I guess the third time really is the charm, referring of course to 2020 and 2024. Five years ago, it was a Mt. Pisgah buzzer bomb that made the term "Holy Heartbreak" not quite enough – in fact it was perhaps personal.
 
Last year, it was four North Oconee 3-point bombs in the third quarter, some of them from as far away as Watkinsville, that put us behind, left us scrapping. And though the boys battled back, it was a matter of running out of time that left those lake people celebrating and taking what could've, perhaps should've been confetti on our heads. 
 
Perhaps this 84-45 win over North Cobb Christian WAS personal – as our boys got up 7-0 before the Holy Innocents' faithful even found their seats. And perhaps it was late in the second quarter that defined this team when this happened:

We knocked it away at the defensive end – a rugby scrum ensued. One of our guys tapped it over to Jaden McCullough, who ran the floor, but instead of shooting the layup, he clanged it off the backboard for King Caleb. 

Caleb's dunk, for the record, didn't bring the rim down, but back home it did make the boys' first state championship banner perhaps start up. 

Looking at it all, maybe this title started in the fire behind the disappointed faces when they left the Coliseum last year. After all, this team hadn't lost since Jan. 25^th and that was only by a few to a nationally ranked Grayson team.
 
Besides the tough schedule, the region games were over/under bets and as one coach told me in the gym, "Don't bet the under with these guys!"
 
He was right, because in Wednesday's rout there was Caleb but as always, there was good everywhere. Defense. Hustle. Boxing out. Running the floor. As written about the girls team, it's always special when all contribute – even the subs kept pouring it on after the starters were in street clothes.
 
A 2024-2025 after game box score for this team showed double figure numbers higher than northern temperatures – "King" Caleb once upon a time almost threw down a quadruple double. 
 
Looking at others, Devin Hutcherson played so well Coach "Super" Mario is glad he won't be putting on a graduation robe this May. Jordan Mays drilled three 3s in the semi's, Kai Worthy gives the Bears a little of everything underneath. There's Clark and Kingston and Jaden, who thankfully is too young to even think of graduation. There are more – then again, there was all of them. 
Anyway, it ended like a Caleb slam dunk – with enthusiasm – and maybe even those young ones who weren't around for those ghosts of two-time state finals past picked up the vibe early – because sometimes vibes lead to actions that speak louder than words.
 
And after it all, perhaps the neatest sight, the most deserved sight, was seeing that slight smile on Coach Mario's face while his boys were dancing nearby.
 
One had to smile when seeing that. Then laugh. Then perhaps shed a happy tear. 
 
Dunn