Chapter 270: Sixty-nine
Saturday, January 28th, Noon
The winter haze hadn't left the Tree Hill skies, even noontime on a Saturday. Staring out of her bedroom window onto the ocean coast, she sighed. Today, there were only three days until the half time honors. Today, also, her best friend returns home. Ashlyn didn't know what she feared most, the recognition that felt hollow to her, or her best friend, her sister from another mister calling her on her bullshit.
Ashlyn nodded; it is better to keep the routine. Today's episode is called sixty-nine, and that meant one person, her replacement. With a slight nod, Ashlyn turned away from the window and retrieved her tablet. Taking a seat on her bed, she rested her back against the headboard.
After a quick look at the cold, unused side of the bed, she put in her earbuds. Using the touch screen, she brought up the school website and chose the latest update video in the series she watched.
The typical opening greeted Ashlyn; by this time, she's tuned it out. After a quick count in her head, this should be the last player profiled, but there were more episodes. She shrugged when she heard the refrain that told her it's time to pay attention.
I
Will
Be
I will be heard
The opening faded away to the Tree Hill High School Studio and Trey Terthero sitting behind the desk looking at the camera. Based on the tie he's wearing, Ashlyn noted this must have been day two of filming his segments.
"Hello, I'm Trey Terthero, and this is Be Heard: A Championship Defined. Today as we close out the player profiles, we fitting cover a late addition to the team. When Ashlyn Pierce went down for the season, the common thought was her roster spot would be filled by a member of the JV Team. Instead, the girls chose a different method. Their choice came out of the blue and from a soccer and volleyball player. She came in and played some useful minutes off the bench and became a good catch and shoot option. She became another weapon in the arsenal. Let's hear her story today on Sixty-nine," Trey said.
Angela was the first player on the screen, sitting in her hotel room. "Kell," she said.
Next, Ashlyn was looking at herself, "Kell," Computer Ashlyn said.
Mackenzie appeared on screen, "Fighting Irish," she said.
Devyn appeared next, sitting in her living room, "Kell," she said.
Cara was on-screen next, in her office, "Red or Irish," she said.
Kay in her Chicago Apartment was next on-screen, "Kelly," she said.
Coach Sinclair sitting in the Tree Hill Coach's Office, appeared next. "She was under our radar, not having played much basketball, as I recall. I knew her as a good mid-fielder in soccer and a great setter in volleyball, but that's it. When the girls' suggested her, I thought they were out of their minds," she said.
Coach Scott is sitting in his perch on the bleachers, nodded. "When the girls came to me with who they wanted, at first, I wasn't going to fill the spot; I almost sent them out of the room to run laps. After remembering she trained on my half-court with my son, sister, and a few other kids, I thought about it some more. She mainly played as a way to even the numbers, but she couldn't help but get better; she and her brother were very competitive. I sent the team and Coach Sinclair for one of the strangest try-outs I've ever heard of," he said.
Cara returned to the screen. "We called her to the carpet," she said.
Ashton appeared on screen in her Doctor's Office. "We kept upping the competition to see if she had it, and she did," she said.
Next on screen was an auburn-haired woman. She sat on a porch in a rocking chair overlooking a body of water. She looked off to the water; finally, she slowly turned to face the camera.
"Called to the carpet, that's what they called it, press-ganging or Shanghaiing work too. I filled in to give them depth, at first at forward, then at guard, as Angela eventually moved to forward to cover for Ashlyn's injury. That year I didn't know how deep I was, but I was in the rotation and was very much a role player. I played my role the best I could since I wasn't in the same condition as the rest of them," she said, looked off to the water and returned to the camera, "My name is Kelly McMichael; I was once Kelly Burke, a reserve guard, and number sixty-nine."
The screen changed, and Ashlyn was looking at herself again. "Yes, I was the first to suggest Kelly. We all knew her, and us seniors knew what she was capable of doing," Computer Ashlyn said.
Coach Scott appeared on the screen. "It would be a perfect Hollywood story if she stepped in and was a world-beater. Kelly wasn't; she had one of the worst games I've ever seen; she couldn't play defense and couldn't hit the broadside of the barn from inside. Part of it was I slipped her into the small forward position, and expected a lot more, what I got was a nervous girl, who played liked I did my first varsity game," he said.
Kelly appeared on screen and nodded, "Bradbury, I sucked for that ninety seconds, I was oh and four from the floor, and an open door on defense. I almost quit, but Coach Sinclair worked with me as a two-guard and got me over my nerves," she said.
Coach Sinclair appeared next. "She was a nervous girl, and I just helped her find her confidence. It also helped me discovered her natural position was shooting guard. Going in against New Hanover, she was the last body off the bench," she said.
The screen changed to a clip of an old game. It showed Kelly playing against New Hanover High School. On defense, she stripped the ball from a New Hanover Player. And went coast to coast for a layup but was contested by one player, who Kelly leaped over.
Kay appeared on the screen. "Everyone worked with her over the time between Bradbury and New Hanover. Most of what we girls did was try and get her to relax and just play," she said.
Ashlyn saw herself again, "There are relaxation exercises I showed her, just stuff to center yourself before the game," Computer Ashlyn said.
Coach Sinclair appeared on screen, "Probably the most important two minutes for her to play, five points, and a steal, but enough to rebuild her confidence," she said.
Coach Scott appeared on screen next. "Oakridge Military Academy was an awful game. We lost Cara in the second half to fouling out, and Kelly was the one to step up to give the shooting guards a blow. Kelly played smart and stayed out of foul trouble. Because of the foul issues and Kay having to play many minutes, Kelly finished the game with the freshmen and Ashton," he said.
Angela appeared on the screen. "The next game of the tournament we faced, Olympic, for the second time, and we shifted lineups, again. Kelly would come in to give Kay a rest. For some reason, Olympic didn't play Kelly as tight as the rest of us. Faith being good on-court general, kept feeding Kelly. Damn if she didn't deliver," she said.
Kelly appeared on the screen. "Olympic was probably my best game that season; maybe it was a fluke," she said.
Coach Scott appeared on the screen. "Bear Creek Game, the Bradbury Kelly returned. Kelly wasn't in the same condition as the other girls, and the rapid succession of hard-fought games wore her down. We had a better idea of how many minutes and what she could do, after Bear Creek," he said.
Angela appeared on the screen. "Kelly became one of our shooters off the bench and replaced Kay at the end of the game. Throughout the post-season; I'm seen blocking out for her as good as she could screen for me," she said.
Kelly appeared on the screen. "My best play that season came in the conference tournament, especially Oakridge and Olympic. I finished the state playoffs coming off the bench and getting a few points here and there, but it turned out I was one of the better catch and shoot role players on the team," she said.
Coach Scott returned to the screen. "The shooting team, it was a lineup of my best shooters and my best passer. Kelly replaced Ashlyn on that lineup; she was a good shooter and could screen out the opponents," he said.
Cara appeared on the screen. "Adams-Friendship was our worst game; they came out swinging and had us behind by two at the end of the game. We went out as an all-or-nothing roll of the dice; I was there as the final option, the tying shot. My job was mostly to block out for our shooter," she said.
Kay appeared on the screen. "I believe Kelly was the second option; I was the third. The ball came my way, and Kelly did her job. She set a screen," she said.
The screen showed the final play with the ball sailing into Kay. Cara and Kelly slid over and set a screen for Kay to shoot behind. The ball sinks for a three-pointer. After it dropped, the players on the court mobbed Kay.
Coach Scott appeared on the screen. "Kelly Burke, what she did and contributed was important. You always ask of legacy; Kelly's is simple; she was a role player who did her job," he said.
Coach Sinclair appeared next. "Kelly Burke, the next season, her senior season, she slid into the backup two-guard slot. Her conditioning and ball-handling improved, and she became an important piece of that team. Her legacy is she's the piece that helped complete the puzzle and nearly did it again the next year," she said.
Kelly appeared on the screen. "My legacy, my weakness, you ask? Well, the most important thing to know is I was a role player that did their job to the best of their ability," she said.
The screen changed back to the victory celebration after Kay's shot. Kelly's auburn hair was clearly visible in the crowd. The screen slowly faded to Kelly.
"Be Heard," Kelly said.
The screen dissolved to the picture of Angela, Ashlyn, Kay, Cara, and Kelly sitting on the Bear Creek game's sideline. That dissolved to the Tree Hill Field House, and a redhead sitting there in Tree Hill warms ups. The person is Brett Pierce-Burke.
"Everyone knows I'm related to Ashlyn Pierce; what gets left out is the second barrel of my last name is Burke. Kelly Burke is my aunt and someone I'm close to. Of all the people I know from the team, Aunt Kelly is the most level headed, and she understands what role she played. Kelly's contribution is that she balanced everyone around her, and most of all, myself," Brett said.
The screen changed to a picture of Kelly standing by the state championship trophy. The screen changed to Trey in the studio.
"Kelly Burke, one of the most overlooked players on the team. She was a role player that played her part. Throughout putting together this series, we found many small plays over her time on the court that helped Tree Hill win. The best word to describe her contribution is unsung. Tomorrow, we move to the person called the Team Mom, join us on Sinclair," Trey said.
Ashlyn nodded and removed her earbuds. She got off the bed and returned to the window. In another few days, this would be over.
