Go to: Commentary Games Teams Photos Standings

Back to NSSC 2007 Live Coverage

NSSC 2007 Commentary: Final Round 1

[ ]

Go to: Before the Tournament, Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6, Final Round 1, Award Ceremony.

Finals Round

As the students, coaches, and family members made their way into the theatre room, they were in for a sweet treat. In addition to the aforementioned popcorn and drinks, each chair had a SCRABBLE^® candy bar in the middle of the seat cushion.It was almost like being in Willie Wonka's chocolate factory! The students were delighted and the sound of tearing paper was audible!

Ben Greenwood, John Chew, Ridgefield Library Team 1 (CT), Atlanta Tucker Community Center (GA), and about 20 of their new friends from ESPN were sequested in a soundproof room about one block away from the Theatre room.

Getting that much equipment and personnel in place took some time, but shortly after the four students were outfitted with microphones and tested, we were about to begin. The sound people asked each student to take turns saying his/her name into the mic to test for audibility. As I was heading out of the sequestered room toward the theatre room, I heard Aune said, "Aune... Aune.... OW! NA!..." I imagine she has interactions like that often! I know she's had to correct me twice during the championship when I've mispronounced her name. And the sad thing? It really isn't that hard a name to say!

The theatre room was more than ready when the finalists shook the tile bag on our big screen. I'd earlier heard Aune say in the finalist room, "We've gone first four times and you've gone first three times, so it is your turn to go first." So, I knew why the teams didn't draw for 1st and why they launched instantly into the game.

Joel Sherman, seeing the game beginning, said excitedly into the mic: "Let's Get Ready to Rumble: the anagram of which is LUMBER!"

The students played fast and instead of trying to keep up with each play (which we were having a hard time with in the Theatre room), I invite you to watch the game as it unfolded, play by play, at the wonderful annotated games link.

What follows are some racks and plays when I could hear them over the excitement in the room.

First rack KOPSTYZ for Atlanta Tucker Community Center (GA). They play POKY, which Joel agrees with.

Ridgefield Library Team 1 (CT) holds GHQIMVL, they traded 7. The room applauded and agreed.

Atlanta Tucker Community Center (GA) then held AESTTXZ and played TAX/PA/OX, which everyone agreed was good.

For the next rack, UNNEVO?, Joel suggests OVEN/OXO, which the students then slap down and the crowd went wild Joel's crazy insight.

51-19, Atlanta's lead.

With EJNSTWZ, Atlanta plays JEWS*/SPA and the play is challenged, so it comes off. That word is not in the OSPD, 4th edition, the dictionary used in School SCRABBLE^®. Atlanta loses their turn and pulls their tiles up.

On their next turn, again holding JESTWZN, Atlanta slaps down JEST/EME/NUS, which everyone agrees is the best play.

The coverage by ESPN in the playing room is superb, with racks coming up clearly and closeups on the players expressions and interchanges between plays.

Aune and Matthew, heads bent together, confer closely on each play they make.

Joel is asking the audience to find plays in the players' racks and students are calling out the plays they see, even if they are phonies.

136-58 in Atlanta's favor.

A bingo comes down: Ridgefield Library Team 1 (CT) plays: DENIERs/JESTs.

Atlanta responds immediately with REUNITED to the D. The room claps wildly.

A bingo fest!

The game is going so fast, that is is very hard to keep up with it.

245-205, Atlanta's favor.

The room is contemplative as they think over the plays.

Joel suggests a few plays, none of which anyone understands or would see. Those World SCRABBLE^® champions.

Joel suggests that the recent play is "terrific." dETINUE.

Ridgefield Library Team 1 (CT) has taken the lead, but Atlanta takes it back quickly.

We think that Ridgefield is in a bit of time trouble.

Aune draws tiles with the bag way above her head, which seems to be the School SCRABBLE^® style.

3.5 minutes left on their clock, the bag is emtpy, Ridgefield Library Team 1 (CT) holds ISOATDL.

Joel sees a bingo through a B, "a newspaper" he says, The students scream out TABLOIDS. Suddenly we see a gleam in Matthew's eye and down goes TABLOIDS and out! The game is over!

But wait, Atlanta Tucker Community Center (GA) holds the play, they have to. Then they realize they have to challenge, even though the looks on their faces betray that they know the play is acceptable.

Ben Greenwood rules: acceptable. The game is over! 373-321 final score.

The 2007 NSSC Champions: Ridgefield Library Team 1 (CT). All four students stay rooted in their seats, perhaps still a bit in shock on both sides.

However, no nerves in the Theatre and the room ERUPTS in cheers and hollers! The cameras move in to record the reactions of the parents.

Comments overheard in the room: "What a GREAT finals game!" "How exciting!" "Down to the wire!" "It was anyone's win." and so on.

We aren't hearing sound from the finals room in our room, but we can see John D. Williams, Jr., shake the players' hands and the ESPN crew removing microphones.

Joel Sherman, as excited as the rest of us, takes the opportunity to thank everyone from the stage. Several students shout back up at him, thanking him for his work during the final game, for pointing out all the great plays.

We're told to wait a few more minutes and then we'll have a prize cermony!