2019-20 HSN Play of the Year - Championship Showdown
ETOBICOKE – There have been upsets, dominant victories and tight races, but now only two plays remain in contention for the 2019-20 HSN Play of the Year Showdown.
To no one's surprise, Amber Bechard's At the Buzzer easily cruised to a semifinal victory over Jaylan Morgan's 40-Burger, receiving 72.6 per cent of the vote.
Semifinal 2 was tightly contested, battling back-and-forth for the entire 24-hour voting period. The amount of campaigning from friends and family on both sides saw the voting reach new heights, becoming the first matchup to receive over 1,000 combined votes. In the end, Jessica MacPherson's Walk-Off squeezed through with 51.6 per cent of the votes.
Championship Match-Up
No. 2 Walk-Off
To some, it was just a base hit, a common occurrence in every OCAA softball game. However, on Oct. 19, 2019, rookie Jessica MacPherson put an exclamation mark on her first season with the Hawks. Facing Durham's ace, MacPherson hit an 0-1 pitch back up the middle to score Meagan Muir in extra innings, winning the Hawks its first provincial title under the guidance of head coach Duaine Bowles.
No. 4 At the Buzzer
Known more for her lockdown defence, senior Amber Bechard – playing in her final regular-season game at home – took a long pass from Jahnae Gyles with time running out. Trailing by one, Bechard spun around a defender and made a contested layup to win the game. In front of 1,500 fans, Bechard's buzzer-beater secured the west division title for the Hawks.
Semifinal Breakdown
No. 4 At the Buzzer over No. 9 40-Burger
555 votes: At the Buzzer wins 72.6 per cent to 27.4 per cent
Breakdown
At the Buzzer – 339 Instagram, 33 Twitter, 31 Facebook, 403 total
40-Burger – 135 Instagram, 14 Twitter, 3 Facebook, 152 total
No. 2 Walk-Off over No. 6 Game Winner
1,075 votes: Walk-Off wins 51.6 per cent to 48.4 per cent
Breakdown
Walk-Off – 437 Instagram, 64 Twitter, 54 Facebook, 555 total
Game Winner – 454 Instagram, 35 Twitter, 31 Facebook, 520 total
The championship round begins Oct. 26, with voting for each daily matchup conducted on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram via the Humber Hawks accounts.
