It was 20 minutes before tip off time Monday afternoon for Ironton’s own March Madness — the annual Ironton Business Association’s Easter Egg Hunt on the courthouse lawn.

Fans, also known as parents, and the players, on other occasions referred to as small children, lined the steps of the courthouse watching the “refs” cover the lawn with brightly colored eggs. The competitive spirit was palpable.

Tossing the 1,200 plastic eggs stuffed with candies were IBA members Richard Patrick and Vernon Turvey. This was the fifth year for the pair to work the hunt.

“We spread them out so all the kids can get them,” Turvey said.

The players, betraying no bit of pre-game nerves, offered a variety of equipment for the event. The prized eggs would be stuffed into every kind of container from J.C. Penney’s bags to old plastic ice cream tubs to the popular and traditional pastel baskets.

Coaches plied their players with last-minute instructions.

“You’re going to run, aren’t you? ” one mom-coach advised. “And remember when you get them in your basket, be careful they don’t spill out.”

As game time approached, the crowd began to scan the arena for the game mascot, none other than the Easter Bunny. Occasional shouts that He/She was coming drifted through the crowd.

Jillian Furnari, 2, who had come up all the way from St. Petersburg, Fla, to participate knew exactly the score.

“I’m getting Easter Bunny eggs,” she said.

All of a sudden the bunny in question appeared riding a city fire truck.

Let the games begin.

Competitors rushed onto the field, tackling every egg in sight. Athleticism was everywhere with television and print media cameras recording each move as competitors tumbled over the lawn.

In the distance a city clock slowly chimed out the hour of six. Suddenly, almost like magic before the crowd’s very eyes, the last eggs were scrambled up into eager hands.

And then there were none.