Junior Warriors celebrate 8th grade night, split with Longhorns
Published 2:59 pm Friday, January 17, 2025
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Amila Riddick drives to the basket for two of her 15 points.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Rilynn Burchfield dribbles down the court, looking for a teammate.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Addi Moore spins while battling for an offensive rebound.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Coach Whitney Jarrett calls a timeout to speak with her team.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent The HVMS eighth-grade cheerleaders are recognized during the break between games.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent The HVMS eighth-grade boys’ basketball players are recognized during the break between games.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Mason Foister drives through the Longhorns’ trap attempt.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent With eyes downcourt, Kaden Esterline spots a teammate in the paint.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Jackson Hollifield squares up before launching a three-pointer.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Coby Roark looks to pull his team closer as he scores two of his 15 points.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent The Warriors rally in the closing minutes of their game against the Longhorns.
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By Ron Marvel
Star Correspondent
Girls – Warriors 34, Longhorns 14
The Jr. Lady Warriors jumped out to a commanding 16-1 lead in the first period and never looked back. Playing an aggressive style of basketball, they contested every shot, intercepted passes, and fought for loose balls. Amila Riddick got the Warriors on the board by stealing the ball and going coast-to-coast for the first basket. The Lady Warriors capped off the first period with Rilyn Burchfield draining a three-pointer with 11 seconds left.
In the second period, Autumn Smith hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to 21-1, and the Jr. Lady Warriors entered halftime with a 23-4 advantage.
The second half saw some life from the Lady Longhorns, but every time they made a push, the Lady Warriors responded. Addi Moore’s defensive effort stood out, including a blocked shot into the wall that energized her teammates. Moore added a basket off an assist from Emma Osborne to make it 32-9 with just over two minutes left in the game.
Riddick led the team with 15 points, while Moore contributed seven.
After the game, Jr. Lady Warriors Coach Whitney Jarrett praised her team’s effort. “We took a bad loss to Unicoi and didn’t show much effort in that game. The girls knew tonight was eighth grade night, and they responded in a big way. We rebounded well and looked up the floor for fast-break opportunities,” Jarrett said.
Boys – Longhorns 37, Warriors 31
The boys’ game featured a furious late comeback by the Jr. Warriors that ultimately fell short, as the Longhorns held on for the win after regrouping during a timeout with 14 seconds left.
The Jr. Warriors struggled in the first half against the Longhorns’ relentless press and trap defense. Jackson Hollifield hit a three-pointer to spark the offense, but the Longhorns took a 13-3 lead after the first period. Despite Coby Roark’s energy off the bench, the Warriors entered halftime trailing 25-14.
In the second half, the Jr. Warriors fought to stay in the game, repeatedly cutting the deficit to single digits only to see the Longhorns respond with short scoring runs. The Warriors struggled at the free-throw line, shooting just 5-of-16. Braylen Glass hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to nine, and Roark added a pair of layups to get within five points, but the Jr. Warriors couldn’t close the gap.
Roark finished with a team-high 15 points, while Hollifield added six.
