Lady Highlanders use hot start to rout Pigeon Forge, win district championship

BY BRIAN HAMILTON GATLINBURG – The Class 2A District 2 championship has gone through Gatlinburg-Pittman and Alcoa the last four years, but with Alcoa moving to 3A, there was room for a new challenger. This year the championship game featured a new participant, as Pigeon Forge defeated Cumberland Gap in the semifinals to advance to the title game. Gatlinburg-Pittman wasted no time in claiming its fourth district title in five years, as the Lady Highlanders jumped out on Pigeon Forge early, building a 21-3 lead en route to a 73-38 win. The win earned Gatlinburg-Pittman its second consecutive district title. …

Cocke County outscores Northview 14-2 in 4th to win third straight district crown

BY BRIAN HAMILTON KODAK – Due to inclement weather, Northview Academy and Cocke County didn’t find out whether their game, which would decide first place in Class 3A District 3, would be played or not on Tuesday until that afternoon. The school board was able to approve the game to be played, however, with the tip-off being moved forward one hour to 5 p.m. Both teams looked rusty throughout the game, but Cocke County seemed to shake that rust in the fourth quarter, while Northview never seemed to be able to. “It was an ugly game both ways. I didn’t …

Northview Academy defeats Gibbs 65-34, sets up rematch with Seymour in district final

BY BRIAN HAMILTON STRAWBERRY PLAINS – Northview Academy wrapped up the semifinal round of the Class 3A District 3 tournament in the same fashion as it did in 2022, defeating Gibbs convincingly to earn a championship game berth against Seymour. None of the semifinal games went much different than a year ago, but there is one thing Northview head coach Brooke Shelley would like to see go different this year, and that is the result of the championship game. The Lady Cougars earned a chance to right that with a 65-34 drubbing of Gibbs on Thursday night and will look …

Seymour Girls

Lady Eagles defeat Northview Academy 47-39 for first district title since 2008

BY BRIAN HAMILTON SEYMOUR – It was a game of runs, as each team came out and traded punches in the third quarter, as Northview Academy responded to a 7-0 Seymour run with a 10-0 run of their own. The Lady Eagles dealt the final blow, however, as Seymour held the Lady Eagles scoreless for most of the fourth quarter en route to a 47-39 win and their first district championship since 2008. Seymour head coach Greg Hernandez was a sophomore center for Maryville College the last time the Lady Eagles won a district championship. Seymour defeated Gibbs 49-45 for …