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JULY 30
DAY THIRTY-NINE
NCAA DAY IS AN ALGONQUIN / CHEROKEE TRADITION DATING BACK TO 2011. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MEMORABLE AND EXPLOSIVE COMPETITION AND THIS YEAR WAS NO EXCEPTION. EIGHT TEAMS EACH REPRESENTING AN NCAA FOOTBALL PROGRAM, FROM THE WELL KNOWN TO THE ASPIRATIONAL, WERE LED BY AN ALGONQUIN CAPTAIN THROUGH A MORNING AND AFTERNOON ROUND ROBIN FINISHING WITH A SINGLE ELIMINATION PLAYOFF.
WHEN ANDREW BADT AND CHARLIE LESCH WERE ASKED TO DESCRIBE THEIR DEFENSIVE STRATEGY FOR GUARDING GAVON ROTHENBERG THEY RESPONDED, "WE REALLY AREN'T INTERESTED IN COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE BALL, WE JUST KEEP OUR EYES CLOSED AND FOCUS ON DISRUPTING ITS GRAVITY FIELD BY EITHER CONJURING A BLACK HOLE OR SIMULATING DARK ENERGY BY WAVING OUR HANDS OR PLACING OUR PALMS OUTWARD. IT'S QUITE EFFECTIVE."
"IF I STARE REALLY INTENTLY DO YOU THINK THE BALL WILL JUST TICKLE ANDY'S FINGERTIPS?"
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"YES, BUT ONLY IF I JOIN YOU."
AFTER A DRAINING DAY OF COMPETITION, ONLY TWO TEAMS REMAINED, JACOB KRIMSKY'S PASCO-HERNANDO STATE COLLEGE BOBCATS AND JUSTIN FIELD'S BARUCH COLLEGE BEARCATS. WE HAND THE MICROPHONE OVER TO BASKETBALL CHRIS FOR THE GAME CALL.
VS.
IN A THRILLING CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, MAN OF THE MATCH AARON KAIL PROPELLED HIS BOBCATS TO AN ONE POINT VICTORY IN THE FINAL MUNITES OF PLAY 36-34, BRINGING THE FIRST NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN SCHOOL HISTORY BACK TO DADE CITY, FLORIDA. PRESIDENT RYAN HERBER WAS ON HAND FOR THIS OVERWHELMING MOMENT, "I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THIS ENTIRE TEAM AND HOPE THEIR VICTORY WILL BRING SOME WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION TO A PART OF FLORIDA FEW NORTHEASTERNERS CAN FIND ON A MAP.
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