>> ON MARCH 12, 2020, THE ANDOVER LADY WARRIORS, A SCRAPPY SIXTH SEED IN THE GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, PUNCHED THEIR TICKETS TO THE FINALS.
ON THAT SAME DAY, REGULARS AT A SOUTHERN HOTSPOT WERE CHOWING DOWN ON UNIQUE DISHES FROM CHEF HANNAH -- CHEF-OWNER.
IN NEWTON, AN EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR HEADING OUT FOR ANOTHER SHIFT IN HOSPITAL, PREPARING FOR AN INEVITABLE INFLUX OF PATIENTS , WITH 92 ALREADY RECORDED IN THE STATE.
THAT WAS MARCH 10.
WHAT FOLLOWED WAS A LEAK THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING.
>> THIS IS "CHRONICLE." >> I HAVE NOTHING BUT GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT ANDOVER.
>> ANDOVER, A TOWN WHERE BASKETBALL CLINICS AND CAMPS ARE AN ANNUAL RITE OF PASSAGE.
>> I WENT TO IT, MY WIFE WENT TO IT.
THE PLACES ROCKING.
>> THIS VARSITY’S COACH -- VARSITY COACH KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT HIS SPORT IS.
>> I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.
MY OLDEST SISTER PLAYED BASKETBALL WITH A GROUP OF GIRLS THAT WENT ON TO WIN THREE STRAIGHT TITLES.
THEY WERE REALLY GOOD.
>> THAT TEAM FEATURED AN ANDOVER LEGEND.
>> NICOLE IS THE HALL OF FAMER AT HER SCHOOL.
SHE IS AN IDOL FOR ME AND A TON OF GIRLS.
>> THE 2020 TEAM DID NOT HAVE A PLAYER OF HER TALENT, BUT THEY DID HAVE CHEMISTRY.
>> BROOKE AND I HAVE BEEN ON THE TEAM SINCE FRESHMAN YEAR.
WE ARE ONE OF THE YOUNGEST TEAMS IN THE STATE, IF NOT THE YOUNGEST.
WE REALLY HAVE TO INSTILL THE MINDSET THAT WE WILL HAVE EACH OTHER’S BACKS.
>> THE SEASON STARTED UP AND DOWN BUT THEY REALLY HAVE BELIEF.
WE WERE PLAYING A TOP 10 HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE AND WE LOST BY A POINT.
>> WE HAD THE MINDSET WE COULD BE ANY TEAM IN THE STATE.
>> THAT THEORY WOULD BE TESTED WHEN THEY STARTED THE CHAMPIONSHIP RUN AT HOME AGAINST ARLINGTON.
>> LOSING IN THE SECOND HALF, I SAID THIS WASN’T HOW WE WANTED TO GO OUT.
I GAVE THEM THE SPEECH, CLICHES IT MIGHT BE, WE SURVIVED AND ADVANCED.
>> THEY FACED THEIR ARCH NEMESIS.
>> THEY HAD BEATEN US SEVEN STATE TIMES.
BUT I GAVE THEM A MIRACLE SPEECH AND IT WAS SUCH A MENTAL HURDLE.
THERE WAS MORE WORK TO DO.
>> THERE WAS MORE WORK TO BE DONE IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS FOR A TRIP TO STATE SEMIFINALS -- TO THE STATE SEMIFINALS.
>> WE SHOPPED A LOT OF THE TOWN.
-- SHOCKED A LOT OF THE TOWN.
IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
>> NOW, WE ARE KISSING THE SHAMROCK AT CENTRE COURT.
CORONAVIRUS NOTWITHSTANDING, WE WERE SO EXTENDED -- EXCITED.
>> WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HAS DECLARED COVID-19 A PANDEMIC.
A MAJOR MOVE BY THE NBA AS CONCERN GROWS.
>> THURSDAY IS WHEN EVERYTHING BLEW UP.
>> TEXT MESSAGES, VOICEMAILS FROM THE PRINCIPAL.
PEOPLE WHO NEVER CALL ME.
>> I TOLD THE GIRLS TO PLAY THAT PRACTICE LIKE EVERY OTHER GAME.
>> I SAID, WHAT HAPPENED?
WE JUST GOT NEWS THE GAME WAS CANCELED.
DECLARED CO-CHAMPIONS.
WHAT’S THAT ALL ABOUT?
>> IT WAS DEFINITELY DEVASTATING.
>> WE WILL PLAY THEM ANYWHERE.
WE WILL GO DR. FRANKLIN AND PLAY THE.
I POINTED TO THE BANNER THAT HAS ALL OF OUR STATE CHIPS ON THE WALL.
-- CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE WALL.
WHEN THEY PUT UP 2020, IT’S NOT GOING TO SAY LAST GAME CANCELED, IT’S GOING TO STATE LADY WARRIORS -- GOING TO SAY LADY WARRIORS STATE CHAMPIONS.
>> IT WOULD’VE BEEN INCREDIBLE.
I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT RESULT.
>> THEY WOULD HAVE FACED THE UNDEFEATED FRANKLIN HIGH PANTHERS IN THE FINALS.
THE CRISIS PUT AN END TO MANY MAJOR SPORTS, AND WITH SCHOOLS CLOSED, SPRING SPORTS ENDED BEFORE THEY GOT STARTED.
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