The Real winners

It all started with the final game of the basketball tournament for The Academy High School girl

basketball team. The girls were in a tight game against Apache High School – a nail biter of a game that ended when one of the Academy girls hit a buzzer-beater at the very last minute of the game. They

Won!

After being awarded the Division Championship, the girls proudly brought their very first division trophy home! It was their crowning glory! But, this is where the real story begins.

Their coach, Brendan King, was troubled. He kept remembering that, at one point during the game

there had been some confusion about the scoreboard. It had all been straightened out though, hadn’t

it? He left the locker room with a knot in his stomach; he had to know for sure that they’d won that

game. And the only way to do that was to watch a replay of the game, and count every single basket.

So, he did. And discovered that they’d actually lost by one point.

Now, typically in high school basketball, when a game is over, it’s over. The score is the score and the

girls won. It can’t be changed – unless it’s challenged – and the other team hadn’t done that. But Coach King knew he had to tell his team, so, with a heavy heart, he called the girls together and explained the situation – even telling them that, according to the rules, they could keep the trophy. But these girls were light-bearers… they decided unanimously to challenge their own win! They asked that the championship plaque be taken away from them and given to their competition, the Apache High School team – and the league agreed.

How did that team react when Coach King hand-delivered the championship plaque to them? They told everyone that it gave them hope. “It showed us that there are still good people in this world,” the

Apache coach told reporters. And she added, “It’s something we’ll always remember!” And so will we…