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■ The Mountain Press ■ A8 ■ Tuesday, November 9, 2010
PREP SOCCER POSTSEASON AWARDS
Norwood is Region coach of the year; players honored By JASON DAVIS Sports Editor SEVIERVILLE — The Sevier County Bearettes had one of their best finishes ever in 2010, and the postseason awards are proving it. Last Friday SCHS coach Bobby Norwood was named Region 1-3A’s Coach of the Year after leading his team to a sectional berth after a trying regular season. In addition, five Bearettes were selected to the region’s first or second team, and Kelsey Fisher was named the region’s Defensive Player of the Year. “I’m not in coaching for all that stuff,” Norwood said of being named coach of the year. “But I’ve got four people on our staff, and it’s for all of us.” Norwood gave a great deal of credit to Cory Gephart, his right-hand man, and other assistants Melvin Hopewell and Chloe Hickman. “Me and Cory go back to when we were 6-years-old, playing together,” Norwood said. “And Melvin’s such a high-character guy, he’s great to have around the kids, and Chloe, she’s a great soccer mind and it was really nice having a female coach on staff this year.” Alexis Conner, Adrienne Aumell and Fisher were all named to the region’s first team, while Hayley Fox and Sherraine Villalobos were slotted on the second team. Speaking of Fisher, the region’s defender of the year,
Norwood said she improved as the year went along. “She got off to a rough start, coming back form a broken ankle in club season,” the coach said. “She was a little hesitant on the ankle, but coming out of our tournament she was playing like a kid possessed. She was our most aggressive defender, you have to have a field general and she’s that for us.” “Alexis (Conner) is what Sevier County soccer is all about, intensity and doing what the coaches ask,” Norwood said. “She does a little bit of everything. She just does the little things right. “Hayley (Fox) turned it on at the right time. We played her 12 games on defense and she wanted to play offense all year, and when we turned her loose on offense she played really well. She’s a freak athlete and she’s got a cannon for a leg. She makes it really hard for defenses. “Adrienne (Aumell) has probably got the best soccer mind of anybody we’ve got,” he continued. “She wasn’t even going to play soccer. She gives you every thing she’s got in practice. She’s got the opportunity to go play at Carson-Newman, she and Alexis, and that’s huge. “(Sherraine’s) a soccer kid,” Norwood said. “She’s always at the soccer field, girls season and boys season. That’s what she’s all about. She’s just a ball
“I’m not in coaching for all that stuff, but I’ve got four people on our staff, and it’s for all of us.” Bobby Norwood Region 1-3A coach of the year, on receiving the honor
player. She’s always out there smiling, and she gives us all she’s got. Seymour’s Jodie Wood was also named to the AllRegion first team, while Lady Eagles teammate Lauren Aucoin was selected for the second team. Sevier County’s Madara Shepherd and Rebecca Fields were both honorable mentions. A week earlier several players from both teams earned All-IMAC honors. Conner, Fisher, Fox and Aumell for Sevier County and Wood and Aucion for Seymour were named to District 2-AAA’s first team, while the Lady Eagles’ Kelsey Burnett was tabbed for the second team.
Jason Davis/The Mountain Press
Coach Bobby Norwood gives his players a half time pep-talk during their District Championship game last month at Morristown’s Frank Lorino Park. The Bearettes topped Jefferson County 3-0 for the IMAC title.
PREP FOOTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
All-IMAC football tabbed Brewer is Coach of Year; Chastain is Offensive Player of Year Sevier County coach Steve Brewer was named IMAC Coach of the Year Monday by district coaches after the Bears’ 8-2 regular season and repeat as IMAC champs. His quarterback, Danny Chastain, was also honored as Offensive Player of the Year. Chastain had 21 touchdowns and 1,925 yards passing on the season, to go along with 242 yards rushing and three touchdowns on the ground. Also honored for the Bears were first-team selections Jake Robbins (OL), Bryant Gilson (WR), Jake Reppert (DL), Ronnie Homerding (DL), Dakota Cogdill (LB), Josh Johnson (DB), Brett Pippin (DB) and second-team choices Dustin McGill (OL), Jared Baxter (K), Thomas Hamilton (DL) and John Berry (DL). The Seymour Eagles also had several players named to the first and second teams. Lee Knight (RB), Eric White (DL), Colton Flynn (LB) and Cory Clark were all named to the first team, while teammates Dylan Bennett (OL), Quincy Pugh (DL) and Kevin Kennedy were selected for the second team. Superlatives (such as offensive and defensive player of the year) were not included on first and second-team choices, and players could only be chosen for one position to allow more players to be honored.
Coach of the Year Steve Brewer
Jake Robbins 1st team OL
Dakota Cogdill 1st team LB
Bryant Gilson 1st team WR
J. Johnson 1st team DB
Offensive Player of the Year Danny Chastain
Jake Reppert 1st team DL
Brett Pippin 1st team DB
R. Homerding 1st team DL
Lee Knight 1st team RB
Jason Davis/The Mountain Press file
Pigeon Forge senior Kelsey Brooks focuses in on a foul shot in this file photo. Brooks is on pace to set several new school standards this season for the Lady Tigers basketball team.
Lady Tigers looking for more success this year By COBEY HITCHCOCK Sports Writer
Eric White 1st team DL
Colton Flynn 1st team LB
Cory Clark 1st team ATH
Dustin McGill 2nd team OL
Jared Baxter 2nd team K
T. Hamilton 2nd team DL
John Berry 2nd team DL
Dylan Bennett 2nd team OL
Quincy Pugh 2nd team DL
K. Kennedy 2nd team DB
PIGEON FORGE — The Pigeon Forge Lady Tigers basketball team may own a 45-15 record the past two seasons combined under head coach Paul Reagan, but the Orange-and-Black girls believe they can be an improved squad this year after falling just short of a second-straight district tournament championship a season ago. “We had a successful season last year, but we didn’t finish the way we wanted to,” said Reagan, referring to a 51-41 District 3-AA Tournament Championship loss to Austin-East that led to a difficult 64-55 region tournament semi-final loss to Christian Academy of Knoxville that ended the Orange-and-Black season short of their own expectations. “I’m looking forward to a great season, even though we’re in a tough district,” said Reagan. “Austin-East and Fulton are going to be tough for us this year, but we don’t concede anything here at Pigeon Forge and we expect to compete for another dis-
trict championship.” The Lady Tigers believe they could have made it to the sectional tournament last year if not for the loss to A-E in the district tournament championship. “We’re 45-15 the past two years, which is outstanding, but we’ve got stuck at the region semis both years,” said Reagan. “I think losing that game to Austin-East really hurt us last season. “Everybody wants to make it to state, and that’s everybody’s ultimate goal. But we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. I want to win the (regular) season district championship first and get that first seed going into the (district) tournament. If we can get that first seed, hopefully we can come out on top in the (district) tournament. But it will be tough.” But when the 2010-11 Pigeon Forge roster is examined, it’s easy to understand why the Lady Tigers feel there is room for such optimism. “We’re led by (senior) Kelsey Brooks, (senior) Ashlynn Trotter, (sophomore) See LADY TIGERS, Page A9