Dream of Championship Shattered

I apologize for this unquilt related post. I admit that I am the furthest example of a sports fanatic, but I had to put in my opinion...
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We (specifically my son) had our school's basketball tournament. Our boys and their families and friends were walking in with the taste of victory already in our mouths.

Our team had won our first game and we were looking forward to playing the winning team from the prior game. Our boys and coaches were on confident since we have an undefeated record this year (12-0).

During this last game, which was going to determine the Champion and Second place winners, it was looking good at half time. We were up 9-19. We knew that we were playing against a pretty good team because we had never had such a low score at half time. But we were still holding on strong.

Then it was, as is, a switch was flipped in the fourth quarter. All the phenomenal baskets that were made earlier just wasn't happening anymore. I felt our defense was strong but that doesn't matter if the ball can't seem to go through the basket. With 3 minutes left, we were up 22-27. At 36 seconds, 26-27. We were finally defeated at the very end at 28-27.

This is how I feel about this:

I agree with competitiveness, teamwork, and sportsmanship when it comes to our children. Every team who plays has an opportunity to win or to lose. But the team we played against in the championship was from another school district and county. We never had played them during our season. And now they are taking the Championship trophy with them to who knows where. I would have felt better if one of our schools (district or county) had taken the trophy, but I'm having a hard time knowing this team came from ???.
We did acquire the second place trophy and I understand that my opinion is very biased. I am proud of our school and I love our boys. But perhaps I just don't understand how the teams are picked for tournament or just how the whole organization works. And it's more that just "if they weren't here, we would have won." At this competitive level, that Championship trophy should have stayed in our area and the boys who had cut down that basketball net after the win, should have been the boys who worked, practiced, and played at those same nets.

But that's how I feel about that!

I promise more quilty goodness to come!

Jane