Highlanders 52, Johnson County 43

The Highlanders were able to pick up a 52-43 win over Johnson County Monday night in Mountain City.

Cloudland got the tip and scored the first six points, but the Longhorns came stampeding back. They used patients and four different players to tie the game at 11 with 2:50 left in the first quarter. Johnson County’s Jose Guzman sank a trey to put the Longhorns up, but Cloudland’s Preston Benfield had a rebound and put back. The score at the end of the first was tied at 14.

In the second quarter, Cloudland scored a bucket from Colby Birchfield and a free throw from Dalton Vines, but they then went cold on offense. Johnson County saw five different players score in the second quarter; Nathan Arnold, Bud Icenhour, and Jordan Edes-King had two points each. Guzman sank another trey, and Cody Bailie scored two buckets, including one while lying on his back with three seconds left before the half.

Birchfield got things started in the third quarter with a three from the corner. Cloudland’s Jason Potter had a lay-in next off a beautiful assist from Jesse Potter.  Next, Cloudland’s Chris Wagoner and Preston Benfield scored a bucket each. Then Johnson County’s Icenhour hit a long three. Cloudland’s Birchfield sank two free throws, and Potter swished a three. Highlander Birchfield had a steal and layup. Longhorn Bailie answered with two free throws. Cloudland’s Benfield sank a three to close out the third.

Longhorn Guzman scored three quick fourth quarter points to start the final quarter. Both teams stepped up their already tough defense. The Longhorn’s Bailie sank two buckets in the middle of the quarter, but Cloudland’s Vines and Benfield answered each time. Johnson County fouled Cloudland’s Jason Potter on the way to the basket; he calmly stepped to the line and sank both free throws. In the last few minutes of the game, Cloudland sank nine free throws to seal the win, 52-43.

Cloudland:  52

Je. Potter – 7; Vines – 4; P. Benfield – 15; Wagoner – 3; Ja. Potter -8; Birchfield -13; Arnett – 1; Wagoner – 3;    

Johnson County: 43

Icenhour-7; Guzman-20; Arnold-2; Edes-King-2; Bailie-12

 

Lady Highlanders 56, Johnson County 39

The Lady Highlanders had their hands full during the first quarter of play Monday night at Johnson County. However, their persistence paid off, and they took the win 56-39.

The score in the first quarter of play in the girls’ game was neck-and-neck, with the score never being more than a five point difference. Cloudland held the lead at the end of the quarter, 18-14.

Lady ‘Lander Lisa Ellis opened the second quarter scoring with a deuce. She was followed by teammate Payton Johnson with a bucket. P. Johnson used her left-handed move throughout the evening to score. Payton Johnson led all scorers on the night with 22 points. Cloudland went on a run at the 5:26 mark, sparked by Johanna Johnson’s trey. Freshman Stacia Wilson came off the bench to drop four points, while Payton Johnson added another four. Within approximately  three minutes, the Lady “Landers had scored eight unanswered points. At halftime, CHS led 35-22.

After the half, Johnson County’s Casey Terrell sank a three pointer and a deuce, but Lady ‘Lander Shian Strickland dropped back-to-back buckets to increase Cloudland’s lead to fifteen points with just over two minutes to play in the third. Teammates Ellis and Patricia Singleton added a bucket each.

The last quarter of play began with Cloudland running their offense like a picture book, and Strickland scored a wide open layup in the first minute of play. The Lady Longhorn’s Beilia Miller sank two free throws, followed by buckets from Courtney Brooks and Michala Crestsinger. The Lady ‘Landers, however, kept up their defensive pressure and added to their score to take the win.

Cloudland:  56

1. Johnson -22; J. Johnson – 3; Strickland – 16; Ellis – 9; Wilson – 6

Johnson County:  39

Brooks – 3; Crestsinger – 13; Duperry – 6; Terrill – 8; C. Brooks – 9