Senior Division Hockey Final
Opponents MMS
Status Underdogs
This is one match I was dying to write about. I saw it from the back pitch pushta. MMS were a formidable team. They were fast and played a very physical brand of hockey. They were also cocky and underestimated the power of belief. Our boys on the other hand were scared to begin with but as the match unfolded, there were heroes born.
MMS started with a flourish, coming up with waves after waves of attacking moves. While their forwards were toying with our defense, there defenders dozed off. This created an opening for us, and that was the only opening we had the entire evening. M.K. Singh scrambled his way in to the opposition’s D and we all heard the sweet sound of ball hitting the board. It was a feeling of ecstasy which was immediately replaced with a feeling of fear, the sort you get when you hit a stronger guy but realize that he is going to rub your nose in the ground.
OG was up 1-0 but there were too many minutes left to defend a solitary goal against a rampaging MMS team. They came at us like wounded tigers, they bullied their way past our defenders, they hit them, they intimidated them. They did everything right till they got it wrong. Their superstar forward decided to have some fist action, the only problem was he chose the wrong kid. It was a moment that cost them the cup. Just read this. MMS superstar engaged P.K. Singh, our center back. Piggy boy was a big lad and most importantly he was fearless. In the next moment the superstar was lying flat on the ground. It was a 3D replica of the famous Ali-Liston photograph. Suddenly the mood of the team changed. The fear of getting hurt or even losing was lost, bravehearts were back to being bravehearts. OG went on to successfully defend its 1-0 lead. All 11 players remained in our own half for the entire match. It was defensive hockey at its magical best.
Belief wins you a lot more than you actually believe. I do not remember which day of the week it was but dinner must have tasted delicious. We love you Piggy boy.
Sudip Bajpai
(Oak Grove School, 1996 batch)
Self Entrepreneur
Lucknow
