Welcome to White Auditorium, ladies and gentlemen, and boy do we have a dandy for you tonight.
The champion, the highly ranked, the cat’s meow, the Lady Blues from Washburn come into hostile territory tonight to face the contender, the underdog, the incredibly anxious, the Lady Hornets of Emporia State.
We expect a real wild one here tonight, folks. The contender scored an upset victory last season in this very building that was telecast live to a national TV audience, knocking out the Lady Blues, 74-67, but the champion connected when it counted — end of the season, tournament time, championship on the line — 73-61.
Our two stars are at the center of the ring, and we are ready to rumble.
• 0-0.
Both the champion and the contender appear to be feeling each other out here in the early stages of this battle.
The Lady Blues have come out with a chip on their shoulder, it appears. The Lady Hornets have looked a step slow at times — maybe even sluggish, if you can believe it.
And here’s a whirl of energy from the Lady Blues! The champion lands a couple of body blows — right jab, uppercut — right into the gut of the contender.
The going has been pretty rough here early for the contender.
• 17-10 Washburn.
The Lady Hornets have started to boldly advance toward the champion, appearing to perhaps dare the champion to try and get in a jab here and there.
The champion jumps on it!
Oh what an assault this is now! The Lady Blues simply are beating the contender into submission right now. Will this thing be over before the break? Oh my, a huge connection to the gut of the contender! And another! The Lady Hornets stumble to a knee. If the champion pounces now, we might have a knockout, ladies and gentlemen!
• 27-17 Washburn.
Hold on a second, my friends.
Here’s a quick flurry by the contender. Man oh man, the Lady Hornets are connecting on blow after blow. Where has this been?
The champion is back-peddling all over the place, but the contender keeps coming. What a rally by the contender we have here, folks. Perhaps there is more fight in the contender than this wide-eyed observer first thought.
• 31-31. Halftime.
All right folks, it’s a whole new ballgame now. The contender has come out of the break with some renewed energy, it seems, and the Lady Hornets are starting to shake and bake a little better. They’re showing some life here, and this crowd is starting to get into it for the first time tonight.
And here’s a quick move by the contender!
We’ve got a real hootenanny going on tonight, ladies and gentlemen! The Lady Blues are wobbling. The contender is starting to land some vicious jabs. Oh my, the contender just knocked the champion back onto the ropes!
• 43-40 Emporia State.
But hoooold on folks, is this a spark of life from the champion? I think it is.
The Lady Blues are starting to deflect everything the Lady Hornets can muster. The contender is starting to make some mistakes.
Whoa, mama, the champion just landed a series of haymakers that could spell doom for the contender’s upset bid.
• 57-49 Washburn.
Only seconds remain until the final horn.
It looks as if it’s going to come down to a decision here tonight, folks. It’s been a dandy, it’s been a whopper, it’s been what everyone in attendance tonight has paid for.
But, I think the late flurry of punches by the champion is going to end up spelling the end for the young-pup contender, who fought valiantly but could not deliver the knockout blow to the wily champion.
All right now, both the champion and the contender are at the mid-court stripe.
The referee has the scorecard. Let’s hear the final tally.
• 61-54 Washburn.
Well, that was certainly not what this crowd came to see tonight. The contender was the heavy favorite among those in the stands, but the champion, yet again, proves that it will take much more than a few inconsistent bursts to knock it from its lofty perch.
So long folks, and drive home safely.