Barker, East All-Stars come up two points short
Some of the top senior girls’ basketball players in Tennessee, including five from the Chattanooga area, gathered in Murfreesboro March 14 for the Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee All-Star Game. The West won 95-93 as Georgia signee Jasmine James of Bartlett scored with two seconds remaining in the fast-paced contest.
The athletic West squad got off to a good start and nearly led by double digits. Three-pointers by Candice Clear (Memphis East, Carson-Newman signee) and James helped the West to an 18-9 advantage at the 14:40 mark. Bradley Central’s Katie Davis (Lee University) came off the bench to supply four quick points, bringing the East to within four. Katherine Barker (Sequatchie County, Tennessee Tech) and LaShay Davis (Upperman, Western Kentucky) tied the game 24-24 with a basket apiece, and with seven minutes left in the half Julia Zimmerman hit a three-pointer to give the East their first lead. Franklin County’s Zimmerman, headed to Lee, led the state in three-point shots as a senior.
The teams swapped baskets the remainder of the first half. A long three by the West’s Julianne Downs (Nashville’s Harpeth Hall) tied it again at 44-44 with 90 seconds to go. Hickman County guard Jaclyn Wise responded with two for the East 30 seconds later but the West added a late shot to again tie the game, 46-46.
The East started the second half with a 9-2 run with strong defense leading to fast break points. The advantage four minutes in quickly evaporated as the West began making the plays defensively, including a steal and lay-up by Clear that cut the gap to 57-56. The East countered with another scoring run as three-pointers by Wise and Zimmerman helped ot make it 70-63 at the 12:00 mark.
Scoring slowed down, slightly, over the next few minutes although the fast pace continued. Free throws by the East’s Icelyn Elie (Lebanon, MTSU) tied the game 81-81, and a steal and lay-up by Barker put the East up 85-83 with 4:30 left.
In the final 1:30, Barker and Katie Davis each connected on a pair of free throws but the West still led by two after each. The East’s Reagen Thompson (Oak Ridge, Furman) stole the ball near midcourt and scored with 25 seconds remaining, despite some contact on the shot. The lay-up tied the game 93-93 and the West worked the ball for a final shot. A jumper was missed but James was all alone under the right side of the basket and easily put it in for the winning points.
All 10 players for the East scored, led by Elie with 18 points. The post added 10 rebounds and three blocks. Lashay Davis, the 2008 Miss Basketball for Class AA, scored 15 points plus five rebounds from her guard position. Zimmerman also scored 15, making a trio of three-pointers. Thompson scored 11 points, pulled down five rebounds and blocked a pair of shots. Wise was in double figures with 10 points and also had five rebounds at point guard.
Haley Ervin (Bradley Central, Tennessee Tech) had eight points with seven rebounds. Barker and Katie Davis each scored six points. Barker, a guard, had six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Summer Waggoner of Forrest High School had four points and Lambert had two points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals. East coach Jeremy Jean of Forrest High subbed five in, five out, every few minutes so each group received ample playing time.
James led the West with 16 points, including 12 in the second half. Post Ashley Robinson (Millington, University of Memphis) and Brianna Holt (McNairy Central) each had 14 points. Asia Gibson (Fayette-Ware, Southeast Louisiana) had 12 points. Clear, a 5′5″ guard, scored nine points and Miko Williams (Clarksville Northeast), University of Tennessee) had eight.
Members of the East squad were, front row, Lashay Davis, Upperman, Jaclyn Wise, Hickman County; Katherine Barker, Sequatchie County; Summer Waggoner, Forrest; Julia Zimmerman, Franklin County. Back row, Kylie Lambert, McMinn Central; Reagen Thompson, Oak Ridge; Katie Davis, Bradley Central; Haley Ervin, Bradley Central; Icelyn Elie, Lebanon
Lady Indian softball still waiting on first game
Week two of the 2009 high school softball season has begun and the Sequatchie County Lady Indians have yet to take the field except in practices and scrimmages. SCHS was scheduled to take part in a competitive tournament in Hendersonville over the weekend but rain forced its cancellation. Class AAA Cookeville, Beech and Coffee were to be the Lady Indian opponents in pool play.
Pending the weather, Sequatchie will host Marion County for an in-school game on Wednesday, March 18. The game is one of few at home this season and three tournaments were scheduled. The next day, the team travels to Notre Dame.
Sequatchie did get in a few scrimmage games to prepare for the season, and gained four wins with one tie. The Lady Indians tied Class AAA Rhea County 1-1 with neither team getting many hits. Rhea won District 5-AAA last season and returns at least two seniors who will be playing in college.
The Lady Indians performed well at the East Ridge playday, defeating Polk County, Baylor and Red Bank by a run apiece before winning 9-1 over Cumberland County. A 55-minute time limit kept most games to four innings or less.
Among the top performers for the day were senior Brittany Cooley, four hits, six RBI, one home run, one triple; freshman Meredith Mitchell and sophomore Chasity Carlton, three hits apiece; and junior Chelsea Burgess, two triples while throwing out three runners trying to steal second. Junior pitcher Courtney Dawson recorded two wins, junior Lindsey Phillips and Brooklyn Girdley one each.
Indian baseball takes three tournament wins
After a pair of losses on the road to Class AAA opponents, Sequatchie County High School’s baseball team was 0-2 to start the 2009 season. The experienced group did not panic, and responded with three wins during the rain-shortened Wildcat Classic tournament in Chattanooga. The Indians defeated Class AAA Warren County and Red Bank, along with Class A Arts and Sciences.
Sequatchie defeated CSAS in one of their games March 12, 11-5. Sophomore Shawn Cooley had two hits in the fourth inning helping the team overcome a 2-1 Patriot lead. The Indians scored 10 of their 11 runs in the fourth.
Cooley and senior Josh Henson each had two hits, while senior Bradley McDonough plus juniors Brett Bartley and Brandon Dykes were strong at the plate. Henson and Bartley each hit a double.
Tyler Kilgore started the game for Sequatchie and Dykes entered in relief to earn the win. The juniors combined to allow four hits.
After beating Warren County 13-3 Thursday, Sequatchie returned to Chattanooga March 13 and knocked off highly-regarded Red Bank 5-2. Red Bank entered the game 3-0 with wins over Chattanooga Christian, Baylor and Warren County.
Junior Cole Bryant pitched into the sixth inning for SCHS, allowing five hits. Dykes threw the final two innings and got the individual win, taking the Indians record to 3-2. Sequatchie had eight hits, with Henson recording three.
The tournament was to continue through the weekend but rain showers forced remaining games to be cancelled. Ooltewah, playing in another pool, was 3-0 and allowed fewer runs than SCHS so the Class AAA Owls were awarded the tournament championship.
The Indians were scheduled to begin District 6-AA action on March 16 at Grundy County, but the game was in doubt due to rain. The Yellow Jackets are scheduled to travel to Dunlap March 17. The following day, the Indians are hosting Whitwell, weather permitting.
SCHS boys soccer undefeated after week 1
The 2009 Sequatchie County boys’ soccer team is off to a fine start as the program begins its second year. The Indians have one win and one tie on the record so far.
On March 12, Sequatchie took a big win over district opponent Signal Mountain, 5-0. The Indians led 3-0 at the half. Junior Lupe Martinez had three goals while Garren Pryor and Mason Farley each had one goal. Junior goalkeeper Matthew Green had 12 saves in recording the shutout.
Earlier in the week, the Indians tied Class AAA Rhea County 2-2. Martinez and Pryor each had one goal against the Golden Eagles.
2009 6-AA champs, Sequatchie County
Coaches and players for the Sequatchie County Lady Indian basketball team included (front) Kristen Barker, Ashton Barker, Haley Greene, Chasity Carlton, Ansley Mosier, Leslie Cooper, Jessica McDonough, Anita Barker, Melanie Barker, Kelsey Keener, LeighAnn McAfee, Katherine Barker, Brittany Cooley, Kenzie Birch, Alyssa Lawson, Michael Dennis and Rachel Lockhart. The Lady Indians won the district tournament for the third straight season, beating Grundy County but fell to Meigs County in the region.
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