The Headline Decides Everything.
Last chapter, you learned how to write the play-by-play — quarter by quarter, one sentence each, connected by transition words.
Your article is taking shape.
But here's something most beginners don't realize.
If the headline is weak — none of that matters.
A weak headline means nobody reads past the first line. Nobody sees all the hard work you put into your lead, your support, your play-by-play.
The headline is the very first thing a reader sees. It decides whether they read your article at all.
What Does a Headline Do?
Three things.
Three Rules for Every Sports Headline
San Isidro Clinches the Championship.
Trade Weak Verbs for Strong Ones
A strong headline almost always comes down to one upgraded verb.
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| wins | clinches / seals / claims |
| beats | defeats / edges / outlasts |
| scores | fires / drains / drills |
| comes back | rallies / storms back |
| stops | denies / shuts down |
Headlines for Different Game Situations
Not every game is the same — and your headline shouldn't be either. Pick the angle that fits what actually happened.
San Isidro Crushes Rizal Central for Volleyball Crown
Zion's Free Throw Seals Dramatic Win for San Isidro
Mabini Storms Back from Eight Down to Stun San Pedro
Capitalize Correctly
Capitalize the first letter of every important word.
Small connecting words like a, an, the, in, of, for stay lowercase — unless they're the very first word.
Weak vs. Strong
| Weak Headline | Strong Headline |
|---|---|
| San Isidro Won the Game | San Isidro Claims Football Crown |
| Laurence Scored Two Goals | Laurence Fires Two Goals to Power San Isidro |
| The Game Was Very Exciting | San Isidro Clinches Dramatic Final Over Rizal |
✏️ Practice Time
Apply what you learned. Work through both activities below step by step.
Headline Fix-It Game Choose the stronger improved headline for each game situation.
Write Strong Headlines Fill in the frames — then write your own version for each game result.
🏆 Game 1 — Blowout
San Isidro Elementary defeated Mapagmahal Central, 25–8, in the football semifinals. Edel scored four goals.
🏆 Game 2 — Close Game (One Point)
Mabini Elementary defeated Rizal Central School, 67–66, when Oliver hit a free throw with one second left.
🏆 Game 3 — Comeback Victory
Barangay Maliwanag School trailed San Pedro Central by ten points at halftime. They came back to win, 78–72.
🔍 Self-Check Guide
| What to Check | Done ✅ | Try Again 🔄 |
|---|---|---|
| Every headline uses a present-tense verb | ☐ | ☐ |
| Every headline names the winner | ☐ | ☐ |
| Every headline is eight words or under | ☐ | ☐ |
| Blowout headline shows the dominant margin | ☐ | ☐ |
| Comeback headline leads with the turnaround | ☐ | ☐ |
📊 Simple Rubric
Answers for writing activities will be different for each student. Use the rubric to check your work or ask your teacher for help.
🧠 Build a Headline!
Tap the words in the word bank, in order, to build the correct headline.