As journalists, we’re not supposed to route for the teams we cover. We’re meant to be objective observers who report and analyze events without playing favorites. But when you cover a group of athletes for long enough, one can’t help but grow a little fond of them. This fall, I covered several Waterford High School football games, and got to know coach Mike Ellis and senior Davonta Valentine. I also got to spend a good deal of time with the family of basketball player Nolan Long.

I’d never stand up and cheer at a game I’m covering, but when a local team goes up against an out-of-area school in the state playoffs, it’s only natural to want to see your local team succeed. I had been to three Waterford basketball games this year, and they had lost all of them, including the league semifinal when senior Matt Irvine missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer.

Things finally went Waterford’s way in the opening round of the state playoffs against Middletown, and Irvine was a big part of their success, scoring all of his ten points coming off the bench in the last ten minutes of the game.

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