Wow. The brain is running faster than the fingers right now. So much to process this great night.
Tonight our North Harrison Cougars defeated the Brownstown Central Braves 60-57 in overtime to advance to tomorrow night’s Sectional Championship game. Our guys played the hearts out and the gym was a raucous environment much of the game. It was a great place to be. For Cougars fans it was a classic. For Braves fans it was painful. The drive up 135 was a long one tonight. The Braves first lead of the game was 55-54 in overtime. That is how crazy it was.
Before the game, earlier in the day, things were not crazy in the gym. They were quiet. The place looked like it was ready for the massive crowd that would make it tonight. It was peaceful with a tension to it.
The Cougar was ready.
Braves sideline.
These things saw plenty of action tonight. In the first game Silver Creek defeated Scottsburg handily. Tomorrow night it will be the Cougars playing the Dragons.
They gym filled up and thing got interesting.
Starting Lineups.
The opening tip and we had no idea how good it was going to be.
At this point, I was hanging on the rail with my dear friend, and Brownstown Central class of 1978 grad, Barry Hall. When Barry met me early in the fourth quarter, North has a nice lead. I was about to tell him to go back and sit down where ha came from. I didn’t. I kept the faith….though it was certainly tested. I could kick myself for not getting a picture of me and Barry together right here.
The final score in overtime. How sweet it was. Yes, in the sectional format, North Harrison was the visiting team on the scoreboard.
Looking forward to tomorrow night’s final. I think the Cougars can do it.
After the game, I walked past a couple from Brownstown in the hallway. I hear my name. It was Greg Isaacs’ parents. I had not seen them to talk to them in decades. Remember, I am an old Brownstown boy from way back. Greg was in my grade. We played little league baseball together. He was one of my cronies. Many of these old friends, as fondly as I remember, have been lost in time.
They took me to Greg and I was so delighted to see him again. We stood there and chatted for a while. He asked me about the music I make and told me his Mom has one of my CDs. I was dumbfounded. You just never know. I got Greg’s address and I am going to send him some more tunes. He asked for them. No way I am going to turn him down. These 50 years being discussed in 50 days seemed a little not so long ago tonight. I was brought face to face with a piece of the past I did not expect to find. It was fun. And it was a thing of youth.
Put that with the exhilaration of defeating Brownstown Central for a second time in the basketball season and you got a night you don’t want to end.
The Cougars have some unfinished business like beating Silver Creek tomorrow night.
Speaking the rights…
Danny Johnson