The best game you've ever covered ...

I covered the state ski jumping championships tonight, which could also be the national championships since no other state sanctions high school ski jumping. Local kid, a senior, won the title after going runner-up 3 years in a row. Great kid. I'm glad I get to write his story because it's deeper than just ski jumping. His coach is like a father to him, and the kid thinks of him as such. I captured great action shots, too. Not sure where it ranks on my list of great games/events covered, but earlier today I dreaded having to cover it because I just wasn't in the mood. But it was the right decision.

 

As a career preps writer, I feel a little inferior here compared to some of the big-time stuff others have covered. But I'll give it a whirl...

2002, first round of the state football playoffs. Our hometown team (which was ranked No. 1 in the state in the preseason) loses 55-54 in double overtime. Both teams just went up and down the field all night. Running back for the out-of-towners was Brandon Jackson, who plays at Nebraska now. He ran for 285 yards and 6 TDs, including a tying score with about 20 seconds left -- on a play set up by a roughing the passer call on a halfback pass. The play before he scored, he was stopped at the 2-yard line. Kid that hit him, our two-time defensive player of the year, hit Jackson so hard he knocked himself out. I was standing on the sideline near where they went out of bounds and I thought he had killed or paralyzed himself.
Another play, last one of the half, kid for Hometown High goes 80 yards on a screen pass for a TD.
So what did it all come down to? A blocked extra point (by a girl kicker, no less) in the second overtime. So many things to write about I didn't even know where to start. I did win a state award for best gamer though, so I suppose I did something right.

 

2002 Memorial Cup semifinal between Erie and Victoriaville.

Victoriaville, which looked overmatched at the start of the tournament, won a tie-breaker to advance against Erie, which was the OHL champs. Erie led 3-0 in the second and 4-2 with just over five minutes left in the third. Victoriaville got within one and tied the game with five seconds left in the third and its goalie on the bench.

Carlo Colaiacovo had a shot blocked in OT which sent Pierre-Luc Sleigher on a breakaway and he scored on a backhander to win it.

 

Tate George hit the shot for UConn... Incredible fucking game. Definitely on my top 10 of games I've covered.

 

That was the Eastern semifinal. Do you remember what happened in the final?

 

Christian Laettner hit a 20-foot buzzer beater to beat UConn in OT

 

I believe Laettner was a freshamn. He in-bounded from sidecourt, I think with Burrell on the ball. Pass went into the high post, Burrell dropped back to double team, Laettner took 3 steps into the court, took a return pass all alone and drilled it from the left wing.

There was a stretch where they played either opening rounds or the Eastern semis and final at the Meadowlands 6 or 7 times in 8 years,. Lots of great games.