Did you watch the women’s Final Four games over the weekend? If you missed them and you’re even remotely interested in sports, you missed three truly classic games that really embodied everything that’s great about March Madness. We got dramatic comebacks — Notre Dame battled back from being down 15 to Mississippi State in the national championship game — after pulling an improbable upset of UCONN in the semifinals. And the buzzer beaters… OH MY GOD, the buzzer beaters!
Mississippi State’s Roshunda Johnson hit long three with seconds left against Louisville to push their semifinal game into overtime and then, in the next semifinal, Notre Dame’s Arike Ogunbowale hit a stepback jumper with one second left to topple UCONN. Two nights later, Ogunbowale struck again, hitting a fall away three pointer just before the buzzer to give the Irish the championship. It was incredible.
Now, while Autostraddle’s version of March Madness probably won’t have me tweeting expletives or running around my living room yelling “can you believe that!” to no one in particular (especially since y’all had the good sense to finally eliminate Piper and Alex), we’ve still had our share of excitement. For the second round in a row, we’ve had a contest decided by ten votes or less.
I expect that trend to continue in the Elite 8 where y’all have set up some virtually impossible match-ups. After Kat and Adena narrowly beat out Elena and Syd in the Sweet 16, they go onto face Kate and Emaline from Everything Sucks. Despite the public lament about the match-up between Cosmina and Delphine and Nicole and Waverly, the ladies of Wynonna Earp defeated them pretty easily and set up another difficult match-up with Maggie and Alex of Supergirl.
In the International Region, fans excited about Kate and Rana’s impending return on Coronation Street advanced them into the Elite 8. They’ll meet Flor and Jazmin who overcame an unexpectedly tough challenge from Sara and Carlota of Cable Girls. I thought, for sure, that Las Estrellas would come out of this region but now this region really looks like a toss-up.
Over in the Drama Region, things went about as I expected hoped for, as Piper and Alex were finally sent packing by Petra and JR and Lena and Stef overcame a strong challenge from Izzy and Emma. Of course, that sets up another Sophie’s choice for you in the Elite 8: Jane the Virgin or The Fosters.
So now it’s time to make your picks! You’ve got 48 hours to summon all the fandom to Autostraddle to vote for whom should represent the Baby Gays, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, International and DRAMA regions in the Final Four. Voting in this round will close on Wednesday, April 4 at 2PM EST.
The Baby Gays
Kate and Emaline, Everything Sucks vs. Adena and Kat, The Bold Type
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Babes
Alex and Maggie, Supergirl vs. Nicole and Waverly, Wynonna Earp
International Faves
Florencia (“Flor”) and Jazmin, Las Estrellas vs. Kate and Rana, Coronation Street
DRAMA Faves
Petra and Jane “JR” Ramos, Jane the Virgin vs. Lena and Stef, The Fosters
Oops! We could not locate your form.
Kate & Emaline
Alex & Maggie (I love you, WayHaught, but I love Sanvers more)
Petra & JR
Though I was saved from my own Sophie’s Choice, I do wish Elena and Syd had made it to the Elite 8. Their first kiss moment was one of the sweetest I’ve ever seen.
I’m rooting for Petra and JR to win this whole competition. Their storyline (not to mention first kiss) is my favorite of the year.
LET’S GO ALL THE WAYHAUGHT
I’m voting for Kate & Emaline because of the wistful sadness that the 90’s (and part of childhood) invokes in me.
IF YALL DONT VOTE FOR KADENA I WILL PERSONALLY FIND YOU AND HAUNT YOU FOREVER
Bring it, youngster.
LISTEN, THEY’RE CUTE AND I ALSO HAVE 90s FEELINGS ABOUT THEM BECAUSE BABY GAY ACTUALLY GETS THE MEAN HOT GIRL AT SCHOOL BUT KADENA IS UNIQUE AND IMPORTANT AND REVOLUTIONARY AND KAT HAS AMAZING BOOTS COME ON
THIS HURTS
I feel that I should start singing Nazareth’s “Love Hurts”.
Stef and Le-na! *Clap clap clap clap clap*
Stef and Le-na! *Clap clap clap clap clap*
You seem to be bringing them luck with this chant. I am sorry but I now have to leave the Stef and Lena train for Petra and JR.
Don’t hate me…
Carms, I know you’re a lost cause but Petra and JR’s first kiss was objectively superior in duration, passion, surprise factor, and tongue action than Stef and Lena’s. I’m with iamamisfit1 here.
I mean technically S&L’s first onscreen kiss wasn’t even their actual first kiss! Unless they never kissed until they were married with 6 children.
@chandra It’s their first on-screen kiss. I tried to track down their first actual kiss, like I did with Luisa and Rose, but the flashback episode cuts that off prematurely.
Yeah, I am not blaming you and I know it’s no ones fault but Stef and Lena kinda got shafted here being stuck with that kiss…
Notice what Stef is wearing? How can you resist a woman in uniform?
And what about that kitchen? Wouldn’t you like to have a kitchen like The Fosters have?
Stef and Le-na! *Clap clap clap clap clap*
Pouring some Bustelo for Elena and Syd…
I loved this comment so much.
(Though we don’t waist Bustelo in my house, lol)
:*
Love ya
I feel like having to choose between Alex & Maggie and Nicole & Waverly is a violation of my eight amendments rights.
AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (⊙＿⊙’)
I am so glad Piper and Alex finally went down. If they had advanced I was going to burn some sage around my computer to cast away the dysfunctional energy.
Oh, I said this to Natalie when they were facing off against Callie and Arizona except I ended with “burn down the internet.”
I still can’t believe Calzona lost to them
so relieved that Piper/Alex got knocked out that I don’t even care!!!!!!!!!
(Petra/JR are hot af but I think my heart is telling me to pick Stef and Lena????)
Listen to your heart when she’s calling for you.
Listen to your heart there’s nothing else you can do.
I don’t know where you’re going and I don’t know why,
But listen to your heart before you vote them goodbye
Thanks, @carmensandiego. I loooooooove Roxette.
I love Roxette! I made my mom take me to their concert back in 92!
Wow, it just hit me that this was over 25 years ago…
Listen, there’s a lot to love about Stef and Lena but this is about the BEST FIRST KISS, and there’s no WAY S&L’s quick peck in the kitchen in front of their kids compares to the surprise, passionate, two-handed, neck-nuzzling kisstravaganza of Petra and JR. NO WAY!
Stef and Le-na! *Clap clap clap clap clap*
Stef and Le-na! *Clap clap clap clap clap*
vote…Petra/JR…Petra/JR…Petra/JR
Kat and Adena all the way. They really had the best first kiss and their ship is important for multiple reasons.
Wow this is getting tough.. but I guess someone’s got to do it ?
Kamaline!
I just want to say again what a balm to my heart it is to see everyone being so nice in these comments! Thanks for making the internet fun here!
I think that and go “wow” every round but I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to jinx it
Autostraddle, man. Best comment section on the whole entire English speaking internet
Listen, I haven’t even seen Wynonna Earp but I googled their first kiss and that was the hottest thing I’ve seen in a looong time. On the other hand, Alex Danvers’ coming out story and love for Maggie hit me right in the feels.
HOW DO I CHOOSE
If you’re like me, you whisper “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” while you hit the button for one over the other hahaha.
It’s kind of awesome to be so distraught over so many great queer first kisses. Glad we have more to choose from each year!
I love both couples, but Sanvers has my heart forever for the exact same reason you mention. However, since this is about first kisses, Sanvers technically had two first kisses, so vote for the quantity in addition to the quality :D Also, I’m pretty sure WayHaught will beat Sanvers anyway, so might as well give the vote to your feels.
You choose the best first kiss, which was clearly Wayhaught! I love Alex and Maggie too, but that first kiss was pretty one-sided because Maggie wasn’t letting herself be into it yet.
Kate and Emaline
WayHaught
Flozmin
Petra and JR
I am surprised Petra and JR made it this far especially as it is still just very new. But based on kiss alone, they deserve to be in this stage.
But I know Stef and Lena are going to win the whole thing. The stronghold that The Fosters has here will do the trick IMO.
PS: Don’t you dare allow WayHaught lose to Sanvers you people. Vote WayHaught right now
I’d just like to add, for the record, that if my favorite dark horse Petra and JR don’t make it to the final four, I may throw my laptop to the floor in rage.
I hope it is not an Apple product because that would be expensive to replace……Maybe put some pillows down first!
I really love Wayhaught but Sanvers is so much closer to my heart because of how much I identify with Alex. I was so happy to see an incredible, strong and successful woman coming out like that and getting the girl she loved! It made me believe that it could also happen to me, too.
I don’t really watch JTV but Petra and JR are so steaming hot together that in addition to get my full atention, they also got my heart.
Kate and Emmaline because they’re so cute and pure!
Kate and Rana because I am a sucker for the “straight woman falling in love with her female friend, ditching the man to be with the her girlfriend” storyline.
You have seen into my heart!
Pretty easy choice this time around. I easily chose WayHaught over Sanvers for the simple reason of WayHaught is still around and Sanvers is not. Also the 1st Sanvers kiss was Alex kissing Maggie and then Maggie rejecting her so who wants to vote/remember that?
i also let the kiss followed by rejection sway my votes away from other contenders, but i really loved the let down of theirs! it wasn’t your typical, oh no i am not that way sort of speech, but a more relatable one so many of us had as li’l baby gays.
that said, i did have to vote for wayhaught… i don’t even know them but i watched that vid!
Do yourself a favor and watch Wynonna Earp, you will not be sorry.
What I hear you’re saying is that you are going to vote for an old married couple with five children having breakfast in the kitchen before heading to work, right?
In my heart of hearts and in the bottom of my soul… I just can’t pick between Stef and Lena vs Jr and Petra!!
I. JUST. CANT. DO. IT.
Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!
it’s not where you come from, it’s where you belong
Nothing I would trade, I wouldn’t have it any other way
You’re surrounded by love and you’re wanted…
Yep, Sanvers, good couple.
I’m sorry, in my heart of hearts, I will always want to see Maggie Sawyer with Kate Kane…
Okay people, if this was about favorite couples I’d be Maggie and Alex all the way, but WayHaught had objectively THE BEST FIRST KISS SCENE EVER EVER. Alex and Maggie’s first kiss was SAD (and a beautiful story, but that’s not the point). If their SECOND kiss was the one we were voting on, that’d be much harder.
Crossing my fingers for WayHaught to go all the way! (What? No, not like that, you pervert!)
I’m assuming they already did that, based on how hot that first kiss was.
FLOZMIN times a billion!