Sports are full of joy and heartbreak. The passion of high school and college athletics may never be on better display then during these days each year. With college conference tournaments quickly shifting to the one and done, national treasure that is the NCAA Men's basketball tournament it's hard to beat. But it matters every bit as much for each high school team that dreams of making it to the state tournament and eventually hoist that trophy. Most teams never get there, some get close again and again but never get over the hump.
Whether never getting close is worse or falling just short is, I can't say but for the Fargo Davies Eagles they've known the latter all too well. For the third year in a row they got through the gauntlet to the North Dakota Boy's semifinal game but lost each time. The last two have come in narrow fashion. Years from now, when they get together, they'll discuss the games they had and their run of success. Tonight holds the sting of loss though.
As much as Eagle players might be looking at how it could have gone differently, the Minot Magicians deserve credit. They're going for a third straight championship and put their mettle tested tonight. For the second game in a row in fact. They waved their wands and pulled off wins that seemed unlikely, to put it lightly during the early stages of each game.
As NDSU has shown over the last several years, so Minot demonstrated tonight. Stats and analysis will be available on TV, radio and in the paper tonight and this weekend so finding something unique to discuss can be a challenge but is a worthwhile pursuit because of the significance of the win and loss to the boys. The point is, it was an A level performance and should prompt people to tune into the championship, whether Bismarck Century or Dickinson win in the next contest.