASKETBALL TEAM WAS NOT DOING AS WELL AS
WE,
OUR TOWN, OR OUR COACH THOUGHT WE SHOULD BE
DOING. OUR TEAM
STOOD AT 7 WINS AND 3 LOSSES. TWO OF
OUR LOSSES WERE TO WHITE
SULPHUR
ON THEIR COURT, BOTH BY HEALTHY MARGINS. THE
WHITE SULPHUR
WERE DOING BETTER THAN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. WHITE
SULPHUR MARCHED INTO ALDERSON THAT
NIGHT UNDEFEATED
WITH 11 WINS AND 0 LOSSES, HIGHLY
CONFIDENT (ALMOST OVER CONFIDENT),
AND MAYBE A TINGE OF ARROGANCE.
THE
NIGHT BEFORE THIS GAME I PUT BAGS OF DIRT ON MY BACK AND PRACTICED
JUMPING. MY COACH, McLAUGHLIN, HAD TOLD ME HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYONE IN
THE VALLEY WHO
COULD JUMP LIKE ME AND I WASN’T GOING TO LET HIM DOWN TONIGHT!
THAT NIGHT PURE RAGE AND TOTAL HATRED FOR THE ENEMY BOILED WITHIN ME.
DURING THE PRE-GAME HUDDLE IT WAS HARD TO CONTAIN MYSELF. AS THE GAME
STARTED THE
BALL CAME TO ME, 30 FEET
SWISH. THAT NIGHT MY TEAM MATES AND I RIPPED
THAT TEAM, THE WHITE SULPHUR GREEN DEVILS, APART. I SCORED, REBOUNDED,
AND BLOCKED SHOTS
WITH A FRENZY. DURING HALF TIME IT
WAS DIFFICULT TO SIT DOWN.
WE
CONTINUED TO CRUSH AND DEMORALIZE THE UNDEFEATED SULPHERS IN THE THIRD
QUARTER. BY THE
FOURTH QUARTER MY ADRENALINE HAD RUN
OUT AND THEY TRIED A DEFEATED COMEBACK.
THE
FINAL SCORE WAS ALDERSON-95, WHITE SULPHERS-72.
I
HAD MANY WINNING AND LOSING EXPERIENCES AT ALDERSON BUT I HAVE NEVER
FORGOTTEN THAT NIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINS.
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