It’s super-hangover Sunday, where the goosebumps still linger for those who capped this high school sports season - or their careers - with a state championship, state title appearance, tournament appearance, whatever you define as success.
For those who must live with the agony of defeat, the latest life lesson’s learned. It’s often a cruel, unfair world.
In the last 48 hours there were state track records which nearly fell (again), and a Valley Christian program which made itself a national topic.
Corona del Sol baseball team was too good, controversy flew around Hamilton’s Cory Bernard, a Desert Ridge-Horizon showdown that (eventually) became everything a state championship game should include.
There was a Basha-Red Mountain softball game to remember and Seton Catholic did just fine without its coach.
Mountain Pointe remained the most dominant volleyball program in the state, and surprising Gilbert was the last school which stood in the Pride’s way.
For all this and more, thank the athletes, coaches and fans.
Don’t forget to include the AIA in all this. Rarely does the governing body get complimented these days on its operations, but a host of people worked extremely long hours (even longer than reporters and photographers) as neary a dozen tournaments were flawlessly exectured.
Remember this: When this crazed country went psycho on itself because of the swine flu, and Texas and Alabama shut down their school sports/activities for weeks, the AIA saw safety and health come first, but didn’t panic and go running for the civil defense bunkers when it heard a sneeze.
The powers-at-be were proactive, not panicked.
So be glad we’re not going another two or three weeks into summer, and let the emotions of this weekend linger. You’ll understand and appreciate being on the other side when that time comes.
I wish Cory Bernard the best—-just wish Coach Woods would have the best interest of Cory also. Coach Woods gambled with a young undersized kid in the interest of getting to the state finals.