BY DANIEL SPARKMAN As we prepare for Week 1 of High School Football in Tennessee, we have placed the 19 football teams in our coverage area into a Top 10 list. These rankings are based on players that are returning to the team from last year, each team’s performance during the jamboree games, and a team’s previous records. With that said our preseason top 10: Alcoa Maryville Jefferson County Carter Sevier County Gatlinburg-Pittman TKA Pigeon Forge Morristown-West Seymour The Alcoa Tornadoes top the list as they are defending their Class 3A State Championship with a 2021 record of 14-1. Maryville …
Gatlinburg-Pittman’s Yates signs with Bryan College
BY BRIAN HAMILTON GATLINBURG – Kayle Yates transferred to Gatlinburg-Pittman after spending the first three years of her high school career at Lakeway Christian Academy and will play for her third school in as many years, but this time at the collegiate level. Yates signed her letter of intent to play basketball for NAIA Bryan College on Friday afternoon at Gatlinburg-Pittman High School. “I am definitely blessed that I have this opportunity,” Yates said. “Not a lot of people get this opportunity. I’ve been working a very long time, trying to get this opportunity. Me and (Bryan College) Coach (Bryon) …
Lady Highlanders lose heartbreaker in overtime to York Institute despite Newman’s 31 points
BY BRIAN HAMILTON MURFREESBORO – Sometimes a bad bounce can determine the outcome of a basketball game or be the difference between rewriting a program’s history. The Gatlinburg-Pittman players and fans saw that first-hand on Thursday night, as the Lady Highlanders’ star center Maddy Newman saw her layup bounce off the front rim with a chance to send GP to its first championship game in school history. “I didn’t know how much time I had left, so I just kind of tried to get it up there, but I missed it,” Newman said. Newman didn’t sulk after missing the potential …
Scotts Hill no match for Lady Highlanders, as Gatlinburg-Pittman advances to second Final Four in school history
BY BRIAN HAMILTON MURFREESBORO – Gatlinburg-Pittman was slated with an early tip-off at 10 a.m. for their Elite 8 matchup with Scotts Hill, but the early tip didn’t affect the Lady Highlanders, as they never trailed, going on to a 68-32 win. “I think the biggest thing we saw on film, was that no one we saw them against really pressured the basketball very well,” Gatlinburg-Pittman coach Katie Moore said. “I think that was something that helped us tremendously. I don’t think they ever got into an offensive flow, just because we were changing defenses and they couldn’t handle our …
Freshmen come up big to help Tornadoes win region championship at Gatlinburg-Pittman
BY BRIAN HAMILTON GATLINBURG – Eli Graf hadn’t attempted a shot for nearly 29 minutes on Thursday night, but with under three minutes remaining in the Class 2A Region Championship, the freshman hit a three to tie the game at 54-54 and then put Alcoa up 57-54 and ahead for good with under two minutes left with another triple. Freshman Eli Owens also pulled down crucial rebounds and made timely baskets throughout the game. “Eli Graf hadn’t taken a shot all game and comes out and sticks two in that big moment, right there, unbelievable,” Alcoa coach Ryan Collins said. …