Our tagline is encouraging the world 🌎 one person at a time, and this story is designed to bring a smile to the parents of one, Laiken Burnett.
When it’s finished, I will send it to Glenn Burnett, and hopefully, Dad 👨 will share it with Mom.
I don’t write to get rich because everything is given away. Don’t do it to become famous because I don’t put my name on my work.
I write ✍️ to lift the spirits of people that I cross paths with and know that I can not write anything that I don’t believe from the bottom of my heart.
That’s the lead in tonight, and now let’s get to the story.
Over the next four ➕️ hours, Lin and I will be watching the Women’s Final Four out in Phoenix.
1st quarter of Game 1 just ended with Connecticut and South Carolina are tied at 15 – 15.
7:54 pm – UCONN 26 – 24 at the break.
Lin and I really wanted to be in Arizona tonight watching the games in person, but that would have required Kira Lawson and our beloved Lady Blue Devils to get past a mega talented UCLA Bruins team last Sunday. Duke actually led by 10 points in the first half, but the reality is the better team won that day in Sacramento.
Six degrees of separation were now in motion. Not going to PHX without Kira and Duke University led us to travel up to Beckley for our home weekend series versus Rio Grande. Lawrence Nesselrodt and I have been doing this together for nearly 20 years now, and I told him if Duke won and punched a ticket 🎟 to the Final Four, we would miss a series.
Having your heart ❤️ set on going to the Natty and then not getting to do so led me in search of a substitute for said Natty. Clever thought popped into my head, and we left the hotel 🏨 heading out US – 19 towards Anstead.
See, we just swapped one type of Natty for another type of Natty, as in National Park. We spent a couple of hours wandering around the beautiful park, and when it was nearing the time to Linda K Epling Stadium 🏟, I started to focus on my training of a young man that has an interest in announcing college baseball games.
South Carolina up 8 at the media TO…
There are oh so many little things about trying hard to announce a perfect ball game, and the number one is the chemistry between you and your DJ.
Down 10, Huskies just buried three straight 3’s to cut ✂️ it to 1 at 40-39.
For an effort to appear flawlessly, the music 🎶 should start as the announcers voice starts to fade.
USC 44 – 39 at the end of the 3rd.
Walk-up music wasn’t a thing when Ness and I started up back in 2008. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure that we would ever deal with it at Tech because Ness is as old school about baseball as one can be. Right down to his wearing #21 out of respect to the late Roberto Clemente.
Eventually, Nesselrodt conceded the point, and we joined the rest of the world 🌎 with walk-up music 🎶. Right about this time, Lin asked me what led us to the National Park ? With my mind on walk-up music, I responded, just trying to turn lemons 🍋 into lemonade.
USC just hit a logo 3, taking a page out of the UCONN men’s playbook. Gamecocks up seven again as we go to a break.
Lemons into Lemonade immediately took me to Miss Laiken Burnett. Kevin Burress handles all of our music at Cavalier Park and is incredibly dedicated to the process. I have no idea what is getting played next, especially when it comes to the Lady Cavaliers and their walk-up tunes.
While the Lady Cavaliers have played six games already, only two have been at home. The very first time I heard the song 🎵 chosen by our senior, I simply couldn’t get it out of my head.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=5c5tMNZT_ww&si=Uej-lH_q2bNvRBNS
Now, it has become moved from in my head to taking over my aging brain 🧠.
The link above will allow you to hear the tune.
9:05 pm – South Carolina 62, Connecticut 48 is your final score.
Laiken Burnett and I have been connected across her entire time on The Hill. It started back when a freshman volleyball player was on the Junior Varsity team. When fall turned into winter, Burnett switched jerseys and played basketball for Kayla Nester. Low and behold, Burnett laced up her cleats in the spring and played softball for Alexis Dalton.
Freshman year of high school included 3 letters earned and shining in the classroom to boot.
Fast forward to the fall of her sophomore year, and the middle child of Mr & Mrs Glenn Burnett raised up her game. By the end of the year, Laiken had turned three junior varsity teams had become three varsity teams.
Speaking 🔊 of things that happen in threes, quite possibly the neatest part of the three Burnett children is just how much they love each other and protect each other.
Dad 👨 is a lifer in the Coaching department, and that might have contributed to the athletic skill set that the older two have ( Lance just became the All-Time wins leader at the CC he pitches at). But the drive academically and the ability to navigate life comes up your upbringing.
Three sports were trimmed down to just two heading into the junior year. The level of skill on display in the Gymnasium under the guidance of Volleyball 🏐 Coach Cindy Edwards led to Burnett joining the 1,000 assist club during her senior season even though it was cut short by a hand injury.
Now, the end of the high school 🏫 chapter is nearing the end for Burnett. She’s back on the Softball Diamond 💎 playing for another long-time coach, Rick Nester, and hopes to lead a team with a strong group of fellow seniors.
The in-between games show is wrapping up, and we are closing in on the tip for UCLA and Texas. Nothing against Miss Booker and Texas, but the Lawson fan in me has me pulling for the Bruins.
Back to the story at hand ✋️. Is there a box 📦 left to check ✔️ on The Hill for this overachiever ?
9:40 – Jump Ball #2
Media TO, Bruins up 9-4.
Halfway through her sophomore season was when I realized that it was mathematically impossible for me to ever cover any one student athlete more than Miss Burnett. The unofficial count of letters earned would be at 10, and that is just one side of the slate for Burnett. The classroom side of things simply do not take a back seat to the athletics.
Multi talented and sharp as a whip with the focus of someone who is ten years older. Proud of her Big Brother and protective of her little sister while being respectful of her parents.
I will circle 🔵 back and add anything that I realized I forgot about…..
Halftime score reflects the defense being played, UCLA 20. TEXAS 17 @ 10:25 p.m
After 3rd, Bruins 31 -28. Could this be a game of 1st one to 40 wins ?
UCLA 45 – 34, under 5:00 left
Bruins coach feels the game is getting called like a rugby 🏉 match…. and I’m feeling bad for Madison Booker because she has to keep shooting 🔫 and they feel a need to show a graphic with each miss.
47 – 37 at 2:41 left…
Final minute, and it’s now 47 – 44 (0:55.8)
What a clutch block 🚫 by Betts !
11:45 p.m. is late for old people….
UCLA versus South Carolina on Sunday afternoon for all the marbles.
51 – 44 is your final score….
Good night !
A.S.P.N on The Hill 