Tuesday, May 6, 2014

My List of the Best Games I've Been to Since Being at UW-Whitewater

1. UW-Whitewater Men's Basketball beating Williams College 75-73 in Salem, Virginia, for their 2nd National Championship in 3 years. The kid from my rival high school (Kenosha Bradford) in Quardell Young hits the go ahead shot to win the game with 0.9 seconds left, which ended up as a Top Play on Sports Center as well as on Sports Center's Top Plays of the Month of March. To say that I've witnessed two Sports Center Top Plays in Person is absolutely incredible. 
2. UW-Whitewater Women's Basketball beats Amherst in National Semifinal Game thanks to Mary Merg's 2 Buzzer Beaters:  My first Final Four that I went to as a fan plus skipped a class for it. In an arena that was huge for Division 3, I witnessed something that I will probably never witness again...a girl hits two buzzer beaters to send the team to the National Championship game (1st one: a 3 to send it to OT, and the 2nd being a floater to win it).  Mary Merg's shots also landed on Sports Center as a Top Play also almost beat Clowney's hit that stood forever. Add in the fact they were down 12 with exactly 3:04 (around the time I flipped my hat to rally cap after asking myself do we have any shot to win this game) to go along with the fact they hadn't hit any 3's for the first 37 minutes prior to that. Couldn't have imagined that ending ever to a game. By the way, also can't forget number 32 Alex Scarbro being a huge part of that team's 2012-2013 season. #32
3. Stagg Bowl 2010 - The other game I witnessed in Salem, Virginia. Logan Allemand's 2nd National Championship in his career. Went there for free courtesy of being in the Marching Band that year. Key moment that I can remember from that game was a Levell Coppage game sealing 60 something yard touchdown to seal the deal.
4. 2012 National Championship Run for Men's Basketball especially the game that sent them to the Final Four. Dropped my phone on the Kachel Gym court in all that craziness and they announced it on the PA and I didn't hear about that until I was about to leave. But overall incredible run that year for that team.
5. Warhawks beat #1 UW-Stevens Point at home without head coach Pat Miller on the sidelines: Really awesome game to be at yet alone I was a broadcaster on this one. Storylines galore in it: Nick Bennett was the acting head coach (a Stevens Point alum) coaching against his former team. Warhawks got up early in the first half and then the game went back and forth for the second half. Went into overtime and the Warhawks won 81-76. That was a huge game in the 2014 National Championship season for the Warhawks. During that game interviewed former UW-Stevens Point head coach Jack Bennett at halftime on UWWTV.
6. 13 Inning Thriller at Prucha Field: UW-Whitewater vs. UW-Stevens Point: Once again another Pointer-Warhawk matchup makes the list. I was the play-by-play on this one though. Warhawks got down to the Pointers 4-0 as Cam Seidl pitched a gem up til the 8th inning. As the Warhawks got back on the board with 3 runs in the eighth two courtesy of a Dylan Friend 2 Run Home Run. Tied it in the ninth and won it on an Adam Gregory single scoring Steve Chamberlin from third.
7. 14-11 Warhawks Softball win over conference rival UW-Oshkosh: Called most of the play-by-play for this one as well. Both teams scored in first 3 innings. Was really high scoring as it was 12-9 Warhawks after 3. Was just an offensive barrage in that game.
8. UW-Whitewater vs. UW-Stevens Point WIAC Women's Basketball Championship game from the 2013 season: Even with the Warhawks losing in this one gotta put this one up there. Another epic comeback for this one. Pointers led 54-39 with 14:09 left. Warhawks cut it to 5 at 57-52 at the 7:46 mark. Big part of this game was another Mary Merg near buzzer beating shot to send it into OT on a 3 with 5 seconds left in regulation. Warhawks never led in OT though lost that 76-71. Still a close game was one of the more exciting games I've been to at the Kachel Gym.
9 and 10: I always enjoy it when these happen because Carthage College is in Kenosha and my brother went there. So anytime I got to witness those teams go at it was cool. First time was down at Carthage in a Thanksgiving tournament where the Warhawks won 74-69. Quardell Young ended up having a big weekend in his hometown that weekend. The other match up being in the 2013 NCAA Tournament as Warhawks Women's Basketball team faced them and beat them by 20 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
Honorable Mention:
Buffalo State stuns Whitewater in closing seconds to end winning streak. Wasn't the best game as a fan, but it goes on this list.
WIAC Women's Soccer Tournament 2013: Called both games that the Warhawks played in.

No comments:

Post a Comment