Warriors, Eagles split in boys and girls basketball action
Published 8:54 am Monday, January 20, 2020
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Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
The Happy Valley cheerleaders work hard to keep the Warrior fans pumped up.
Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
Happy Valley's Marcida Thompson takes an elbow to the face hard enough to jar her glasses off.
Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
Lacey Byrd of Happy Valley applies the pressure to a Holston ball handler.
Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
Happy Valley's Marcida Thompson battles for possession of the basketball.
Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
Lady Warrior Marcida Thompson dribbles the basketball around a Holston defender.
Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
Happy Valley's Donovan Maxwell drives to the basket for an uncontested layup.
Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
Drew Blevins of Happy Valley puts up a tough shot over a Holston defender.
Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
Dakota Grindstaff pulls up for a jumper in the Jr. Warriors game against Holston.
Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
Dakota Grindstaff pushes the basketball up the floor for Happy Valley.
Star Photo/Dawn Lambert
Happy Valley's Joseph Sowards leaps on the opening tip of the game.
BY NIC MILLER
STAR CORRESPONDENT
HAPPY VALLEY – When people think of middle school basketball, they think of games with little action and few fans. However, this is not the case for a local middle school basketball team which has been showing great things this season.
This team, the Happy Valley Middle School Warriors, continued their season Thursday night against the Holston Eagles from Blountville.
The girls’ teams were the first to play and the contest started out slow as both teams were figuring out their opponents on the offensive side. Eventually, the Lady Warriors were able to pull away for a slight 9-5 advantage after one.
The Lady Eagles had a slow start to the second quarter, while on the other hand, it seemed if the Lady Warriors had found their groove. But late in the quarter, the Lady Eagles fought their way back and trailed the Lady Warriors 15-11 at the break.
Coming out of the break the Lady Eagles were able to tie the game at 15 apiece and it wasn’t until late in the quarter that Holston would score a couple more times to take a 19-16 lead going into the fourth.
The final quarter was a repeat of the first three quarters in the sense that both teams would go back and forth in their scoring efforts. In the end, four quarters wouldn’t be enough as the game would be headed to overtime with the game tied at 21.
In the extra period, it was the same story as both teams would exchange scores once more until the Lady Eagles would make a big layup late in the contest to give Holston the slim victory, 25-22.
The Lady Eagles were led by Maggie Fleming and Fallon Taylor who both finished with eight points apiece with Ava Flanery scoring four points in the win.
Lacie Byrd led the Lady Warriors in the losing effort with 10 points and was followed closely by Marcia Thompson with eight points.
In the boys’ contest, it started out as yet another chess match between the two offenses. But the Eagles were able to gain a slight advantage late in the quarter to give Holston a 7-5 lead after one.
The Warriors were able to tie things up early in the second and the teams continued to trade blows until halftime where Happy Valley would take a 12-11 edge over the Eagles.
After taking a four-point lead to enter the final quarter, the Warriors would bend but not break as they escaped with an intense 24-19 victory.
Dakota Grindstaff led the Warriors in the scoring column with a barrage of three-pointers totaling 12 points. Donavan Maxwell and Tucker Shoun also contributed with five and four points respectively.
In the loss, the Eagles were led by Caden Coates, Carson Heming, and Trey West, who all finished with four points.
