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Thursday, January 14, 2010
On a roll!
Eagles take down two, on four-game streak
Photo by James A. Webb, Independent
McNairy’s Chris Whitten tries to draw a charge from Chester County’s Chris Gilbert Jan. 5 at Eagle Gym. Gilbert won this battle and the Eagles won the war, 6967.
Jackson teams invade Eagle Gym Fri., Tues. A pair of teams from Jackson come calling to Eagle Gym at Chester County High School as high school basketball action heats up. Liberty Tech’s two teams, each leading the district standings, are in Henderson for a 6 p.m. doubleheader Friday. The Crusaders 4-0, 12-1 overall, face a greatly improved CCHS Eagle team riding a four-game win streak. The Lady Crusaders, also 4-0 in district 14-AA, face the Eaglettes who may have
turned the corner Saturday despite a twopoint loss. Tuesday, JacksonCentral Merry comes calling. The Lady Cougars are winless this season, but the Cougars are 13-3. In other games … Chester County Junior High concludes its regular season with two games at Hardin County tonight (Thursday). The seasons end Jan. 25-28 with the Best of the West Tournament at Parsons.
District 14-AA Girls Basketball Team 1. Liberty Tech 2. Bolivar Cent. 2. Lexington 2. McNairy Cent. 5. Chester Co. 6. South Side 7. Fayette-Ware 7.Jackson C. M.
Dist. 4-0 3-1 3-1 3-1 2-2 1-3 0-4 0-4
All 10-5 9-2 9-3 9-5 2-11 1-9 0-8 0-10
A slow start to the season is now a distant memory for the Chester County Eagles. Saturday at Eagle Gym, CCHS defeated Crockett County 67-58, their fifth victory of the season and fourth straight win overall following which included a win earlier in the week over McNairy Central, 6967. CCHS is now 5-8, 1-3 in the district, and individual players appear “comfortable” in their roles as the second half of the season is in full swing. “Early in the year we were young and inexperienced,” said CCHS Eagles’ head coach Clay Murley. “Now we’ve got some experience. They are working hard in practice and have gotten better in some of the key areas we’ve been talking about.” Two of those areas are ball-handling and rebounding. Murley stressed that his team was not perfect, but much better. Saturday at Eagle Gym, Will Jones scored 17, including a dozen in the fourth quarter, as CCHS beat Crockett County 6758. Chris Gilbert had 14, and Cameron Phelps slashed through the Cavaliers’ defense for 12. Two pointers by Gilbert and Jake Greenway in the
first quarter put CCHS ahead 12-9 and they never trailed again. In the final period, CCHS connected on 12 of 16 free throws to nail it down. Unofficially, the Eagles continued their efficient shooting, making 22 of 43 from the field, 51 percent, to 42 percent by Crockett. “We have to be a smart team in order to put it all together,” said Jones. Gilbert noted the work the Eagles had been doing in practice which has resulted in better team play. In the girls’ contest, the Eaglettes fell behind by as many as a 14 points, but came roaring back to take the lead in the final minutes. However, Crockett’s Bo Sullivan hit a threepointer with only six seconds to play to win the game. It was Sullivan’s only field goal of the game, and somewhat overshadowed a 36-point, nine three-point shot effort by her teammate Abby East. CCHS was led by Tamacha Couch with 18 points, and 15 from Dee Dee Jones. Ashley Swope had 11 points and six rebounds, a steal and one blocked shot. The Eaglettes trailed 41-27 late in the third quarter. However, they began the final period on a 21-10 run, with only a pair
of threes from East keeping the Lady Cavs in the game. CCHS took its first lead of the game on shot from Jones at the 2:38 mark. After back and forth action up and down the court, Couch hit a pair of charity tosses with 23.3 seconds to go and two point led for the Eaglettes. Crockett inbounded the ball, hoping obviously for a shot from East, but after she was covered up, Sullivan hastily launched her game-winner from near the top of the key. Chester County shot 38.5 percent from the field, but almost 50 percent in the second half. The Eaglettes controlled the boards, 38 to 25, but in the end it was East’s three-point shooting, nine of 15, that gave her team the victory. CCHS fell to 2-11, with Crockett County improving to 6-7. “That’s what confidence does,” said Eaglette head coach Lee Pipkin. “The girls just felt like they could win. We’ve been losing the mental game.” Pipkin said better shooting and ball handling skills are what her team needs to more ably compete. In the boys game against McNairy on Jan. 5, CCHS worked the ball See CCHS, Page 12
Boys Basketball Team 1. Bolivar Cent. 1. Liberty Tech 3.Jackson C. M. 4. Chester Co. 4. Fayette-Ware 4. Lexington 4. McNairy Cent. 4. South Side
Dist. 4-0 4-0 3-1 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3
All 12-1 8-3 13-3 5-8 3-5 4-8 7-7 5-6
Freed and Union basketball grudge matches to be renewed Saturday at Sports Center Union’s Lady Bulldogs, 15-1, and FreedHardeman’s Lady Lions 13-1, face off at 2 p.m. Saturday at the FHU Sports Center in what has annually become a prelude to the TranSouth Conference championship. Union revealed a possible chink in their armour by squeaking out a twowin last Saturday over Bethel, while the Lady Lions pounded
Cumberland early, then held on for the victory in their league opener. The men’s contest features another good matchup, with Union, 115 overall, facing the Lions who are only 8-5 but having faced one of the toughest pre-conference schedules in all the nation. Monday the Lady Lions and Lions travel to Nashville to Trevecca Nazarene in another league doubleheader.
TranSouth Conference Women’s Basketball Team 1. Lyon 1. Trevecca Naz. 1. Union 4. Freed-Hard. 5. Bethel 5. Blue Mtn. 5. Martin Meth. 8. Cumberland 8. Mid-Cont.
TS 2-0 2-0 2-0 1-0 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-2 0-2
All 11-3 9-4 15-1 13-1 9-5 7-8 8-6 6-5 1-12
Men’s Basketball Team 1. Trevecca Naz. 1. Union 3. Freed-Hard. 4. Cumberland 4. Mid-Cont. 6. Bethel 6. Blue Mtn. 6. Martin Meth. 9. Lyon
TS 2-0 2-0 1-0 1-1 1-1 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-2
All 10-4 11-5 8-5 4-11 8-8 8-7 0-17 11-3 3-10
Photo by James A. Webb, Independent
CCHS cheerleaders keep the crowd entertained during a break in the action between the Eagles and McNairy Central, Jan. 5 at Eagle Gym.
Running just to stay warm? Forty-nine compete in cold Chase It was a cold and blustery day on Saturday when 49 runners lined up to start the annual Chickasaw Chase 10-Mile Run at Chickasaw State Park. The race, part of the Tennessee State Park’s running series, began with a temperature of 22 degrees, and three of the 49 starters actually had bare legs. The other 46 were bundled up as they very well should have been. With a finishing temperature of 21, the water froze in the cups at the water station before the runners picked up their drinks. Two walkers wisely turned around and returned to the finish very early in the race, and 13 pre-registered entries failed to show up. Overall winner was Scott Fanning of Lebanon in a time of 58:10. John Carraher was the master’s winner in 1:07:37, and Joe Kelly’s 1:17:22 earned him the title of grand master champion.
SCOTT FANNING “I love the state park’s tour, and I run as many of the races as I can,” said Fanning. “I actually prefer the cold over warm, but today was a little extreme. It slowed me down some. But with no wind it was a pretty nice day. “It was beautiful out there,” he continued. “That’s the thing about the state parks is that you get to enjoy the surroundings.” Fanning’s time was excellent under the conditions, just five minutes off the course record of 53:13 set in 1997 by Lance Winders, a three-time champion. Ironically, the 1997 race also had snow
Photo by James A. Webb, Independent
Scott Fanning crosses the finish line at a cold but picturesque Chickasaw State Park after the annual 10-mile race at the park Saturday. on the ground. Jonathan Stewart of Jackson came home in third in 1:05:08. “It’s silly,” he said of running in 20-degree temperatures. “We all have to be a little psychotic to do it. (But) There’s something spiritual about this. God created us with the ability to do this, and it’s a neat feeling to be able to do it.” Female winner was Vickie Spickard of Nashville in 1:15:56. Todd Cotton of Henderson came in fourth in his age group at 1:28:49.
Photo by James A. Webb, Independent
Some of the almost 50 runners that started the Chickasaw Chase 10-mile race run on frozen snow covered ground Saturday included Henderson’s Todd Cotton, right.