Storybook moments fill the pages of sports history

Published 7:00 am Thursday, July 13, 2017

The craziest things happen in the world of sports. We see it all the time; the Cleveland Cavaliers come from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals to win the franchise’s first championship title; the New England Patriots rallied back from a 28-3 deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons in last season’s Super Bowl or the time N.C. State, led by Jim Valvano, took down a powerhouse Houston team with future NBA

legends Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler to win the 1983 championship.

Then there was the time Division I-AA Appalachian State beat the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines in the big house after blocking the game-winning field goal with six seconds remaining.

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Storybook events like these almost make you believe that the games are rigged, but there are some things you just can’t make up.

For instance, take the event that took place within Pearl River County just a couple of weeks ago.

In 1986, two Poplarville High School students shared a relationship built on rodeo.

They grew up doing everything together and eventually, became state champions in the team roping competition as freshmen, a feat not many have accomplished.

As crazy as that is, the unbelievable part about that story didn’t become a true phenomenon until 31 years later when their sons became team-roping champions, also as freshmen.

And in those 31 years, no other freshman duo at Poplarville High School won the state championship in team roping, making the triumph that much more special.

With the way many sports are designed, they are practically set up to provide these amazing come back stories and inspirational victories, but no one could have predicted a family duo winning the same state championship at the same time in their lives over three decades apart.