Dramatis Personae

 

Spartans:

Bri

Lawrence

Alex

Aaron

Otis

Patrick

 

Trojans:

Helen

Hector

Paris

Cassandra

 

Sing, oh my muse, as I tell you the tale,

A story of love, of pow’r, and betray’l.

This lyric of prowess in most noble of sports,

Come follow this saga as our stars hit the courts.

 

In most ev’ry school, one sport above all

Is most antic’pated coming on fall.

In Athensville High, this is a clearly seen rule,

For basketball is seen as the king of the school.

 

As they prepare for the championship game,

Their team is the best, the Spartans by name.

Their rival, Troy Public, called the Trojans, they’ll beat.

They’re positive they’ll do this, if Troy doesn’t cheat.

 

The Spartans and Trojans, foes for an age,

Are getting themselves all set to engage.

But the drama this year’s of epic proportions,

Since Helen and Bri both broke up with their boyfriends.

 

Lawrence and Helen were prom king and queen,

She moved, they broke up, now she’s on cheer team

For Troy. She’s with Hector, the point guard for Trojans,

But Lawrence has wanted her back ever since then.

 

Hector’s two sisters approve of his date.

With Paris on cheer, the two dominate.

And then there’s the older, Cassandra by name,

Who is constantly watching the odds of the game.

 

And that isn’t all, see Alex and Bri,

She dumped him for his friend, Aaron, and see

Alex told coach, “Bench me,” for the championship match.

“I won’t play with Aaron, who stabbed me in the back.”

 

All of this drama is harming the game.

But, now there’s a new kid, Otis by name.

His mom made him join, he’s only here for PE.

Now the team peacemaker, this homeschooler will be.

 

At start of the game, Alex’s absence is felt.

Without him on court their offense will melt.

Their defense is weakened by the Trojans within,

So Aaron sent Otis to reason with him.

 

“Alex, please listen,” Otis told his friend.

“Let all your anger against Aaron end.

To win this last game we must all be united.

Our team stands no chance with its members divided.”

 

Then chimed in Patrick, Alex’s brother,

“You’ve won key games, now just win another.

Come on now, big brother, I know you can do it.

But if you will not play, at least I will not sit.”

 

Alex did not want his brother to play,

But he could not stand in young Patrick’s way.

“At least take my pin with you,” he said with a frown.

“My own lucky charm, which has never let me down.”

 

Patrick agreed, leaving Alex there benched.

To rejoin his friends in the game entrenched.

He took his position, as first quarter was done.

It seemed that in no time this last game could be won.

 

Over on Troy’s side, they’re seeing success,

But all can see that the Spartans are stressed.

And under the bleachers, Cassie’s bets represent them.

What if Hector knew she was betting against them?

 

The Trojan’s defense has never been beat,

The cheer team says that this win will be neat.

And with the cheerleaders lined up next to the court

Paris and Helen will lead their cheer team’s support.

 

The Trojans know that Patrick plays too well.

If the game changes, only time will tell.

At the end of the second, Hector is on guard,

Following Patrick as he passes half court mark.

 

But as he followed, he knocked Patrick down,

Twisting his wrist as the boy hit the ground.

The EMT’s checked it out, said it was a sprain, 

And in revenge Alex wished to cause Hector pain

 

He asked the coach to put him in the game.

His brother’s inj’ry, his anger inflamed.

To get retribution on Hector, Alex swore,

As he hurried to join his team on the court floor.

 

The Spartans played well with their star back in,

But Troy’s team still hoped to make this a win.

Alex’s aggression will get him in trouble,

And the score is now tied as they make a double.

 

Running past Hector, Alex is too close,

But Hector is firm and stays on his toes.

He jumps for a shot, Alex goes over-the-back,

And everyone can hear as his collarbone cracks.

 

Quarter three ends with Alex triumphant,

But his team finds his action repugnant.

The refs call a timeout as Hector is removed,

But the foul by Alex turns out to be disproved.

 

The stands are in uproar at Alex’s cheat,

And none more than Paris wish his defeat.

In the next play when Alex draws near to her seat,

She stretches too far and he trips over her feet.

 

He tries to get up but sinks to the ground.

His ankle has rolled, he will need it bound.

Paris did not want to hurt him, nevertheless

Alex is on the bleachers, his tendon is stressed.

 

The game goes on still, though climax is done.

The Spartans shoot two, then the game is won.

With the count of the injured unusually high,

Until next season they’ll bid each other goodbye.

 

The Spartans and Troy will always be foes

And in future games each other oppose.

And though the tale is not done, we shall end it here,

‘Til the basketball season begins in a year.